Proknow Chapter 3

Naval Act of 1794

Authorized 6 frigates to combat the Barbary States

3 ships built in the Naval Act of 1794

USS United States, USS Constelation, USS Constitution

Civil War t

Iron Clads and Steam Propulsion helped the Union secure the Mississippi River

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Advocated for sea power - economic base, colonies, strong merchant marine

1907

President Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet, contained 16 battelships on a global voyage.

The Dreadnaught

USS South Carolina

U boat Hunters in WWII

Hunter Killers - Destroyers and escort carriers

Hunter Killer Style ship

MCM-1 Avenger Mine Sweeper

Leyte Gulf

Last major naval battle, destroyers of TAFFY-3 protect amphibuous ships.

Korean War

Amphibious invasions such as Inchon invation led by General MacArthur relied on naval transports and warships

Sealords

Brown water operations in Vietnam

Admiral Elmo Zumwalt

Established SWO Pin in 1975

ESWS insignia

Enlisted Surface Wargare Specialist insignia

when was the ESWS created

April 1979

Cold War President Reagan

President Reagan’s 600 ship Navy ensured global presence agains the USSR

AEGIS Weapons System first Introduced

Introduced in 1983 on USS Ticonderoga CG-47

AEGIS Weapons System

Spy-1 Radar, Vertical Launch Systems (VLS), Advanced missles.

February 2008 OPERATION BURNT FROST

USS Lake Erie (CG-70) Intercepted a Satelite with a SM-3 missle in high stakes senario

April 2009

USS Brainbridge (DDG-96) resolved the Maersk Alabama pirate hijacking in the Indian ocean, marking the Navy’s first successful pirate seizure of a U.S. Flagged ship since the 19th Century

March 2011 OPERATION TOMODACHI

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) provided humanitarian aid to Japan following the Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami

October 2016

USS Mason (DDG-87) defended against multiple cruise missile attacks off Yemen in the Red Seam earning the Battenberg Cup for strategic excellence

April 2017

USS Porter (DDG-78) and USS Ross (DDG-71) launched 59 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) against a Syrian airfield, showcasing precision airstrike capabilities

2017 Hurricane Season

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) delivered disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

December 2019

USS America (LHA-6) arrived in Sasebo, Japan, supporting F-35B Lightning II operations, enhancing forward deployed 5th Gen capabilities.

November 2020

USS John Finn (DDG-113) intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with an SM-3 IIA missile, validating advanced BMD systems

May 2021

USS Portland (LPD-27) tested a high energy laser weapon against a surface threat, marking a milestone in directed-energy warfare

2022 

USS Preble (DDG-88) was equipped with the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to counter cruise missiles, advancing defensive capabilities.

Late 2023-Early 2024 OPERATION PROSPERITY GUARDIAN

USS Mason (DDG-87, USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), and USS Carney (DDG-64) neutralized multiple Houthi-launched drones and missiles in the Red Sea during the Israel-Hamas conflict, protecting international shipping. Engagements involved hundreds of missiles include SM-3 and SM-6, to counter unmanned arial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and anti-ship ballistic missiles, marking some of the most intense surface warfare since WWII

March 2025

USS HArry S, Truman (CVN-75) carrier strike group, including USS Gettysburg (CG-64), USS Stout (DDG-55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), operated in the Red Sea, conducting nearly-daily air and surface engagements against Houthi attacks. The strike group’s F/A-18 Super Hornets and Aegis-equipped destroyers downed numerous drones and missiles, ensuring freedom of navigation through the Bab El-Mandab strait. The intensity of these operations depleted missile inventories. highlighting the need for at-sea reloading capabilities like the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method (TRAM)

June 2025 - 1

USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), USS The Sullivans (DDG-68), USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), and USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109, were deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean to counter Iranian ballistic missile threats against Israel. These BMD-capable destroyers, equipped with Aegis systems and SM-3 missiles, provided layered defense, intercepting salvos during heightened tensions. Their presence underscored the Navy’s role in regional stability and deterrence against state-sponsored aggression.

June 2025 - 2

USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) and USS Truxtun (DDG-103) Patrolled teh Suez Canal and Red Sea, conducting maritime security operations to protect commercial shipping amid Houthi threats. These destroyers employed SPY-6 radars and electronic warfare systems to detect and Neutralize UAVs and small boats, ensuring safe transit through critical checkpoints