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BULLHORN #49
25 JUL09

Association of Naval Aviation, Inc. http://www.anahq.org/ 99 ANAers!  The Navy remains ‘engaged’ on all fronts – our Sailors, Marines, along with Coast Guardsmen and women, continue the fight in the GWOT with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and many other regions, others are working hard against piracy, still others are showing the Flag in the vast reaches of our world, others are working hard to train up to move to relieve those now engaged – and still more are back from their tours and resettling, fixing equipment and starting another training cycle to get ready to defend the US wherever may be required.  Only the Navy Team has the ability to respond world-wide so rapidly and with such force!  The “battle lines” are also still drawn in the Washington, DC arena where budget issues flare up constantly.  The first article addresses the F/A-18 inventory shortfall.  Note our ANA President, VADM Dunn, was recently called upon to address the issue to the Congressional Research Service. The next issue of WINGS OF GOLD will be out within a couple of days, another great issue about our great Association.  When you have read it, you might consider loaning it around to prospective members. Speaking of members – membership is what we are – and we need to keep our membership rolls full and active – Every Member GET A MEMBER!   VR, Dutch Rauch Secretary/Treasurer 1446 Waggaman Circle Mclean, VA 22101 svwindmills@erols.com  Experts Consider Navy Fighter Gap Jul 23, 2009 By John M. Doyle Extending the service life of F/A-18C/D Hornets to close a U.S. Navy fighter gap could still lead to a tactical air shortage because of the amount of time the Hornets will be out of service pending their upgrade, naval aviation analysts said July 21. Ronald O’Rourke, a naval affairs expert with the Congressional Research Service (CRS), said the service life extension program for Hornets, aimed at allowing them to fly an additional 1,400 hours, is one way to solve the expected shortfall in carrier-based fighters. Officials have testified before Congress that the Navy and Marine Corps could be short between 125 and 243 aircraft by the mid- to late-2010s (Aerospace DAILY, May 21). Other suggested remedies include speeding up F-35 Joint Strike Fighter procurement or acquiring more F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which come equipped with more advanced technology, including active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. But O’Rourke told an audience at the Center for National Policy, a Washington think tank, that each solution comes with its own problems. The Hornet upgrade could take an estimated 1,100-2,200 man-hours per aircraft, removing them from the active force and creating a different kind of gap, according to the president of the Association of Naval Aviation, Vice Adm. Robert Dunn (ret.). Speeding up F-35 production is unlikely to happen soon, Dunn added. Congressional committees have yet to agree on how to acquire more Super Hornets. The Senate Armed Services Committee wants to buy nine more aircraft but won’t approve a multiyear procurement plan. The House Armed Services Committee took the opposite approach, while the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee favors doing both. O’Rourke, who stressed he was speaking only for himself and not CRS, noted that both armed services committees want a Congressional Budget Office study comparing the costs of extending the Hornets’ life to acquiring more Super Hornets. Because of the high operational tempo in Iraq and Afghanistan, the F/A-18 C/Ds “are overutilized” and wearing out, which is causing “constant turbulence among the air wings” as air crews and service crews are transferred from squadron to squadron “to get the deploying ships up to where they should be,” Dunn said. Each of the 10 carrier air wings is expected to have four squadrons for a total of 40, but there are only 37 active squadrons, including 36 Navy and one Marine Corps. O’Rourke suggested dividing any projected shortfall total by 60 or 70 — the number of aircraft in various stages of readiness it actually takes to field a squadron of 40 — to determine the fighter gap’s real effect on squadron deployment. F-18 photo: U.S. Defense Dept     Mindful Of Civilians, Pilots In Afghanistan Alter Tactics (NEW YORK TIMES 14 JULY 09) ... By Eric Schmitt ABOARD U.S.S. RONALD REAGAN, in the Gulf of Oman - After taking repeated fire from Taliban fighters holed up in a building last week, a group of American Marines in southern Afghanistan called in airstrikes to wipe out the threat. But the Navy F/A-18 fighter pilots who responded worried that bombing the militants could hurt civilians, and suggested a different solution to the ground troops. The airmen then roared in low and fast, without firing a shot, in a deafening pass that frightened the militants into silence. "It used to be, where do you want the bomb?" said Capt. Thomas P. Lalor, the commander of the air wing on this aircraft carrier, which provides about one-third of the combat support flights for American ground forces in Afghanistan. "Now, it's much more collaborative." The adjustment reflects orders last month by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the new United States commander in Afghanistan, that sharply limit the use of airstrikes to try to reduce the civilian deaths