|
BULLHORN #87
3 OCTOBER 2011
Greetings ANAers!! ..friends of ANA
and Naval Aviation,
Our Navy, especially our
Naval Aviation forces are at the forefront, maintaining the
peace where there is peace – and working diligently to bring
peace where there is not. And in all of their efforts,
deployed throughout the world, they are the point of the
spear for peace and safety here at come.
Just look at the Status of the Navy
right below this – 53% of our Navy ships are underway,
38% of our ships are deployed.
Two carriers and an LHD are
serving in the 5TH Fleet area of responsibility,
fighting terrorists right  where they live.
Many think any time in Washington, DC
is a crazy time. True or not, the coming days, weeks,
months will sure seem like that as the “Super Committee”
work their “magic” in budget cuts and other actions to meet
deficit reduction guidelines.
Very significant cuts to the military
budget hang in the balance of those “Super Committee”
actions, cuts that could well change the completion – and
the capabilities – of our military more than we have seen
since the drawdown at the close of WWII.
Of all time, it has never been more
important than now to let our fellow citizens, our
Representatives and Senators know how vital Naval Aviation
is in the fight for our security. Now is the time for All
Hands to turn to “…to
educate and encourage an interest among the general public
as to the importance of Naval Aviation in the defense of the
United States and its allies….”
Status of
the Navy September 30, 2011
Status of the Navy
Navy Personnel
Active Duty:
326,820
Officers: 53,291
Enlisted: 268,985
Midshipmen: 4,544
Ready Reserve:
102,849 [As of 11 Aug 2011 ]
Selected Reserves: 65,117
Individual Ready Reserve: 37,732
Reserves currently mobilized:
4,704 [As of 20 Sep 2011]
Personnel on deployment:
42,531
Navy Department Civilian Employees:
203,734
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships:
285
Ships Underway (away from homeport):
150 ships (53% of total)
On deployment: 109 ships (38% of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport):
27 subs (50%)
On deployment: 18
subs (33%)
Ships Underway
Aircraft Carriers:
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Pacific Ocean
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - Pacific Ocean
USS George Washington (CVN 73) - port visit
Busan, Korea
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - 5th Fleet
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) - 5th Fleet
Amphibious Assault Ships:
USS Essex (LHD 2) - Philippine Sea
USS Bataan (LHD 5) - 5th Fleet
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) - Pacific Ocean
USS Makin Island (LHD 8) - Pacific Ocean
Amphibious Command Ships:
USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) - port visit
Rijeka, Croatia
Aircraft (operational):
3700+
INDEX
ADM Greenert 30th
CNO
New Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs
Future Of Naval
Aviation Bright
USMC – Marine
Aviation Highlights
F35 News
Greenert Becomes Chief of Naval Operations,
Roughead Steps Down
By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle P. Malloy
Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2011 - Navy Adm. Jonathan W.
Greenert became the 30th chief of naval operations during a
change of command ceremony today at the U.S. Naval Academy
in Annapolis, Md.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead passes
command to Adm. Jonathan Greenert during a ceremony at the
U.S. Naval Academy, Sept. 23, 2011. Greenert became the 30th
chief of naval operations. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer
1st Class Chad Runge
Greenert accepted the Navy's highest
military post from Adm. Gary Roughead, who will retire Sept.
30 from the post he has held since September 2007. Both
officers are Naval Academy graduates; Roughead, in 1973, and
Greenert, in 1975.
Greenert, who previously served as vice chief of naval
operations, will now become a member of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff. In that capacity, he will serve as principal naval
adviser to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and President Barack
Obama.
Mabus said the Navy will go through a transparent transition
with Adm. Greenert now serving as its top officer.
"Admiral Roughead's contributions may be hard if not
impossible to surpass, but I am confident that if anyone can
match them it is Jon Greenert," Mabus said.
Greenert praised Roughead's example and said he would strive
to follow it.
"My priorities, our course, are one, we've got to remain
ready to meet the current challenges today, we've got to
build a relevant and capable future fleet, and we have got
to continue to care for our sailors, our civilians and their
families, and recruit and nurture a motivated, relevant and
diverse force," he said.
Greenert said he will focus on three tenets while in office:
warfighting first, operate forward and be ready.
"We will approach our challenges and we will implement our
changes that will have to be done in the future with three
tenets in mind," he said. "They will be effective [and]
efficient. Our solutions will be joint and the Marine Corps
will remain our primary partner."
Mabus, who served as keynote speaker for the ceremony,
highlighted Roughead's accomplishments during his naval
career while thanking him for his leadership.
"I don't think anyone can ever fully express how much we're
going to miss Gary Roughead's counsel and absolutely
unwavering commitment to the Navy [and] the United States,"
said Mabus.
"Admiral Roughead has had the genius and the skill to turn
so many of the challenges he's faced into opportunities," he
said.
Mabus reviewed Roughead's career milestones, including being
one of only two Navy admirals to command both the Pacific
and Atlantic fleets.
"As chief of naval operations, his leadership has helped to
reshape the Navy into the 21st century, operationally and
strategically," said Mabus. "Gary Roughead's leadership
skills follow great officers and a willingness to innovate
while respecting the deep traditions of the sea service."
Mabus spoke about Roughead's commitment to his sailors, and
how he always made them his first priority. "He never lost
sight of the primary responsibility of leadership -- taking
care of the people entrusted to you and to the office you
hold," he said.
As Roughead took the podium, he thanked his counterparts,
both foreign and domestic, friends and his family for their
continued support and guidance during his tenure. He spoke
about his unique experiences in the armed service,
especially in the relationships built.
"There has been a lot of change, but throughout, there has
been the decisive, constant and the aspect of the Navy that
will be my enduring memory - our sailors," he said.
In an emotional conclusion, Roughead summarized his naval
career.
"To echo what another Navy man said nearly five decades ago
at this academy, when asked what I did to make my life
worthwhile, I will respond with a great deal of pride and
satisfaction, 'I served in the United States Navy,'" he
said.
Biographies:
Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert
Navy Adm. Adm. Gary Roughead
FM CNO
WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 280/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON
DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/CNO FAREWELL MESSAGE TO
THE FLEET//
RMKS/1.
IT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE AND HIGHEST HONOR TO
SERVE AS YOUR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. YOUR TALENT,
DEDICATION,AND INITIATIVE AS UNITED STATES SAILORS DURING
THIS TIME OF WAR AND CHANGE HAVE MADE OUR NAVY THE MOST
CAPABLE AND READY NAVAL FORCE THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. I
COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF WHAT YOU DO AND HOW EXCEPTIONALLY
WELL YOU DO IT.
