USS Curtis Wilbur Conducts Torpedo Exercise within Multi-Sail 2014

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) launched a MK46 exercise torpedo (EXTORP) March 22, during a live-fire anti-submarine warfare event as part of Multi-Sail 2014.

Multi-Sail 2014 is an annually held Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON 15) exercise in the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility that focuses on anti-air warfare, surface warfare, and anti-submarine warfare readiness.

The various events throughout the week-long exercise test the forward operating capabilities of participating ships, and focus on the detailed coordination required in a multi-ship, multi-warfare combat environment.

Curtis Wilbur’s EXTORP event validated the tactics, techniques, and procedures of her Combat Systems’ team, through the successful execution of an urgent attack on a simulated enemy contact.

After being fired remotely from a surface vessel torpedo tube (SVTT), the MK46 EXTORP traveled underwater towards the simulated target while being tracked by sonar technicians on board Curtis Wilbur.

After the EXTORP finished the full run and surfaced, Curtis Wilbur’s boat crew recovered the EXTORP via one of her two rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB).

Among the boat crew was Seaman Peter Buckley, one of two Search and Rescue swimmers.

Buckley said: “Anytime I get the opportunity to get in a RHIB I’m happy, let alone the water. The seas weren’t really cooperating and it was difficult finding the EXTORPs center of gravity as we were craning it back aboard the ship, but my chief always says, exercise patience, you’ve been trained, now execute. That’s exactly what we did.”

The event concluded with the safe recovery of both the EXTORP and RHIB and was hailed as a success by all participants.

“Torpedo exercises are critical in maintaining our anti-submarine warfare capability,” said Cmdr. Hans De For, commanding officer of USS Curtis Wilbur. “With today’s performance, this crew has further strengthened my already tremendous confidence in the fact that they can rise to any task presented to them.”

Curtis Wilbur, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, is participating in Multi-Sail 2014 supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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Press Release, March 28, 2014; Image: US Navy