Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

Rear Admiral Sinclair M. Harris Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command

Commander, U.S. FOURTH FleetDecember 4, 2012

U.S. Navy Support to Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response (HA/DR)

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

The Problem

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

US Military Responses to HA/DR

Martinique and St. Vincent

1902

Berlin Airlift,1948

Operation IDAIran, 1962

Haiti, 2010

Operation Tomodachi2011

Operations PROVIDE COMFORT I and II,

1991-1996

Operation SEA ANGEL, Bangladesh, 1991

Operation SUPPORT HOPE, Rwanda, 1994

Operation SHINING HOPE, Kosovo & Albania, 1999

Operation FUERTO APOYO, Central America,

1998

Operation ATLAS RESPONSE, Maputo,

Mozambique, 2000

Operation UNIFIED ASSISTANCE, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka,

2005

Pakistan, 2005, 2011

Operation ASSURED DELIVERY, Republic of Georgia, 2008

HURRICANE SANDY,2012

HURRICANE KATRINA,

2005

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

Disaster Effects

Pakistan Flood 92

Indonesia Tsunami 04

Pakistan Quake 05

Hurricane Katrina 05

Haiti Quake 10

Pakistan Flood 10

Japan Quake 11

Deaths ~ 1,200 ~ 225,000 ~79,000 ~1,368 ~230,000 ~ 1,961 ~14,000~15,000 missing

Persons Affected

~4.8m ~5m ~5m ~15m ~3m ~20.2m millions

IDPs 3m 575,000 2.8m 1.2m ~1m ~10.1m ~500,000

Homes Affected

960,000 ~180,000 600,000 275,000 313,000 ~1.9m millions

Sq Km Affected

~19,000 ~9,562 ~30,000 ~81,512 ~27,750 ~132,000 tsunami~500

Relief /Recovery

~$2.4B ~$7B ~$5.1B ~$81B ~$15B ~$10-15B Est. are escalating~ 500B

DoD Personnel

0 16,000 1,200 17,417 22,268 1905 ~20,000

USN Ships 0 25 5 20 23 3 24

DoD Planes 0 45 28 68 264 6 ~140

DoD Helicopters

0 57 28 360 57 42 Many

Length of Time

4 years 5 years 5 years 4 years On going Months Months

World Wide Disasters Comparisons

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

Things To Know

• Joint /US Navy Playbooks• Operational Design• Operation Unified Response (Haiti)• Key Points

– Partners– Situational Awareness– Collaboration/Coordination– Unity of Effort

• Command Threads

From 1970-2012, U.S. forces were involved in almost 400 humanitarian missions

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

Joint / U.S. Navy Playbooks

Humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) is a core capability.

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

Operational DesignPhased Operations

Phase III(Restoration)

Phase I(EmergencyResponse)

USN Restoration AssistanceLong-Term Engagement

Mitigate SufferingMeet Basic NeedsImmediate

Lifesaving

Phase II(Tailored Capabilities)

U.S. Navy Response

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

OPERATION UNIFIED RESPONSEPort au Prince Haiti

• Port = critical infrastructure• Severely damaged• Airport not able to sustain delivery

of aid• Detailed port assessment needed

to:– Avoid hazards – Prepare site for expeditionary offload

– Repair facility

Vast majority of the world’s population live within a few hundred

miles of the ocean. Bulk of capabilities and supplies that

ultimately sustained relief effort were delivered by sea.

South Pier collapsed North Pier sunk

Pier damaged

Cars & containersin harbor

Airplanes at International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, sit parked prior to being offloaded in support

of earthquake relief efforts 17 Jan 2010.