2. OVER
THE LAST FOUR YEARS AT SEA, IN THE AIR, ON THE GROUND, AND
IN CYBERSPACE YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. MORE THAN 40
PERCENT OF OUR SHIPS AND MORE THAN 50,000 SAILORS ARE
DEPLOYED TODAY, INCLUDING 12,000 SAILORS ON THE GROUND IN
CENTRAL COMMAND AND MORE THAN 8,000 INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTEES
AROUND THE WORLD. YOU KNOW THIS FIRSTHAND BECAUSE YOU
EXPERIENCE THE STEADY PACE OF OPERATIONS OUR NAVY HAS
SUSTAINED OVER THE LAST DECADE FROM THE FRONT LINES IN IRAQ
AND AFGHANISTAN TO THE SEA LINES OF COMMUNICATION IN THE
PACIFIC AND INDIAN OCEANS. YOU ARE THE REAL CAPABILITY OF
OUR NAVY. YOU ARE IN EVERY OCEAN AND ON EVERY CONTINENT. YOU
TAKE THE FIGHT TO THOSE WHO WISH US HARM. YOU PREVAIL
AGAINST PIRATES, TRAFFICKERS, AND TERRORISTS. YOU DELIVER
VITAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN THE WAKE OF DISASTERS ON A
MOMENT'S NOTICE WHEREVER NEEDED. YOU PREVENT CONFLICT AND
DEMONSTRATE U.S. COMMITMENT TO ALLIES AND PARTNERS THROUGH
YOUR PERSISTENT, CREDIBLE FORWARD PRESENCE AND VARIED
MARITIME OPERATIONS. YOU EPITOMIZE FLEXIBILITY AND AGILITY
AS OUR NAVY RESPONDS RAPIDLY AND INNOVATIVELY TO EMERGING
CRISES AND UNEXPECTED DEMANDS.
3.
THESE ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE COME WITH A PRICE. EVERY DAY, I AM
INSPIRED BY THE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICES YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES
MAKE FOR OUR NAVY AND FOR OUR NATION. THANK YOU FOR SERVING.
YOU ARE THE FINEST SAILORS WHO HAVE EVER SAILED.
4. I AM
RELIEVED TODAY BY ADMIRAL JONATHAN GREENERT. HE IS AN
EXPERIENCED LEADER AND OPERATOR WHOSE SOUND JUDGMENT AND
DEVOTION TO OUR NAVY WILL KEEP US READY, CAPABLE, AND
DOMINANT WELL INTO THE FUTURE. OUR NAVY IS IN EXCELLENT
HANDS.
5.
ELLEN AND I WISH EACH OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES FAIR WINDS
AND FOLLOWING SEAS. I AM PROUD TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU.
6.
RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, U.S. NAVY.//
BT
#0001
R 231526Z SEP 11
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 282/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON
DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/CNO CHANGE OF COMMAND//
RMKS/1. AT 1055L TODAY,
ADMIRAL JONATHAN GREENERT RELIEVED ADMIRAL GARY ROUGHEAD AS
THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
2. ALL CURRENT ORDERS AND
DIRECTIVES REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
3. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL
GREENERT, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
Ten
minutes later:
R 231536Z SEP 11
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 283/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON
DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/CNO MESSAGE TO THE
FLEET//
RMKS/1. TODAY, I AM HONORED
TO BECOME YOUR 30TH CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. ADMIRAL
ROUGHEAD TURNED OVER TO ME THE GREATEST NAVY IN THE WORLD.
2. I AM THE SON OF A STEEL
WORKER FROM BUTLER, PA. GROWING UP WITH FOUR SISTERS AND MY
BROTHER, MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME AT AN EARLY AGE THE VALUE OF
HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, AND INTEGRITY. THE OPPORTUNITIES
THE NAVY GAVE ME OVER THESE PAST 36 YEARS PUT ME ON A
JOURNEY FROM WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TO SERVING AS CHIEF OF
NAVAL OPERATIONS TODAY. I CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXAMPLE OF THE
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES OUR NAVY AFFORDS EACH OF US EVERY
DAY.
3. MY THREE TENETS TO ADDRESS
OUR CHALLENGES AND ORGANIZE, TRAIN, AND EQUIP THE NAVY, ARE
PROVIDED HERE:
A. WARFIGHTING FIRST:
WARFIGHTING IS AT THE CORE OF OUR EXISTENCE. WE MUST
MAINTAIN OUR ABILITY TO FIGHT AND WIN.
B. OPERATE FORWARD: WE ARE
MOST EFFECTIVE OPERATING FORWARD AROUND THE WORLD, ENSURING
ACCESS TO THE MARITIME CROSSROADS TO ENSURE FREEDOM OF
MANEUVER AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
C. BE READY: WE WILL BE
READY. OUR SAILORS WILL BE TRAINED, OUR SUBMARINES, SHIPS,
AND AIRCRAFT WILL BE MAINTAINED, AND OUR SHORE COMMANDS WILL
BE ENABLED TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO YOUR JOB. WE WILL
BE JUDICIOUS WITH OUR RESOURCES, AND OUR SAILORS' AND
CIVILIANS' TIME, WHILE PREPARING TO EXECUTE ASSIGNED
MISSIONS.
4. I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. DRAWING UPON OVER TWO CENTURIES
OF HERITAGE AND TRADITION, I TRUST THAT, WHEN CALLED UPON,
YOU WILL PERFORM SUPERBLY. YOU EXEMPLIFY THE HIGHEST
STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION.
5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL
GREENERT, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
And another nine minutes later:
Subject: ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND
Originator: CNO WASHINGTON
DC(UC)
DTG: 231545Z Sep 11
Precedence: ROUTINE
DAC: PERSONAL FOR
--------------------------------------------------
UNCLASSIFIED/
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS PERSONAL FOR ALL FLAG
OFFICERS, SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE, COMMANDERS, COMMANDING
OFFICERS, AND OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE FROM ADMIRAL GREENERT//N05400//
NAVADMIN 284/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON
DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND//
RMKS/1.
TODAY, I RELIEVED ADMIRAL GARY ROUGHEAD AS CHIEF OF NAVAL
OPERATIONS. ADMIRAL ROUGHEAD HAS STOOD AT THE HELM OF OUR
GREAT NAVY FOR FOUR CHALLENGING YEARS. UNDER HIS STEADFAST
LEADERSHIP, THE U.S. NAVY HAS EXCELLED IN MAJOR COMBAT
OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SOUTHWEST ASIA, AND NORTH
AFRICA. HE HAS LED AND ENABLED OUR NAVY TO TAKE THE FIGHT
AGAINST EXTREMISTS FORWARD, AWAY FROM OUR SHORES, AND DETER
OUR ENEMIES FROM ATTACKING OUR HOMELAND. AT THE SAME TIME,
HE BALANCED OUR EFFORTS IN SUPPORTING TWO WARS WITH NUMEROUS
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS
ACROSS THE GLOBE IN ORDER TO ASSIST OUR PARTNERS AND ALLIES
IN THEIR TIME OF NEED. THROUGH HIS SAGE WISDOM, VISION, AND
GUIDANCE, OUR NAVY HAS GROWN IN CAPABILITY AND EXPANDED
GLOBAL MARITIME PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE ON A GOOD COURSE TO MEET
THE CHALLENGES LOOMING ON THE HORIZON. I SALUTE ADMIRAL
ROUGHEAD AND HIS WIFE ELLEN FOR THEIR STEADFAST DEVOTION AND
SELFLESS SERVICE TO OUR NAVY AND OUR NAVY FAMILIES FOR THE
LAST 38 YEARS.
