Group 2: ASW and Other Military Examples

Michelle Jarvais, David Jarvis, Rich Katz, Brian McCue, Frank Mulcahy, Bill Pruitt

Download PowerPoint

The ASW group looked at Hider Theory in the military context, specifically from the submarine framework. They illustrated the potential operational scenario with Blue high-value units, such as a carrier, trying to do a transit. Sometimes the Hider likes to stay clandestine, but other times the Hider has a mission to accomplish.

See enlargement

A Searcher would want to minimize hiding discontinuities where a Hider comes from a Hider such as special forces deploying from a submarine. When you have submarine vs. submarine, the Searcher then also becomes a hider. Any type of mobile missile launchers, such as TELs and Soviet nuclear trucks demonstrate the “Great Scud Hide”.

The group zeroed in on the sub attack on a carrier. In the general competitive context, Orange is trying to sink Blue carrier in one of two scenarios, either Blue transiting to an operational area, or Blue in carrier flight operations on a coastline. Orange has submarines and other information assets, such as aircraft, to cue submarines. Blue, as carrier (the primary hider), has subs, helicopters, and other information assets such as surface escorts and satellites.

The environmental considerations in this case would involve water depth, water conditions, and coastal distance.

If we attach roles to all of the elements we can see the matrix. The Blue carrier, submarine, helicopters and other information assets are all hiding, cueing, and searching and trying to kill while the Orange submarine and assets are in turn doing their similar parts.

In the operational context, the sub attack on the carrier shows the primary Hider is the Blue carrier while the secondary Hiders are the other Blue and Orange platforms. The big question is, “is his sub going to find my carrier before my sub finds his sub?” One of the facts that would help the Hider is standoff distance from the shore. The farther out you are the better you can hide.

Insights and conclusions show that both Blue and Orange are dual Searchers and Hiders. There is a split personality notion here on many levels. It is hard to think about being the Hider when you concentrate on being the Searcher. A simple view of each side is disadvantageous. There is a network of interactions between both sides.