And as we do, we can know our military is standing tall in Harm’s Way – and that Naval Aviation is
virtually everywhere in the world at the tip of the spear and all along it providing ‘force for peace’ and
all the necessities it requires – all so that good people may be free to enjoy whatever of the delights
of life they desire.

Before we get into the news articles –

Last year a couple of articles renewed ‘discussion’ regarding the vulnerability of aircraft carriers.
One of the vulnerability issues focused on the anti-ship ballistic missile; did it really exist and, if so,
could it
present a real threat to the aircraft carrier.

At that time the exchange of articles debunked the reality of such a threat. As all things ‘mellow’
with the passage of time, so has the ASBM versus CVN issue with some reports that the ASBM
is gaining credence again.

Our Chairman Emeritus, ADM James L. Holloway, III, USN (Ret) has written a concise article on
this issue:

Commentary on the Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM)

Theoretically the ASBM represents the ultimate in an anti-ship missile. It would be a formidable weapon against
all sea-based military forces. Although frequently referred to as the “carrier killer,” the ASBM would be even more lethal
with a conventional warhead against a smaller warship with little or no armor – i.e., cruisers, destroyers, and amphibious
ships, especially the air-capable vessels. Fortunately, this weapons system does not yet exist and there is no legitimate
forecast as to when such a weapon might become operational and to what degree of reliance. China has let it be known
that the development of such a weapon is a high priority for their military R&D program but that they are not there yet.

As recently as 2009 operations analysts specializing in China’s military programs concluded in an article published
by the U.S. Naval War College Review, that China does not now have an operational ASBM. The Chinese lack some of
the key hardware and software to constitute the “system of systems” required to achieve the kill chain of detection, tracking,
guidance and pinpoint accuracy needed to hit the target.

The most important and difficult requirement for the ASBM is that it must have the accuracy to make a direct hit on
a moving target at a prescribed angle of impact to penetrate the carrier’s armor. This precise angle of impact is essential
for the effectiveness of the ASBM warhead. In the accidental fire aboard USS Enterprise in 1969, nine major caliber bombs
(750 – 1,000 pounds) exploded on her flight deck but did not penetrate the carrier’s armored deck. The ship could have
resumed air operations in four hours, as soon as the debris was cleared from the after end of the flight deck. Three of the
multiple installations of the aircraft arresting gear and two of the four catapults remained operational, plus the flight deck
damage areas were quickly covered with sheet steel by damage control parties. It is the view of the western observers
that an ADBM capable of reliably and consistently scoring a direct hit at steep angles with a large conventional warhead,
on a moving warship is not feasible.

It has been suggested that an ASBM with a nuclear warhead would solve the accuracy problem. A large nuclear
weapon would not require a direct hit to put a ship out of action. A near miss within 300 yards would destroy a modern
warship’s combat potential. But this becomes an entirely new scenario. Any attack on U.S. sovereign territory, which a
U.S. Naval vessel represents, would result in a nuclear response from the U.S., i.e. a nuclear war. It is not conceivable

that the Chinese would initiate a general nuclear war with America to sink a carrier. J.L. Holloway III

NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ==== NEWS ====

INDEX

ANA #4 Squadron Miami – Fort Lauderdale CoC

BATTLE OF MIDWAY – Follow-Up

F-35B STOVL

Ex-USS FORRESTAL

Naval Challenge From China

First Female Air Wing Commander

P3C ORION

USS ENTERPRISE

Blue Angels Announce New Commander

HORNET PROCUREMENT

Patrol Squadron 26 'Tridents' Arrive at New Home

Boeing P8A Poseidon completes mission systems test

EA18G Deploying

E-2D HAWKEYE

Helicopter community notes

Gulf Stream Panthers New Skipper

Bob Harris, the now former Commanding Officer of ANA #4 - Miami – Fort Lauderdale Gulf Stream

Panthers writes, “ I would like to announce a change of command for squadron four to Raiza Diaz.”

Coordinator III, Systems and Programs, Office of Assessment and Data Analysis

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

1500 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 225

Miami, FL 33132

305 995-3777 Email: anasquadron@aol.com

Congratulations to Ms. Diaz. AND, our greatest Thankk You to Bob Harris for his service to ANA

and the Miami- Fort Lauderdale Squadron.

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BATTLE OF MIDWAY – Follow-Up

The Battle of Midway Material in BULLHORN #72 brought a number of responses. One we pass

on for our “historically-interested” is a recommendation by ANA member Francis Beaulieu for
'A Dawn Like Thunder,' by Robert J. Mrazek ...’ great story of Torpedo Squadron 8 & Midway & Guadalcanal’.

