BULLHORN    # 65     
28 FEB10

ANAers!!! 

While many may had their attention turned a bit by national coverage of health care debates, a couple of special elections, the Olympics and such, we can be sure our Navy and Naval Aviation have continued to train and deploy immediately available forces to the Fleet and Unified Commanders – our forces are forward deployed and engaged, whether against our enemies or showing the Flag for peace. 

News of our Navy and Naval Aviation follow ………… 

INDEX

Naval Aviation Museum Foundation Symposium 2010

New USN Cyber Command

Lockheed Martin Delivers 50th MH-60R Chopper

Gates Rejects Multiyear Deal On Navy Aircraft

A bit of Naval Aviation History – First Loop of a CH-53

EA-18G Growler Procurement

F-136 Engine in the News

Third F-35 Test Craft Delivered

New Presidential Helo Competition Underway

Flag Officer Assignments

Symposium 2010

The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation will sponsor its annual symposium this coming MAY.  Registration will start this month - check for registration information at http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/GetInvolved/Symposium.aspx

RETURN TO INDEX

US Navy Unveils New Cyber Command

(INFOSECURITY MAGAZINE 03 FEB 10)

Last week Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of US naval operations, officially announced the creation of the US Navy’s new Fleet Cyber Command, which aims to integrate the weapons of cyberspace and information within the Navy’s arsenal. The Fleet Cyber Command was formed in conjunction with re-establishment of the US 10th Fleet during a ceremony held at Ft. Meade, Maryland, on Jan. 29.

According to a US Navy statement, both the Fleet Cyber Command and the 10th Fleet will be located at Ft. Meade to take advantage of preexisting infrastructure at the base, including trained support personnel. Both units will be commanded by Vice Adm. Bernard J. McCullough III, whose appointment was announced by Roughead during the late-January event. The Navy expects the Fleet Cyber Command to be up and running by this coming October.

The goal of the Fleet Cyber Command – coordination of the Navy’s cyberspace operations – is simple, even if the execution is anything but.

“This initiative will help raise information to the forefront of the Navy’s 21st century arsenal”, noted a statement from the US Navy. As commander, McCullough will be responsible for Navy cyber force functions, which include network operations, potential cyber and electronic warfare, information operations, and signal intelligence capabilities.

The 10th fleet was disbanded in 1945 after successfully completing its mission of protecting Allied merchant and war ships from German U-boats in the Atlantic. Its 21st-century duties will hearken back to its World War II information and intelligence gathering functions, while also providing synergistic support and advice for fleet commanders in dealing with cyberwarfare issues.

Adm. Roughead acknowledged the ever-changing digital age threat landscape facing the US and the military. “We recommission this fleet to confront a new challenge to our nation’s security in cyberspace”, he said during the announcement ceremonies. “It is a mission for which, even more so than before, victory will be predicated on intelligence and information rather than firepower. “

“To execute our defined mission we must be able to exercise command and control over our networks with dynamic, real-time defense and information assurance enabled by intelligence collection”, said Adm. McCullough, the Cyber Command’s newly appointed chief. He would also subsequently call for increased cooperation among the information and intelligence gathering community, including those from academia, intelligence agencies, similar units in other branches of the armed forces, and industry partners.

The establishment of the Fleet Cyber Command comes on the heels of similar efforts by the US Air Force and Marines. In addition, as previously reported by Infosecurity, a comprehensive U.S. Cyber Command was created in June of this past year with the mission of safeguarding military networks.

RETURN TO INDEX

Lockheed Martin Delivers 50th MH-60R Chopper To Navy

(WENY-TV ELMIRA (NY) 03 FEB 10) ... Ted Fioraliso  

OWEGO -- We're hearing some good news about Lockheed Martin's helicopters for a change.

Its no secret it's been a tough year at the Owego facility, after President Obama scrapped the VH-71 presidential helicopter program, and the company laid off 1,200 employees.

But Wednesday, another Lockheed chopper program reached a milestone.  With a stroke of the pen, the company officially transferred its 50th MH-60R helicopter to the U.S. Navy.

“There’s nothing out there today that's even close to it in capability,” said George Barton, Lockheed Martin’s Naval helicopter programs director.

