NSL Update 04-26-2007
In this issue:
 1. Oklahoma City First Sub with New VMS
 2. USS Louisville Sailors Visit School for Navy Week
 3. STS 2007 Registration Reminder
 4. Binnacle List Update - RADM Arlington F. Campbell, USN (Ret)
 5. Eternal Patrol Report
     - Bette Sullivan, wife of CAPT Jerry Sullivan
     - Joan McBride, wife of CAPT Mike McBride


1. Oklahoma City First Sub with New VMS
Story Number: NNS070420-16 4/20/2007
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christina M. Shaw, Commander, Submarine Forces Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) took the next step in technological advances this April, adding the Navy’s newest navigational tool to its arsenal. The Voyage Management System (VMS) -- a combination of digital charts, constant global positioning system fixes, environmental sensors and electronic command and control -- will allow the submarine to eliminate many of the constraining aspects of navigation when using paper charts.

Electronics Technician Chief (Submarines) Robert Jacques, Submarine Force assistant navigator, explained VMS will provide greater benefits than paperless navigation. “VMS will reduce manpower workload by almost 40 percent and it will allow for plans to be utilized at a future date or shared with other units in the same ports,” said Jacques. “The computerized voyage plan safety checker assists the operator in finding hazards to navigate around and the integration of contact data from various sources including BPS-15 Radar, fire control, Automatic Identification System (AIS) onto the electronic chart will allow for easier situational awareness for the contact management process,” he continued.

The new system will save space, which is a valuable commodity on submarines. All charts are stored on compact discs. "Imagine the entire world’s charts in your CD holder," said Jacques. A wide range of associated publications such as sailing directions and an atlas of pilot charts, normally kept on subs, will also be converted to CDs. The digital nautical charts can be downloaded or ordered from the National Geographical Intelligence Agency (NGA) web site along with other data provided by NGA which add needed bottom contour features necessary for safe navigation.

Capt. Mike Brown, force navigator for Submarine Force, says the many different features VMS offers will be vital to efficient navigation. “In the past the quartermaster would do all of this work that could take anywhere from 10 minutes or more just to plot our position. By the time you completed that task you would already be 10 minutes beyond that plot. With VMS, it’s plotting for you as you are moving along which allows the quartermaster to look ahead more,” said Brown.

Brown describes the whole process of VMS much like that of using newer computer software, saying that at first many will be frustrated at the newer technology. “I would compare it to using Mapquest instead of conventional maps. In the past you would get out your map and physically plan the route you were going to take. These days you can just pull up Mapquest, type in where you want to go and follow the directions given by the computer," said Brown. "It just takes a different way of thinking. I happen to think this way is much easier.”

Brown says training is a key factor to get the submarine crews ready for the implementation of the VMS. “There’s really two steps to certifying the sub. Making sure the submarine meets the requirements and training the crew for certification,” said Brown.

Training for VMS is well underway said Jacques. “There is a formal two-week school taught by Submarine Learning Center (SLC) for the VMS operator and a weeklong school for the assistant navigator,” he said. “The navigator pipeline school at SLC is also dedicated to VMS operation. Of course there will always be on-board training. It’s conducted as part of qualifications as quartermaster of the watch.”

According to Brown, once the system is installed and the crew is fully trained it’s really up to the squadron to clarify it certified for use. “The process is really given to Fleet Forces Command but they delegate the process down to the Submarine Force. Once the crew is certified the submarine is deemed ready for paperless navigation,” said Brown.

Oklahoma City is the first submarine to operate on this version of VMS. USS Cape St. George (CG 71), the first naval vessel to use the system, has been navigating paperless since May 2005.

Brown believes the system could be fully implemented on all submarines by 2009. USS Norfolk (SSN 714) is the next submarine scheduled to implement the program, and is scheduled to be certified later this year. In May, USS Florida (SSGN 728), in conjunction with Operational Test and Evaluation Force will begin the first phase of testing followed closely by USS Virginia (SSN 774) later in the summer.

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2. USS Louisville Sailors Visit School for Navy Week
Story Number: NNS070419-12, 4/19/2007
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Lucinda Thierry, Navy Office of Community Outreach

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (NNS) -- Nearly 400 students at St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School participated in a question and answer session April 18 with members of the crew from USS Louisville (SSN 724) as one of several activities for the Louisville Navy Week. Students flooded the Sailors with questions like, “How fast can subs go and have you ever fired a torpedo?”

Principal Paul DeZarn presented a school T-shirt to Cmdr. John A. Sager, Louisville commanding officer. He also gave each crew member a medal of St. Raphael, patron saint of travelers. The crew then presented something special to a young submarine fan. The 10-year-old stood before his peers, seemingly nervous but very excited, as Sager presented him with the submarine’s official coin and a picture of the Louisville.

“I want to be in the Navy and be a scientist,” said the student, “so I can design submarines that jump out the water, fly, attack (the enemy) and do cool things.” A couple of years ago, the boy's grandmother arranged a surprise visit from the crew of the USS Kentucky (SSBN 37) explained his mother, Alex Spoelker.

“This year, the Navy League contacted the USS Louisville for Navy Week, telling them about [my son] and suggesting that the crew visit the school,” said Spoelker. “We’ll definitely come back again,” said Sager. “It’s been great, and we’ve gotten nothing but positive support for our crew.”

Twenty-six Navy Weeks are being conducted throughout the country this year by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) in an effort to increase awareness of the Navy’s mission to areas like Louisville with traditionally limited exposure to the fleet.

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3. STS 2007 Registration Reminder

PLEASE ACT TODAY TO AVOID LATE REGISTRATION FEE BEGINNING 1 MAY. PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATION CLOSES 1630 EDT FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2007

VADM George Emery, USN (Ret), General Chairman, invites you to attend the 2007 Submarine Technology Symposium (STS) to be held 15-17 May 2007 at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. The theme for this year's Symposium is Enhancing the Submarine’s Military Value. This year’s Symposium will mark the 20th anniversary of this event, and to commemorate the occasion we will host an unclassified Allied session on the final day of the event during which representatives from several Allied nations will address the operational and technological challenges faced by their respective submarine forces. Additional details on the Symposium agenda and technical sessions can be found at the STS website: http://www.jhuapl.edu/sts/index.html.

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 4. Binnacle List Update - RADM Arlington F. Campbell, USN (Ret)

Bonnie Campbell says that RADM Campbell has received his report from the medical team at Bethesda Naval Medical Center and they are referring his case to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and their expert in his type of cancer, Dr. Valerie W. Rusch, the Alfred P. Sloan Chair at the Center. He will be undergoing additional tests in preparation for this initial consult and ask for your thoughts and prayers as they start this demanding protocol. The doctors report there are several new treatments that have been developed with some reasonable success that provide hope for this approach. The family is at Bethesda today and Friday starting the additional tests and evaluations.

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 5. Eternal Patrol Report

Bette Sullivan, wife of CAPT Jerry Sullivan
CAPT Jeff Fischbeck sends, "I am very sad to report that Bette Sullivan, passed away Monday, April 23rd. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday morning, April 28th at St. Agnes Church in Point Loma at 10 AM with a reception immediately following at the parish hall. The address is: St. Agnes Church, 1140 Evergreen St., San Diego, CA 92106."

Jerry and his family have provided further information and a guest book at http://members.cox.net/bettesullivan

Joan McBride, wife of CAPT Michael McBride
Mrs. Joan McBride died in her home of cancer on 18 April. A Memorial Mass (Celebration of Life) will be held at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Ladysmith, VA, at 11 AM on the 12th of May. A memorial celebration will be planned in San Diego at a later date.

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