Virginia Beach, Va. – The Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS), and Surface Warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA 21) Surface Training Systems (STS) Program Office (PMS 339) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Aegis Ashore Team Trainer (AATT) Facility in Gallery Hall onboard Naval Air Station Oceania Dam Neck Annex on Nov. 6.
The keynote speaker for the milestone event was Rear Adm. Lawrence Creevy, Deputy Commander for NAVSEA.
“In in the face of evolving strategy and maturing technology, the U.S. Navy continues to build the most advanced warships, enhancing naval mission and operational capabilities across the world,” Creevy said. “But our greatest tactical advantage continues to be — and will always be — the unsurpassed quality of our Sailors. This exceptional new facility, the Aegis Ashore Team Trainer, is a vital tool in delivering the knowledge, skills, and tools our Sailors need to effectively carry out every assigned mission.”
Aegis Ashore boasts virtually the same Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) hardware and software configuration as future Navy destroyer, USS John Finn (DDG 113). This high fidelity training facility houses a mock-up of the Combat Information Center (CIC) being built at the first host nation site in Romania, providing Sailors and teams the opportunity to experience working with the system, and to certify for operations prior to deployment.
Capt. Len Remias, CSCS Unit Dam Neck’s commanding officer, who will help manage and operate the training facility, explained the training process to the audience.
“CSCS will provide officer and enlisted Sailors combat systems training in order to meet BMD certification requirements,” Remias said. “This will be the first east coast surface warfare training facility to provide Train-to-Qualify (T2Q) and Train-to-Certify (T2C) and CSCS will utilize T2Q and T2C processes to shift qualification training away from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS) to the team trainer. Starting in January 2015, a new watch team will commence training every eight weeks providing the host nation site with an uninterrupted flow of watch teams.”
Capt. Bill McKinley, CSCS’ commanding officer, outlined the team approach that has resulted in the very successful launch of this innovative facility.
“Numerous Navy commands and organizations, including CSCS Detachment Norfolk, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), Surface Warfare (OPNAV N96), Naval Surface Force Atlantic (CNSL), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TACTRAGRULANT), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC), Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), and industry partners, have come together to bring this cutting edge training facility online to support this presidential initiative,” he said. “This model of teamwork has set the bar for future training projects.”
This ceremony marked the beginning of a new milestone in surface combat systems training.
CSCS’ mission is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems training to achieve surface warfare superiority. CSCS headquarters’ staff oversees 14 learning sites and provides nearly 70,000 hours of curriculum for 700 annually courses to more than 40,000 Sailors. CSCS delivers specialized training for Officer and Enlisted Sailors required to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems utilized in today’s Navy.
For information on the Center for Surface Combat System, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cscs/.
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