that he and other top officers said were eroding support for the American-led mission. General McChrystal said the use of airstrikes during firefights would in most cases be limited to when American and other allied troops were in danger of being overrun. Pilots in the four F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet squadrons aboard say the new orders spur them to coordinate even more closely than before with spotters on the ground. "It's the right thing to do," said Cmdr. Rich Brophy, the commander of one of the squadrons, VFA-115, based in Lemoore, Calif. "We certainly don't want to cause civilian casualties." On Saturday, Commander Brophy, 42, who has also flown combat missions in Kosovo and Iraq, said he responded to reports of Taliban fighters shooting at Marines in Helmand Province by strafing a line of trees where the militants were firing with his warplane's 20-millimeter guns. The hostile fire stopped, he said. "It makes our judgments more important," said Cmdr. Art delaCruz, 41, the commander of another squadron, VFA-22, of the new caution. "There's a saying that the most important bomb is the one you bring back." Commander delaCruz, whose squadron is also from Lemoore, said the pilots and commanders worked with military lawyers and operations officers at higher headquarters to plan responses safer for civilians. On Monday, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the carrier on a six-day tour of the region. As Admiral Mullen spoke to hundreds of crew members in the ship's cavernous hangar, a steady battle rhythm played out up top. One by one, F/A-18s streaked off the flight deck, hurled into the hot, hazy sky by a giant catapult below decks. The warplanes soared north to Afghanistan, a mission the commanders here said could last between 2 and 10 hours (with aerial refueling). For the air wing aboard, the 125 combat missions flown over Afghanistan in its first week here have a familiar feel. The same carrier and its aircraft were on duty here for nearly four months starting in August and conducted 1,150 combat missions supporting troops in Afghanistan. The commanders said there had been no reports of civilian casualties from any of the missions. On combat missions, pilots are assigned an area to patrol, flying "overwatch" until summoned to action. Pilots and air controllers talk by radio to identify a threat, its location and how to respond. Choices range from making loud shows of force to dropping 500-pound bombs, guided by lasers or satellites. "When they talk to each other and see the same thing, that's the key to success," said Rear Adm. Scott Hebner, the commander of the naval strike group that includes the carrier and 40 attack planes. While the ship is conducting the same number of flights as it did here last year, Captain Lalor, the air wing commander, said the number of requests from ground troops has risen by about one-quarter. "We're definitely seeing an increase in business this year," he said. The Hornet squadrons are fighting the Taliban in other ways. Pilots use infrared thermal sensors to detect disturbed earth alongside the roads, a telltale sign that militants have buried powerful roadside bombs, their most lethal weapons. "It's kind of a needle in a haystack to find one of those things," Captain Lalor said. Navy Issues Inspection Bulletin For Hornets After Discovery Of Cracks (DEFENSE DAILY 14 JUL 09) ... Geoff Fein For the second time in almost 10 months, the Navy has issued an inspection bulletin for the F/A-18A-D Hornet fleet, this time for cracks discovered in some horizontal stabilator actuator support fittings, known as bootstraps, the service said. The Navy issued the inspection bulletin for all 566 legacy Hornet aircraft last Friday after discovery of cracks during recent high flight hour inspections, Lt. Clayton Doss, Navy spokesman, said on Monday. "We issued the bulletin as a precautionary, risk-reduction measure to ensure our aircraft are structurally sound and safe for operational flight," he said. The bulletin calls for inspections of each Boeing [BA] F/A-18 A-D aircraft's horizontal stabilator "bootstrap" within the next 25 flight hours. Aircraft with cracked "bootstraps" as a result of missing fasteners will be flight restricted until safety of flight is achieved through material replacement or repair.  The estimated replacement time is two weeks, while repair time will be on a case-by-case basis.  "Bootstraps" can be replaced in the field by a depot field team, Doss said He added the inspections and any repairs will not impact the Navy's operations. That's because aircraft will be inspected once they hit 25 flight hours. During recent high flight hour inspections, "bootstraps" in two aircraft were discovered to have missing fasteners, resulting in fatigue cracking. Because the "bootstrap" is a fracture critical/critical safety item, its failure could result in loss of control to the horizontal stabilator, which is the primary flight control surface responsible for maneuvering the aircraft. As of late Monday, the service had already inspected approximately 100 aircraft. Of those inspections, three were found to be missing fastners and two of those had cracks in the horizontal stabilator actuator support fittings, thus requiring replacement, Doss noted. Initial stress analysis has shown that missing fasteners caused increased loads, which resulted in cracks and reduction in stiffness. These "bootstraps" are part of a high flight hour inspection that grants flight hour extension, Doss said. "Five hundred sixty-six of the 622 F/A-18 A-D aircraft in the Navy and Marine Corps inventory are being inspected within the next 25 flight hours. All other aircraft have been inspected or are not operational. There are 111 Hornets in a deployed status--384 in CONUS in training, 38 reserve and 90 in depot status. Ten early-model aircraft are not affected by this bulletin," Doss said. In October 2008, the Navy issued an aviation bulletin to inspect all 636 A through D Hornets for cracks on F/A-18 Hornets' outer wing panels (Defense Daily, Nov. 7). During those inspections, the Navy grounded 10 aircraft and placed flight restrictions on an additional 20 aircraft. Of the deployed aircraft, two were grounded and eight were flight restricted, Doss said last November. Since 2000, the Navy has been reviewing the potential to extend the life of its legacy Hornet fleet. The effort was divided into the Service Life Assessment Program Phases 1 and 2 and a Phase 1 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). SLAP phase 1 began in December 2001 and ended in October 2005. The study looked to extend the number of catapult take-offs, trap landings and field landings, as well as stretch the Hornet's flight hours from 6,000 to 8,000 (Defense Daily, July 24). The average age of the Hornet fleet is approximately 18 years, and the Navy has planned to keep the Hornet in service until 2023. NAS Gets $37M Facility (THE JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD (FL) 15 JUL 09)   Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $37 million design-build construction contract to DCK North America LLC, headquartered in Large, Pa. to build a new training facility for the Multi-Mission (MMA/P-8A) aircraft at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The MMA/P-8A will replace the P-3C Orion as it phases out during 2012 and 2019. “I am honored that NAS Jacksonville was selected as the site for this multi-million dollar contract to build the most modern Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training center in the world,” said Capt. Rich Fite, commanding officer of Patrol Squadron (VP) 30. “The Integrated Training Center (ITC) will facilitate the Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Fleet’s transition from the P-3C to the P-8A Poseidon (a modified Boeing 737-800) with state-of-the-art technology. “VP-30 is home to the Navy’s finest instructors and trains pilots, naval flight officers, and aircrew to face a multitude of operational challenges in a demanding maritime environment. The future looks extremely bright for the Fleet and the new ITC will help cement our foundation as a center of ASW excellence.” Commenting on the new construction project, NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Jack C. Scorby Jr. stated, “I am delighted that this sophisticated trainer is going to be built aboard NAS Jacksonville. This project consists of design and construction of a two-story, 165,475 square-foot operational training facility for P-8A/Multi-Mission Aircraft. This will be one of the most sophisticated training facilities ever built by the Navy and it will include space for 10 Operational Flight Trainers, eight Weapons Tactics Trainers, four Part Task Trainers, support equipment, computer-based training stations, maintenance support shops, administrative offices, student study rooms and many other amenities. We will have the Navy’s best and the brightest training at this facility.” The work is expected to be completed by June 2011. CNO Announces Flag Officer Assignments Story Number: NNS090717-07 Release Date: 7/17/2009 11:23:00 AM From the Department of Defense WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead announced July 15 the following assignments: Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark D. Guadagnini will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group 9, Everett, Wash. Guadagnini is currently serving as chief of Naval Air Training, Corpus Christi, Texas. Rear Admiral Mark D. Guadagnini Chief of Naval Air Training Rear Admiral Guadagnini graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980, earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics. After a brief tour with the Navy Fighter Weapons School, he entered flight training and earning his wings in 1982. Operationally, he has served as a division officer in VA-65, on the staff of Carrier Air Wing 8 as head landing signal officer and strike operations officer, as head of the Safety and Maintenance Departments in VA-65 and as operations officer for Carrier Strike Group 8. He commanded VFA-15 1997 - 1998, and Carrier Air Wing 17 2004 – 2005. During these operational tours he operated from the decks of 12 different aircraft carriers, participating in Operations Desert Storm, Provide Comfort, Deliberate Force, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Shore duty assignments include three years as a test pilot and instructor at the Naval Test Pilot School, a Legislative Fellowship in the United States Senate, and as an aide and flag lieutenant in BUPERS and on the CINCPACFLT staff in Hawaii. Guadagnini also worked as a liaison between the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Congress, and served in the Navy Personnel Command as the division director for Aviation Officer Distribution. Guadagnini assumed command