2. I AM
HONORED TO BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE WORLD'S
MOST CAPABLE NAVY AT A CROSSROADS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
AS OUR COUNTRY ADJUSTS TO A NEW STRATEGIC PARADIGM IN THE
COMING YEARS, WE WILL ADAPT TO CHANGE AND DEFEND NATIONAL
SECURITY INTERESTS WITH THE SAME SPIRIT AND WARRIOR ETHOS
THAT HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED WITHIN THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR
CULTURE AND HERITAGE SINCE OUR FOUNDING.
3. OUR
NAVY'S ABILITY TO DEFEND NATIONAL INTERESTS HAS ALWAYS
DEPENDED ON THE INITIATIVE AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF OUR
COMMANDING OFFICERS. COMMAND IS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF
THE VERY FOUNDATION UPON WHICH OUR NAVY RESTS. YOU HAVE BEEN
ENTRUSTED WITH THE "CHARGE OF COMMAND." YOU WERE SELECTED
FOR COMMAND BY SENIOR OFFICERS WHO JUDGED YOU WORTHY, READY
AND THE BEST QUALIFIED TO LEAD SAILORS, AND THEY DID SO
BASED UPON SUSTAINED SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OVER THE COURSE OF
YOUR RESPECTIVE CAREERS. TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS
EXPECTED. I EXPECT COMMANDING OFFICERS AT ALL LEVELS TO BE
FULLY FLUENT IN THE THREE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF COMMAND -
AUTHORITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED WITH THE AUTHORITY COMMENSURATE WITH YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY - EXERCISE YOUR AUTHORITY WISELY. WITH
RESPONSIBILITY COMES ACCOUNTABILITY. I EXPECT THAT YOU WILL
MAINTAIN THE HIGH STANDARDS REQUIRED OF COMMANDING OFFICERS,
AND HOLD THE MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMAND TO THE SAME HIGH
STANDARDS THAT I HOLD YOU. ACCOUNTABILITY IS BASED ON TRUST.
I TRUST IN YOU; YOU MUST BUILD THIS SAME TRUST WITH THE
PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMAND. BUILD THIS TRUST THROUGH YOUR
PERSONAL INTERACTIONS AND DEMONSTRATE YOUR CHARACTER THROUGH
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE, GOOD JUDGMENT, FAIRNESS, COMMON
SENSE, AND RESPECT, BOTH UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
WHEN THIS TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE INSTITUTIONALIZED IN
THE ROUTINE OF COMMAND, THE RESULT IS OUR COLLECTIVE LONG
TERM SUCCESS. FOSTERING A CLIMATE OF TRUST AND
ACCOUNTABILITY IS YOUR DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICERS IN THE
UNITED STATES NAVY. DO NOT LET ME DOWN.
4. WE
WILL USE THREE MAIN TENETS TO ACHIEVE OUR VISION. THE FIRST
TENET, "WARFIGHTING FIRST," MUST BE AT THE VERY CORE OF OUR
EXISTENCE. ALL OF OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CAPABILITIES,
DEVELOP PEOPLE, AND STRUCTURE OUR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE
GROUNDED IN THIS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE. WHEN CALLED UPON,
NAVY AND OUR CLOSEST JOINT PARTNER, THE U.S. MARINE CORPS,
WILL DELIVER CREDIBLE COMBAT CAPABILITY TO ASSURE ACCESS,
SEA CONTROL, AND POWER PROJECTION IN ORDER TO FIGHT AND WIN
OUR NATION'S WARS.
5. OUR
SECOND TENET IS "OPERATE FORWARD." OPERATING FORWARD IN THE
GLOBAL MARITIME CROSSROADS, THE NAVY PROVIDES THE NATION AND
OUR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP WITH OFFSHORE OPTIONS IN ORDER TO
DETER, INFLUENCE AND PREVAIL IN ANY CONFLICT WE ENCOUNTER IN
TODAY'S UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT. OUR FORWARD DEPLOYED POSTURE
WILL BE READY AND PERSISTENT, USING A COMBINATION OF
ROTATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS, FORWARD BASES, AND COOPERATIVE
SECURITY LOCATIONS. OUR FORWARD PRESENCE WILL BUILD ON AND
STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND ALLIANCES WHERE SEA LANES,
RESOURCES, AND VITAL U.S. INTERESTS INTERSECT.
6. OUR
THIRD TENET IS "BE READY" TO FACE ANY CHALLENGE. THE
IMPORTANCE OF UNIT READINESS (MATERIEL INTEGRITY AND
OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY) IS EMBEDDED AND INCULCATED IN EVERY
SAILOR EARLY IN THEIR TRAINING. HOWEVER, WE CANNOT BE A
WHOLE NAVY WITHOUT A MOTIVATED, RELEVANT, AND DIVERSE TEAM
OF SAILORS, CIVILIANS, AND FAMILIES. THIS LEVEL OF READINESS
REQUIRES THAT EACH AND EVERY SAILOR BE PHYSICALLY,
MEDICALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, AND
ADMINISTRATIVELY READY TO DEPLOY WORLDWIDE. IN ADDITION TO
OUR SAILORS AND CIVILIANS, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR
NAVY FAMILIES, WHO WE MUST GUIDE AND ASSIST IN HANDLING
INCREASINGLY DYNAMIC SCHEDULES, MOUNTING OPERATIONAL STRESS,
LONGER SEPARATIONS AND THE POTENTIAL INJURY OR LOSS OF THEIR
SAILOR. ACCORDINGLY, FAMILY READINESS IS ALSO A PART OF
"BEING READY." WHILE WE HONE OUR INDIVIDUAL, UNIT, AND
FAMILY READINESS, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH DIMINISHING
RESOURCES. WE MUST ADOPT AND EMBRACE A CULTURE OF FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND JUDICIOUSNESS. WE MUST BE READY AND
WILLING TO MAKE ANALYTICALLY SOUND, HARD CHOICES IN THE
MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD. FURTHER, WE MUST ALSO LOOK FOR
INNOVATIVE WAYS OF MAINTAINING OUR FORWARD DEPLOYED AND
READY POSTURE, WHILE SEEKING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING COSTS
WHEN WE CAN.
7. I
ENTER THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FULLY
AWARE THAT WE HAVE DAUNTING CHALLENGES TODAY AND IN THE
FUTURE. I ALSO HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE IN YOU AND AM
CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE
A NAVY THAT IS READY TO EXECUTE TODAY'S MISSION TODAY, AND
TO MEET TOMORROW'S CHALLENGES. I AM CONFIDENT YOU WILL
CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION - AS YOUR PREDECESSORS HAVE
DONE SINCE OUR NATION'S FOUNDING - AND LEAD OUR SAILORS TO
SUCCESS!
8.
GREENERT SENDS.//
RETURN TO INDEX
Dempsey Becomes Joint Chiefs Chairman
Army Gen.