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More on the F35

this featuring the F-35B, the STOVL variant = please go to this link for a very informative video

http://www.aircraftowner.com/videos/view/f-35b---taking-stovl-to-a-new-level_1126.html

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USS FORRESTAL

Fate Of Forrestal Unclear As It Heads South

(NAVY TIMES 16 JUN 10) ... Mark D. Faram

The aircraft carrier Forrestal is underway for the first time in nearly 12 years.

The decommissioned carrier was towed from Naval Station Newport’s Pier One on Tuesday
and is scheduled to arrive at the Naval Sea Systems Command’s inactive ships facility in
Philadelphia on Friday.

The Navy has said the ship will be disposed of, but exactly how the Navy will get rid of the
55-year old ship has yet to be decided.

But a 2009 request for information by the Inactive Ship’s Program office outlined two options:
sink the ship as a reef, or sell it for scrap.

The reef option seems to be fading at the moment most likely because of the cost. Four years
ago, the Navy sunk the former carrier Oriskany off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., as a reef and
diving attraction in 2006 after spending $12 million to clean the ship of hazardous materials.

The Forrestal was the Navy’s first supercarrier and was laid down in Newport News, Va., in 1952
and was commissioned Sept. 29, 1955. Forrestal, for former Navy secretary and first Secretary
of Defense James Forrestal, served in active status for more than 38 years. It was decommissioned
Sept. 11, 1993 and was offered up for museum donation.

Though several organizations attempted to get the ship, the Navy deemed none of the efforts
were viable and removed the ship from “donation hold” in 1999 a year after she was berthed in
Newport, R.I., for storage.

The ship was the scene of a terrible fire on July 29, 1967. The ship was operating off the coast
of Vietnam when a Zuni rocket accidentally fired while on the flight deck and ignited a fire.

The fire caused a massive chain reaction on the ship’s stern as numerous armed bombs cooked
off. When the fires were extinguished by the heroic action of the crew, 134 sailors had lost their
lives, and another 64 were injured — the largest loss of life on a U.S. aircraft carrier since World
War II.

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Naval Challenge From China

(CHARLESTON (SC) POST AND COURIER 14 JUN 10) ... Editorial

Frank exchanges between Chinese and American defense officials in recent weeks may signal
a long-term, rising threat to freedom of navigation in waters off the Chinese coast and to the
security of Taiwan. If so, the United States should rethink its plans for downsizing the Navy as well
as its East Asia policy.

Reconsideration of the plans for an ever-shrinking Navy may have already started. Last week,
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo., urged the Navy to slow its
retirement of older ships and speed shipbuilding.

At 276 active ships, the Navy is smaller than at any time since before World War I. China, in
contrast, has continued to expand its military.

Also last week, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was "genuinely
concerned" about China's growing "expeditionary maritime and air capabilities."

And China's growing assertiveness drew a rebuke from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates,
speaking at a meeting in Singapore.

The "South China Sea is an area of growing concern," he said. "We ... oppose the use of force
and actions that hinder freedom of navigation. We object to any effort to intimidate U.S. corporations
or those of any nation engaged in legitimate economic activity."

The Chinese side has been equally blunt. The Washington Post reports that in a May 24 meeting
with U.S. officials in Beijing, Chinese Rear Adm. Guan Youfei accused the United States of viewing
his nation as an enemy. He singled out President Obama's recent decision to sell more arms to
Taiwan for particular abuse.

In 1994 and 2001, China tested U.S. resolve to defend Taiwan. This time, so far, it has broken
off U.S.-Chinese direct military talks and issued strong objections. But a more determined test
may come. China sees the military balance tilting in its favor.

The Post reports that the president of a think tank run by the Chinese military, Cui Liru, recently
warned, "For years, China has opposed arms sales to Taiwan among other things, but we were
never strong enough to do anything about it. But our national strength has grown. And it is time
that the United States pay attention."

China also has made claims to ocean resources and islands in the South China and East
China seas.

If the United States wants to defend its interests and avoid an open fight with China, we had
better start paying attention to the balance of military power.

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First Female Air Wing CO Reports This Fall

(NAVY TIMES 20 JUN 10) ... Lance M. Bacon

Cmdr. Sara Joyner, the first woman selected to head a carrier air wing, will report to Carrier
Air Wing 14 later this year, Navy Times has learned.

“Commander Joyner will be promoted to captain in September and is scheduled to report to
Carrier Air Wing 14 very soon after,” said Navy spokesman Lt. Nate Christensen. “Of course,
those things are always subject to change, but that is the plan right now.”

Joyner will become the air wing’s deputy commander, and “fleet up” to become its commander
12 to 18 months after arriving.

Joyner, through the spokesman, said she did not want to give interviews until she arrives at the
command, out of respect to the current leadership.