as chief of naval air training on Aug. 15, 2007. He also serves as the head of Human Resources for the Naval Aviation Enterprise. Guadagnini has over 4600 hours of flight time in 50 different aircraft. His awards include two Battle Es and he has flown 95 combat missions. Updated: 4 March 2009     Poor Navy, Industry Staffing Blamed For EMALs Delays, Cost Growth (INSIDE THE NAVY 20 JUL 09) ... Rebekah Gordon Failure to understand the extent and type of manpower required to develop the cutting-edge Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System to replace steam catapults on aircraft carriers -- on both Navy and industry sides – was partly to blame for the program’s cost overruns and schedule delays, Navy officials said last week. Testifying at a July 16 House Armed Services seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittee hearing on EMALS, program manager Capt. Randy Mahr said that poor staffing for the program was partly at fault. EMALS is manufactured by General Atomics and will be installed on the new Gerald R. Ford class (CVN-78). “With management, it’s always hard to find the exact thing that didn’t go well. But altogether, I would say neither the Navy nor General Atomics appropriately staffed for the level of technology production that we were going to have to deliver,” Mahr said. “As a result of that, we got behind in our development and design.” In a June 2008 interview with Inside the Navy, Mahr said that the service had underestimated the scope of work required to meet critical design review, and asked for nearly $37 million in reprogramming for more development and testing funds. After FY-07 budget requests had been completed, the Navy split the process into smaller critical design reviews for each subsystem, Mahr said at the time, which was costlier and pushed some work into FY-08. “It’s not necessarily bad by itself,” Mahr said at last week’s hearing. “We had a good look at each of the systems. But it was an indicator we had problems.” Rear Adm. David Architzel, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, noted that General Atomics now has the right people on the job. The company restructured its management of the program in late 2007 and early 2008, even hiring away engineers from competitors. “We found that General Atomics did not have the systems engineering in place, the personnel in place to really bring this from the development stage into production,” he said. “They have since hired a team in place to do this.” Concurrently, the Navy restructured its own personnel and governance for the program, significantly staffing up the program at both Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command and putting Mahr in charge. Capt. Brian Antonio, the Ford class program manager, also noted at the hearing that poor integration with the ship program side was partly to blame for EMALS’s travails, but that those issues have also been addressed. As EMALS has fallen behind, the program will be undergoing concurrent subsystem-component testing and production in order to keep up with Ford’s construction schedule. “There were changes made at the shipbuilder as well. Northrop Grumman put in place a specific project manager whose sole function is the EMALS integration,” Antonio said. “So we have an effort funded through the shipbuilder to make sure that the communication path is there, that they’re a part of our technical governance and part of our overall management of the system through the development cycle.” EMALS has faced significant scrutiny from the subcommittee, and Chairman Gene Taylor (D-MS) has stated on numerous occasions that the failure of EMALS will leave the Navy with a “$7 billion helicopter carrier.” Earlier this year, the Navy undertook an analysis to review the viability of EMALS versus reverting to steam catapults. In April, the service announced its decision to continue with EMALS, noting that the reversion would cause a 12-month to 18-month delay in the Ford’s completion. A June report from the Navy’s Future Aircraft Carriers Program Office to the congressional defense committees outlined oversight measures the Navy is taking to mitigate the risk associated with concurrent testing and production, including revised cost estimates, technical oversight committees and leadership briefings. To control costs, the service is undertaking a rigorous “production readiness review” process. On June 30, the Navy awarded a fixed-price, undefinitized $577 million contract to General Atomics for production work. The Navy will finalize the contract terms in the next 180 days. Additionally, the House-passed version of the FY-10 defense authorization bill requires the Navy to appoint one officer to oversee EMALS from now through testing, which would be for approximately three years, and another officer to take the program from testing through the delivery of the carrier. Pressed by lawmakers, Architzel acknowledged that if EMALS did not work, the cost to then revert the carrier back to steam would be more than $2 billion and would delay the Ford’s September 2015 delivery date by more than two years. “We’re going to make every effort we have to to make sure it does work,” the three-star admiral said. Subject: NAVAIR delivers two more Sea King helicopters to Argentine Navy Date: 20-Jul-09 News Release Copy: NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – A second pair of former U.S. Navy UH-3H Sea King helicopters