Martin Dempsey (bio =
http://www.jcs.mil/biography.aspx?ID=135) succeeded Navy
Adm. Mike Mullen as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"Marty's strategic vision is the right one for this time of
transition as we craft the joint force that can defeat the
wide range of security threats that we face in the world
today and in the future," stated Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta at the Sept. 30 change-of-responsibility ceremony at
JB Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. Dempsey comes to the nation's
top uniformed military post after a short stint as Army
Chief of Staff. Mullen is retiring after a 43-year Navy
career, including four years as JCS Chairman. "Mike, as you
look back on your four consequential years as Chairman and
your four decades in uniform, be assured our military is
stronger and our nation is more secure because of the
service that you have rendered," said President Obama at the
ceremony. "The men and women of your armed forces are the
best we've ever known," said Mullen to the American public
in his parting comments. "They believe in what they are
doing. And all I ask is that you continue to believe in
them." (Panetta's remarks =
http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4891
) (Obama's remarks =
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/30/remarks-president-change-office-chairman-joint-chiefs-staff-ceremony
) (Mullen remarks =
http://www.jcs.mil/speech.aspx?ID=1653 ) (Dempsey's
letter to the joint force =
http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/10/general-dempseys-letter-to-the-joint-force/
)
RETURN TO INDEX
Future Of Naval Aviation Bright
Admiral Says In Va.
Beach
By Kate Wiltrout, The Virginian-Pilot Norfolk
Virginian-Pilot September 23, 2011
VIRGINIA BEACH--Lots of armchair admirals like to opine that
in the not-too-distant future, the flight deck of an
aircraft carrier will be a lonely place, full of small
aircraft operating without any humans aboard. They predict
that aviators will no longer climb into cockpits; they'll
program computers to fly, or pilot aircraft remotely at a
desk.
Seven actual admirals from the Navy and Coast Guard offered
a different assessment Thursday at an aerospace industry
conference in Virginia Beach.
Yes, they said, unmanned aircraft will play a huge role in
the second century of naval aviation. But humans will toil
in cockpits and on flight decks for decades to come, they
told the audience at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Rear Adm. David Philman said the future is bright for
current Navy fliers, with new versions of multiple airframes
now in or about to enter the fleet. There's the E2-D Hawkeye
early warning aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare
aircraft, updated versions of the H-60 SeaHawk helicopter
and, waiting in the wings, the so-called "fifth generation"
fighter plane, the F-35.
"If you're not flying a new aircraft now, you will be soon,"
said Philman, the Navy's director for warfare integration at
the Pentagon.
A midshipman from the Naval Academy asked the panelists if
he and his classmates might end up in command of squadrons
that operate joysticks instead of warplanes.
Rear Adm. Bill Shannon assured the officer-to-be that there
will be plenty of work to do with human-operated aircraft.
As program officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons,
Shannon oversees the development of 15 unmanned platforms.
With one exception, he said, none are intended to replace
manned aircraft; they are designed to augment existing
capabilities. (The exception, he said, is the broad area
maritime surveillance program, an unmanned system that will
allow the Navy to buy fewer P-8 Poseidons.)
Instead of replacing planes aboard carriers, many unmanned
aircraft are now deployed from smaller ships - like the
ScanEagle, a drone that's launched and recovered by
contractors aboard Navy cruisers and destroyers. The
ScanEagles have flown more than 65,000 hours this year,
Shannon said.
There are also more helicopters than ever in the Navy.
Rear Adm. Ted Branch, commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic,
said that more than half of all Navy aviators fly
helicopters.
That's because of the changing algebra of aviation: Unlike
the now-retired F-14 Tomcats, most of today's Hornet and
Super Hornet fighters are single-seaters, meaning fewer
slots for jet pilots and more on an expanding fleet of
rotary-wing craft, which have two pilots.
The H-60 SeaHawk is proficient in antisubmarine warfare,
which means a bigger presence in carrier strike groups. It's
typical for strike groups to now deploy with 17 helicopters,
Branch said, more than in the past.
Philman offered some interesting scenarios for how manned
and unmanned aircraft might work together. Unmanned planes
would excel at flying routine missions - like eight-hour
flights over familiar territory.
"I'll let the uninhabited aircraft do long, boring
missions," Philman said. "I'll sit back on the carrier."
Another possibility - a human pilot in a jet flies a mission
accompanied by three unmanned "wingmen." The human, he said,
will understand the rules of engagement "so we're not
killing the wrong people."
Shannon envisions that some functions in manned planes could
be managed autonomously, such as mid-air refueling. It takes
a delicate hand and excellent eye-hand coordination to sync
a plane's fuel probe with the refueling basket stretched out
behind a tanker. Figuring out a way to refuel a plane
without the pilot having to touch the stick would offer
great relief, Shannon said, especially after a long mission.
For now, aircraft carriers - which many people consider the
heart of naval aviation - don't deploy unmanned aircraft.
But that is forecast to change by 2018, the date set by the
chief of naval operations for unmanned craft to fly
surveillance and strike missions from carriers.
Branch can't yet envision how uninhabited aircraft will fit
into the tightly-choreographed, manpower-heavy operations of
a flight deck.
"It's an ambitious target," Branch said. "We don't even know
what that looks like, yet."
RETURN TO INDEX
HORNET SLEP
Navy, Marines Eye JSF Dough to Keep F-18s Flying
By
Carlo Munoz
Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, deputy assistant commandant for
Marine Corps aviation, said today that the services plan to
extend the flight time on 150 Hornet fighters up to 10,000
hours.
This new Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for the F-18
fleet will cover between 40 to 50 Marine Corps jets, with
the rest coming from the Navy's arsenal, the three-star
general said this morning.
The F-18 Hornet was designed to fly about 6,000 hours. An
initial SLEP effort by the Marine Corps was designed to push
those planes up to 9,000 hours to keep the Hornets flying
until the Marines get the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The Marine Corps aviation chief estimated this may cost $1.5
billion. Some planes may require more work than others to
keep flying up to that 10,000 hour limit.
To pay that bill, Marine Corps and Navy leaders are
considering pulling dollars from JSF accounts, Robling said.
However, he added that funding could also be drawn from
other programs too, but that would be up to the Pentagon and
service leaders to decide.
The Marine Corps had planned to get the JSF up and flying by
2012, according to Robling. But
cost growth and repeated setbacks in the fighter's
development forces the Marines to delay that deadline to
2015, he said.
While work on the fifth-generation fighter is now ahead of
schedule, those past hiccups in the JSF program forced the
services to take drastic measures on its legacy Hornet
fleet, according to Robling.
Funding issues aside, plans to extend parts of the Hornet
fleet could do more harm than good, considering the strain
these planes have been put under in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Marine Corps fighter squadrons in Afghanistan
have already racked up thousands of flight hours on their
legacy Hornets, scraping the ceiling of the 9,000 flight
hour cap set under the previous SLEP plan.
Capt. Stewart Wittel, a F/A-18 pilot with Marine Corps
Fighter Squadron 224, told me in August during a visit to
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point that flying that close
to the 9,000 hour ceiling is already stressing out the
Hornet fleet.
Maintenance crews in Afghanistan were
working virtually non-stop to keep those Hornets combat
ready, Wittel said.
Keeping up that kind of pace is something the Marines can't
do forever, Maj. Gen. Jon Davis, commander of the 2nd Marine
Corps Air Wing, told me during that same visit. "We [need]
to bring F-35 into the fleet as quickly as we can, so we do
not have to extend the life of those F-18s," the two-star
general said at the time.
While it may not be forever, the new SLEP plan being
introduced by the Navy and Marine Corps will keep those old
Hornets in the air much longer than they were ever designed
to be.