CVW 14 is based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. Its eight squadrons have been attached
to the carrier Ronald Reagan since February 2005. Since that time, the wing deployed aboard
the carrier four times in as many years.

The three-time Battle “E” award-winning carrier is concluding a six-month planned incremental
availability, a scheduled maintenance period designed to upgrade ship systems and quality of
life for its sailors.

Joyner, a Naval Academy graduate, joined naval aviation in 1991 — two years before Congress
changed the rules to allow women in combat roles.

Being one of the first women warriors who served amid the change was difficult, Joyner said in
a 2008 Navy release.

“Recognition and respect grew each year as we proved that women could be valuable members
of the Navy. ... We didn’t attempt to lessen the Navy’s demands, but instead worked as part of the
team to excel as equals,” she said.

Today, there are 317 female pilots, representing 4.2 percent of the Navy’s total, and 228 naval
flight officers, which is 6.9 percent of that field.

Joyner has more than 3,300 flight hours and 600 traps. She has flown the A-4 Skyhawk with two
composite squadrons and the F/A-18 Hornet with three fighter squadrons.

Notably, she was the first woman to command an operational fighter squadron, Strike Fighter
Squadron 105, the Gunslingers. She took the stick in March 2007 and led the Gunslingers during
a seven-month combat deployment aboard the carrier Harry S. Truman. The squadron flew more
than 1,880 combat missions and delivered more than 35,000 pounds of ordnance in support of
coalition ground troops in Iraq, according to Navy records.

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P3C ORION

Fifteen Grounded Aircraft Repaired So Far

Navy: P-3C Aircraft Averaging More Than Double Intended Service Life

(INSIDE THE NAVY 19 APR 10) ... Dan Taylor

The P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft is averaging more than double its original planned
service life as it continues to be heavily used in missions in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as on
the high seas, according to recent testimony by service officials.

The fiscal year 2011 president’s budget, released in February, requests $228 million to sustain
the P-3C until the Navy can begin fielding its replacement, the P-8A Poseidon, in 2013. The P-3C,
meant for maritime missions including anti-submarine warfare, is averaging 16,000 hours per
aircraft, well above its original planned fatigue life of 7,500 hours, according to joint written
testimony provided to a Senate panel April 13 by Marine Corps Lt. Gen. George Trautman,
deputy commandant for aviation; Vice Adm. David Architzel, principal military deputy for research,
development and acquisition; and Rear Adm. David Philman, director of air warfare.

More than half of the requested $228 million -- $153.5 million -- is slated for wing modifications
to fix problems that caused the grounding of a quarter of the fleet -- 39 aircraft -- in December 2007.

“Results of the P-3 service life assessment program (SLAP) revealed the need for an aggressive
approach to P-3 airframe sustainment,” the testimony states.

As of March 31, 49 aircraft have been grounded due to wing fatigue. The Navy has repaired and
returned 15 aircraft to the fleet, with 34 aircraft undergoing work. Currently, 62 aircraft are available
for missions, according to the testimony.

“Key elements of the sustainment approach are strict management of requirements and flight hour
use, special structural inspections to keep the aircraft safely flying, and increased use of simulators
to satisfy training requirements,” the testimony states. “In fiscal year 2011, a systems sustainment
and modernization budget of $74.5 million is requested to continue to address a multitude of
mission essential efforts to replace obsolete components, integrate open architecture technology
and leverage commonality.

“The Navy will continue to closely manage the service life of the P-3C as the maritime and patrol
reconnaissance forces transition to the P-8A Poseidon,” the testimony continues. “Until force
levels recover, allocations of aircraft must be balanced to meet mission and minimum training
while preserving remaining P-3C service life.”

The FY-11 budget requests $929.2 million for research and development and nearly $2 billion in
advance procurement for seven P-8 Poseidon aircraft as the program continues to work toward
a 2013 initial operational capability.

The program had its first test flight of a P-8A aircraft in October.

“The program is currently undergoing ground testing in preparation for resuming flight tests in
April 2010,” the testimony states.

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USS ENTERPRISE

Defense News (Tuesday, April 20, 2010) has article on USS Enterprise completing sea trials
following a two-year overhaul.

Excerpt: The carrier now will begin a series of equipment and crew certifications and begin
training in preparation for its deployment, expected to take place next year.

====================================================================================================================

Carrier Enterprise Back After Nearly Two Years

By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS
Published: 20 Apr 2010 05:44

After two years in overhaul, the USS Enterprise - the U.S. Navy's oldest active aircraft carrier -
returned to sea this weekend and, having successfully completed more than two days of sea
trials, was redelivered to the Navy on Monday.