MH-60R is the Navy's most advanced maritime helicopter.  It can find and destroy ships and submarines.

The project started a decade ago, and Lockheed delivered the first fully missionized chopper to the Navy in 2004.

While Sikorsky builds the shell of the MH-60R, hundreds of Lockheed workers in Owego make the hardware.  Wednesday, those workers were honored for their hard work.

“It’s good for morale.  I also think it's a good opportunity to stop for a second, because everyone's got their head down, working on these aircraft full speed ahead, all the time,” said Capt. Dean Peters, the Navy’s MH-60 Program manager.

Peters says the copter proved itself on its first deployment in January 2009.

“The fleet loves it. They're very happy with the mission systems that are in the aircraft,” said Peters.

This year, Lockheed plans to deliver 28 more MH-60R to the Navy -- the contract is for 300 total.

Barton wants to sell the copters internationally through the U.S. government.

“Hopefully we can extend the production line -- that's good for the Navy, that's good for Lockheed Martin -- it'll keep the system at a more cost effective basis if we can build the number of aircraft up,” said Barton.

After Wednesday’s ceremony, a Naval squadron flew the 50th MH-60R to Jacksonville, Fla., for deployment on the U.S.S. George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier.

RETURN TO INDEX

Gates Rejects Multiyear Deal On Navy Aircraft

(NATIONAL JOURNAL CONGRESS DAILY 03 FEB 10) ... Megan Scully

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday shot down congressional efforts to enter into a multiyear commitment to buy more F/A-18 aircraft for the Navy, arguing that the deal would not save enough money to make it worthwhile.

During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Gates estimated the multiyear deal would cut only 6.5 percent off the price of each of the Boeing Co. aircraft, far less than the 10 percent savings threshold that is customary for such long-term commitments.

The Navy's fiscal 2011 budget request, sent to Congress on Monday, includes $1.9 billion to buy 22 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based fighter jets and $1.1 billion for 12 EA-18G Growlers, electronic attack aircraft built with the same airframe. In fiscal 2012, the Navy plans to buy 24 more Growlers and one Super Hornet, followed by 25 more Super Hornets in fiscal 2013.

After that, the Navy will focus its fighter procurement exclusively on F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, which will ultimately replace the service's older F-18s.

Multiyear procurements "don't deliver unless you've got them out over many years. The question obviously, I think, for the F/A-18 is, when is the line going to end?" Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen said. "It's a great airplane. It's been a great airplane; we know that. But the JSF is the right answer for the future from a war-fighting perspective, from my perspective."

At the urging of the House Armed Services Committee, the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill includes language that allows the Navy to pursue a multiyear deal for F/A-18s. Senate authorizers, including Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., had voiced concerns that the deal would not save enough money.

Boeing has been pushing hard for the multiyear deal and has promoted it as a cost-effective way to address an impending shortfall in the Navy's fleet of strike fighters.

Indeed, the firm has given the Navy an unsolicited offer of 149 planes as part of a multiyear procurement at $49.9 million apiece. But the Navy plans to buy only 84 of the planes before shutting down production after fiscal 2013.

A Boeing spokesman did not immediately address Gates' comments on the multiyear deal but said in a statement that the Super Hornet and Growler programs "continue to perform as model defense acquisition programs, with every aircraft delivered on schedule and on budget."

Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee ranking member Todd Akin, R-Mo., whose district is near Boeing's defense headquarters in St. Louis, Wednesday raised concerns about the Navy's fighter shortfall, particularly as the Pentagon restructures the F-35 amid cost and schedule problems.

"You're talking about having 10 aircraft carriers, and I would submit they work better when you put airplanes on them," he said.

The size of the shortfall, which also affects the Marine Corps, ranges widely, with estimates reaching as high as 243 aircraft. Gates said on Wednesday he believes the shortfall is estimated at 100 airplanes, due in part to steps taken by the services to mitigate the problem.