were delivered to the Argentine Navy June 26 in Puerto Belgrano, Argentina. NAVAIR’s Tactical Airlift, Adversary and Support Programs office, PMA-207, here, has the lead on managing the Argentine Navy H-3 Sea King program. “The delivery of aircraft three and four continues and solidifies our relationship with the Argentine Navy,” said Capt. James “Walleye” Wallace, program manager, Tactical Airlift, Adversary and Support Programs office, PMA-207. “The work the team is doing strengthens our friendship with the Argentine Navy by living up to our word and delivering their helicopters and equipment on time and on budget.” After intensive pre-coordination, the two helicopters were loaded onto the amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) that got underway June 3 for South America to take part in a joint exercise with several South American countries, including Argentina. The first two Sea Kings were delivered to the Argentine Navy in September 2008. They are being flown by the Second Naval Air Helicopter Squadron based at the “Comandante Espora” Naval Air Base near Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The two recently transferred UH-3H helicopters are part of a package of six, four of which will be flown, while the other two will be used for spare parts. =============================== CNO Announces Flag Officer Assignment Story Number: NNS090721-02 Release Date: 7/21/2009 1:54:00 PM From the Department of Defense WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced July 21 the following assignment: Rear Adm (lower half) Ted N. Branch will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group 1, San Diego, Calif. Branch is currently serving as director, Information, Planning, Security Division, N3IPS, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.   Rear Admiral Ted N. "Twig" Branch Director of Information, Plans and Security OPNAV Rear Admiral Branch, a native of Long Beach, Miss., graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1979. Following a brief period of duty at the Navy Military Personnel Command, he reported to flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1981. Selected for Light Attack, Branch joined the Valions of Attack Squadron 15 (VA-15) in June 1982 as they departed on the first of three deployments during his initial squadron tour. On his second cruise with the Valions, Branch logged combat time over Grenada and Lebanon.  Branch reported to the Hellrazors of VA-174 in June 1985 as an Instructor Pilot, Weapons Training Officer, and Weapons Training Phase Head. Branch’s next assignment was Assistant Navigator in USS Forrestal (CV 59). He left Forrestal in December 1989 during the second deployment of his tour and after A7 refresher training at VA-122 at NAS Lemoore, Calif., returned to NAS Cecil Field and joined the Bulls of VA-37 as a Department Head. While there, he served as Administrative and Maintenance Officer and he transitioned with the squadron to the FA-18 Hornet. After screening for command, Branch left VFA-37 in August 1991 and entered the College of Naval Command and Staff at Newport, R.I. He earned a master's degree at the War College and returned to Cecil Field in August of 1992 attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-106). Before starting his refresher training, he attended Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk.  Branch reported as Executive Officer of VFA-15 in October 1993 and assumed command in January 1995. Under his command, the Valions completed work-ups and a combat deployment, which included operations in the Mediterranean, Operation Southern Watch from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and NATO Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In May of 1996, Branch reported to the Joint Staff in Washington. Following Nuclear Power training in October 1999, Branch reported as Executive Officer of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), completing workups and a Western Pacific and Persian Gulf deployment. He assumed command of USS Coronado (AGF 11) in May 2001. Branch reported as Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Executive Assistant in September 2002. He assumed command of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in November 2004. Under his command, Nimitz completed a combat deployment to the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific, won the Battle Efficiency and Flatley Awards, and the Golden Anchor for retention excellence. He reported for duty at OPNAV in August 2007 and assumed duties as Director of Information Plans, and Security in October.  Branch's decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Strike Flight Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V", Navy Achievement Medal, and various unit and campaign awards.   Secret Program Works To Field SEAL Plane (MILITARY.COM 21 JUL 09) ... Christian Lowe In a move that harkens back to the days of recycled World War II torpedo bombers sheep-dipped as close air support planes, the Navy intends to field a limited number of turbo-prop attack planes outfitted with the most modern surveillance, tracking and weapons systems to help special ops forces keep track of bad guys and, in a pinch, put warheads on foreheads.  Call it an A-1 Skyraider on steroids – a “Back to the Future”-resurrection of a kind of plane last seen pounding enemy positions with rockets, guns and bombs over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in the 1960s.  