Tugs spray a salute as the Enterprise returns from successful sea trials on Monday.
(Northrop Grumman)

"The trials went extremely well, the ship performed incredibly well," said Jim Hughes,
Northrop Grumman's vice president for aircraft carrier overhauls. No new problems emerged
during the trials, he noted. "We didn't walk away with any new work items, which is amazing."

The extent of the work needed to refurbish the ship grew almost from the moment it entered
Northrop's Newport News, Va., shipyard in April 2008 for what was planned to be a 16-month
overhaul, originally scheduled to end in August 2009. "Emergent and supplemental work" - the
phrase used by Naval Sea Systems Command - meant the work package continued to grow,
along with the money being spent to recondition the ship, which first entered service in 1961.
The original $453 million budget was increased in leaps and bounds, topping out at nearly $662
million. At least a dozen supplemental contracts were issued to pay for the additional work - the
last issued on April 15.

All that, the Navy says, to get one more full deployment out of the ship, which is now planned to
be decommissioned in 2012.

"Enterprise is an extremely complex ship that required an extraordinary effort on the part of the
shipbuilding team and the ship's crew to get her through the availability and back in the fight,"
Capt. Ron Horton, the ship's commanding officer, said in a news release.

The delays in returning Enterprise to service caused the fleet to rejigger other carrier deployments,
with some ships forced to remain at sea a few weeks longer and others needing to shift deployment
and overhaul schedules.

Overhaul work on the Big E included dry docking the ship, tank blasting and coating, hull preservation,
propulsion and ship system repairs and limited enhancements to various hull, mechanical and
electrical systems.

One continuing problem that contributed to the delays and cost growth was the need to rebuild far
more motors on the ship than originally planned.

"We had to make new casings for pumps, make new motors," Hughes said, speaking by telephone
Monday from the carrier as it returned to Newport News. "Turbine generators had been performing
well coming in to the availability," he said, "but we had to pull motors and get them rewound. There
were a lot of motor rewinds."

Another focus of the overhaul was the ship's steam power plant.

"Almost all of the major components on the steam propulsion plant got touched," Hughes said.
"Those were the biggest things we didn't have a choice about."

The ship's six air conditioning plants also needed special attention, he said, as well as infrastructure
like piping and electrical cabling. "Things that have been in there for 50 years, we really started to
have some issues with that," he said.

The sea trials revealed no significant problems, Hughes said, and the ship was redelivered without
any operational restrictions.

The carrier now will begin a series of equipment and crew certifications and begin training in
preparation for its deployment, expected to take place next year.

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Blue Angels Announce New Commander

(PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL (FL) 28 APR 10) ... Erin Kourkounis

Come November, a new boss will lead the Blues.

The Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron announced the team's commanding officer for
2011 and 2012 on Tuesday evening.

A panel of admirals and former Blue Angels team members selected David E. Koss out of seven
finalists to join the team. The announcement was made in the atrium of the National Naval Aviation
Museum.

"It's a privilege to be selected among such a talented group," Koss said.

"It's an honor to even be selected as a finalist."

Koss, a Jacksonville native, is the commanding officer of the VFA-14 Tophatters, a strike fighter
squadron in Lemoore, Calif.

Adm. Bill Sizemore, chief of Naval air training, said the panel had been deliberating since about
7:15 a.m. Tuesday and that the decision was not an easy one to make.

"We were looking for somebody with an impeccable career and somebody that's respected and
honored by his peers, subordinates and seniors," Sizemore said. "It was a difficult choice because
we had seven qualified finalists."

Following the announcement, a shocked Koss, who was stationed at the Pensacola Naval Air Station
in the early 1990s, said he is excited to return to the area.

Commanding Officer Greg McWherter will turn over his duties to Koss the day after the Blue Angels'
homecoming show in November.

McWherter said that Koss is definitely the right guy for the job.

"I've known him for years," McWherter said. "He was one of my students at Top Gun."

Koss' previous assignments include conducting training on VFA-122, Air and Maritime Planner to
Standing Joint Force Headquarters, VFA- 87 on the USS Enterprise, and the VFA- 106 Gladiators.

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HORNET PROCUREMENT

DoD Agrees To Super Hornet Multi-Year Buy

(DEFENSE DAILY) ... Geoff Fein

After much criticized delays, the Defense Department Friday notified Congress of its intent to pursue
a multi-year purchasing agreement with Boeing [BA] for 124 F/A-18E/F/G Super Hornets, according
to lawmakers.

The Navy and DoD have made a great decision, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) said in a statement.

"I commend Secretary Gates and Secretary Mabus for seeing the light and moving forward with a
multi-year contract. A multi-year contract for F-18's saves the Navy and taxpayers over half a billion
dollars, provides stability for the workforce in St. Louis, and is an important insurance policy as the
Navy faces a large strike fighter shortfall," Akin said. "It is encouraging to see the Navy and DoD
come to their senses on this issue, after I have spent two years arguing that a multi-year contract
made sense on all fronts."