RETURN TO INDEX

A bit of Naval Aviation History

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC2E8RJE3Jo

First loop of the CH-53. Bob had to convince everyone that it could be done. No one at UTX Sirkorsky would agree, so he got a MC General to OK it if he flew it. This film was made in the 1970’s. Bob’s theory was that a lot of these craft were being lost because, if the helo, the largest in the Marine Corp, were rolled over too far in a turn, the nose would fall and the pilots didn’t seem to understand how to right the airplane soon enough to avoid a crash. They were not well trained in aerobatics, like other Navy and MC pilots who flew fighters, because they were in helos. This was losing a lot of people because the craft carried so many. We called it the Jolly Green Giant. Bob had had fighter experience with a lot of acrobatics, as Navy pilots will normally get. He understood the value of continuing the roll to right side up as in a roll, or allowing the nose to fall and leveling the wings for a pull up, as one would do in a loop. “Unusual attitudes” were often practiced under the “hood”, on instruments, in fighter pilot training. Bob used his combination of natural skill and training to advantage in helo combat in Viet Nam and there after.  

Earlier, when Bob was a junior officer, he was in the Training Command as a flight instructor and the Maintenance Officer of the advanced flight training squadron that I went through in Beeville TX, VT-24 (1970). We flew F9F Cougars (vintage Korean War). Bob was a MC Captain (O-3) taking over a senior job held by a full Commander (O-5). This alone was very unusual. When Bob took over Maintenance, many of the Cougars were down for maintenance discrepancies. Under Bob, soon, all the old beat up Cougars came up for flight. The squadron achieved milestone after milestone. He was also a “check ride”, flight instructor who gave the big mouth student John McCain a “down” for poor judgment. McCain yammered that he was going to tell his father, a three star at that time. Didn’t do him any good – the “down” was upheld! McCain went on to shell out of five (?) airplanes, the last of which he was shot down in. 

Bob went on to lead a MC HU1E helo squadron in VN which lost almost no one. He was awarded three DFC’s and the Navy Cross. As I heard the story, the NC was awarded because, one afternoon in terrifying combat conditions, his pilots refused to fly back into a “hamburger” battle zone to pick up wounded and dead Marines. He pulled his 45 out and ordered them at pain of instant death to get in their helos and follow him. No one was lost. Bob took an AK round between his legs into his seat pan and a round into the head rest above his head. As his HU1E turned after lift off, the door gunner took the shooter out at fifty feet. How the heck the shooter missed at that distance…?  

Because Bob’s squadrons lost so few, the MC asked him to write the SOP for Marine helicopter warfare, a new subject, considering VN was the first war where helos were used as combat platforms. Today, the helo is one of the most effective and exposed warfare weapons in the world – feared and respected throughout. 

Bob’s last tour in the MC was at the five sided funny farm. He ran the CH-53 program, which put him in charge of among other things, Aircraft improvement. He developed the last and by far the greatest version of the 53. His last job at Sirkowsky was heading the development and build of the H-76, the most successful corporate helo ever built, even to this day. It was a 300 million dollar project and the first to be completed ahead of schedule and on budget. He brought that kind of expertise to our business endeavor. Big loss for me when he came down ill – we lost him a less than six months thereafter.

RETURN TO INDEX

From AFA -

Going Expeditionary: As part of the Pentagon's Fiscal 2011 budget request to Congress, the Navy seeks to procure an additional 26 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, two in Fiscal 2011 and 24 in 2012, to mitigate a looming capability gap. These 26 Growlers will populate the four expeditionary Marine Corps EA squadrons that have escorted joint-force strike aircraft into hostile territory for decades, but were scheduled for decommissioning after the last EA-6B Prowlers are retired in 2014. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Senate lawmakers Feb. 2 that these extra Growlers "will help fill an imminent EW shortfall that has been consistently highlighted by the combatant commanders as one of their highest priorities." Prior to this change, the Navy had planned to buy enough Growlers only to support its carrier-based air wings and not serve in expeditionary roles. Navy budget officials said Gates directed this change and added the funding.

RETURN TO INDEX

F-136 Engine in the News

Counterpoint: The General Electric-Rolls Royce team says Defense Secretary Robert Gates' arguments last week on Capitol Hill against continuing F136 engine work for the F-35 strike fighter are way off base. In a point-by-point rebuttal, the partners claim, for example, that the F136 program would not require an additional $2.5 billion over the next five years as Gates told Senate lawmakers on Feb. 2. (He cited $2.9 billion the next day to House members.) Instead, the companies say, "far less" would be required: about $1.3 billion to complete the engine's development and cover the additional costs associated with tooling and support infrastructure. And contrary to Gates' claim that none of the planned F-35 users really wants to have two engine suppliers, they said that all of the international partners signed the F-35 memorandum of understanding that "recognizes competing engines as a key [F-35] feature."

