Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers are capable of many missions, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

The multi-mission ships, including USS Shiloh (CG 67), conduct surface warfare, air warfare, ballistic missile defense (BMD) as well as ASW, and are the largest of the surface combatants, which also include destroyers and frigates.

"Shiloh can carry out missions across a wide range of warfare areas," said Capt. Kurush Morris, Shiloh's commanding officer. "We spend a lot of time focused on ballistic missile defense, as Battle Force 7th Fleet's BMD commander, but never to the detriment of our other core missions, including ASW."

Forward deployed and at sea around the world, surface combatants maintain the Navy's presence 24 hours a day. Often the first to respond to crises, from humanitarian assistance or mariners in distress to conflict ashore or maintaining sea lanes, cruisers are a mainstay of multi-mission warfare.

ASW has always been a part of the surface fleet's mission and one for which Shiloh, and its crew, is well equipped and prepared to perform.

"Shiloh's ASW suite, although a legacy system, is still a highly capable and proven system," said Lt. j.g. Suzanne Meehan, Shiloh's Anti-Submarine Warfare officer. "We train regularly and our sonar technicians maintain both system and their skills at the highest level of readiness, always ready to carry out their mission."

Shiloh uses a hull-mounted SQS-53D sonar, a SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) and embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) Squadron 51, Det. 4. The ship utilizes Sonar Improved Processing (SIPS) to enhance its ability to interpret acoustic data and more effectively classify submarines. Both Shiloh and the MH-60R can also deploy sonobuoys, which can be either active or passive sensors. The sonobuoys relay their data to the ship and increase the area under observation.

The MH-60Rs bring a periscope detecting radar to find submarines on the surface, as well as the AQS-22 airborne low frequency sonar (ALFS). It can interpret its search data on board, or transmit it back to Shiloh or other units as part of a coordinated ASW mission.

"The MH-60R is a force multiplier," said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Campoamor, HSM 51 Det. 4 officer-in-charge. "They significantly extend the range and area that can be searched, and provide both advanced localization and tracking capabilities beyond those of the ships we are based from."

Both Shiloh and the MH-60R can deploy torpedoes. Shiloh has six over-the-side torpedo tubes, and can deploy vertically launched anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) torpedoes from its Vertical Launch System. The Seahawk can carry two torpedoes and drop them while remaining largely safe from submarine based weapons.

With advanced data-links and communication, Shiloh can also coordinate and synchronize search efforts with other platforms. Coordinated through 7th Fleet's Submarine Command, Commander, Task Force 74, these cohesive efforts allow the U.S. Navy to conduct highly effective anti-submarine warfare throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific area of operations.

Shiloh is on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operations supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

For more news from Commander Submarine Group 7, visit www.navy.mil/.