This decision is a tremendous win for our men and women in uniform, taxpayers, and America's
defense industrial base, Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo) said in a statement.

Back in March, Bond sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, urging the secretary and the
Navy take "aggressive steps to enter into a multi-year procurement" for the Super Hornet.

"A third multi-year procurement for the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft also would ensure that the
defense industrial base for tactical aviation is maintained through at least [fiscal year] 2013," Bond
said in his letter. "In order for the United States military to maintain its current air domination, the skills
and experience of the aviation manufacturing sector must be protected for as long as possible into
the future rather than curtailed."

Boeing builds the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler in St. Louis, Mo.

"We are pleased the Department of Defense has certified this new multi-year contract [that] will save
the U.S. Navy and the nation 10 percent compared to single year procurements, delivering hundreds
of millions of dollars in real cost savings," Philip Carder, a Boeing spokesman, told Defense Daily
yesterday. "We will work closely with the Navy to continue the process of finalizing a new multi-year
contract."

The Navy and DoD had originally been working to meet a March 1 deadline on whether to pursue a
multi-year buy of Super Hornets (Defense Daily, Feb. 25).

Under section 128 of the Fiscal Year '10 defense authorization bill, the Navy would need to obtain
congressional authority to enter into a multi-year for the Super Hornet no later than March 1. At a
Feb. 24 House Armed Services Committee (HASC) hearing, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told
lawmakers the service was working to meet that deadline.

But at the end of April, DoD had asked for an extension, a request that had frustrated lawmakers.

"Senior leadership in the DoD is once again dragging their feet on a solution that is good for
taxpayers and good for the Navy. Delaying a multi-year procurement of F/A-18s for the second time
concerns me greatly. The Navy and Boeing have had plenty of time to negotiate--it is time for the
Secretary of Defense to make this deal happen," Akin said in a April 30 statement.

Two weeks later, Akin got his answer.

"This multi-year is the first step toward addressing the Navy's fighter shortfall, but more needs to be
done," Akin said in the May 14 statement "The DoD should consider using the fantastic price
provided by the multi-year contract to buy additional planes to reduce the Navy's fighter gap."

Boeing offered a cost savings of 10 percent under the multi-year contract.

"Boeing is committed to delivering the advanced, combat-proven Block II Super Hornet and new
EA-18G Growler to the U.S. Navy through the procurement option that offers the best value for our
nation and its warfighters. We have provided the U.S. Navy with pricing information that enables cost
savings of 10 percent under a multi-year contract," Carder told Defense Daily in February (Defense
Daily, Feb. 25).

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Patrol Squadron 26 'Tridents' Arrive at New Home

Release Date: 6/10/2010

By Kaylee LaRocque, Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 "Tridents" made history June 8 when the
squadron's last P-3C Orion arrived at their new home at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Fla.

VP 26 is the last of the patrol squadrons to transition from Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, to
NAS Jacksonville.

The crew arriving at NAS Jacksonville included VP 26 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Jeff Draeger and
seven other members of the squadron. They were welcomed by Commander, Patrol and
Reconnaissance Wing (CPRW) 11, Capt. Mark Turner, Deputy CPRW 11, Capt. Bill Wheeler and
NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Jeffrey Maclay at a special ceremony held in VP 26
new spaces in Hangar 1000.

VP-26's skipper and his crew were also met by squadron members, families, friends and base
employees gathered to officially welcome them to their new home.

"I really appreciate this wonderful greeting. To the 'Tridents' - for the last six months, you've met the
mission day in and day out over a long and demanding deployment. I'm exceptionally proud of the
way we performed as a team on a very widespread deployment. Congratulations on a job well done,
" said Draeger. "To our 'Trident' families – thank you for your perseverance. It's great to see you
back with your loved ones."

"And, to our shipmates at Wing (CPRW) 11, NAS Jacksonville, VP 30, our sister squadrons and our
new neighbors here in Jacksonville, thank you for the steady helping hand you've given us over the
course of our homeport change," continued Draeger.

The squadron was then officially welcomed by the CPRW 11 commander.

"I want to welcome VP 26 and their families. This is a big day for Wing (CPRW) 11, and we are
glad you've arrived here safely. To the leadership – what you've accomplished – over 3,000 flight
hours and 450 flights is nothing short of amazing. To the Sailors - from the Arctic to the equator to
Central America and Central Asia – you were the ones who made things happen. Thank you for your
undying efforts and attention to detail that made our nation stronger," said Turner. "To the families –
for six months you carried the burden of home and you served every bit as much as those in uniform. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate your service and your contributions to this nation."

