The Sixth Fleet wargaming division was developed final yr below the deliberate plans directorate and is the primary numbered fleet, in current historical past, to have a resident functionality.
Wargaming is a time-honored custom within the U.S. Navy, going again to the late Eighteen Eighties, credited with shaping the naval technique that led to victory within the Pacific throughout World Battle II. They include three parts: selections, competitors or battle, and the implications of these selections. Used to derive info that assists army commanders in reaching selections and growing technique, the train offers a protected, managed setting for decision-makers to be taught the implications of their selections.
“This course was designed to coach a cadre of personnel,” stated Charles Leonard, an operational planner and wargaming material knowledgeable at Sixth Fleet. “By the top of the 10-day course, everybody who participated ought to have the ability to design, develop, conduct, and analyze future wargames in help of Sixth Fleet.”
In response to Dr. Jeff Appleget (Col. retired), director of the Naval Warfare Research Institute Wargaming Middle at NPS, “Wargaming will not be a pure science, or solely an artwork – it’s a craft that needs to be constantly practiced.”
“We have been taught that wargaming is a craft,” Leonard stated. “The one approach to good your craft and change into a practitioner of wargaming is with palms on expertise and continued studying.”
Leonard was certainly one of 18 members within the BAWC and he stated, “I imagine the course was profitable. I believe it gave us the data and abilities wanted to leap right into a wargaming train or into an actual world occasion.”
David Watkins, Naval Forces Europe-Naval Forces Africa, U.S. Sixth Fleet Deputy Director of Deliberate Plans & Wargaming stated, “Wargaming offers choice making expertise and lets you collect info on the state of affairs that’s wargamed. Wargaming doesn’t present validation to a plan of action, nevertheless it does present understanding to the results of selections.”
As for the way forward for this functionality inside Sixth Fleet, Watkins stated, “We’re within the preliminary phases of growing this functionality. We plan to offer extra superior coaching to our cadre as a way to present a complicated wargaming functionality for our management and employees.”
And for Watkins and his crew, their aim is to make an influence with their wargaming functionality.
“Our aim is to be the premier maritime wargaming Middle of Excellence on this theater and help U.S. and NATO choice makers and maritime planning efforts,” stated Watkins.
To search out out extra details about wargaming, go to the NPS web site and the U.S. Naval Battle Faculty web site.
For greater than 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has solid strategic relationships with allies and companions, leveraging a basis of shared values to protect safety and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces within the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of accountability. U.S. Sixth Fleet is completely assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces via the complete spectrum of joint and naval operations.
