Page 21: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2023)

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua M. Tolbert

The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) sails into Apra Harbor, Naval Base Guam,

Aug 25. Seawolf is a nuclear powered fast-attack submarine and is the lead ship of its class. submarines are based at Guam, supported by two submarine “We’ll have a live-? re range, a grenade range, a breacher tenders that provide a full range of intermediate maintenance course and a combat-vehicle operators training course,” said and repair. Lt. Col Christopher Driscoll, the chief of staff for MCBCB.

The most dramatic change is taking place where the Ma- “With the MOUT facility, as well as the surrounding to 2,000 rine Corps is building its ? rst new base-- Marine Corps Base acres, we will be able work a regiment through here with

Camp Blaz (MCBCB)--in 70 years. When complete, 5,000 within a fully secure area.”

Marines currently forward deployed to Okinawa will be re- The submarine force recognizes the critical location of located to Guam. In addition to those Marines who will be Guam as a base of operations. “It’s a strategic forward loca- garrisoned there, military forces throughout the Indo-PACOM tion; it’s a tremendous logistics hub; and it’s close to our al- area of responsibility will take advantage of the world-class lies and partners in the area,” Capt. Carl Trask, commander of training facilities being built there. Submarine Squadron 15.

MCBCB’s Skaggs Urban Training Complex will feature a The submarine facilities at Polaris Point are also being up- “military operations in urban terrain” (MOUT) training facil- graded to handle the new Virginia-class submarines. “We’re ity. Repurposing 130 buildings that used to be a family hous- going to be building a new pier, maintenance facilities and ing area for Anderson Air Force Base, the “MOUT Town” can training center to support the Virginia class boats,” said Trask.

replicate any kind of urban training environment, complete Unlike other submarine homeports that have shipyards or with stores, churches, schools and even embassies. The train- intermediate maintenance activities, Guam’s submarines are ing will be recorded and then played back for the participants supported by two submarine tenders, which are also the last to evaluate how well they performed in different scenarios. two tenders in the U.S. www.marinelink.com 21

MR #5 (18-33).indd 21 5/1/2023 10:01:30 AM