For the families, the return of their loved ones to their new home was a joyous occasion.

"We've been stationed here before. Jacksonville is a wonderful community, and it's great to have
people here we know. It helped make the move much easier," said Renee Gage, wife of Lt. Cmdr.
Samuel Gage.

"It's amazing to have them back again. We're really thrilled and have been waiting for this day for
the past seven months," added Corrie Cyre, wife of Lt. Cmdr. Erik Cyre. "It's been a long
deployment but it's been great to have the support of the rest of the VP-26 families and our new
neighbors in Jacksonville."

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Boeing P8A Poseidon completes mission systems test

HeraldNet (Everett, Washington, June 10, 2010) SCBJ staff

SEATTLE -- Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft T2 successfully completed the program's first mission
systems test flight on June 8 in Seattle. T2 will be used to verify integrated mission systems
performance during flights in Seattle and at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

During the three-hour flight, the joint Boeing and Navy test team exercised mission computing on all
five operator workstations and successfully demonstrated key systems -- including acoustics,
mission planning, tactical data-link, communications, electronic support measures and flight test
instrumentation -- for the first time.

"This successful flight moves us a step closer to getting the Poseidon and its next-generation
radar and sensors into the hands of the warfighter," said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president
and P-8 program manager. "Future flights will demonstrate the state-of-the-art systems that will
provide the Navy superior performance well into the 21st century."

T2 is one of five test aircraft that are being assembled and tested as part of the U.S. Navy System
Development and Demonstration contract Boeing received in 2004. Boeing's T1 airworthiness-test
aircraft entered flight testing in October 2009 and arrived at the Navy's Patuxent River facility in April.

The Navy plans to purchase 117 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare,
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its piston-engined P-3 fleet.
Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.

No, the P-3C is NOT piston-engined – it is a turboprop – Dutch)

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EA18G

Navy To Deploy EA-18G In Support Of Ground Troops, Official Says

(DEFENSE DAILY 07 MAY 10) ... Geoff Fein

The Navy will deploy the first EA-18G Growler squadron from a land-based location in support
of ground troops, according to a service official.

Additionally, the service's vertical takeoff unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV) Fire Scout will soon
deploy from the USS Halyburton (FFG-40), Thomas Laux, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the
Navy (Air Programs) (DASN (Air)), told Defense Daily recently.

Laux said the Navy is now delivering Boeing's [BA] EA-18G to the squadron based at Naval Air
Station Whidbey Island, Wash.

"The aircraft is through all its operational testing. [We are] getting the deployment schedule put
together as rapidly as possible," Laux said. "The Navy has decided, in response to world events,
to send the first squadrons in an expeditionary role as opposed to an aircraft carrier."

The service is gearing up for meeting that challenge, he added.

Laux noted the Navy is in the process now of finishing up its analysis of alternatives (AoA) for the
EA-18G's next generation jammer. That technology will replace the current system, the ALQ-99,
which was taken from the EA-6B Prowler.

Laux said key enhancements were made to integrate the ALQ-99 on the Growler. "But it is still older
technology. We are pressing through the AoA for the next generation jammer."

The new system is expected to go into initial operational capability (IOC) in 2018, he added.

The Navy is also restructuring the schedule for the CH-53K, the heavy lift replacement for the 53-E,
Laux noted.

"The 53K development is proceeding on track. It got off initially to a bit of a slow start. Since that
time we have gotten better schedules. We have a good understanding with the prime contractor
over where we are going both near-term and into the future," Laux said. "We have proposed a
schedule restructure which will reflect a better estimate of the schedule required and [we are] taking
a look at adjusting the first flight and IOC to reflect that."

Overall, Sikorsky's [UTX] CH-53K is a much needed capability, Laux said. "The 53E has been quite
the workhorse of the fleet.

"It's time for a technology upgrade and we are very optimistic the aircraft will deliver," he added.
"It satisfies all key performance parameters the Marine Corps has set out for that particular aircraft.
We are very encouraged by the testing done to date at the component level, and are working with
the prime to take it through the development program."

The Navy's FY '11 budget funding profile leads to an IOC date of 2018 for the CH-53K, Laux said.

"The real beauty of that aircraft is that it is so capable as a heavy lifter and yet is sized to fit on
air-capable ships," he said. "It is the only aircraft in the world that is big enough to get a heavy
lifting job done and compact enough to where it can function and function well at sea."

Northrop Grumman's [NOC] Fire Scout will head back out to sea aboard the Halyburton for further
testing and deployment after completing a tour aboard the USS McInerney (FFG-8), Laux said.

"Fire Scout is the first unmanned air system we will be deploying aboard a ship for real," Laux said.

As to the eventual payloads for Fire Scout, Laux said that will be determined as the Navy continues
to learn what the platform's capabilities are.