Where is the breaking point? Robling said services are
confident it won't be at 10,000 flight hours. But if the JSF
can't hit that new 2015 deadline set by the Marines, the
question remains: How much more can these Hornets take?
RETURN TO INDEX
Marine Corps Naval Aviation
Highlights
Marine KC-130Js resupply the fight in Afghanistan
9/19/2011 By Cpl. Justin M. Boling , 2nd Marine
Aircraft Wing (Fwd)
CAMP BASTION Afghanistan — When supplies run thin at
forward operating bases peppering the Helmand River valley,
reassurance often comes with the strong hum of a Marine
Corps KC-130J Hercules.
“Providing aerial resupplies is one of our primary
missions,” said Capt. Sergio Luna, a KC-130J Hercules pilot
with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152. “We have
been flying out a lot of supplies and putting a lot of
energy into getting ground forces in Afghanistan what they
need.”
The counterinsurgency in southwestern Afghanistan relies on
U.S. Marines and their coalition partners who live at small
outposts among Afghan towns and villages. The Marines patrol
village streets assisting Afghan citizens and police forces
to stand on their own.
However, these small outposts are often largely cutoff from
the outside world and can be difficult to reach by convoy.
Marine aviators use the Hercules aircraft to drop supplies
by parachute, allowing ground troops to stay in the fight
with water, food and ammunition.
“I feel that the most important factor of conducting aerial
resupplies is the fact you are saving lives,” said Lance
Cpl. Shane Johnson, a Marine Aerial Refueler Transport
Squadron 152 loadmaster, and native of Green Bay, Wis. “We
are giving supplies to those who need them and keeping motor
transportation Marines on the ground from being put into
harm’s way.”
In addition to being immune to the threat of improvised
explosive devices that could hinder a ground supply convoy’s
progress, aerial drops deliver supplies faster without
limitation from geographical obstacles.
“Our KC-130J is excellent for delivering large amounts of
supplies quickly to where they are needed most,” said Luna,
a native of Redmond, Wash. “We can get to areas and perform
drops at speeds and places convoys can only dream about.”
The KC-130J Hercules is the largest aircraft in the Marine
Corps arsenal. The propeller-driven, fixed-wing behemoth is
the latest iteration of an airframe the U.S. military has
relied on for more than 50 years.
The Marine Corps uses the Hercules for troop and supply
transport throughout southwestern Afghanistan, as well as
battlefield illumination during coalition night operations.
The KC-130J also serves as an aerial refueling platform for
Marine Attack Squadron 513’s AV-8B Harrier attack jets.
KC-130J support in Afghanistan comes from a combined unit
made up of of three Marine aerial refueler transport
squadron’s detachments from Miramar, Calif.; Okinawa, Japan;
and Cherry Point, N.C.
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252, out of Cherry
Point, currently serves as the command element for the
deployed detachment. The Cherry Point troops work daily with
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 Marines,
deployed from Okinawa.
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, deployed from
Miramar, operates the specially equipped Harvest HAWK
KC-130J, which in addition to typical Hercules duties, is
also capable of providing close-air support with its
advanced targeting system and air-to-ground missiles.
"This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate that we
are a team. We deliver supplies to all those fighting the
insurgency,” said Luna.
The ability to move life-sustaining supplies safely and
efficiently keeps Marines on the ground fighting. The
Marines of the aerial refueler transport squadron said they
understand the importance of their missions, and use the
strength of the Hercules to get the supplies and equipment
where they are needed most.
“We can load up to 30,000 pounds of water and other
supplies, which can be lifted and delivered to our forces on
the ground in a single drop,” said Johnson. “I have been on
more drops than I can count. I cannot even begin to imagine
the amount of stuff that we have given to troops and will
continue to get them in the future.”
“Dragons” of the 31st MEU fly aboard USS Essex (LHD 2)
9/29/2011 By Cpl. Garry J. Welch ,
31st MEU
USS ESSEX, OKINAWA, Japan — For almost
20 years, Marines and Sailors of Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron 265 (Reinforced), have supported the 31st Marine
Expeditionary Unit during deployments to the Asia-Pacific
region.
Recently that tradition was continued
as HMM 265 (Rein) flew aboard USS Essex (LHD 2) to support
the MEU’s and the Essex Amphibious Ready Group’s deployment
and upcoming certification exercises near Okinawa.
“HMM 265 (Rein) is the backbone of the
Air Combat Element to which all the other attachments fall
under,” said Lt. Col. Damien Marsh, the commanding officer
of the ACE, 31st MEU. “It’s our job to provide aviation
support to the battalion landing team and the 31st MEU as a
whole.”
The squadron provides the 31st MEU with
multiple capabilities, ranging from close air support from
AH-1W Cobra helicopters, to medium lift transport with the
CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters, and even heavy lift
capabilities with CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters.
According to Marsh, while with the 31st
MEU, the number one priority is to never fail the BLT or the
MEU, understanding that teamwork is the key to mission
success.
While with the MEU, the Marines of HMM
265 (Rein) have to overcome many challenges. Just landing on
USS Essex (LHD 2) when the squadron joined the MEU proved to
be a challenge.
“When the ship is pitching and rolling
the sight pictures in the cockpit are a little different
than the one we are used to,” said Capt. Joseph Scheler, a
CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter pilot with HMM 265 (Rein),
31st MEU. “We just rely on the crew chiefs to give us a nice
call down to the deck, they’ll let us know if were drifting
off target or not.”
Like the experience gained from landing
on a moving vessel, the Marines of HMM 265 (Rein) also gain
valuable skills during their deployment with the 31st MEU.
While the squadron is with the 31st
MEU, it has the ability to work with the ground units more
closely and frequently, conducting helicopter raids and
transport missions in support of the infantry.
“The longer we are with the MEU the
better the training is that we will get, and the greater our
mission readiness becomes,” said Marsh.
As the 31st MEU begins its
certification exercises, the Marines and Sailors of HMM 265
(Rein) remain ready to support the 31st MEU as directed,
including participation in future theater security
exercises.
With the ACE on board, 31st MEU
provides a forward-deployed, flexible sea-based force
capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response
and limited contingency operations in the Asia-Pacific area.
The 31st MEU is the only continually forward-deployed MEU,
and remains the nation’s force-in-readiness in the
Asia-Pacific region.
RETURN TO INDEX
F35 NEWS
MarketWatch
(Tuesday, September 20, 2011)
Lockheed Martin
F-35 Flight Test Progress Report
FORT WORTH, Texas,
Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Lockheed Martin's F-35
flight test program moves closer to reaching year-end
milestones since the last update issued July 26. Since then,
the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation multirole fighter
conducted 124 test flights, bringing the total number of
flights for the year to 642.
Overall, the F-35 system development and demonstration (SDD)
flight test remains on or ahead of plan for 2011, despite 15
days of testing lost due to fleet stand-down after a ground
mishap involving the Integrated Power Package (IPP). Flight
testing was also interrupted at Naval Air Station (NAS)
Patuxent River, Md., because of an Aug. 23 earthquake and
severe weather associated with Hurricane Irene. During this
period of down time, the flight test teams at all locations
continued working through planned modifications and
maintenance.