The following two articles – each counter-point to the other add a little to the “discussion” – Dutch

Defense Secretary Robert Gates's case against the F136 engine as taken from his written statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Defense

Department's Fiscal 2011 budget request, Feb. 2, 2010

JSF Alternate Engine

One of the tougher decisions we faced during this budget process was whether or not to formally add the alternate engine to the Joint Strike Fighter program. It has been the

position of this department since 2007 that adding a second JSF engine was unnecessary and too costly.

Over the past year, as part of our thorough review of the overall JSF program, we took a fresh look to determine whether the second engine option had reached a point in funding and development that supported a different conclusion. We considered all aspects of this question and, in the end, concluded that the facts and analysis simply do not support the case for adding an alternate engine program. There are several rationales for this conclusion:

First, even after factoring in Congress’ additional funding, the engine would still require a further investment of $2.5 billion over the next five years.

Second, the additional costs are not offset by potential savings generated through competition. Even optimistic analytical models produce essentially a break-even scenario.

Third, the solution to understandable concern over the performance of the Pratt & Whitney program is not to spend yet more money to add a second engine. The answer is

to get the first engine on track. Further, the alternate engine program is three to four years behind in development compared to the current program, and there is no guarantee that a second program would not face the same challenges as the current effort.

Fourth, split or shared buys of items, particularly from only two sources, do not historically produce competitive behavior since both vendors are assured some share of the purchase. Another reality is that the JSF is designed to support a wide diversity of military customers, including the Navy, Marine Corps, and overseas buyers, many of whom are unable or unwilling to purchase from two engine manufacturers.  For all these reasons, we are firm in our view that the interests of the taxpayers, our military, our partner nations, and the integrity of the JSF program are best served by not pursuing a second engine.

I believe most proponents of this program are motivated by the genuine belief that a second engine is the right thing to do. And I look forward to engaging the Congress in

this discussion and sharing with them our facts and analysis. However, we have reached a critical point in this debate where spending more money on a second engine for the JSF is unnecessary, wasteful, and simply diverts precious modernization funds from other more pressing priorities.

Accordingly, should the Congress add more funds to continue this unneeded program, I will strongly recommend that the president veto such legislation.

 General Electric-Rolls Royce statement on F136 Engine, Feb. 3, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates provided a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Feb. 2 which included five reasons why the Department of Defense is moving to cancel the F136 competitive engine for Joint Strike Fighter. GE Rolls-Royce wishes to respond to those arguments.

DOD: The F136 still requires a $2.5 billion investment over the next five years.

By the end of Fiscal 2010, almost $3 billion will have been spent on the F136 since 1996, with less than $1 billion needed to complete development. Over the next five years, additional costs associated with tooling and support infrastructure bring the total to about $1.3 billion—far less than cited by the DOD.

DOD: The F136-F135 competition would not offset the additional costs. Analytical models produce a break-even scenario at best.

The JSF engine program will ultimately reach $100 billion, and a decades-long engine competition needs only to generate a 1 percent to 2 percent cost benefit to recoup the remaining dollars needed to complete the F136 program. Last May, the GAO anticipated a 20 percent benefit from a JSF engine competition, using the F-16 "Great Engine War" as a comparison. There are also vast benefits beyond sheer cost - related to operational readiness and contractor responsiveness.

Last September's proposal by GE Rolls-Royce for a unique fixed-price contract for early F136 production engines has already created a significant benefit—causing P&W to respond to their cost issues.

DOD: The F136 is three to four years behind the F135.

The F136 production is less than 100 engines behind the F135 production for a JSF program designed to exceed 3,000 engines.

DOD: Split or shared buys don’t produce competitive behavior.

The GE/RR presence in JSF has already influenced more responsive contract behavior. Split buys for JSF will create a unique opportunity to drive competitive behavior beyond the acquisition phase—into competing engine sustainment costs lasting for decades. The JSF engine competition is different from the storied F-16 competition because the JSF model extends to engine sustainment. The opportunity for cost savings through competition are outstanding, as cited by the GAO and many other procurement experts.