"The role of that unmanned system is to extend the warfighting capability of the ship, so when you
think of all the things a ship is responsible for, the question is how can an unmanned air system help
extend that capability, capacity," he said.

Fire Scout can extend the sensor horizon of a ship right off the bat, Laux noted. The VTUAV will
extend a ship's communications horizon and line of sight communications.

"Certainly, one of the roles of a ship is to deliver weapons, so if there is an opportunity to extend
that capability we are going to look at what is involved in doing that," Laux said. "But that is not the
first thing we are going to do. Sensors are going to come first. That is the ability right now we most
need to provide an expansion on."

Fire Scout will start off with an infrared sensor and the Navy will take a look at adding overtime radar
capability, multi-sensor capability, for the different mission space that is the ship's area of
responsibility, Laux added.

RETURN TO INDEX

New Hawkeyes May Add BMD Duty

Program teams E-2Ds, Aegis to protect carrier strike groups

(NAVY TIMES 24 MAY 10) ... Andrew Tilghman

A ballistic missile hitting a carrier strike group is one of the Navy's biggest nightmares. But the Navy
might be able to drastically reduce that threat with the help of an old friend sporting a new upgrade.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will join the fleet for this summer when the first aircraft is delivered to
a training squadron in Norfolk, Va. A central piece of the testing slated for the next four years will be
linking the E-2D and its powerful radar into other weapons systems. The network concept is known
as the Navy Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, or NIFC-CA. Potentially, the Hawkeye's radar could
identify a missile launched over the horizon and relay a warning to an Aegis cruiser. The ship could
then fire a Standard Missile-3 early enough to deflect the incoming threat. That's well beyond the
Hawkeye's traditional role of airborne command and control for carrier jets.

"The capability is eye-watering," said Capt. Shane Gahagan, the program manager for the new
aircraft at Naval Air Systems Command.

But doubts remain about the technology. The new Hawkeye will test the Aegis system and its ability
to adapt to an increasingly integrated battlefield.

"Is Aegis actually plug and play? That is the question," said Craig Hooper, a national security expert
and defense consultant in San Francisco. The integration will require extensive software
development inside the Aegis system, Hooper said.

The Hawkeye could provide a potentially vital backup protection for a strike group, said Will Dossel,
a retired captain and E-2C naval flight officer.

Current technology allows the Aegis system to be cued and fired based on signal intelligence
relayed from satellites. But a sophisticated enemy could temporarily disable the satellite signals
and create a brief window of vulnerability for strike group, Dossel said.

A Hawkeye might be able to protect the strike group despite a satellite blackout.

"This might be able to provide that kind of organic cueing," Dossel said.

Testing of the integrated fires system will begin in 2012 and will continue until the new Hawkeye is
fully operational in 2015.

It may prove to be a monumental advancement for the Aegis system.

"It's a big question for a decidedly non-plug-and-play system," Hooper said. "If you are able to
generate a node that could input targeting data to an Aegis system, reliably and cheaply, that would
be a big deal. Be it a low-level threat like a Hezbollah-type firing of a cruise missile, or when the big
red peril comes rising over the western Pacific."

Aviators most familiar with the new plane say the missile-defense capability might be just the
beginning of new missions for the Hawkeye community.

"BMD is probably just one of the many things that the airplane will be able to do that the current
air-plane does not do today," said Cmdr. Herb Carmen, a Hawkeye pilot and senior military fellow
at the Center for New American Security in Washington, D.C.

"It comes back to the ability to see things that you couldn't see before," Carmen said.

RETURN TO INDEX

Helicopter community notes

Navy helicopter pilots see their profile rise
Careers up with role on carriers
By Jeanette Steele, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.

Lt. Aric Edmondson (from left), Aviation
Aircrewman Adam Avery and Lt. James
Hunt of HSM-77 prepare for operations
aboard the Abraham Lincoln. - Navy photo

A helicopter from the HSM-77 squadron prepares
to lift off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier
Abraham Lincoln.

Their $33 million helicopters are new. There’s an aircraft-carrier briefing room with their name
on the door now. And they get extra parking spaces on the multimillion-dollar real estate of the
carrier flight deck.

All the attention feels a little odd, Navy helicopter pilots say.

“We’re not used to being the story,” said Cmdr. Ken Strong, executive officer of HSM-77, a
San Diego-based squadron of MH-60R Seahawks.

It’s a good time to be flying helicopters for the Navy.

Long in the shadow of the jet jockeys — no one has ever made a movie about the rotor-blade
community with Tom Cruise — naval helicopter pilots are playing a more central role on aircraft
carriers. Because the nation’s 11 flattops are the heartbeat of the sea service, the careers of
helicopter pilots are on the rise.

