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View File LCS in the Gulf, late 2022. Hypothetical Scenario. LCS in the Gulf, late 2022. Hypothetical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for The Middle East Battleset and the HCDB2-170308 new standard 1980-2025 Platform Database. This scenario is designed with advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Iranian side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: The Freedom-variant littoral combat ships USS Wichita (LCS 13), USS Billings (LCS 15), and their embarked aviation detachments, as the in the photo MH-60S, participate in a maritime training exercise in the Caribbean Sea with the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11), July 4, 2021. This exercise marks the first time three Freedom-variant littoral combat ships are deployed and operating together. Sioux City, Wichita, and Billings are deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marianne Guemo/Released/A serviceperson on duty and in consequence on public domain) This scenario is inspired by the "Pasdaran Swarm Attack" by Chris Carlson published in Harpoon Naval SITREP 61. With the world centred early 2022 on the Russian menaces to Ukraine anything can happen the next months. The deployment of Freedom-class LCS in the Persian Gulf for late 2022 was announced January 2022. This scenario is simple on its planning and execution, but perhaps difficult to master. US ships steam near the Saudi east coast, protecting the sea lanes in the Saudi territorial waters, while waiting for a probably Iranian harassment attack with minor and irregular units. Because the complex world crisis land-based air (Or other type) support is not expected, as Gulf countries negate its bases use in this action for no irritate Iran. At last the LCS are alone on first line of battle, just what they were not designed for. Enrique Mas, January 30, 2022. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 01/30/2022 Category Middle East  

View File The Chinese are Coming!!! (Against ARC21). Mid-2021. The Chinese are Coming!!! (Against ARC21). Mid-2021. Hypothetical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for Western Pacific WesPac Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/Allied side or from the Red/Chinese side. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side. Image: San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18), joined by the Royal Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH-154), the French Navy's amphibious assault helicopter carrier FS Tonnerre (L9014), and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force's Osumi class tank landing ship JS Osumi, transit together during exercise Jeanne D'Arc 21 (ARC-21), off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan on May 14, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence on public domain). Putting President Putin aside and his current hybrid-war generated tensions in Easter Europe, expansionist China imposes a greater military, economic and politic challenge to the Western powers and other Far East allies. After historical periods targeted against other neighbours from 2012 China expansionism reveals itself clearer, marking an oceanic path. Beyond old vindications on nearer islands from Japan, Philippines and other countries, it's a subjacent strategy to exercise control on the Chinese sea approaches just to the second "string of pearls" (islands) and beyond, with complete domination of the sometimes named East and South china Seas. This scenario is centred on mid-2021, when annual French training mission ARC21 arrived near Japan, and international situation degenerates hot. The scenario reflects the complete Japanese and US order of battle in the region in 2021, and a very approximative Chinese order of battle of its Eastern Theatre Command forces, both PLAAF and PLAN (only main and selected warships), with some (air defence) PLAGF elements. This scenario is apparently cumbersome, but easier to command than others with fewer forces. Also it was surprisingly easier to program than other a lot smaller. Both sides forces are asymmetrical but probably balanced ... or not. Enrique Mas, November 14, 2021. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 11/14/2021 Category WestPac  

View File FONOPS off Venezuela 2020. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. FONOPS off Venezuela 2020. Historical/Alternate History Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Caribbean Basin Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US-Allied side or from the Red/Venezuela side. You should play a few times first the Blue/US-Allied side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red/Venezuela side. Image: The littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS-7) travels in formation with the guided missile destroyers USS Lassen (DDG-82), USS Preble (DDG-88) and USS Farragut (DDG-99), as well as a Navy P-8A aircraft while conducting maritime security operations in the Caribbean Sea, May 11, 2020. Photo By: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Anderson W. Branch, VIRIN: 200511-N-KK394-1564Y.JPG, took by a serviceperson on duty, and in consequence in public domain. Freedom of Navigation is a principle of consuetudinary international law, relative to freedom movement of vessels of sovereign states without the interference of other states, with the exceptions provided by international law. Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) are operations of naval ships transits to enforce and guarantee Freedom of Navigation in dubious or contested maritime zones, and codified as in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The U.S. Navy executes freedom of navigation operations with regularity. Though the U.S. is not a signatory to UNCLOS, it broadly supports UNCLOS framework for freedom of navigation, and the Navy routinely carries out transits and other operations to demonstrate the recognized limits of claimed territorial seas, most highlighted in the South China Sea. The United States was the signatory of the 1958 version on UNCLOS which had many of the same provisions as the current treaty. When the required number of nation-states has ratified it, UNCLOS goes into effect and becomes part of international law for the entire world, including the US. UNCLOS was recognized and adhered to by the US since 1983 as part of the Reagan administration's ocean policy. US Navy FONOPS is based on UNCLOS. Venezuela has from some time ago required prior notification for military operations between its 12 nautical miles territorial seas boundary and its EEZ boundary extended to 200 nautical miles, and it has challenged U.S. government vessels in this zone. Also, the U.S. does not recognize the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, favoring political opposition leader Juan Guaido instead. In 2020, and in the aftermath of the March 31-April 1 night, when the Venezuelan patrol ship Naiguata (GC-23) was sunk by ramming of the reinforced arctic hull of RNMS Resolute cruise ship with Portuguese flag, under accusations of attempt to throwing the Maduro regimen, USN persists on its FONOPS operations. Venezuela is determined in the control and identification on ships sailing its EEZ, and after the RNMS Resolute incident, the clash is almost inevitable. This scenario is qualified as "historical" because the present forces are the same historically available at August 2020. Enrique Mas, August 29, 2020. Submitter broncepulido Submitted 08/29/2020 Category Caribbean Basin