As of
Aug. 31, the fleet remained 8 percent ahead of plan in
year-to-date (YTD) flights.
Several flight test and production key milestones were
accomplished since the last report:
BF-1
performed a 40 foot hover in calm winds and two vertical
landings (VL) for the 150th VL to date on Aug. 31.
AF-10
and AF-11 were delivered to Eglin AFB, Fla., Aug. 31. They
join AF-8 and AF-9 assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing.
Static
testing was completed on the F-35C Lightning II carrier
variant (CV) ground article CG-1 at Lockheed Martin Fort
Worth, Texas, Aug. 29. With this achievement, the F-35
Program has accomplished its static structural testing
milestone for 2011.
Jet
Blast Deflector (JBD) testing was completed by F-35 CV
aircraft CF-2 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. from
June 25-August 13. CF-2 successfully completed this portion
of JBD tests required to ensure the F-35C is compatible
aboard an aircraft carrier.
AF-7
completed its last flight of currently required conventional
take off and landing (CTOL) maturity flights on Aug. 31.
Cumulative flight test activity totals for 2011 are provided
below:
-
F-35A
conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jets have flown
314 times.
-
F-35B short
takeoff/ vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft have
completed 226 flights.
-
F-35C
carrier variant (CV) jets have flown 102 times.
From
the start of flight testing in December 2006 through
September 16, 2011, F-35s flew 1,202 times, including the
production-model flights and AA-1, the original flight test
aircraft.
The
F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining
advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused
sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced
sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its
principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE
Systems.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global
security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide
and is principally engaged in the research, design,
development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of
advanced technology systems, products and services.
For
additional information, visit our websites:
http://thef35.comhtt p://
www.lockheedmartin.comhtt p://
www.codeonemagazine.com
Lockheed Martin touts F-35 program's progress
Bob Cox
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
By Bob Cox The Fort
Worth Star-Telegram
As
Pentagon officials and Congress grapple with defense
spending in a period of tight budgets, Lockheed Martin
officials want them to know how well the F-35 joint strike
fighter program is going, finally.
In
separate releases, Lockheed said this week that it is making
solid progress testing the three versions of the F-35.
The announcements came as the Air Force Association was
meeting in Washington, an annual gathering of Air Force
officials, retirees and their friends in the defense
industry, not to mention a legion of trade media.
They also come at the same time as new reports from
Washington that the Defense Department is considering
delaying orders of 100 more F-35s.
Lockheed reported Tuesday that flight testing of three F-35
models continues to run slightly ahead of the plan for 2011.
On
Monday, it said that static ground testing, where the planes
are subjected to enormous strains designed to test the
strength and resiliency of the structural parts, had been
wrapped up. The planes are subjected to loads, or stresses
on the plane that simulate those of combat operations, up to
150 percent of the design requirement to make sure the wings
and other structures don't break.
"We're still early in the program so anything can happen,
but right now we're pretty happy with where things are,"
Lockheed spokesman Michael Rein said. "The ground structural
testing was one of five milestones outlined [by the
Pentagon] for the program this year."
Ground testing for lifetime fatigue damage to the aircraft
is continuing and has uncovered some key structural part
defects that have to be redesigned and remanufactured.
Lockheed officials and their supporters in the Defense
Department, Congress and the military are eager to change
perceptions of the F-35 from that of a troubled,
long-delayed and over-budget program to one that is now on
track.
The flight testing is slightly ahead of schedule despite
planes being shut down for at least a week three times
during the last year over various technical and reliability
problems.
"That shows we now have a flight test program that's based
in realism," Rein said, adding that time is built into the
test plan to allow for problems to be found and fixed.
With 642 completed test flights this year, the F-35 program
more than doubled its total from prior years. As of this
week, 1,202 flights have been completed, about 20 percent of
the total planned.
Lockheed's production line in Fort Worth is beginning to
turn out planes fairly regularly. Rein said 11 have been
delivered for testing and training this year and nine more
are expected to be turned over to the Air Force and Marines
before year's end.
The Marines expect to begin shipboard testing of the F-35B
short-takeoff-vertical-landing version this fall, and the
Air Force is preparing for pilot training for all models at
Eglin Air Force Base in Florida early in 2012.
The scrutiny is intense. Twice in two years, at the
direction of recently departed Defense Secretary Robert
Gates, Pentagon officials restructured the program to
provide more time and money to allow Lockheed to overcome
past delays and get production and testing on track. To pay
for those changes, orders for 224 planes have been delayed
over the next several years.
The Pentagon has also reported that the cost of the first 31
planes exceeded budgets by $1.1 billion and has asked
Congress for approval to shift funds to pay for those
overruns.
Reuters news service reported Monday that Pentagon planners
are considering further delaying orders for 100 planes as a
way to meet new five-year budget targets.
F-35B Test Pilots
Start Certifying for Ship Trials
September 22, 2011
Navy News|by Victor Chen
PATUXENT RIVER, Md.
-- Four F-35B test pilots started the first steps in
qualifying to land the F-35B on a deck at sea Sept. 14.
After completing
flight envelope expansion for the aircraft in preparation
for initial ship trials, the pilots began expeditionary
airfield (EAF) landing practice, eventually building up to
field carrier landing practice (FCLP).
EAF and FCLP testing
is part of the pilot certification process for landing
aircraft on an amphibious deck, to ensure pilots are
adequately prepared for the inherent danger in operating
aircraft in a maritime environment.
Four test pilots are
scheduled to participate in initial ship trials, all with
significant short take-off and vertical landing experience
in the F-35B.
"The initial ship
trials will demonstrate our ability to operate the F-35B as
the Corps needs it - in the expeditionary environment," said
Marine Corps Col. Roger Cordell, military site director for
F-35 testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. "We're
excited about the potential that the F-35B has shown to
operate in the demanding environment at sea."
The first ship trial
on board USS Wasp (LHD 1) for the F-35B is on track for this
fall, and is scheduled to test the first short take-offs,
vertical landings, deck handling, landing systems as well as
provide an opportunity to collect deck environmental data.
The F-35B is the
variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine
Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for
use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to
provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The
F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent
River prior to delivery to the fleet.
RETURN TO INDEX
French Lessons
Learned on UAVs in Libya
French Libya Lessons Learned: Better Targeting, Flexible
ROEs, Limits to Armed UAVs
By
Robbin Laird
September 23, 2011
A main point underscored by the French military was the
impact of the political process on military planning. The
French President clearly saw the need for the operation and
had worked closely with the British Prime Minister to put in
place a political process which would facilitate a Libyan
support operation for the rebels. But until NATO received
the UN Mandate was obtained, no military action could be
authorized. This meant that there was little or no planning
for military operations with the result that, in the words
of one French military officer, "we were forced to craft
operations on the fly with little or no pre-planning or
pre-coordination. We did some on our own but until the
authorization for action was in place, we could not mobilize
assets."
An impact of the slow roll out was that French weapons were
not fully available at the start of the operation. Another
officer indicated "the elements of French weapons were in
various depots. We had to bring those elements together and
to assemble them at the initial operational air base."
