Composite Warfare Concept and Surface Warfare

Composite Warfare Concept 

and Surface Warfare

What is Composite Warfare? 

• Centralized Command Authority, 

Decentralized component Commanders 

• Enables rapid response, greater flexibility, and 

enhanced surveillance capabilities. 

• Provides more effective procedures for Battle 

force deployment

Relationship 

• Officer in Tactical Command (OTC) retains the 

authority over sea-power projection and the 

overall tactical picture 

• Composite Warfare Commander maintains 

control over combat operations to protect the 

force and to maintain tactical sea control over 

his/her specific assets.

Composite Commanders 

• Composite Warfare Commander 

• Surface Warfare Commander 

• Undersea Warfare Commander 

• Air Warfare Commander 

• Command & Control Warfare Commander 

• Strike Warfare Commander 

• Air Resource Element Coordinator 

• Helicopter Element Coordinator 

• Submarine Element Coordinator 

• Force Over-the-Horizon Track Coordinator 

• Screen Coordinator

Composite Warfare Commander 

• CWC or AB (Callsign) 

• Is always located: 

– where he has ready 

access to principle 

assets 

– is minimally 

impacted by EMCON 

– Has optimum 

facilities for receipt 

and transmission of 

messages. 

• Typically located on 

shore or with a 

carrier

Surface Warfare Commander 

• SUWC or AS 

– is responsible for 

planning and executing 

both offensive and 

defensive war-at-sea 

strikes. 

– Typically assigned to 

Cruiser or Destroyer

Undersea Warfare Commander 

• USWC or AX 

– Directly in charge of 

all undersea assets 

for a specific area or 

battlegroup 

• Typically assigned 

to a shore-based 

staff but can be a 

cruiser or destroyer

Air Warfare Commander 

• AWC or AW 

– In charge of all friendly aircraft in a region and the 

identification of all unknown air contacts 

• Typically an AEGIS ship

Command and Control Warfare 

• C2W or AQ 

– Acts as principal 

advisor to CWC for 

use and counter-use 

of the 

electromagnetic 

spectrum by friendly 

and enemy forces 

– Manages GCCS-M 

– Typically either a 

staff or an AEGIS 

capable ship 

Commander

Strike Warfare Commander 

• STRIKE or AP 

– AP sets general strike philosophy, policy and employs 

manned aircraft and tactical missiles. AP sets strikes 

which can include both carrier strike assets and TLAM 

in accordance with the Air Tasking Order (ATO) when 

applicable. 

– Typically either a carrier air-wing commander or a 

shore based staff

Capabilities and Limitations 

• Capabilities: 

– Enhances overall situational awareness 

– Lessens the overall burden of information 

– Gives more autonomy to smaller ships 

• Limitations: 

– Designed for Soviet Era multi-faceted threats 

– Designed for large battlegroups NOT small units 

– ROE can make getting permission a big burden

International 

Law

OFFSHORE ZONES 

NATIONAL AIR SPACE 

TERRITORIAL 

SEA 

INTERNATIONAL AIR SPACE 

CONTIGUOUS 

ZONE 

INTERNAL 

WATERS 

BASELINE 

12 

NM 

EEZ 

HIGH SEAS 

24 

NM 

200 

NM

National Waters 

• National waters: Subject to territorial 

sovereignty, but certain navigational rights are 

reserved for the international community. 

– Internal waters: area landward of the baseline (lakes, rivers, 

some bays, etc.) This water is the same as the land itself; 

there is no right of innocent passage. 

– Territorial seas: the belt of ocean measured seaward from 

the baseline; the U.S. uses and recognizes a territorial sea 12 

NM out from the baseline. 

– Archipelagic waters: a nation consisting of island groups. All 

enclosed waters are national waters. Sea lanes may be used 

through these waters for continuous/expeditious passage.

International Waters 

• International Waters: all ocean areas not subject 

to territorial sovereignty by any nation. All 

nations have freedom of navigation and 

overflight in these waters. 

– Contiguous zones: extend seaward from the territorial sea, 

where a coastal nation may enforce customs, immigration, or 

other laws. The U.S. uses a 12 NM contiguous zone but 

recognizes contiguous zones out to 24 NM from the baseline. 

– Exclusive economic zones (EEZ): may extend out to 200 NM 

beyond the baseline, and are primarily for control of natural 

resources, such as oil drilling. The EEZ has no effect on 

freedom of navigation through these areas. The U.S. claims a 

200 nautical mile EEZ. 

– High seas: all water seaward of an EEZ or territorial sea.

International Waters (cont.) 

• Continental shelf: seabed/submarine areas seaward of 

the territorial sea to the edge of the shelf or 200 

nautical miles from the baseline. 

– This area may not extend greater than 350 nautical miles 

beyond the baseline or more than 100 nautical miles from the 

2500 meter depth line. 

– This area is established for control of natural resources; all 

nations may navigate here, but resource exploitation (offshore 

oil drilling, etc.) is reserved for the coastal nation. 

• Safety zones: these are established to protect artificial 

islands, installations, and structures within national 

waters, EEZ's, and continental shelves; may extend a 

maximum of 500 meters around the area to be 

protected.

