Lassen, ONI Train Together

By Lt. j.g. Lauren Chatmas, USS Lassen Public Affairs

SOUTH CHINA SEA (NNS) -- Two acoustic intelligence (ACINT) specialists from the Office of Naval Intelligence, based out of Washington, D.C., embarked aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) to provide training on acoustic and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) areas, May 15.

The ACINT specialists will be onboard until early July to increase the capability of the ship's sonar team and help the command ensure future mission success.

"Acoustic intelligence specialists were truly force multipliers in providing real-time training for junior operators and contributing to optimally employing all sensors during our anti-submarine warfare events," said Cmdr. Robert Francis, Lassen's commanding officer. "Lassen is extremely fortunate to have the ACINTs on board to bring the entire crew up to its highest level of readiness."

ACINT is collection of acoustic signatures from waterborne sources, actively and passively picked up by a ship's sonar system. With the detection and analysis of these sounds, the ship is able to classify a contact as a ship, submarine, sonar, underwater weapon, or marine life.

The ACINT program was established during the Cold War Era in 1962, to develop subject matter experts to place on board underway submarines enhancing their intelligence capabilities. There have been only 254 qualified ACINTs since the conception of the program, including 54 surface warrior sonar technicians.

Today, ACINT specialists embark ships and submarines to provide support to commanding officers conducting real world operations and exercises. On board Lassen, they have devoted countless hours of formal training to the crew on acoustic and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) topics such as acoustic analysis, sound propagation, and sound silencing for sonar operators.

"Being an ACINT specialist is a privilege and an honor," said Senior Chief Sonar Technician Surface Justin Garlick, ACINT specialist supporting Lassen. "Underway supporting the mission and helping ships and their sonar teams perform at their peak is a very rewarding and remarkable experience. Seeing first-hand the technicians and crew of Lassen applying the lessons learned is the best part of this job."

Lassen, one of seven destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, is currently on patrol in the South China Sea conducting presences operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.