File Name: LCS Goes to War 2, the Real Thing, Spratly Islands, 11 May 2015. Historical Scenario. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 23 May 2015 File Category: WestPac LCS Goes to War 2, the Real Thing, Spratly Islands, 11 May 2015. Historical Scenario. A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for the Western Pacific Battleset and the HCDB-150511 1980-2015 era Platform Database. Image: USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) trailed by Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) in the Spratly Islands, 11 May 2015. Official photo released by US Navy and as consequence in public domain. This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/US side or from the Red/Chinese side. To avoid spoilers you should play a few times first the Blue side, and only later play the Red side. After the full of naval and security incidents year of 2014 and the not less eventful first five months of 2015 and with the World beginning the so-called Second Cold War when President of Russia Vladimir Putin (ex-KGB lieutenant colonel) provoked in succession the Crimea, Ukraine, Donetsk, Baltic States, October 2014 Swedish submarine incursion, G-20 Brisbane meeting naval crisis, November 2014 Faslane submarine incident, frigate Yaroslav Mudryy February "Channel Dash", April 2015 Finnish submarine incursion (for many observers causing the pre-mobilization of Finland reserve forces), and constant and multiple overflies with military warplanes entangled in potential incidents with commercial flights. That without counting in other unrelated naval incidents, just as the Iranian seizure of the Maersk Tigris in 28 April 2015 (and neither counting in landlocked actions, as the ISIS operations in Middle East). But meanwhile, more towards Far East, was China the less perceived problem. In some places of the South China Sea multiple country claimed Spratly Islands archipelago (Chinese: Nansha islands, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Kalayaan, Malay: Kepulauan Spratly and Vietnamese: Quan dao Truong Sa), China was for years mongering his plans and established a permanent base at least from 1987, and 1988 included a naval battle against Vietnam, the Johnson South Reef Skirmish. Also at least from 1995, as denounced by Philippines, China was building structures with military capabilities, including from 2012 more relevant structures, as the 3000+ meters long (Very Large Airport in Harpoon parameters) runway in Fiery Cross Reef, and more important, building artificial reefs and islands above previous simple shoals. At last in an undetermined date late April 2015 China claims as territorial waters the 12 nautical miles circling his "new" islands. As the US official doctrine is Freedom of Navigation (FON), and as in this case with fears about a decision not to send naval vessels into the zone would inadvertently help the Chinese build their own case for sovereignty in the area, some air and surface elements of US Navy begin to orbit near the Chinese claims, but not crossing the 12 nm line. One of the first incidents (another was a VP-45 Pelicans' P-8A Poseidon in surveillance mission carrying a CNN TV team inside, warned by the Chinese to no flight 12 nm near of Fiery Cross Reef on 20 May 2015) was the trailing for some hours of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) by the Chinese frigate Yuncheng (571) on 11 May 2015. This scenario try to show what could have happened, and shows how near was one of the first missions of a controversial LCS to end with the ship placed where she was not designed to be, first line of combat. Enrique Mas, 23 May 2015. Click here to download this file

File Name: LCS goes to War. Battle off Vietnam 2015. File Submitter: broncepulido File Submitted: 29 Jan 2011 File Category: WestPac LCS goes to War. Battle off Vietnam 2015 (Hypothetical scenario): This scenario is inspired in the current (January 2011) discussions about the Littoral Control Ship, her future, her future missions and her future fate. In a surprising decission with the absurd allegation of budgetary eficiency, on November 2010 the US Navy decides to purchase a great number of LCS, when yet are not resolved a myriad of issues relatives to the ship design, concept and tasks. The US Navy will purchase ten ships of each one of the concurrent designs (added to the previous four), and not declare a winner neither select only one design for series shipbuilding. In particular this scenario is motived when in some blog someone asked a few days ago: "How a group of LCS can stand before a Chinese Sovrenmenny ?". We must remember the LCS is not defined clearly as a single class of warships. With a group of specific but not clearly defined missions, tasks, and the correspondent modular mission packages, (with limited weapons of not very long range and of limited punch), limited protection and limited structural resistance, limited number of crew members (operational fatigue of a reduced crew is a limitating factor of military operations) and emphasis on speed, LCS should be placed only in very concrete niches on the naval operations (basically sea control in areas with limited menaces, littoral ASW, special operations support and minehunting). But many people fears, in a crisis situation, LCS will be used as an ordinary warship in usual combat missions as an ordinary light frigate/corvette, perhaps as the vulnerable British battlecruisers in the Battle of Jutland, and the outcome will be the same, an Admiral saying: "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today", a lot of servicepeople died in vain, and one more loss for the interests of the United States. That is one of the Harpoon strong points, we can imagine and simulate easily what will happen in the future, evaluate it, and after future modifications in the configurations of the LCS applied on the database, we can evaluate it again and every time the LCS design changes. Historical background (Hypothetical): The near future, summer 2015. A constant succession of new challenges in a fast changing world. At the other extreme of the world Argentina has seized the Falklands/Malvinas Islands on August 2011, and the failure of the reduced British forces sent without air support to recover the islands has motivated a great lack of credibility on the Western military capacities. In Europe, the Islamic Supremacy groups are forcing the European Union governments to be aside of the global issues. Europe is not already a player. Only very reduced US forces are keeping a credible operational readiness in the Western countries. China sees on it an opportunity to expose clearly and affirm what is his strategic influence zone, the countries from which he needs to import raw strategic materials and other resources, and the external markets that considers as of his exclusive property for import and export of manufactured goods, and in those China will not tolerate the intromission of powers strange to Asian countries. His strategic influence zone is very similar in extension and configuration to the previous Japanese Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, and it will motivate the same type of troubles in the Pacific Ocean. And remember, the intelligence estimates ever can be erroneous ... Enrique Mas, January 2011 Click here to download this file