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B.Smitty · 05-09-2007, 11:51 AM

Just found a 2005 paper by the esteemed Robert Work that as an interesting chapter on his concept for Forward Fleet Stations.

http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publicati...and_Keep_T.pdf

Page 203.

In it, instead of basing the fleet station around logistics and amphibious ships, the fleet station is a territory owned by the US or a close ally.

"The advantages inherent in developing a thorough appreciation of local areas of operation and the need to establish a forward support network suggests a return to the flexible Fleet Stations of the Continental/Frigate Era, and a modest expansion of the TFBN’s mobile logistics forces. In turn, the new Fleet Stations would become a key asset in forging a global maritime coalition of like-minded nations focused on preserving maritime order and safety. In this regard, five potential Fleet Stations immediately stand out:

• A West Africa Station, perhaps supported off of British-owned Ascension Island. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with naval powers in the South Atlantic to guard the southernmost maritime approaches into the Atlantic Basin and the growing offshore energy infrastructure off the west coast of Africa and the east coast of Brazil; to conduct maritime interdiction operations in the mid- and south-Atlantic; and to
patrol the west coast of Africa.

• A Mediterranean Station, supported out of the 6th Fleet forward operating bases in Italy and Spain. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Mediterranean nations to secure the Straits of Gibraltar, Bosporus Straits, and the Suez Canal; to deny the Mediterranean Sea as an avenue of transportation for extremists, illegal immigrants, or WMD; and to patrol the northwest coast of Africa.

• An Indian Ocean Station, supported out of the 5th Fleet forward operating base in Manama, Bahrain, and Diego Garcia. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Indian Ocean and Gulf Cooperation Council States to secure the southern approaches to the Red Sea, and the western approaches to the traffic lanes in the Southeast Asian Littoral; to deny the sea to extremists, pirates, and maritime terrorists in the Indian Ocean; and to help build partner capacity in confronting these threats.

• A Southeast Asian Station, supported off of the US territory of Palau, and cooperative security locations in Singapore and northwest Australia. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Southeast Asian states to secure maritime traffic through the many straits in the region; to deny the sea to extremists, pirates, and maritime terrorists; and to help build partner capacity in confronting these threats.

• A Western Pacific Station, supported off of the US territory of Guam. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Western Pacific states to secure the eastern approaches to the busy sea lanes of the Southeast Asian littoral and to deny extremist moves beyond the Indian Ocean theater.

Each of these five stations would include a mobile “station ship” and dedicated replenishment vessels. Of course, while these ships would be focused on supporting LCS operations, they would be fungible, multi-purpose National Global Patrol/Irregular Warfare/Homeland Defense and TFBN assets, able to support forward operations of US nuclear attack submarines (such as
their rearmament), Coast Guard cutters and vessels, as well as other US combatants (these ships will be discussed more thoroughly in the section on Logistics Sea Base)."

05-09-2007, 11:51 AM	#58 (permalink)
B.Smitty Contributor Join Date: 08-15-05 Location: Oak Hill, VA Posts: 553	Just found a 2005 paper by the esteemed Robert Work that as an interesting chapter on his concept for Forward Fleet Stations. http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publicati...and_Keep_T.pdf Page 203. In it, instead of basing the fleet station around logistics and amphibious ships, the fleet station is a territory owned by the US or a close ally. "The advantages inherent in developing a thorough appreciation of local areas of operation and the need to establish a forward support network suggests a return to the flexible Fleet Stations of the Continental/Frigate Era, and a modest expansion of the TFBN’s mobile logistics forces. In turn, the new Fleet Stations would become a key asset in forging a global maritime coalition of like-minded nations focused on preserving maritime order and safety. In this regard, five potential Fleet Stations immediately stand out: • A West Africa Station, perhaps supported off of British-owned Ascension Island. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with naval powers in the South Atlantic to guard the southernmost maritime approaches into the Atlantic Basin and the growing offshore energy infrastructure off the west coast of Africa and the east coast of Brazil; to conduct maritime interdiction operations in the mid- and south-Atlantic; and to patrol the west coast of Africa. • A Mediterranean Station, supported out of the 6th Fleet forward operating bases in Italy and Spain. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Mediterranean nations to secure the Straits of Gibraltar, Bosporus Straits, and the Suez Canal; to deny the Mediterranean Sea as an avenue of transportation for extremists, illegal immigrants, or WMD; and to patrol the northwest coast of Africa. • An Indian Ocean Station, supported out of the 5th Fleet forward operating base in Manama, Bahrain, and Diego Garcia. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Indian Ocean and Gulf Cooperation Council States to secure the southern approaches to the Red Sea, and the western approaches to the traffic lanes in the Southeast Asian Littoral; to deny the sea to extremists, pirates, and maritime terrorists in the Indian Ocean; and to help build partner capacity in confronting these threats. • A Southeast Asian Station, supported off of the US territory of Palau, and cooperative security locations in Singapore and northwest Australia. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Southeast Asian states to secure maritime traffic through the many straits in the region; to deny the sea to extremists, pirates, and maritime terrorists; and to help build partner capacity in confronting these threats. • A Western Pacific Station, supported off of the US territory of Guam. This station would support Battle Network Forces working with Western Pacific states to secure the eastern approaches to the busy sea lanes of the Southeast Asian littoral and to deny extremist moves beyond the Indian Ocean theater. Each of these five stations would include a mobile “station ship” and dedicated replenishment vessels. Of course, while these ships would be focused on supporting LCS operations, they would be fungible, multi-purpose National Global Patrol/Irregular Warfare/Homeland Defense and TFBN assets, able to support forward operations of US nuclear attack submarines (such as their rearmament), Coast Guard cutters and vessels, as well as other US combatants (these ships will be discussed more thoroughly in the section on Logistics Sea Base)."