Cross-deck (naval terminology)
Encyclopedia
For the component of an aircraft carrier arresting gear
, see Cross deck pendant
Cross-deck (or cross-decking) is United States Navy jargon
which may refer to either informal, ad-hoc sharing of resources between naval vessels (historical usage), or the use of carrier decks (or vessel borne helipads) to host aircraft of foreign allies, aircraft from other ships in the same navy, or as re-fueling platforms for naval aircraft to extend flight operations beyond the range of the aircraft type. The operations may be entirely within a single navy, or between allied navies such as defined in the HOSTAC
agreement. This may be required for ferrying aircraft or supplies, power projection
operations involving fixed or rotary-wing aircraft, or to provide flexibility in operating limited numbers of specialized aircraft (such as the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare
aircraft) over a wide theatre of operations. Spare parts that can be lifted by helicopter are often crossed decked between ships operating compatible equipment (especially if they are the same ship class
), to reduce redundancy in carrying spares.
Individual personnel may be cross-decked due to their required specialities being in need. Rarely, entire crews can be cross-decked to a newly commissioned ship from either a decommissioning
vessel (e.g. from USCGC Bonham to USCGC Modoc
), or a vessel undergoing prolonged repair or renovation. More commonly, a core group of experienced personnel may be cross-decked to a new ship to allow the vessel to come to full readiness more quickly. Generally, a move of this type will be between ships with similar missions, though not necessarily the same ship class. This can be seen as a means of propagating institutional knowledge.
Entire naval air units, up to and including naval air squadrons, may be transferred to re-balance a task force. For example during WWII, carrier task groups might suffer more severe attrition in a single carrier air group, leaving an under-utilized support crew (which, unlike air crews, generally do not suffer casualties unless the ship itself is attacked). Re-distribution of air-group units allow the individual carriers in a group to better use the fixed assets of each ship (hangar space, maintenance crews, repair facilities, etc.). Alternately, a damaged fleet unit might disperse it's air units to intact fleet units. For example, during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
, when the USS Hornet (CV-8)
suffered critical damage, its surviving air group landed on USS Enterprise (CV-6)
. In turn when Enterprise suffered damage, part of its air group operated temporarily from Henderson field on Guadalcanal (though technically not a "deck") and contributed in the sinking of the battleship Hiei
. Unplanned cross-decking often arose from aircraft in a critical fuel situation choosing any available landing place. Notably, during the aftermath of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, naval fliers returning at night with minimal fuel landed on whichever carrier in the task force was able to bring them in first, randomly scrambling the air groups throughout the carriers of the fleet.
In more recent times, NATO nations operating (or planning to operate) CATOBAR
capable carriers have included design considerations for operation of friendly aircraft from member nations. For example, the British Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers (planned for deployment in 2020) were changed from a STOVL
design to CATOBAR, carrying the F-35C variant, in order to be able to operate allied aircraft from their decks.
Marine infantry units are routinely cross-decked to and from amphibious warfare ships as part of expeditionary warfare
missions. This may be a direct prelude to a landing operation
or in a preliminary stage of a power projection mission as a show of force
.
could transfer personnel or supplies directly from ship to ship via small boats or via cables run between ships. This was often ad-hoc and informal, or arising from expedient requirements in times of war. Or it could be part of a more formal replenishment
operation at sea. With the development of aircraft (especially helicopters) the distances involved in cross-decking operations could be greatly increased with ships that were widely dispersed.
Arresting gear
Arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is the name used for mechanical systems designed to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems...
, see Cross deck pendant
Cross-deck (or cross-decking) is United States Navy jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
which may refer to either informal, ad-hoc sharing of resources between naval vessels (historical usage), or the use of carrier decks (or vessel borne helipads) to host aircraft of foreign allies, aircraft from other ships in the same navy, or as re-fueling platforms for naval aircraft to extend flight operations beyond the range of the aircraft type. The operations may be entirely within a single navy, or between allied navies such as defined in the HOSTAC
HOSTAC
Helicopter Operations from Ships other Than Aircraft Carriers is a military international standardization program made up of 4 regional HOSTAC Conferences/Working Groups. These regional groups include the NATO HOSTAC, SIAN HOSTAC, Pacific HOSTAC and Middle East HOSTAC...
agreement. This may be required for ferrying aircraft or supplies, power projection
Power projection
Power projection is a term used in military and political science to refer to the capacity of a state to conduct expeditionary warfare, i.e. to intimidate other nations and implement policy by means of force, or the threat thereof, in an area distant from its own territory.This ability is a...
operations involving fixed or rotary-wing aircraft, or to provide flexibility in operating limited numbers of specialized aircraft (such as the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
aircraft) over a wide theatre of operations. Spare parts that can be lifted by helicopter are often crossed decked between ships operating compatible equipment (especially if they are the same ship class
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
), to reduce redundancy in carrying spares.