Code named “Imminent Fury,” the classified, year-long program has so far produced one fully-outfitted plane and is set to field four more to directly support SEALs and other operators on the battlefield in Afghanistan.  According to a source close to the program who declined to be named, the Navy has leased an EMB-314 Super Tucano for the job. Made by the Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, it is now being tested  on desert ranges in California and the service’s top test facility at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. The Navy loaded it up with sensors and weapons systems that “would make an F-16 pilot blush,” the source said.  With top end electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser and GPS-guided bombs, rockets, twin .50 cal. machine guns, encrypted radios – and even the capability to tie in UAV surveillance feeds – the Super Tucano outfitted for the SEALs is a ground-pounder’s angel from above.  Military.com contacted the Navy for comment on this story, but despite a detailed public briefing on the program in March by a high-ranking program official, the service declined to elaborate on the program other than to say in a written statement: “Imminent Fury is a classified Navy initiative to address urgent warfighter needs. Initial developmental testing has been promising and the Navy is currently conducting discussions with our Joint partners on various courses of action as this initiative moves forward.”  News of the Imminent Fury program comes as commanders in Afghanistan wrestle with the persistent problem of civilian casualties resulting from errant or mistaken bomb strikes – typically from aircraft high above the battlefield.  A recent investigation report on a high-profile friendly-fire incident in Farah province showed that high-altitude B-1 bombers had little ability to discriminate enemy from civilians during several bombings in support of Marine spec ops forces under Taliban assault.  Many argue that low-altitude aircraft that can fly for long periods over combat zones loaded with various weapons are needed to avoid such incidents. For advocates of the Imminent Fury program, the Super Tucano – with its five-hour endurance – fits the bill for a so-called “counter insurgency aircraft.”  “The SEALs said ‘we want a persistent capability at low cost, small footprint and turbo-prop aircraft to do armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions,’ ” the source close to the program said. “Everyone who gets briefed on this program has been blown away.”  Over the past year, both Navy and Air Force pilots have flown the leased Super Tucano in tests. According to the source, the single-engine, two-pilot plane has successfully dropped both laser and GPS guided bombs, as well as a wide range of guided and unguided rockets.  According to statistics from an Embraer brochure, the EMB-314 has a maximum speed of nearly 370 mph and a maximum ceiling of 35,000 feet. The plane can take off and land in just under 3,000 feet and can carry a maximum load of nearly 3,500 pounds.  The initial cadre of four SEAL-supporting Super Tucanos will be flown by Navy pilots activated as individual augmentees, and multiple sources close to the program report that aviators are clamoring to get involved with the program.  But it is still unclear whether Imminent Fury will get off the ground since funding for the program is in doubt. Sources say there is no money earmarked for the program in the 2010 budget but that the service “is hoping for some reprogramming authority” to move funds from other accounts to buy the four planes requested by the SEALs.   HS-3 'Tridents' Move To Norfolk,Re-Designated HSC-9 (JAX AIR NEWS 23 JUL 09) ... Clark Pierce   In a move with little fanfare, HS-3 - one of NAS Jacksonville's most notable helicopter squadrons - changed its homeport to NS Norfolk, Va. The transition is part of the Navy's Helicopter Concept of Operations (CONOPS) plan that will reduce the number of platforms needed to fulfill the fleet's rotary wing missions to two - the SH-60R (Romeo) and the SH-60S (Sierra). "The HS-3 "Tridents" were re-designated HSC-9 on June 1," said HSC-9 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Scott Starkey. "We are the first HS squadron at NAS Jax to transfer to Norfolk, where our pilots, aircrew and maintainers are training to get the qualifications they need to operate the Sierra. We will perform all the same missions - except for antisubmarine warfare, which is part of the Romeo's mission." Starkey was at NAS Jacksonville July 16 to sign off on transfer paperwork and perform a final inspection of the squadron's recently vacated spaces in Hangar 116. "The community merger of HS, HSL and HC squadrons began a few years ago. Under CONOPS, we now have two wings: Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic (HSMWL) flying Romeos; and Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic (HSCWL) flying Sierras. The HC squadrons were first to receive the Sierra to replace the H-46 Sea Knight and H-53 Sea Stallion," explained Starkey. The Tridents recently gave away the last of their SH-60F and HH-60H birds to other squadrons at NAS Jacksonville - and also flew a couple of helos to the 'boneyard' at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. "We'll start flying Sierras in September under the purview of Fleet Replacement Squadron