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

VINSON (CVN)USNS COMFORT (T-AH)NORMANDY (CG)BUNKER HILL (CG)HIGGINS (DDG)UNDERWOOD (FFG) USNS GRASP (T-ARS)

BATAAN ARG with 22 MEU:BATAAN (LHD)FORT MCHENRY (LSD)CARTER HALL (LSD)GUNSTON HALL (LSD)

Guantanamo Bay (Cuba):Joint Logistics Hub (CTF 48)

USNS HENSON (T-AGS)USNS JACK LUMMUS (T-AK)SACAGAWEA (T-AKE) NASSAU ARG with 24 MEU:NASSAU (LHD)MESA VERDE (LPD)ASHLAND (LSD) CAPE MAY (T-AKR)USNS PFC DEWAYNE WILLIAMS (T-AK)HUAKAI (MV)USNS BIG HORN (T-AO)CORNHUSKER STATE (T-ACS)LEWIS AND CLARK (T-AKE)

Civil Affairs, Security,Logistics Support, Seabees, Combat Camera, Navy Divers Engineers

JTF Port Opening (CTF 42)

P-3sE-2s

Predators

Largest Humanitarian Response Mission in U.S. Navy History:

14,000 Sailors, 23 ships, 89 aircraft

OPERATION UNIFIED RESPONSEU.S. Navy Response

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

UNCLAS

ATHABASKAN (DDG, Canada)

HALIFAX (FF, Canada)

TARASCO (Aux, Mexico)

ZAPOTECO (Aux, Mexico)

HUASTECO (Aux, Mexico)

PAPALOAPAN (LST, Mexico)

USUMACINTA (LST, Mexico)

CASTILLA (LPD, Spain)

CAVOUR (CVH, Italy)

SIROCO (LPD, France)

LARGS BAY (LSD, UK)

BUENAVENTURA (Aux, COL)

CARTAGENA DE INDIAS (AUX, COL)

CAPANA (LST, VEN)

ESEQUIBO (LST, VEN)

ADMIRANTE SABOIA (LST, Brazil)

Part of a Larger International Response

OPERATION UNIFIED RESPONSEPartner Navy Response

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

USAIDDepartment of State

Partner MilitaryWorld Food Programme

PartnersKey Point #1

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Situational AwarenessKey Point #2

• Must rapidly determine:– Extent of damage (civilian commercial partners)

Google satellite imagery Aid workers, host nation reports Cell phone pictures

– Status of logistics hubs– Lines of communication– Location of suffering– Best distribution points

• Must also know:– Who contributing what aid– When relief supplies coming– What conveyance – Partner capabilities / needs

Awareness helps define requirements and priorities to enable flow of manpower and supplies

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

• HADR operations underscore importance of collaboration

• Non-classified info-sharing networks– All Partner Access Network (APAN)– InRelief.org web portal

• Bridge-bridge between ship captains • Phone/e-mail between liaison officers

and headquarters• Social networking media allowing

anyone to upload info in real-time• Blackberry, cell phones, radios ashore Militaries do not need to control flow, but must be able

to inject and extract from central info hubs at will

Collaboration/CoordinationKey Point #3

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

• Value of regional military interactions• Public-Private Partnerships are important • HADR operations require coordination and collaboration

among many agencies, both governmental and nongovernmental with the military in a supporting role.

• During HADR operations unity of command may not be possible, but the requirement for unity of effort becomes paramount.

Unity of EffortKey Point #4

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability

• Non-military government/civilian agencies and international organizations are the experts

• Know local laws and culture• USAID is lead US agency for foreign disasters • Never have enough helicopters• Time is not on your side; rescues come early• Uncertain environment• Sheltering, food, fresh water and medical needs first wave• It always takes longer than you expect / plan• Utility restoration/roadwork are needed to transition• Security and safety concerns both the serving and those being served• Media and VIPs come early and need handling

Common ThreadsSome things are always the same

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• Geography and demography dictate the nature of operations• Effected nation’s capability and desire for help• Casualties and displaced persons• Metrics for assessing needs or success• Language• How the end is determined• Operational environment• How quickly Media and VIPs lose interest• Personalities and experience of NGOs and other crisis

responders• Rules of engagement or rules for the use of force

Common ThreadsSome things are not

16Areas Affected by Tsunami Areas Affected by Tsunami

Banda Aceh

Phuket

Utapao

Epicenter

Relief OpArea

Warfighting First - Operate Forward - Be Ready Unity - Security - Stability