INTERNATIONAL WATERS 

• COMPLETE FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION AND 

OVER-FLIGHT 

• For warships, this includes: 

– Task Force Maneuvering 

– Flight Operations 

– Military Exercises 

– Surveillance 

– Intelligence Gathering 

– Ordnance Testing And Firing

EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE 

• U.S. Claim: 

• LOS Limits: 

200 nm 

200 nm 

• Purpose: Provides for the protection 

of natural resources. 

• Note: 

– Complete freedom of navigation and over-flight 

exist.

CONTIGUOUS ZONE 

• U.S. Claim = 12 nm from territorial seas 

• LOS Limits = 24 nm from territorial seas 

• NOT A SECURITY ZONE 

• Purpose: to prevent infringement upon a 

nation’s customs, fiscal, immigration, or 

sanitary laws. 

• Note: 

– Freedom of navigation and over-flight exist, but must 

not be detrimental to above.

TERRITORIAL SEA 

• Limits: 12 nm from a measured baseline 

• Purpose: Extends the sovereignty of coastal 

states to the adjacent airspace and waters. 

• Determining Baselines: 

– Normal Baselines (Low Water Marks) 

– Straight Baselines 

– Legal/Historical Bays 

• Severe limits freedom of navigation and overflight 

exist

Airspace 

• National airspace: the nation has complete 

sovereignty over national airspace, which is 

located above national waters. Two exceptions 

are international straits and archipelagic sea 

lanes. 

• International airspace: located over 

international waters; aircraft may navigate 

freely.

Navigation Within or Over-flight of 


• Territorial Seas: normally off-limits without permission, 

but may be transited using the right of innocent 

passage. 

• Innocent passage: Ships (but not aircraft) have the 

right of innocent passage, for the purpose of 

continuous and expeditious traversing of the territorial 

seas. 

– “Innocent” defined: actions that are not prejudicial to the peace, good 

order, and security of the coastal nation. Some actions that are not 

innocent: 

• threat or actual use of force 

• launching or recovery of aircraft 

• intelligence gathering 

• any activity not related to passage

Navigation Within or Over-flight of 


• International Strait: a narrow body of water which 

connects different parts of either the high seas or an 

EEZ, which could be claimed as national water but is 

necessary for navigation of the world’s vessels. 

• Transit passage: the ships and aircraft of all nations 

have the right of unimpeded passage through straits 

and approaches for continuous and expeditious 

passage. 

• Archipelagic passage: identical to transit passage, but 

applies to designated archipelagic sea lanes. Passage 

through other portions of archipelagic waters falls 

under innocent passage.

SUW Weapons and Platforms

SUW Weapons 

• Harpoon Missile 

– Over the Horizon (OTH) 

– Launched from ships or 

aircraft

SUW Weapons 

• SM2/SM3 

– Surface to Surface Mode 

– Medium / Long Range

SUW Weapons 

• Mk 48 Torpedo 

– Wire Guided 

– Launched from Subs

SUW Weapons 


– Air/ship launched 

– Ultra-Lightweight 

– Anti-Submarine 

– Longer range than 

Mk 46

SUW Weapons 


– Air/Ship launched 

– Anti-Submarine 

– Smaller and lighter 

than Mk 50

SUW Weapons 

• Guns 

– 5” 54 cal MK 45 or 

– 5” 62 cal Mk 45 

– 76mm OTO Melara

SUW Platforms 

• Attack / Targeting Platforms 

• Guided Missile Cruisers 

Ticonderoga CGs 

• SUW Weapons 

Harpoon Missiles 

SM-2 (Surface Mode) 

5 in / 54 Mk 45 Guns (2) 

SH-60B 

Mk 46/50 Torpedos

SUW Platforms 


• Guided Missile Destroyers 

Arleigh Burke DDGs 


SM-2 (Surface Mode) 

5 in / 54 Mk 45 Gun 


Mk 50/46 Torpedos

SUW Platforms 


• Guided Missile Frigates 

Oliver Hazard Perry FFGs 


76mm / 62 Mk 75 (1) 

• OTO Melara 

SH-60B

SUW Platforms 


• Attack Submarines 

Virginia Class SSNs 

Seawolf Class SSNs 

Los Angeles Class SSNs 


Mk 48 ADCAP Wire Guided 

Torpedoes 

Mk 67 / 60 Mines

SUW Platforms 


• TACAIR 

Carrier based F/A-18 

Harpoon Missiles

SUW Platforms 


• P-8A Multimission Maritime 

Aircraft 

Boeing 737 


• Replaces the P-3C 

Expected 2012

SUW Platforms 


• E-2C Hawkeye 

Early Warning and C 2 

Electronic Warfare

SUW Platforms 


• B-52 Stratofortress 

USAF Strategic Bomber 

Cluster Bombs 

Dumb Bombs 

Precision Guided Ordnance

SUW Platforms 


• SH-60B/F 

• Light Airborne Multipurpose 

System (LAMPS) Mk III 

• OTH Comms / Targeting

Why do you need to know this 

• EOY Exercise 

– CWC Concept 

– Capabilities and Limitations 

– Surface tactics 

– ROE

CWC Review 

• AP 

• AX 

• AS 

• AW 

• AQ 

• AB

Innocent or Transit

Innocent or Transit

Innocent or Transit

SUW Review 

• CG 

• DDG 

• E2C

Questions

Composite Warfare Concept and Surface Warfare

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