Individual personnel may be cross-decked due to their required specialities being in need. Rarely, entire crews can be cross-decked to a newly commissioned ship from either a decommissioning
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
vessel (e.g. from USCGC Bonham to USCGC Modoc
USS Bagaduce (ATA-194)
The auxiliary ocean tug USS ATA-194 was laid down on 7 November 1944 at Orange, Texas, by the Levingston Ship Building Co.; launched 4 December 1944; and commissioned at Orange on 14 February 1945, Lieutenant William J. Bryan in command.After shakedown training, ATA-194 sailed for...
), or a vessel undergoing prolonged repair or renovation. More commonly, a core group of experienced personnel may be cross-decked to a new ship to allow the vessel to come to full readiness more quickly. Generally, a move of this type will be between ships with similar missions, though not necessarily the same ship class. This can be seen as a means of propagating institutional knowledge.
Entire naval air units, up to and including naval air squadrons, may be transferred to re-balance a task force. For example during WWII, carrier task groups might suffer more severe attrition in a single carrier air group, leaving an under-utilized support crew (which, unlike air crews, generally do not suffer casualties unless the ship itself is attacked). Re-distribution of air-group units allow the individual carriers in a group to better use the fixed assets of each ship (hangar space, maintenance crews, repair facilities, etc.). Alternately, a damaged fleet unit might disperse it's air units to intact fleet units. For example, during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the , was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial...
, when the USS Hornet (CV-8)
USS Hornet (CV-8)
USS Hornet CV-8, the seventh ship to carry the name Hornet, was a of the United States Navy. During World War II in the Pacific Theater, she launched the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and participated in the Battle of Midway and the Buin-Faisi-Tonolai Raid...
suffered critical damage, its surviving air group landed on USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
. In turn when Enterprise suffered damage, part of its air group operated temporarily from Henderson field on Guadalcanal (though technically not a "deck") and contributed in the sinking of the battleship Hiei
Japanese battleship Hiei
was a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. Designed by British naval architect George Thurston, she was the second launched of four s, among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built. Laid down in 1911 at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, Hiei was formally...
. Unplanned cross-decking often arose from aircraft in a critical fuel situation choosing any available landing place. Notably, during the aftermath of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, naval fliers returning at night with minimal fuel landed on whichever carrier in the task force was able to bring them in first, randomly scrambling the air groups throughout the carriers of the fleet.
In more recent times, NATO nations operating (or planning to operate) CATOBAR
CATOBAR
CATOBAR is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier...
capable carriers have included design considerations for operation of friendly aircraft from member nations. For example, the British Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers (planned for deployment in 2020) were changed from a STOVL
STOVL
STOVL is an acronym for short take off and vertical landing.This is the ability of some aircraft to take off from a short runway or take off vertically if it does not have a very heavy payload and land vertically...
design to CATOBAR, carrying the F-35C variant, in order to be able to operate allied aircraft from their decks.
Marine infantry units are routinely cross-decked to and from amphibious warfare ships as part of expeditionary warfare
Expeditionary warfare
Expeditionary warfare is used to describe the organization of a state's military to fight abroad, especially when deployed to fight away from its established bases at home or abroad. Expeditionary forces were in part the antecedent of the modern concept of Rapid Deployment Forces...
missions. This may be a direct prelude to a landing operation
Landing operation
A landing operation is a military action aimed at a bringing the landing force usually via landing craft to a shore or to land with the purpose of power projection ashore by forces coming usually from ships and also aircraft and able to fight....
or in a preliminary stage of a power projection mission as a show of force
Show of force
Show of force is a military term for an operation intended to warn or intimidate an opponent and to showcase one's own capability or will to act if provoked...
.
Etymology
The origin of the term is obscure, but may refer to ships moored closely side-to-side at a dock or at anchor, since it is possible literally to go "across the decks" from ship to ship via gangplank without touching land. Cross-decking implies ship-to-ship transfer. Receiving personnel or supplies from shore usually would not be defined as "cross-decking". An exception to this rule might be personnel who only briefly come to shore who are then immediately re-assigned to an outbound ship without an intervening shore assignment or leave. The implication of cross-decking in this case would be an immediate turn around from one assignment to another without pause.Historical Usage
Ships while docked or underwayUnderway
Underway, or Under Way is a nautical term describing the state of a vessel. A vessel is said to be underway if it meets the following criteria:* It is not aground* It is not at anchor...
could transfer personnel or supplies directly from ship to ship via small boats or via cables run between ships. This was often ad-hoc and informal, or arising from expedient requirements in times of war. Or it could be part of a more formal replenishment
Underway replenishment
Underway replenishment or replenishment at sea is a method of transferring fuel, munitions, and stores from one ship to another while under way.-History:...
operation at sea. With the development of aircraft (especially helicopters) the distances involved in cross-decking operations could be greatly increased with ships that were widely dispersed.
Sources
- http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/cross_decking/*
- Cross decking fixed wing aircraft between aircraft carriers: http://www.phoenixthinktank.org/?p=332
- Navy.mil: ESG 3 Proves Flexibility, Mobility with First Staff Cross Deck at Sea http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=15133
- DEFENSETECH Cross Deck Operations http://defensetech.org/2007/07/24/cross-deck-operations/