The Romania site and the Poland site have very specific geometries to address threats. If that threat changes, ships are the only thing that will be in the geometry to defend Europe. So we’ve seen increasing interest by our allies in those investments. In the Maritime Theater Missile Defense BMD exercise, the Spanish navy had the Aegis targeting software in their Aegis ships, and used it. Other nations are now are looking at investing in the sensors, and they’re putting their staff officers at Strike Forces NATO, which is our NATO hub for the maritime BMD mission.

Lundquist: When we talk about the European BMD architecture, what does that really mean?

Ferguson: If there is an attack from the Arabian Gulf region, the flight time is about 12 minutes, which means the decision time is shorter to shoot and intercept. There are only so many launch cells at Deveselu. If you have an engagement, your decision to launch, and how many, has to be done in minutes. So the architecture really is about the connectivity of the sensors, as well as the decision-making systems. You have to coordinate between the ship at sea and the shore site to determine who is going to take the shot. So, when I talk about the architecture, it’s the architecture of decision-making in a very compressed time engagement. So it’s working. It’s being tested under various scenarios now. The other aspect of this is the doctrinal piece about decision-making, about how you make the decision to shoot, who takes what shot, and how to manage the limited inventory.

One of the things that has struck me is the re-integration of France into the military structure, which has occurred in that time period. And the very robust information-sharing that is taking place between the U.S., France, the UK, and our other allies.

These are the types of issues, we’re working through as we prepare for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) under a NATO command and control. A lot of work has already been done so now it’s a matter of rehearsals.

We think of Aegis in the U.S. Navy, and it’s normally focused around a strike group, and around defending a critical asset. Aegis Ashore has a different focus.   And as we integrate all of this, we also have the Patriot batteries, and the potential to have THAAD or European missile defense systems here. So this architecture involves decision-making of both land-based systems and sea-based systems.

Lundquist: One of the more remarkable things about Aegis ashore is that we’ve basically taken that proven shipboard system, plopped it in the ground, and manned it with sailors who know how to do it.

Ferguson:  The U.S. brings this incredible expertise of people, training, infrastructure, software, and the proven missile interceptors. When you see Deveselu, it’s laid out like the ship. It’s essentially the ship system in a building. And that’s a significant contribution from the U.S. to Europe. Because it’s a proven system, we reduce risk in implementation. Part of the complexity of this is to make sure the training and the logistics and all the other pieces work. It’s the first time we’ve stationed sailors for this kind of mission ashore, in a foreign country. This will be different for them, because they’re not surrounded by the life at sea we’re accustomed to in this environment. So there will be a little bit of a mindset change that will be incumbent upon leadership to make sure we still invest in their education, their development, that they don’t view this as lost time in their career progression as they go forward.

Lundquist: How are the four Rota DDGs doing?

Ferguson: The four ships are doing very well. We’re pushing those ships hard to think about operating in an electronically-contested environment. And we’re doing exercises where we take down the computer networks, and allow them to find creative ways to communicate. So, if you pose a simple question, “How do I communicate with you to execute a BMD mission, or some other mission, without satellites?” Then you start to really introduce some innovative thinking that we’ve seen take place and that causes people to think about systems. We just put SeaRAM on the Porter, and you’ll see that go on all the ships. It will help our DDGs better address some of the more sophisticated anti-ship missile threats. I’m interested in putting any additional lethality I can on these ships to help me.

Lundquist: What are some of the new warfighting developments that you find intriguing?

Ferguson: As I look to the future, I think it’s in directed energy and rail guns. All of these systems can get saturated with large volumes of incoming fire. With shifting geometries, they’re limited in speed of interceptor versus the speed of the incoming missile. For a very long term solution, a laser or rail gun doesn’t require explosive propellant or warheads. You have an unlimited number of shots. We’ll see unmanned systems with artificial intelligence, making decisions in all warfare domains, almost faster than humans can make it. Think distributed across fleets of drones in all the domains. There’s an ensign today who will be a 4-star 30 or 40 years from now, and he or she will see this transformation.

Lundquist: What else are you seeing around your area of operations today?

Ferguson: Unmanned is coming. We have Global Hawk flying out of Sigonella. We’ll be bringing Triton to Sigonella, and the P-8 is coming with it.

We don’t have the resources to support that and the nations demand more for the investment they’re making in their forces.

NATO is introducing the NATO version of Global Hawk, the AGS, also at Sigonella. So Sigonella becomes the hub for Africa. We also have elements of Special Forces and a Special Purpose MAGTF there.

Lundquist: You’ve been deploying here to this part of the world throughout your career. What are some of the big changes you’ve seen?

Ferguson: One of the things that has struck me is the re-integration of France into the military structure, which has occurred in that time period. And the very robust information-sharing that is taking place between the U.S., France, the UK, and our other allies. That degree in the maritime domain of information sharing, in the BMD realm and the ASW realm and the complex threat realm is terrific.

I’ve observed the stand down of one of the standing NATO groups which are essentially frigates, destroyers, and cruisers, for part of last year because the nations did not contribute enough ships. We see the demands for naval forces going up – France has global commitments, and the UK has commitments in the Gulf. Other nations are facing financial issues. What we are seeing working with Vice Adm. Clive Johnstone, who is the NATO Maritime commander, is if we create these high end exercises where there’s meaningful training and integration with allies, the nations will come, and they will send their ships. The days of the standing NATO groups going from port to port and doing basic exercises are over. We don’t have the resources to support that and the nations demand more for the investment they’re making in their forces.

Lundquist: In closing, what can you say about the Navy men and women out here in Europe and Africa?

Ferguson: As I look over just my career, my 42 years from the time I entered Annapolis to now, I came in when we transitioned from the draft to the all-volunteer force, and I saw what that force looked like when I was an ensign and I see it now. When the history books are written, they will say that the biggest achievement of this era has been the creation of this professional, all-volunteer force – a force with pride, amazing professionalism, education, and performance levels. As I look at all the enlisted ranks, especially the young sailors – it’s the highest quality force we have ever had. And it’s having significant, positive impacts on the organization – we can never take it for granted. I’m convinced that we weathered the readiness issues – whether rising out of sequestration or budget reductions – through the innovation and the positive abilities of our sailors and their professionalism, figuring out problems and getting us through them. I think that’s the underpinning of the Navy. That is our strategic center with the all-volunteer force.