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Expeditionary Strike Group

The Navy has come up with a new transformational strategy.

(For those who haven't been following the news, 'transformation' or any derivative of 'transform' is the new buzz word for the Department of Defense. For example at the Pentagon, much to the ire of most of us, they're in the process of transforming North Parking into a highway. Where we used to walk a mile into the five-side puzzle palace, we now walk a mile and a half. For a man my age, that's a half day trip (just kidding—more like a couple of hours.) Unfortunately, the grassy knoll where DiLorenzo Tricare Medical Clinic personnel set up its triage effort on September 11, 2001 and saved and treated countless wounded, is being transformed as construction continues to reroute the road that goes directly by the Pentagon.) (Yes, I was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and it is hard to walk by this grassy area where so many suffered and were saved without thinking of that day.)

Back to ESG. The military has always organized and configured itself to meet the current and the projected adversarial challenges of the future, but transformation means responding faster with lesser forces using increased lethality. While we're doing all that, we haven't forgotten that the number one priority of the armed forces is to protect America and our fellow Americans while denying our enemies sanctuary. This means ensuring they know that no corner of this earth is remote enough, no mountain high enough, no cave or bunker deep enough, and no vehicle fast enough to protect them from our reach. As demonstrated, we do pretty well in the warfighting department.

A new warfighting transformation concept the Navy has implemented is the Expeditionary Strike Group—ESG.

We used to deploy amphibious ready groups (ARGs) with Marines embarked. We call the Marine Corps element a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The ARGs consisted of an amphibious assault ship (LHA or LHD), a dock landing ship (LSD), and an amphibious transport dock (LPD). I prefer the term Amphibious Task Force as an encompassing term for a "MEU-ARG." The Amphibious Task Force ships, loaded with U.S. Marines, deploy to foreign waters waiting for the 911 call. It's like driving around town with a trunk full of hornets waiting for someone to piss you off, so you can flip open the trunk. The key is not to be between the trunk and the target.

The ESG significant expands the strike capability and mission flexibility of the MEU-ARGs. The Amphibious Readiness Group will grow to include a cruiser, a destroyer, a frigate, and a submarine supported by maritime surveillance aircraft such as the P-3C or the EP-3E. This new at-sea battle group configuration will be called an Expeditionary Strike Group. I have used this new concept in the JOINT TASK FORCE series. The ESG concept will increase the number of operational groups the Navy can deploy from 19 to 38; doubling the Fleet's capabilities.

So, how far along are we in deploying an ESG? We just did. The Essex ESG deployed in April 2003 and completed Exercise Tandem Trust 2003 (TT-2003) off the Marianas Islands. Read the impressive results of this new warfighting tactics at http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2003/May/16.htm.

Other links of interest:

Expeditionary Strike Group Concludes Tandem Thrust 2003

JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA is Meadows' newest novel scheduled for release in March 2005.

Read More About JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA

JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA A Navy EP-3E is hit by a missile and before the pilot can recover control of the aircraft four aircrew bail out over West Africa, landing in the middle of an African civil war. It is a fast-pace story as Admiral Holman races to rescue the Sailors before they are killed or captured. "Meadows will keep you turning pages and thinking new thoughts." --Newt Gingrich "Rip-snorting, realistic action-adventure from a man who has been there." --Stephen Coonts "When Meadows' men set sail, it's sure to be a mission like no other." --W.E.B. Griffin "Fast-paced, roller-coaster ride with this exhilarating military thriller. Dynamic writer with a fresh voice in this technical-ridden, yet intriguing genre." --Midwest Book Review "An absorbing, compelling look at America's future. Visionary, scary. Great battle scenes, believable heroes, plus villains you'll love to hate!" --Joe Buff, author Tidal Rip.

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David E. Meadows / SixthFleet.Com David E. Meadows Washington D.C. E-Mail readermail@SixthFleet.Com