The French ran surveillance operations prior to the air
operation, but several officers indicated that they were
concerned with the quality of the intelligence they had to
work with. As an officer commented: "I was reasonably
confident with regard to what we knew about the state of
Libyan operations, but would have liked greater certainty
before launching my aircraft."
A key aspect of the French operation was the use of
virtually the full gamut of their air combat capability --
AWACS, tankers, Mirages, Rafales, and various helos. This
represented a serious commitment by French leadership.
One key element which emerged from the operation was the
strategic significance of multiple basing to conduct
operations. The French used multiple bases to operate their
air capability. At the beginning of the operation they
operated from bases inside France. They then used bases in
Corsica (Solenzara was a crucial air base for the operation)
as well as in Italy, most notably Sigonella (which is
supposed to be closed this year). They used two key sea
bases, the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle and their
helicopter carrier, the Mistral, for combat strike, recce
operations and help operations, as well as onboard
processing of intelligence from joint French air assets and
sending targeting information back to the strike force. They
used Souda in Greece to work with the Omanis who were using
their Mirage 2000s for the first time in combat, and the
French and Omanis worked together, flying 2000s for strike
operations.
There were a number of firsts for the French in the
operation. This was the first large-scale operation by
France working with NATO since rejoining NATO. This was the
first use of the Tiger combat helicopter off of the Mistral.
This was the first use of a new precision-guided weapon in
operations to destroy Libyan armor and other ground
equipment (the Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon). And it was the
first time the French flew in combat with an Arab partner
using an advanced version of the Mirage 2000 for ground
strike missions. This was the first use of the new
reconnaissance pod on the Rafale, which played a major role
in the operations.
Another first involving a key French ally is the use of the
Anglo-French cruise missile on the Mirage 2000's which the
UAE brought into the fight. The Black Shaheen is the version
of the Anglo-French storm shadow which is integrated to
operate on the Mirage 2000s, but not the UAEs F-16s.
The Mistral featured prominently in the operations. This
helicopter carrier has proven to be a very versatile asset.
Its deck can support six helos operating in combat
operations. It has hanger space for 16 helicopters. And the
Tiger helicopter operated off of the Mistral in night
operations. The helos operated, in the words of one French
officer, as "vampires" to lower the capabilities of the
Libyan forces.
An aspect of the operation of the helos off of the Mistral
is noteworthy as well. The frigate with which it was
deployed used its guns to support the helo deployment. The
guns provided fire suppression to enhance the security of
the insertion of the helos off of the Mistral.
The ship's C2 is first rate and was part of the link to the
air fleet for receiving and processing information to shape
an intelligence picture in support of strike operations.
This demonstrated that integrating maritime with land-based
air can provide a powerful littoral operations capability,
one which may prove very relevant to the United States as it
rethinks the relationship between the USAF and the USN-USMC
team in shaping 21st century operations.
Two additional aspects of operations as they moved forward
were highlighted from the French point of view. First, the
limitations placed on the operation curtailed the ability to
succeed and enhanced the ability of Ghadafito survive.
Second, after the initial air operations, dynamic targeting
was a central objective, and various problems in executing
such targeting became evident.
The limitations were three fold.
First, rules of engagement were being proposed by the
partners of France in NATO that were "ridiculous," to quote
one French officer. "We received from NATO sources the
directive that there were to be NO civilian casualties from
our air strikes. My view was, why not just not do
airstrikes. We pushed back and insisted on something sane:
'No excessive civilian casualties from NATO air strikes.'"
The second limitation was allowing Gaddafi to operate in a
sanctuary in Libya. As one officer put it: "We wanted to
destroy an airfield being used by Gaddafi to bring in
mercenaries. We should have destroyed this airfield."
Finally, the American contribution was much more limited
than it needed to be. Another officer said "We had 4-5 areas
to cover for the air operation; the Americans provided only
two UAVs – Predators - which operated for only part of the
day. We need to augment our own capabilities to be sure,
but......"
And finally the operation underscored the challenge of
"dynamic targeting." The shift from destroying identifiable
military equipment being used by the Libyan forces
supporting Gaddafi to engaging forces on the ground
countering the rebels required "dynamic targeting." And this
can only be done by situational awareness which allows
aircraft to target elements blended with the population and
this requires aircraft flying low, with close proximity
weapons, with forces on the ground able to identify targets
in a fluid situation. As a French officer put it: "We had
difficulty getting authorization to fly low, we had limited
close proximity weapons and we had severe limitations of
forces on the ground able to identify accurate targets."
For one senior officer the problem was clear: "Going forward
we have to augment our capability to do dynamic targeting.
If we are going to intervene in situations where we are
supporting contested space and need to support either local
or our own forces, we need better capabilities to influence
the situation on the ground. Air systems can clearly do
this, but in coordination with ground targeting elements.
And the pilots need to be granted more authority. We have to
stop believing that some far-away command authority has
better SA or moral authority than the pilot over the target.
And the notion that unmanned systems are going to replace
the pilot is ludicrous in a dynamic targeting situation. If
we are reluctant to give a guy with SA in the pilot's seat
authority, why are we going to give some guy in Nevada or
Paris looking through a soda straw the authority to do
dynamic targeting."
Robbin Laird is a
member of the AOL Board of Contributors. An
international defense consultant, he has served in and
worked with all the US military services.
RETURN TO INDEX
Naval Aerospace Medical Research
Laboratory Pensacola
After 70 Years, Pensacola
NAS Lab Quietly Closes
Pensacola News Journal September 25, 2011 By Travis Griggs
If Pensacola is the Cradle of Naval Aviation, the Naval
Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory was the crib-side
doctor.
Beginning in the 1940s, scientists at the Pensacola Naval
Air Station lab and its precursor organizations blazed new
ground in understanding and preventing medical issues
related to flight.
But on Sept. 2, the laboratory quietly closed its doors for
the last time.
As decreed by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in
2005, the lab, which employed 65, was moved to new
facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton,
Ohio.
Dayton has its own rich aviation tradition; it was home to
Wilbur and Orville Wright.
"We've gone from the Cradle of Naval Aviation to the
birthplace of aviation," said Navy Cmdr. Rita Simmons, who
was in charge of the Pensacola lab during the move and is
now the executive officer of the consolidated lab in Dayton.
With the primary mission at Pensacola Naval Air Station
shifting to training in recent years, BRAC decided the NAS
lab would be better located near other research
organizations, Simmons said.
Wright-Patterson is headquarters of the Air Force Research
Laboratory, a massive organization that controls the Air
Force's entire science and technology research budget.
Simmons said the move allows better collaboration with other
research organizations and less overlap in scientific
research.
"These synergies that we can capture here will help bring
answers back to the Department of Defense instead of us
being so stove-piped," she said.
The lab's high-tech test equipment was shipped to the new
facilities in Dayton, and some of the older equipment was
recycled or sold through the military surplus process,
Simmons said.
About 10 scientists, including eight civilians, transferred
from Pensacola to Dayton, she said. Many members of the
support staff also moved, although a small portion elected
to take other jobs in Pensacola.
The laboratory's old building, located a block from the
waterfront at Pensacola NAS, now stands locked and empty,
the last vestige of 70 years of cutting-edge aviation
research at the Cradle of Naval Aviation.