HSC-2. After we pass our wing inspection, we expect to write our first flight schedule by mid-October. At full complement, HSC-9 will deploy eight SH-60S Seahawks - with six on the carrier and two on the supply ship," concluded Starkey. HSC-9 will be the Sierra sister squadron to HSM-70 (the first Romeo squadron based at NAS Jacksonville) in Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). The Tridents have served the fleet since 1952, when the squadron flew the Piaseki UH-25B. In the early 1960s, HS-3 was the first Atlantic Fleet squadron to operate the SH-3A Sea King, and, in 1991, the first to operate the SH-60 Seahawk. Now, they are the first East Coast squadron to transition to the Sierra variant of the Seahawk. HS-3 Milestones Beginning in 1962, the Tridents supported NASA recovery efforts from USS Intrepid (CVS-11). Astronauts Carpenter, Grissom, Young, Collins, Gordon, Conrad, McDevitt, Scott and Schweickart each ended his space journey with a ride aboard a Trident SH-3A Sea King. In 1988, HS-3 completed the first six-month SH-3H deployment aboard USS Hayle (DD-997), a Spruance-class destroyer, without direct carrier support. In 1990, the Tridents enforced U. N. sanctions against Iraqi trade while deployed on board USS Saratoga in the Red Sea. They flew the first Helicopter Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (HVBSS) with a special forces boarding team to "take down" a hostile merchant ship during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. In 1999, the USS Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group transited the Suez Canal to the Arabian Gulf, where HS-3 flew in support of maritime interdiction operations and enforced no-fly zones over southern Iraq. A successful HVBSS to a freighter violating U.N. sanctions seized $3.5 million in contraband. During this demanding deployment, HS-3 lifted over 1.8 million pounds of cargo and completed over 2,000 deck landings. In 2005, the Tridents flew more than 600 flight hours to transport 148 passengers and 25,410 pounds of cargo during earthquake relief operations in Pakistan. Also in 2005, HS-3 began integrated operations with the British Joint Helicopter Force in Iraq, flying more than 113 combat missions and 230 flight hours in support of British security and stability operations, including troop inserts and extracts, convoy escort, riverine operations and logistics in Southern Iraq. SIDEBAR SH-60 Seahawk helicopter profile From U.S. Navy Fact File The Navy Seahawk series is a twin-engine, medium lift, utility and assault helicopter used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, drug interdiction, anti-ship warfare, cargo lift and special operations. The SH-60B Seahawk is an airborne platform that deploys sonobuoys and torpedoes in an anti-submarine role. Based aboard cruisers, destroyers and frigates, it also extend the range of the ship's radar capabilities. The SH-60F is carrier-based. The HH-60H, also aboard carriers and ashore, is used for search and rescue and logistics missions. By 2015, the only models of Seahawk in the Navy will be the MH-60S "Sierra" and the MH-60R "Romeo." Australia Accepts 1st Super Hornet (MILITARY.COM 22 JUL 09)   The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) accepted its first F/A-18F Super Hornet during a roll-out ceremony at Boeing's manufacturing facility in St. Louis July 8. Twenty-four F/A-18F aircraft, built on a common U.S. Navy configuration, are scheduled to be delivered to the RAAF within the next three years. The RAAF's Super Hornet was unveiled to an audience of several hundred attendees, including representatives from the Australian government, U.S. government and industry partners responsible for building the F/A-18F aircraft. "The unique partnership we have enjoyed with the Royal Australian Air Force for many years has enabled us to deliver this aircraft on time with the capability it requires," said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager. The F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II aircraft is a multi-role strike fighter performing a variety of missions, including precision day and night strike, fighter escort, close-air support, aerial refueling and suppression of enemy air defense. RAAF Super Hornets will also feature the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Tracking twice as many targets as the radar it replaces, the AESA features active electronic beam steering, which allows for the nearly instantaneous repositioning of the radar beam. "The outstanding performance of the APG-79 systems in the fleet continues to exceed expectations," said Darrah. "Boeing and Raytheon have provided the warfighter with a cutting-edge radar that is demonstrating phenomenal performance and reliability in the fleet today. The RAAF will now enjoy that superb capability." The AESA radar also allots for more time for persistent target observation and information sharing before critical decisions are made. This results in increased aircraft effectiveness and aircrew survivability. The AESA provides the platforms with increased range and resolution, allows the tracking of more targets than current systems in use and features high-resolution SAR maps at long ranges. "We are grateful for your support and proud to deliver this new, twenty-first century capability to the Royal Australian Air Force and the people of Australia. Today truly marks the beginning of a new generation of airpower for Australia," said Bob Gower, vice president F/A-18 programs, Boeing. Twelve of the F/A-18F aircraft on order will be wired on the production line for future upgrade as electronic attack EA-18G aircraft. The government of Australia is the first foreign military sales customer flying the F/A-18F aircraft, procured under a U.S. Navy multi-year II contract. "The roll-out of Australia's first Block II Super Hornet is a very proud moment for the Royal Australian Air Force and me personally," said Air Marshal Mark Binkskin, chief of RAAF. "I can assure you that the men and women of number one squadron are eager to get their hands on the Rhino. It is a great leap forward for Australia, and the beginning of our future air combat capability." The first RAAF Super Hornet is scheduled for delivery to the Navy for flight testing in the coming weeks, and the first in-country delivery is slated for spring 2010. "The partnership between the Royal Australian Air Force, the U.S. Navy and Boeing is remarkable," said Rear Adm. David Philman, U.S. Navy Air Warfare director. "Together, we are taking this aircraft to places in the world where mission success is essential." Senate Backs Administration On Nixing F-35 Alternate Engine (DEFENSE DAILY 23 JUL 09) ... Marina Malenic The Senate agreed by voice vote yesterday to an amendment that eliminates funding from the 2010 defense authorization bill for an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine. President Obama has threatened to veto the Pentagon spending legislation if it contains money for the Rolls-Royce-General Electric [GE]-built F136 engine or for additional F-22 fighter jets. The Senate has backed the administration on both issues this week. The upper chamber voted yesterday to remove $439 million that had been allocated for the engine effort from its version of the bill. The Senate earlier this week removed $1.75 billion designed for additional F-22 fighters. Defense Secretary Gates has pushed for an end to the F-22 line as the new F-35 is phased into production. In a letter delivered to Senate leaders on Tuesday, Gates wrote that "further expenditures on a second engine are unnecessary and will likely impede the progress of the overall F-35 program." He said the current engine, the Pratt & Whitney [UTX]-manufactured F135, "is performing well with more than 11,000 test hours." However, many lawmakers have continued to support development of the F136. General Electric is the lead manufacturer on the program with its partner Rolls-Royce. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I/D-Conn.), whose state is home to Pratt & Whitney, sponsored the amendment to remove the funds. He said proponents of an alternate engine were "trying to achieve through legislation what they could not achieve through competition." According to Lieberman, the alternate engine would cost some $6 billion to develop and produce, and could end up forcing the Pentagon to buy fewer airplanes as program costs escalate. The Pentagon is poised to buy about 3,000 of the fifth generation fighters, 600 of those for allied countries. Variants are expected to be produced for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. The House version of the defense authorization bill and the House Appropriations Committee's (HAC) version of the defense spending bill still contain some $369 million for new F-22s. As for the JSF alternate engine, the House version of the authorization bill sets aside $603 million and HAC recommended $560 million. The funding differences will ultimately be resolved in conference. The vote to remove the engine funds was bipartisan. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) argued in favor of the GE engine, as did Sen. Evan Bayh (D- Ind.). They cited the benefits of competition in pricing. "By 2030, the fighter will make up the vast majority of our tactical air fleet," Bayh said. "Ensuring competition now over the life of this is good government and sound management practice." A GE spokesman said via e-mail that the F136 funding battle is "far from over." "The argument for an engine competition for the JSF, the largest fighter program in U.S. history, is simply too compelling," said Rick Kennedy. "The F136 development program, which is 70 percent complete, has been executed on schedule and on cost." Pratt & Whitney applauded the Senate's decision. "For more than eight years, Pratt & Whitney has worked to produce the highest quality, most cost effective engine to meet the diverse requirements of the F-35," said spokeswoman Erin Dick. "Pratt & Whitney continues to agree with the Department of Defense position, fully supported by the President of the United States, that an alternate engine for the F-35 is neither required nor affordable." Pentagon officials have said that the market for F-35 engines is expected to be worth some $100 billion over several decades. Another Squadron Leaving Brunswick (ASSOCIATED PRESS 23 JUL 09) BRUNSWICK, Maine-- A Navy reserve squadron is in the process of departing from Brunswick Naval Air Station, which is winding down operations. The last of the C-130 Hercules cargo transports from VR-62 is due to depart Saturday morning. That leaves two active-duty P-3 Orion sub hunter squadrons at Brunswick. Brunswick's remaining squadrons will leave by December, with the 3,000-acre base due to be completely closed in 2011.

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