Someday soon, the commander of Naval Air Forces has said, a helicopter pilot may land the job
that represents one of the summits of Navy aviation: the CAG, or commander of all aircraft in a
carrier strike group of nine ships.

“Back when I came through, you were not part of ‘big Navy’ aviation, and now you can be. That door
was not open to you whether you wanted it or not,” said HSM-77’s commanding officer, Cmdr.
Clay Michaels, who went through flight school 18 years ago.

“There’s definitely increased pride in being a helicopter pilot,” Michaels said aboard the aircraft
carrier Abraham Lincoln, which was training off San Diego this week.

Rotor blades have had a place on carriers for decades. At first, helicopter pilots mostly ferried the
mail and sailors on and off ships, but other missions have piled up as technology advanced.

In recent years, the Navy retired the S-3 anti-submarine plane, and its job and place on the carrier
have been assumed by the newest versions of the MH-60 helicopter.

Take HSM-77, the Saberhawks, for example. The squadron, based at North Island Naval Air Station,
used to dispatch its members with one or two helicopters on what sailors affectionately call the
“small boys” — the destroyers, cruisers and frigates that travel with a carrier.

The pilots involved were disconnected from the squadron’s leaders, who usually stayed behind at
the air station, and didn’t have much interaction with the carrier air wing’s honchos.

These days, all the Saberhawks deploy together, including the commander and executive officer,
and three of their eight helicopters reside on the Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln carved out three
extra landing spaces on the deck for them.

The Saberhawks have a ready room — a classroom-size gathering space with upholstered chairs,
computers, a tiny kitchen and TV screens for watching the flight-deck video feed.

On smaller ships, pilots work out of their staterooms, using a small, fold-out desk for planning.

Aboard the Lincoln, Saberhawk pilots flop down in the ready room during their off time, chat with
their squadron mates, toss around a miniature football and crank up music.

“I’ve done both. Is this better? Absolutely,” said Lt. Dan Brown, 36, a Saberhawks pilot.

The carrier has workout gyms, Brown pointed out, while one smaller vessel he served on had to
squeeze its treadmill into the fan room.

It’s more than just homey comforts. In the jet-centric Navy, these helicopter pilots now have a better
chance to wear eagles or stars on their shoulders than ever before.

On the Lincoln, senior Saberhawks officers work closely with the CAG and the admiral who
commands the carrier group. That means they rub elbows with the Navy’s elite and gain more
experience with the full spectrum of naval aviation.

“I think the future suggests the helo community will be more in the limelight,” said retired Rear
Adm. Ron Christenson, who flew Navy H-3 helicopters and went on to skipper an aircraft carrier
before retiring in 2000.

“We’ve got a lot more senior officers. If you looked in the past, the truth was if you made captain
as a helicopter pilot, you were a god,” he said. “Will we get a CAG? Probably.”

It also may mean job security, even as the United States looks increasingly to unmanned aerial
vehicles to save money and lives.

Navy helicopter pilots made a name for themselves after the January earthquake in Haiti, when
they worked nearly around the clock moving people and medical supplies from the aircraft carrier
Carl Vinson.

“The UAVs aren’t going to go into a landing zone and pick up people,” said Strong, the HSM-77
executive officer.

The carrier trend certainly means an extra gloss of prestige for helicopter pilots, who have the
reputation of being the more laid-back siblings of the rock ’n’ roll, “Top Gun” jet pilots.

Several Saberhawks pilots said they — like a lot of young, starry-eyed naval officers — went to
flight school with the dream of flying fighter planes.

Some didn’t get “jet grades.” Some decided the helicopter life was better, in part because it
comes with the strong likelihood of being stationed in San Diego or Jacksonville, Fla. Some just
got the luck of the draw on job-assignment day.

“The carrier is the node of everything. It’s where everything happens,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jason
Sherman, 36, another HSM-77 pilot. “I like being at the center of things.”

The Saberhawks have gone for the past couple of years to the annual gathering of the Tailhook
Association, a group of mostly carrier-based jet pilots known for its sometimes-raucous conventions.
Sherman said the connection was made because the rotor-blade pilots were working alongside
their jet brethren on the carrier.

“Don’t discount the social aspect. Would a helicopter guy ever think of going to Tailhook? Naw.
But we went, and we were widely accepted,” he said. “And we had a great time.”

Still, nobody is expecting Tom Cruise to come knocking on the Saberhawks’ ready-room door.

“I don’t know if we’re ever going to be part of the glamorous, PR side of the Navy,” said Michaels,
the squadron commander. “But these guys are just as much professionals as any other pilot, no
matter what he flies.”

Jeanette Steele: (619) 293-1030; jen.steele@uniontrib.com