DOD: The many JSF customers are unwilling to buy from two engine suppliers.

All eight international JSF partners have signed an MOU which recognizes competing engines as a key JSF feature. The international JSF partners strongly support competing engines. Competing engines led to a resurgence in F-16 sales, and are a valuable feature of ongoing F-15 and F-16s international competitions today. International sales are critical to the affordability model for JSF, which will be greatly enhanced by competing engines. Without question, the JSF program needs to complete the F136 development to meet its challenging objectives.

RETURN TO INDEX

Third F-35 Test Craft Delivered To Navy Base

(FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM 17 FEB 10) ... Bob Cox

Work on the F-35 joint strike fighter took another step forward Wednesday when Lockheed Martin delivered a third test aircraft to the Navy's Patuxent River, Md., flight test center.

The cross-country flight of the third F-35B short-takeoff-vertical-landing model came after Pentagon officials confirmed this week that the latest timetable envisions flight testing being delayed another year, until 2015.

The jet flown to Pax River will join two others in flight testing of the aircraft's takeoff and landing capabilities, a demanding mission. Pentagon reviews have shown work on the program running 24 to 30 months behind schedule, but officials hope to make up some lost ground by adding two test airplanes.

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn told officials in Australia about the new timeline Monday, and the Dutch defense minister informed the Netherlands' parliament as well.

When the 2011 U.S. defense budget was unveiled Feb. 1, Defense Secretary Robert Gates voiced strong criticism of F-35 program management. Gates ordered the rescheduling, fired the senior military officer managing the program and ordered $614 million in fees withheld from Lockheed.

To boost funding to speed development, the Pentagon cut its planned F-35 orders by more than 100 jets in fiscal 2011 through 2015.

RETURN TO INDEX

New Presidential Helo Competition Underway

(NAVY TIMES 17 FEB 10) ... Christopher P. Cavas

A new competition to build a presidential helicopter fleet was announced Tuesday by the Navy, which hopes to avoid the excessive cost overruns that made the VH-71 helo replacement program politically unpalatable and led to its cancellation in May.

The new program is dubbed VXX, for Presidential Vertical Lift Platform(s). A detailed listing of requirements for the new aircraft is given in a 27-page request for information, which asks interested parties to provide a response by March 3 no longer than five pages. The document makes clear that no solicitation documents exist, but instead it is surveying industry to gather information in support of a new analysis of alternatives to replace the existing presidential fleet of VH-3D and VH-60N helicopters.

The new aircraft are intended to begin operating in the 2017 to 2023 time frame, according to the announcement.

The VXX program is expected to produce at least two versions of the new helicopter — an executive model to transport the president, members of his family and heads of state, and a passenger-cargo variant to support the president. The RfI instructs interested parties to assume a “total aircraft buy of between 23 and 28 aircraft” — the same number of planned VH-71s.

The VH-71 program was controversial on both supplier and cost grounds. Supports of Connecticut-based Sikorsky were unhappy the company lost to a Lockheed Martin-AgustaWestland team that, while building more components in the United States than Sikorsky, nevertheless based its aircraft on an Italian-designed helicopter manufactured in England and completed in the United States.

Costs for the VH-71 also rose exponentially when a series of new security requirements were imposed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The Navy bore the brunt of public criticism for the cost growth, although White House security agencies had more to do with changing the requirements.

A final embarrassment took place shortly after President Obama took office in early 2009, when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., defeated in the presidential contest by Obama, asked him at a public news conference why he was buying a helicopter “that cost more than a 747” airliner. Obama said he didn’t know he needed a helicopter that cost so much — perhaps a final death knell for the program.

Although McCain was unable to document his claim, the Pentagon canceled the VH-71 program May 15, beginning a search for a new replacement.

The presidential helicopters are flown and maintained by Marine Helicopter Squadron One, or HMX-1, based in Washington. The Navy handles all acquisition for the Marines.

RETURN TO INDEX

IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         
February 23, 2010

Flag Officer Assignments  

                Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the following assignments:  

                Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas A. Cropper will be assigned as commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, San Diego, Calif. Cropper is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Bahrain. 