"We don't even have the keys to the building anymore," said
Ashley Turnmire, who was a research assistant at the
Pensacola lab and is now at the Dayton lab.
Rich history
In the fledgling years of Naval aviation, the research lab
played a pivotal role in understanding how pilots were
affected by flight.
"As Naval aviation developed technologically — higher,
faster, farther and into the space program — the lab was key
to understanding how aircraft affected the human body and
mind," said Hill Goodspeed, National Naval Aviation Museum
historian.
Led by the late Dr. Ashton Graybiel, a Navy captain, the lab
pioneered research into pilot disorientation and explored
the dangerous effects of thin air on high-altitude pilots.
The lab played a key role in the U.S. space program,
partnering with NASA to perform research on every space
mission from Project Gemini in the 1960s through the Skylab
space station in the 1970s.
Retired Navy Capt. Dr. Robert E. Mitchell, 93, who came to
the laboratory in 1955 and worked there for 37 years,
remembers the lab's early years as filled with intense and
dynamic research.
"Ashton Graybiel made sure it was exciting," he said. "The
science was a tremendous pleasure."
Monkey business
The lab was also the home of Miss Baker — one of the first
two monkeys to survive being launched into space.
Miss Baker, a tiny South American squirrel monkey, went
through months of testing and training at the laboratory,
earning the nickname "TLC" because she seemed to enjoy being
handled by the doctors.
In 1959, dressed in a tiny jacket and covered in sensors,
Miss Baker was strapped into a restraint cylinder beside a
second monkey and launched more than 360 miles into space.
The space capsule parachuted safely into the Atlantic Ocean
about 45 minutes later.
After the flight, Miss Baker was returned to Pensacola,
where she gained celebrity status.
Lab workers ceremonially "married" Miss Baker to a squirrel
monkey named Big George in 1962. The pair lived at the lab
for more than 10 years before being moved to Huntsville,
Ala.
Mitchell said there was a special building where the monkeys
were kept, and the lab frequently entertained visitors who
wanted to see the monkeys.
"We had a whole colony of monkeys here," he said.
The first astronauts
The lab continued its work as the first human astronauts
were launched into space, exploring spatial disorientation,
motion sickness and the effects of weightlessness on the
human body.
Graybiel assembled a large and prestigious group of
scientists at the lab and began a decades-long collaboration
with NASA to understand the effects of weightlessness on
perception and coordination.
"Our whole staff was extremely well educated and well versed
in their fields. The general attitude was that we wanted to
get the best possible results, and that's the way it was,"
Mitchell said.
The lab helped develop the first space suit, and, in the
1960s, its scientists invented a skin patch that helped
astronauts stave off motion sickness.
Graybiel performed medical testing and evaluation on most
early NASA astronauts, starting with John Glenn, who piloted
a Mercury spacecraft on the first U.S. manned orbital flight
in 1962, and continuing through the Skylab space station
program in the 1970s.
Dr. James Lackner, director of the Ashton Graybiel Spatial
Orientation Laboratory at Brandeis University, collaborated
closely with Graybiel during the 1970s and 1980s.
"He was an adviser to NASA from the very beginning of space
flight," Lackner said. "He advised them on all kinds of
orientation illusions pilots experience."
Graybiel's work helped debunk many early theories about the
possible adverse effects of space flight.
"There were all kinds of wild theories going on. That your
gastrointestinal system might stop. That you might feel like
you're continuously falling. Panic attacks. God knows what
else," Lackner said. "None of that turned out to be true."
Lackner said Graybiel evaluated many early astronauts by
using a rotating chair and a special rotating room,
specifically designed to elicit motion sickness.
"What he was looking for was to see whether the person was
highly sensitive or insensitive to motion sickness," Lackner
said.
The lab also had an entire room that slowly rotated, subtly
altering astronauts' balance and perception.
The room was used to simulate the effects of artificial
gravity, which could be generated by spinning the living
quarters of a space station like the wheel of a bicycle.
"It allowed a person in a confined environment to get up and
walk about and do various tasks during rotation," Lackner
said.
Changing mission
Simmons said the lab's researchers miss the close connection
with Naval aviators in Pensacola, but they are excited about
the future at Wright-Patterson.
"The mission and research that we provide, it's simply been
moved to a new location," Simmons said. "We are going to
continue that legacy that NAMRL established 70 years ago."
But Mitchell, reminiscing on the glory days of aviation
research at Pensacola NAS, is sad to see the lab go.
"I'm not that happy about it, honestly. I thought we
should've kept it in Pensacola, but the powers that be
decided it needed to be consolidated," he said. "Pensacola
is where we started, and that's where we ought to finish."
Naval research laboratory timeline
1930s: Seeing a need to study human performance in flight,
the Navy begins researching aviation medicine at Pensacola
Naval Air Station.
1940s: A centrifuge is built at Pensacola NAS to study the
effects of high G-forces on pilots.
"1,000 Aviator Study" commences at Pensacola NAS. Studies
the long-term physical and psychological effects of flight
on pilots and aircrew.
1946: The Naval School of Aviation Medicine is established
at Pensacola NAS.
1950s: At NASA's request, the lab's director, Dr. Ashton
Graybiel, studies effects of weightlessness on the human
body. Develops parabolic flight maneuvers, also known as
"vomit comet" flights, in which aircraft can create short
periods of weightlessness.
1959: "Miss Baker," a squirrel monkey trained at the lab,
becomes the first monkey to survive a launch into outer
space.
1960s: Dr. Graybiel invents a skin patch to counteract the
effects of motion sickness in astronauts and aviators.
Laboratory conducts research experiments in coordination
with NASA aboard every Project Gemini mission.
1962: Laboratory researchers examine astronaut John Glenn
after he completes the first U.S. orbital mission.
1965: School renamed Naval Aerospace Medical Institute.
1970: Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory
established at Pensacola NAS as a component of NAMI.
1970s: Laboratory conducts research aboard NASA's Skylab
space station.
1990s: Laboratory researchers develop a Reduced Oxygen
Breathing Device, which helps aviators recognize and avoid
the effects of hypoxia at high altitudes.
2000s: Construction begins on an advanced Disorientation
Research Device at the laboratory's new facilities in
Dayton, Ohio. The device is the world's most advanced motion
sickness machine, and it can swirl occupants along six axes
of motion while subjecting them to three times the force of
gravity.
Sept. 2, 2011: Laboratory at Pensacola NAS is closed as part
of the military's Base Realignment and Closure process. The
facility has been relocated to Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Dayton, Ohio.
BRAC information
The Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory was one of
several Pensacola Naval Air Station units closed following a
Base Realignment and Closure Commission report in 2005.
The commission recommended numerous organizational changes
in U.S. military installations in an effort to cut defense
spending and increase efficiency.
In 2007, the Officer Training Command in Pensacola was
shuttered and relocated to Newport, R.I.
In 2008, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service office
in Pensacola was closed, and its functions were transferred
to other finance centers.
Combined, the closures eliminated nearly 1,000 jobs at
Pensacola NAS.
But BRAC also brought more than 600 jobs to the area. The
transfer of Air Force undergraduate navigator training from
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, to Pensacola is responsible
for a number of those jobs.
RETURN TO INDEX
|