Rear Admiral Thomas A. Cropper
Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command

Rear Admiral “T.C.” Cropper is a graduate of Iowa State University and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1981. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1982.

His operational assignments include service with Attack Squadron 34, Attack Squadron 176, and Attack Squadron 85. He served as commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 83 and later as Commander, Carrier Air Wing 11. He completed eight extended deployments in USS America (CV-66), USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), and USS Nimitz (CVN-68). He has flown nearly 5,000 hours in 43 different aircraft and has logged over 1200 carrier arrested landings.

His shore assignments include attendance at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School where he subsequently served as a test pilot and instructor pilot. He has also served as an instructor pilot and as the aircraft maintenance officer in VFA-106, the Navy’s largest training squadron. Cropper served as military assistant in the Executive Secretariat of the Secretary of Defense from 1998-2000, and went on to serve as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution from 2000-2001. He later led “Strike U” at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, NV, and was the Chief of Staff, U.S. 3rd Fleet from 2005-2007. His most recent assignment was Chief of Naval Operations representative to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Working Group, chartered with the development of national level security strategy. 

Cropper graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval War College where he earned a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He holds additional master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee and the Catholic University of America. He is the recipient of the Michael Ripley Award as Naval Test Pilot School Instructor of the Year, and was selected as the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Pilot of the Year. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and various service and campaign awards.

                Rear Adm. (lower half) Kevin M. Donegan will be assigned as director for operations, J3, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla. Donegan is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Five, Yokosuka, Japan.
Rear Admiral Kevin M. Donegan
Commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet
Commander, Carrier Strike Group 5

Rear Admiral Donegan is a 1980 Cum Laude graduate of the University of Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.

His first operational assignment was as a “Plank Owner” to the “Wildcats” of Strike Fighter Squadron 131 where he made the first East coast deployment of the F/A-18 culminating in the successful Libyan air strikes in April 1986. During this tour he graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School, and was named “Wildcat Pilot of the Year.” He served as a department head in Strike Fighter Squadron 37 earning the Strike Fighter Wing’s “Mike Longhart Leadership Award”. He also served as executive officer on USS George Washington (CVN 73) when the ship garnered the Battle “E”, The Admiral Flatley Safety Award and the Battenberg Cup.

Donegan commanded Strike Fighter Squadron 131 completing a deployment to the Persian Gulf on USS John C. Stennis and a change of homeport to Oceana, Va. He also commanded the 3rd Fleet Command Ship, USS Coronado (AGF11) earning three Command Excellence Awards. He commanded the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) through work-ups and a seven-month around-the-world combat deployment earning the Battle “E”. He also led Carl Vinson through the first 12 months of their refueling overhaul and spearheaded Naval Aviation Enterprise’s Carrier Readiness Team. He was honored as the Tailhook Association’s “Tailhooker of the Year” for 2006.

Ashore, he served at the Pentagon as director of Strategy and Policy Division on the Navy Staff, as a test pilot, as the aide/administrative assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations and he completed joint duty as flag lieutenant to the Commander, Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples, Italy. He deployed to Sarajevo as the NATO liaison officer to the Commander, United Nations Protection Forces (UNPROFOR) serving as the principal air advisor during NATO’s Deliberate Force air strikes.

Donegan graduated the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School as the “Outstanding Student”, the Navy Nuclear Power School, the USAF Air Command and Staff College and the Joint Forces Staff College.

His personal awards include four Legion of Merits, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals and several unit, service and campaign awards. His flying experience includes over 3,700 hours in 31 different types of aircraft and over 800 arrested landings on 15 different aircraft carriers.

                Rear Adm. Kenneth E. Floyd will be assigned as director, Air Warfare Division, N88, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Floyd is currently serving as commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, San Diego, Calif.

Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific

Rear Admiral Kenny Floyd hails from Lewisburg, W. Va., and was commissioned through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NROTC program in May 1980. He was designated a naval flight officer in August 1981 and completed training in the F-14A at VF-101 in May 1982. Floyd served in several F-14 Tomcat squadrons including tours with the Jolly Rogers of VF-84, the Grim Reapers of VF-101 as an instructor, and the Red Rippers of VF-11. He participated in Operation Desert Storm while serving as a department head with the Starfighters of VF-33. He served as the executive officer and subsequently the commanding officer of the VF-32 Swordsmen from November 1994 to September 1997. Subsequent sea tours include a tour as the executive officer of USS Constellation and deputy commander of Carrier Air Wing 7 where he participated in Operation Enduring Freedom. He commanded Carrier Air Wing 7 from February 2003 to July 2004. Ashore Floyd served on the staff of the Naval Space Command in Dahlgren, Va., as aide to the Commander and subsequently as flag lieutenant, Commander Carrier Group 8. He also attended the Naval War College graduating with a Master of Arts degree and served as the chief staff officer on the Fighter Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet staff. He completed a tour on the staff of the United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium, served as the deputy operations officer on the Staff of Joint Task Force Southwest Asia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and served as chief of staff to Commander, Naval Air Forces. He has served flag tours as director, Aviation and Aircraft Carrier Plans and Requirements (OPNAV N880) and deputy director, Air Warfare (OPNAV N88B) prior to assuming command of Strike Force Training Pacific in February 2009. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medals, Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various campaign, unit and service medals.

                Capt. Michael W. Hewitt, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, Norfolk, Va. Hewitt is currently serving as assistant deputy director for information operations, J3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Admiral (Select) Michael W. Hewitt
Assistant Deputy Director for Information Operations Joint Chiefs of Staff

Born in Norfolk, Va., Rear Admiral (Select) Hewitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from George Mason University and a master’s degree from the National Defense University.

Hewitt’s operational  Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) assignments include first and department head tours in Patrol Squadron 10, command of Patrol Squadron 8 and command of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5 in Brunswick Maine. He has deployed to Keflavik, Iceland; Rota, Spain; Lajes, Azores; Sigonella, Sicily; Puerto Rico; and numerous detachment sites around the world. His other operational tours include flag secretary and battle group tactical watch officer for Commander Carrier Group 4, Commander Carrier Striking Force Atlantic where he deployed in support of numerous battle group and NATO exercises.

Hewitt’s shore assignments include Patrol Squadron 30, Jacksonville, Fla., as a flight instructor, two tours on the staff of the chief of Naval Operations (N88) as P-3 Maritime Patrol and Multi-Mission Aircraft (P-8) requirements officer, executive assistant to the chief of Legislative Affairs, and J-3 Operations Directorate as the assistant deputy director for Information Operations.

                Rear Adm. David L. Philman will be assigned as director, Warfare Integration/senior national representative, N8F, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Philman is currently serving as director, Air Warfare Division, N88, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Admiral David L. "Deke" Philman
Director, Air Warfare (OPNAV N88)

Rear Admiral David L. “Deke” Philman is the director, Air Warfare Division (OPNAV N88) on the staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (OPNAV N8). A native of Bell, Fla., he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Analysis in June 1978. He has also attended the U.S. Air War College and the Navy Executive Business School.

Philman has completed ten major deployments at sea aboard USS Constellation (CV-64), USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), USS Independence (CV-62), USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). His initial sea tours were as an A-7E pilot in VA-146 and VA-27. In 1990 he transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet during his tour with VA/VFA-27. Philman commanded the F/A-18C squadron VFA-151 (Vigilantes) from February 1996 to May 1997 aboard USS Constellation. Philman commanded Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard USS Harry S. Truman from July 2001 to January 2003. From July 2000 to June 2001, he served as the deputy air wing commander.

Philman’s shore tours include advanced strike flight instructor at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas; aide to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Space Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.; executive assistant to the Director, Navy International Programs Office, Washington; head, Strike Aircraft Plans and Requirements (OPNAV Staff), Washington, and director, Navy Congressional Appropriations Liaison, Washington.

Philman’s first flag officer assignment was as deputy commander, JFCC Global Strike and Integration, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., from September 2005 to September 2007. His most recent flag officer assignment was as commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, San Diego, from September 2007 to February 2009.

Philman has logged more than 4,500 flight hours in tactical jet aircraft and has completed more than 1000 carrier arrested landings on 11 different aircraft carriers. He is entitled to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Strike/Flight Air Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal.