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ANA IN ACTION – A New Feature for
the BULLHORN
From the Peregrine Squadron (ANA #63)
Newsletter:
"It was decided at the October meeting that the Squadron
would support the Navy Operational Support Center at Gowen
Field by sponsoring an annual Commander’s Award to be given
to an outstanding sailor chosen by the CO, and Squadron
Member, LCDR Ray Fryberger."
ANAers,
We have lost a Naval Aviation Icon.
The
Association of Naval Aviation
Dorothy M. Flatley Award is named in honor of this great
woman:
The
Dorothy M. Flatley Award for inspirational support goes to one
individual from AIRLANT and one from AIRPAC for extraordinary
inspirational support to Navy families for fostering excellent
morale among squadron personnel and their dependents, especially
during deployments and for promoting activities that benefit the
spouse’s command and other Navy and military personnel. Mrs.
Flatley was the widow of legendary Naval Aviator Admiral James
Flatley and the mother and grandmother of a number of Flatleys
who have served in Naval Aviation.
DOROTHY M.
FLATLEY OBITUARY
Dorothy Mae
“Dottie” McMurray Flatley, 100, of Mt. Pleasant, SC passed away
Saturday, October 18, 2008.
Dorothy
Flatley was the widow of Vice Admiral James H. “Jimmy” Flatley,
Jr. (1906-1958) a Navy fighter “ace” in WW II and a
transformational leader in Naval Aviation following the war
until his premature death in 1958. Both Dorothy and Jimmy were
equally loved and respected by the Navy's aviation community.
The Navy christened a ship in recognition of VADM Flatley’s many
contributions to his country, the USS FLATLEY (FFG 21), and,
beginning in 1988, has presented "The Dorothy M. Flatley Naval
Aviation Spouse of the Years Award" annually to a Naval Aviation
spouse whose overall qualities most exemplify Dorothy's 75 years
of inspirational support as a spouse, mother, and grandmother."
Dorothy was
born in Mulberry, FL on April 30, 1908. Her father, Dr. Ray
James McMurray, MD and her mother Minnie Larsen, a registered
nurse, were two of the first medical professionals to practice
in Polk County, FL. They both died at an early age from
illnesses contracted while serving the sick, her mother shortly
after Dorothy’s birth and her father only a few years later,
following his marriage to Dorothy’s step-mother, Nancy Britten
McMurray of Bartow, Florida.
Dottie, as
everyone called her, went to high school in Daytona Beach,
Florida and, in 1929, graduated from Florida State Women's
College (destined to become F.S.U). In college she was the
captain of the FSWC soccer team and a member of Sigma, Sigma,
Sigma Sorority. Following graduation, she taught 1st
grade for three years in Bartow, Florida.
Dottie met
her husband in 1932 during a holiday visit to the West Coast.
Jimmy was then a Navy Lieutenant assigned to a fighter squadron
based at NAS North Island in Coronado, California. They were
introduced by mutual friends in Jack's Bar, a Depression era
“fighter pilot” retreat located in Tijuana, Mexico. Dottie and
Jimmy were married in 1933 and she later wrote of this union,
"That was the beginning of our ever-lasting love affair and an
almost daily period of happiness and joy...when he talked to me,
he was really there with me, and he was so warm--everything I
could have ever wanted."
Jimmy's
illustrious career was wonderfully rendered in a recently
published biography, Reaper Leader: The Life of Jimmy Flatley,
by Steve Ewing, (2001, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD).
In the letters between Dottie and Jimmy, quoted throughout the
book, a reader can sense how vital the bonds of love and support
from a warrior's spouse must have been in strengthening her
husband in his leadership roles commanding a squadron , and then
an air group, facing death or victory on a daily basis in the
far away Pacific Ocean.
During
those years of separation, Dottie readily adapted to the
responsibilities of a commanding officer’s wife, charged with
keeping the squadron and air group wives and families connected
and in support of one another, along with raising her own four
young boys. Additionally, she volunteered as a nurse with the
Red Cross as a "Grey Lady", visiting injured veterans and
consoling the loved ones and families of those killed in action.
Dottie shared her warmth and conviviality with everyone she
knew, and will be remembered for her energy and her deep sense
of responsibility, as well as compassion, for those within her
grasp.
Dottie and
her husband, often referred to as "the enlisted man's Admiral"
will both be remembered for their abiding concern for the
welfare of the enlisted personnel and their families. Both were
honored for their lifelong work by the Navy Relief Society. In
recognition of her unique and lasting relationship with the
Naval Aviation community and on the occasion of her 100TH
birthday, Vice Admiral Thomas Kilcline, Commander, Naval Air
Forces officially bestowed on her the title of “Matriarch of
Naval Aviation”. In an All Navy Notice to the Fleet he
proclaimed:
" Dottie
Flatley has honorably cared for and supported, and watched over
three generations of Navy carrier pilots, including her husband,
two sons, two grandsons and one grandson-in-law, and in doing
so, has kept them safe from harm and close to America's heart.
I thank her for the Prayers, Devotion, and Love she has
selflessly given to all Naval Aviation."
Soon after
her beloved husband died in 1958, she returned to Bartow,
Florida to care for her step-mother and remained there until
taking up residence in Sandpiper Village in Mt. Pleasant in
1996. Her avocations included, cooking, gardening, genealogy,
and keeping an eye on the stock market. She also raised
miniature and toy poodles. A convert to the Catholic faith
toward the end of WW II she remained very involved with church
ministries.
Dorothy’s
happiest times in later life were spent with the veteran
crewmembers of the USS YORKTOWN Association during their annual
reunions here in Mt. Pleasant. Many of these former shipmates of
Vice Admiral “Jimmy” Flatley joined her in Bath, Main in 1980
when she christened the Fast Frigate USS FLATLEY. She
hang-glided at age 95 and, at age 97, climbed the rigging to the
first step of the Irish tall ship Jeanie Johnston during its
Charleston visit.
Dorothy is
survived by four sons: James Henry Flatley, III and his wife,
Nancy of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Raymond Patrick Flatley and his wife,
Catherine of Walnut Creek, CA; Brian A. J. Flatley and his wife,
Susie of Placentia, CA: and David Michael Flatley, of San
Francisco, CA; and 16 grandchildren; and 40 great-grandchildren.
===============================================================================CENTENNIAL
OF NAVAL AVIATION
The Centennial of Naval Aviation kicks off
January of 2011, continuing as a year-long celebration with a
variety of events worldwide!
Visit your local aviation museums –
enjoying past and present Naval aviation culture, absorb the
educational displays, and pay honor to the men and women who’ve
forged Naval Aviation into the military might it is today!
Enjoy the color of the many events
scheduled throughout 2011 with fly-overs, special
demonstrations, static displays and vendor booths.
For the latest information, rich culture
and educational materials, visit the Commander of Naval Air
Force’s website at
http://www.cnaf.navy.mil/centennial/.
Commmitted to a celebration unparalleled by any previous
ceremony, The Commander of Naval Air Forces, VADM Kilcline,
established a task force dedicated to ensuring a year filled
with events that blends both active duty and civilian component
participation; inclusive of USMC, USCG, NASA, and USN
contributions. Sponsored events will be coordinated with
national and regional representatives, military and civilian
media groups; and liaise with the Centennial of Naval Aviation
non-profit organization.
Recognizing talent throughout the Navy, the
Airboss sent a message force-wide inviting individuals to submit
their artwork for consideration as the official Centennial
logo. Information on the logo can be found at our Centennial of
Naval aviation website. Upon selection of the official logo,
look forward to a ceremonial unveiling with military
recognition. The selected artwork will be featured on banners,
patches, airframes, merchandise and more.
____________________
Anticipating logistical challenges, the
Centennial staff developed a database continually building
contact information for all the various organizations
participating with the celebrations, events scheduled, and
mailing lists of interested parties. Managing a database of
this magnitude is essential for connecting people and events
world-wide that fully embrace the accomplishments over the first
100 years of Naval Aviation – marking this a momentous occasion.
Ensuring thorough representation
world-wide, the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard is
partnering and identifying regional points of contact liaising
with civilian individuals and organizations. These military
members will be instrumental coordinating air shows, static
displays, active-duty military events, disseminating location
specific historical facts and photos, de-conflicting schedules
within their regions contributing to the success of each
celebration event, and being that face of the military to the
public. We look forward to our first Regional Action Officers
symposium November 7 where VADM Kilcline will share his mission
statement, vision and intent for the Centennial of Naval
Aviation.
Adhering to strict compliance of military regulations, the
Centennial staff is working with civilian leads to take
charge and run a non-profit organization managing those
areas prohibited by Active Duty personnel. The non-profit
organization needs talented volunteers with strengths and
knowledge in the following areas: Marketing, Corporate and
Sponsorship, Public and Media Relations, Special Events
Planning, Merchandising, Finance, Charity and Volunteer
coordination, Legal, Hospitality and Foreign Relations. If
you are interested; or, know someone who may be interested
in volunteering, please contact us at:
http://www.cnaf.navy.mil/centennial/cona_volform.htm.
P-3 ISSUES
A number of members have asked what is the
status of the P-3 issue. The following is a response to that
question:
"I have kept up to speed on the P-3 issue. I talked
with RDML Brian Prindle last week and it is getting the
budget attention that it needs, both from the new
procurement side (P-8), and the legacy recovery side (P-3).
I believe keeping it on the ANA radar scope is essential.
Perhaps we could set up a meeting (Phoncon) with Brian to
make sure we understand all the details and what our play
would be (prior to the NAIC meeting with CNO). By the way,
Brian has moved to OPNAV N81 and RDML Bill Moran has taken
over COMPATWING in Norfolk. The Program Manager is Bill’s
brother CAPT Mike Moran. All key players as the Maritime
Patrol Community re-shapes and re-sizes. The new PEO is RDML
Steve Eastburg who was PMA-290 prior to his Flag selection.
snipped from an email from: "Jim.. Stoof
Driver.. Shaw" – XO Columbus
Ahoy thar ANA Helldiver members and
standby ….!
Our ANA wing commander, Capt Jack M.
Kennedy, USN-Retired, is being
inducted in the Class of 2008 into the
Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at the
Vet's Memorial of Franklin County.
Congratulations to Capt Jack for being
selected for this honor.
That is all,
Helldiver XO Capt Jim Shaw
USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, CVB/CVA/CV-42
REUNION
May 13-17, 2009
Jacksonville, FL
A
product of... Navy
Office of Information
www.navy.mil
November 05, 2008
CNO
Guidance 2009… Executing our Maritime Strategy
“As
we execute the imperatives of the Maritime Strategy, we must
continue to stimulate innovation, encourage confident
risk-taking, and inculcate the culture of command that has been
the foundation of our Navy’s successes for more than two
centuries.”
– Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations
CNO
Guidance (CNOG) 2009
CNOG 2009
reaffirms the vision, mission, guiding principles, and focus
areas articulated in CNOG 2007-2008 while providing additional
context for CNO’s 18 intentions. Also identified are key
measures that CNO will use to track progress on his intentions
and some of the Navy’s major accomplishments from the past year.
To read CNOG 2009, visit:
http://www.navy.mil/docs/CNO_Guidance.pdf
Mission
With global
partners, we protect the maritime freedom that is the basis for
global prosperity and we address transnational threats to peace.
As the preeminent maritime force deployed around the world, we
conduct the full range of operations from combat to humanitarian
assistance. We provide presence and operational flexibility with
forward deployed maritime forces to ensure freedom of action. We
deter and, if deterrence fails, win our Nation’s wars. We foster
and sustain cooperative relationships with an expanding set of
allies and international partners to enhance global security.
Highlights
of 2007-2008 Accomplishments:
• Accepted
the first Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1).
• Held a
Global/Title X Wargame with our international partners for the
first time since 2001.
• Deployed
our first guided missile submarines and achieved unprecedented
savings in Virginia-class submarine procurement.
• Revised
our approach to concept generation and development, emphasizing
concepts at the operational level of war.
• Completed
13 successful demonstrations of our Ballistic Missile Defense
capability.
•
Preliminarily accredited four Maritime Headquarters with
Maritime Operations Centers (MHQ w/ MOC).
• Refined
performance price models to link our readiness levels to
specific Operational Availability output and risk.
• Worked
with Non-Governmental Organizations and international partners
to provide humanitarian assistance.
• Provided
maritime security training to countries in the Gulf of Guinea
and the Caribbean basin.
•
Established Task Force Energy to optimize Navy energy use and
future investment in new energy technologies, alternative energy
sources and renewable energy projects.
• Met or
exceeded all recruiting goals in the first year of Total Force
Recruiting.
• Expanded
diversity outreach and accessions among affinity groups.
• Expanding
Navy civilian participation in Flag-level leadership and
decision-making forums.
Focus
Areas
• Build
the future force. We are building a Navy with the right force
structure to deliver capacity and capability to Combatant
Commanders on time and at the right cost.
• Maintain
our warfighting readiness. We are the world’s dominant naval
force, working with our Joint and global partners to prevent and
win wars.
• Develop
and support our Sailors and Navy civilians. Our diverse and
competent military and civilian force is focused on readiness
and underpinned by a Navy Ethos. We ensure the welfare of our
people and their families.
What We Believe
• We
operate as a Joint and combined force
• We
balance our efforts
• We manage
risk
• We are
fiscally responsible
• We
communicate with purpose
• We strengthen and
cultivate relationships
A Towering Presence
Statue Of Navy Pilot-Hero Dedicated At The
Academy
(BALTIMORE SUN 06 NOV 08) ... Rona Marech
Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale, a pilot who
died in 2005 at age 81, is perhaps best known for his heroic
turn as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
Shot down while on a mission Sept. 9, 1965,
he landed in a small coastal village, where he was beaten by a
mob. He spent the next 7 1/2 years in the Hoa Lo Prison, where
he was kept in solitary confinement for four years, tortured and
denied medical care. Yet Stockdale, who was the highest-ranking
naval officer at the prison, managed to organize a system of
communication and help buoy the spirits of his fellow prisoners.
A towering bronze statue of Stockdale was
dedicated last week at the Naval Academy, his alma mater, before
scores of friends, family members and admirers.
"It would be difficult to imagine a better
example of leadership, courage, and moral excellence," Secretary
of the Navy Donald C. Winter said at the ceremony. "He not only
had a profound impact on his contemporaries, but he left behind
a legacy that will influence generations to come."
Sybil Stockdale, his wife, who was known
for tirelessly advocating for POWs during the Vietnam War, had
planned to attend the ceremony but was unable to make it when
she was unexpectedly hospitalized. But the couple's four sons
attended, and Texas businessman H. Ross Perot, a friend who
donated the money for the sculpture, spoke at the event. Perot
spent millions in the late 1960s to improve the conditions of
POWs and grew close to Stockdale after his release 1973.
After the POWs returned home, fellow
prisoners would point to Stockdale and say, "He's the reason I
made it," Perot said before the dedication. "He was a scholar.
He was really a genius. That's secondary to his very high moral
and ethical standards. ... If the whole society functioned this
way, we'd be a lot stronger."
Stockdale went on to serve as president of
the Naval War College. He wrote a philosophical memoir about his
prison experiences and, with his wife, penned the best-selling
book In Love and War. For 15 years, he was a senior research
fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where
he wrote about subjects including the Greek philosopher
Epictetus, whose teachings Stockdale often said helped him
survive his imprisonment. In 1992, he had a brief, unsuccessful
brush with politics when he ran for vice president on
independent candidate Perot's ticket.
The larger-than-life sculpture, based on a
1963 photograph of Stockdale striding across a flight deck, is
one of two such Perot-funded memorials dedicated at the Naval
Academy in October. The other one depicts William P. Lawrence, a
Navy pilot and 1951 graduate of the school, who flew in both the
Korean and Vietnam wars. He was held prisoner at Hao Lo Prison
for 5 1/2 years, and after his release went on to become the
superintendent of the Naval Academy.
Don Houck, who served in Vietnam with Stockdale, flew to
Annapolis from Seattle to attend last week's ceremony. "You
just remember people, and if they were good people, you get
emotional about it," said Houck, 83, after snapping a
photograph of the sculpture. "And he was good people."
Even
With $212 Million Funding Cut, Navy Pushes On With VH-71
Increment II Effort
(DEFENSE
DAILY 17 OCT 08) ... Geoff Fein
Although
Congress cut $212 million from the Navy's VH-71 presidential
helicopter Increment II effort in the FY '09 defense
appropriations act, lawmakers still left $100 million to start
up the second phase of the program, a Navy official said.
"The good
news is that most of the president's budget request was approved
in the '09 bill, Thomas Laux, deputy assistant secretary of the
Navy Air, told Defense Daily in a recent interview. "There is
going to be all of the Increment I funding that was asked for,
$735 million was approved in the bill, and they left in $100
million for Increment II."
The
president had requested $1.047 billion in FY '09 for VH-71
Increments I and II. The final authorization bill recommended
$835 million ($735 million for Increment I and $100 million for
Increment II).
Although
the Increment II amount was $212 million short of what the Navy
sought, Laux said the service sees the decision as a signal from
Congress that they want the Navy to start on Increment II.
"[Congress
is] perhaps in some measure reserving judgment. But we are going
to do what we have to, to continue to generate all the Increment
II further continued design that is required so that when we do
go through the Nunn-McCurdy process through the beginning of the
'09 calendar year, we will have the information needed to
provide the senior leadership and the decision makers...and
stakeholders on the Hill, with the information they need to make
an informed decision," Laux explained.
The
Nunn-McCurdy statute requires congressional notice in the event
of 15 percent cost growth, plus formal
certification/restructuring in the event of a 25 percent
cost-growth breach.
The Navy
will have to do some amount of prep work to continue to advance
the design of Increment II, so that the service can make
adequately informed decisions, Laux added.
"We would
have been able to do more of that with the budget the president
proposed," Laux said. "We will do everything we can with the
money the Congress did appropriate."
The cut in
funding will have an impact on the Increment II schedule, Laux
noted, although it is too soon to tell what the effect will be.
"There were several critical path activities that were included
in the president's budget request that are going to have to be
deferred until '10, so that will definitely push things back,"
he said.
The Navy is
planning to buy 23 of the Lockheed Martin [LMT], Bell Helicopter
Textron [TXT] and AgustaWestland helicopters in Increment II.
Increment
II is expected to reach initial operational capability (IOC) in
2017, with full operational capability of all 23 helicopters
planned for 2019 (Defense Daily, May 7).
Under
Increment I, the Navy will be buying four test aircraft and five
Pilot Production aircraft. Increment I IOC will occur no earlier
than September 2010.
The total
cost for the overall VH-71 program rose to $11.2 billion for
both Increments I and II, with $4.7 billion of that total for
Increment II.
Program
officials had proposed a number of different options for the
presidential helicopter program, including the idea of expanding
Increment I and delaying Increment II to a future date, and
taking a second look at both the Bell Helicopter Textron-Boeing
[BA] V-22 and the Sikorsky [UTX] CH-53 to possibly fill the
mission requirement, a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) source
said.
"The
program manager offered 35 options to the defense leadership,
and an extended Increment I was one that was offered," Laux
said.
But
increasing the Increment I buy has its problems, Laux noted.
"Increment
I is an interim solution. It does not have 30-year capability.
We have essentially taken the existing aircraft and overloaded
it in order to provide the mission capability that is required,"
he said. "What we need to do with Increment II is upgrade the
basic airframe to where it will last 30 years."
Currently,
Increment I is really a 1,500-hour aircraft right now, Laux
said.
"As it
exists right now, Increment I is not a viable solution for the
long-term," he added.
Because the
Navy did not have the funding for Increment II, until the
president signed the defense bill earlier this week, the Navy
had to extend the stop work order on Increment II until Jan. 30,
2009, according to the NAVAIR source. The decision to extend the
stop work order to next year was made Sept. 22, the source
added.
A stop work
order letter was sent to Lockheed Martin Systems
Integration-Owego on Dec. 21, 2007 directing them to temporarily
stop work on all activities associated with VH-71 Systems Design
and Demonstration Increment II contract requirements (Defense
Daily, March 17).
A Lockheed
Martin spokeswoman referred questions on the stop work order
extension to the Navy.
Additionally, the Navy is
working with Lockheed Martin and their industry partners to
determine the next steps regarding the Increment II
contract. That contract was expected to be awarded in
February '09, the NAVAIR source noted.
Federal
Council Backs Hangar One Restoration
(MOUNTAIN
VIEW (CA) VOICE 16 OCT 08) ... Daniel DeBolt
Yet another
potent political force is pushing the Navy to ensure that
Moffett Field's Hangar One is restored beyond current plans.
The
Washington, D.C.-based Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation, which reports directly to the president, held a
hearing in Mountain View on Sept. 18 where local residents spoke
passionately about the 200-foot-tall landmark.
Now the
ACHP has written a letter to Secretary of the Navy Donald C.
Winter calling for the Navy to work with NASA Ames to make sure
the hangar is re-skinned immediately after its toxic siding is
removed. The ACHP also wants the Navy to apply "additional
funds" to the effort. The Navy has said it wants to leave the
hangar a bare skeleton, on option preservationists believe is
untenable.
IN the
letter, John L. Nau, ACHP chairman, writes that "We recommend
the Navy develop a formal partnership with NASA to develop a
single coordinated delivery schedule to re-skin the Hangar and
find a viable re-use for the building. We urge the Navy to apply
additional funds to this effort and to work with NASA and its
potential public-private partners who also may provide funding
to return Hangar One to a viable, re-usable building."
The support
of the ACHP, in addition to members of the California
Congressional delegation, will be important next year when the
next president and his appointees provide new direction for
military clean-up and restoration issues such as Hangar One.
The full letter can be
viewed at www.nuqu.org.
U.S. Plane
Crashes In Afghanistan
(REUTERS 21
OCT 08)
KABUL - A
U.S. navy patrol plane was destroyed Tuesday when it overshot
the runway while landing at a base north of the Afghan capital,
but none of the crew was seriously hurt, the U.S. military said.
"A Navy P-3
Orion airplane overshot the runway surface while landing at
Bagram Air Field. The airplane sustained serious structural and
fire damage," a military statement said. One crew member
suffered a broken ankle.
The
incident was under investigation, it said.
Bagram is
the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, located just
north of Kabul.
The P-3 Orion is a patrol
aircraft used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance
and anti-submarine warfare.
U.S. Navy
Global Hawk May Head To Middle East
(AVIATION
WEEK 21 OCT 08) ... Amy Butler
The U.S.
Navy is considering deploying its first Global Hawk unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) to an air base near Iraq to experiment with
its ability to conduct maritime surveillance, according to
defense officials.
Navy
officials declined to discuss the exact location for a
deployment. “Longer-term options for the system may include
additional deployment situations – allowing the system to
demonstrate its unique persistent maritime ISR capabilities in
various overseas environments,” says Chuck Wagner, a spokesman
for Naval Air Systems Command.
According
to other defense officials, the Navy Global Hawk is expected to
arrive at a base in the Middle East early next year, and the
aircraft will be co-located with Air Force Global Hawks already
at that base. Defense officials declined to identify the base,
citing security issues. But it is widely known that the Air
Force’s high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft supporting
activities in Iraq and Afghanistan operate from Al Dhafra Air
Base in the United Arab Emirates.
The
high-flying Global Hawk is capable of collecting intelligence
from above 55,000 feet altitude for a day or more at a time. The
Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) vehicle, one of two
Block 10 Global Hawks owned by the Navy, is carrying an
integrated sensor suite. These aircraft were bought to allow the
Navy to experiment with using a UAV for maritime surveillance.
Using various modes – for inverse synthetic aperture radar,
maritime search and target acquisition – this sensor can conduct
surveillance of surface ships. The aircraft also carries the
LR100, a basic signals intelligence collector.
Exercises
The GHMD
aircraft have been used for a variety of exercises, including
Trident Warrior 08 and Rim of the Pacific 08. Most recently, the
aircraft collected images of wildfires in California this summer
and of the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Ike.
The UAVs
will give the Pentagon a new tool to use for monitoring shipping
activity in the Persian Gulf, where several scrapes with Iranian
ships have occurred in recent months. And the deployment will
give the Navy some hands-on operational experience deploying the
UAV prior to inducting its future Global Hawks into the fleet.
These Navy
vehicles are not to be confused with the Navy’s Broad Area
Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) development program. Under that
effort, Northrop Grumman is designing and building Global Hawk
Block 20-based aircraft designed for maritime surveillance.
These
aircraft will carry the Multifunction Active Sensor (MFAS), a
360-degree mechanically steered active electronically scanned
array (AESA) radar optimized for the maritime role. Initial
operational capability for the BAMS system is in 2015.
During the operations
abroad, the Navy will use Air Force pilots and sensor
operators for the Navy mission, reducing the footprint for
the Navy at the deployed location, according to defense
officials.
Naval
Strike and Air Warfare Center Receives Unit's First F/A-18F
Super Hornet
Release Date: 10/22/2008 5:19:00 AM
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist
(SW/AW) Jeffrey Wells, Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
Public Affairs
FALLON, Nev (NNS) -- The commander of Naval
Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) landed the unit's first
F/A-18F Super Hornet at it's new home at Naval Air Station (NAS)
Fallon, Nev. Oct. 21.
Rear Admiral Mark T. Emerson took custody of the two-seat Super
Hornet from the "Flying Eagles" of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA
122) at NAS Lemoore, Calif., and flew the aircraft back to its
new home.
NSAWC currently has 23 A-D series F/A-18s, but this is the
unit's first F-series Super Hornet. In addition to a training
center, NSAWC is responsible for tactics and weapons development
for the fleet.
"This Super Hornet acquisition brings our flight line into the
21st century and facilitates the advanced tactics development
efforts by NSAWC staff," said Emerson.
NSAWC has also received two E-2C Hawkeye's and transitioned from
their SH-60F Seahawks to the MH-60S helicopters. The addition of
these aircraft to the flight line required the maintenance
department to make some adjustments.
"The whole process took about eight months, and there were a lot
of obstacles that had to be overcome. We had to ensure our folks
were properly trained to repair the different types of equipment
associated with the F/A-18F. This consisted of attending
'difference' training held at NAS Lemoore or NAS Oceana," said
Lt. Cmdr. Scot Husa, NSAWC maintenance officer.
"Additionally, we had to obtain the many different tools and
special test equipment required for supporting this platform."
The F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which made their maiden voyage
aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in July 2002, may look
similar to the smaller A-D Hornets, but have been fitted with
new mission computers, fiber-optic networks, targeting pods,
joint helmet-mounted cueing systems and next-generation
sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
The Super Hornet's two F414-GE-400 engines are larger and
provide 22,000 of thrust, with afterburner giving the aircraft a
maximum speed in excess of Mach 1.8.
"NSAWC performs a significant amount of tactics development and
evaluation in order to support the fleet. Having the Super
Hornet increases the accuracy and credibility of NSAWC's tactics
and implementations of tactics and development into the fleet,"
said Lt. Cmdr. Don Bowker, NSAWC assistant operations officer.
In the coming months NSAWC is scheduled to receive a total of
six F/A-18F's from various squadrons.
========================================================================
Subject: F-5N Adversary avionics upgrade
and test flights are underway.
Date: 22-Oct-08
News Release Copy: NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER,
Md. - NAVAIR’s Support and Commercial Derivative Aircraft
program office is upgrading the Navy’s F-5N Adversary aircraft
with new avionics to save the Navy an estimated $20 million in
future costs.
“The current inertial navigation system
(INS) was becoming too old and costly to repair so a new system
was found,” said Jay Bolles, Adversary Integrated Product Team
lead. “The cost to repair the older INS and buying a new, more
capable system was about the same so the decision was made to go
with the newer, more reliable system.”
“The funding for the entire $6.1 million
upgrade program was split between the U.S. Navy Reserve, which
fly the F-5Ns, and the Support and Commercial Derivative
Aircraft program office,” said Bolles.
“This is a textbook example of how a
program should be run,” said Capt. James Wallace, Support and
Commercial Derivative Aircraft program manager. “Our Adversary
team did it right. They worked with the Navy Reserve F-5N
squadrons and Northrop-Grumman, to determine the most cost
effective solution to this obsolescence challenge. Then they got
to work and made it happen.”
The LN-260 INS unit is produced by
Northrop-Grumman in Woodland Hills, Calif. The cockpit display
is produced by Interface, Display and Controls, of Oceanside,
Calif. The LN-260 is also used on the U.S. Air Force F-16
Fighting Falcon aircraft. The new INS and new display bring a
multi-function touch screen capability, a radar display, INS
functions, embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) and a new
fiber optic gyro. The new INS is incredibly reliable with an
estimated 5,000 hours of flying time between possible failures.
Due to limited space in the F-5N’s cockpit, a smaller display
was needed.
Forty-four of the new systems, plus spares,
will be bought for the upgrade program. The installation work
will be done at Northrop-Grumman’s facility in St. Augustine,
Fla. Five F-5N’s are still in production, and will have the new
INS installed during the conversion process.
The remaining F-5Ns will have the new INS installed as a
drive through modification, or when they return to the St.
Augustine depot for inspections and repairs. The
installation consists of swapping out the old INS box with
the new LN-260 box, removing old wiring and installing the
new wiring. Approximately four F-5Ns per month will
upgraded, with the work taking one week to do.
Will Take
Two Years Longer To Buy All 226 Aircraft
New-Build
AH-1Z Helos Cut In Half To Avoid Nunn-Mccurdy Breach
(INSIDE THE
NAVY 27 OCT 08) ... Dan Taylor
The H-1
helicopter program has nearly cut in half the number of Marine
Corps AH-1Z attack helicopters it plans to build from scratch in
order to avoid a breach of the Nunn-McCurdy Act, which requires
that the Pentagon notify Congress when a program exceeds certain
cost thresholds, the program office acknowledged last week.
The Navy
wants to remanufacture as many aging AH-1W attack helos as
possible into upgraded AH-1Zs in order to save money, but Inside
the Navy reported in May that the Navy would have to build from
scratch 105 of the 226 the service expects to buy, according to
H-1 program manager Col. Keith Birkholz.
But in an
Oct. 15 phone interview with ITN, Birkholz said that number has
since been revised to only 58 aircraft, which H-1 deputy program
manager Scott Hite said in an Oct. 22 e-mail was due to a recent
assessment that determined building 105 brand new AH-1Zs “would
have pushed the program into a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach.”
“So to
avoid a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach, the program and the Marine
Corps reassessed the number of AH-1Zs needed and when they were
required, taking into account projected attrition rates,” he
said. “It was determined that 58 . . . was the optimum number of
new aircraft required to meet the ‘grow the force’
requirements,” which refersto the Marines’ push to increase the
size of the Corps to 202,000 Marines in the coming years.
Under the
“grow the force” initiative, the service plans to increase its
buy of H-1s from 100 UH-1Ys and 180 AH-1Zs to 123 and 226,
respectively.
However,
Hite added that the trade-off to building fewer AH-1Zs from
scratch is that “it will take approximately two years longer to
achieve the desired 226 AH-1Z aircraft inventory.”
The
original figure of 105 build-new aircraft was derived because it
was seen as the quickest solution to achieve “grow the force”
requirements “while minimizing the removal of AH-1Ws from the
fleet and accounted for the manufacturing capability at Bell
Helicopter,” Hite said.
The 58
build-new AH-1Zs represent “basically the additional 46 that
they added to the program, and 12 will be called pipeline or
attrition aircraft to deal with our combat losses or training
losses over the next 10 years,” Birkholz said.
The H-1
program is already building the rest of the 123 UH-1Y utility
helicopters new because the legacy UH 1N airframes proved too
old to be remanufactured. However, AH-1W airframes are much
younger -- about 18 years old on average, versus 34 years for
the UH-1Ns -- allowing more of those airframes to be
remanufactured, Birkholz said.
“The re-man
process for the Whiskeys is working just fine, whereas we
discovered early on that trying to remanufacture 34-year-old or
older UH-1Ns or HH-1Ns into UH-1Ys was not cost effective,” the
colonel said, noting that there were irregularities in the
airframes to the point that “we were almost building the whole
thing new anyway.”
He added
that the program knew it would only be a matter of time before
some of the AH-1Zs would have to be built new.
Phase two
of that effort will be going on contract shortly, and the cabin
for the new AH-1Zs will be delivered with the 2010 procurement.
“That’s when we buy them in
2010, and that aircraft will be delivered in 2012,” he said,
“but the first cabin is going under contract now.”
Patrol
Squadron Celebrates 30 Years of Mishap-Free Flying
Release Date: 10/29/2008 5:46:00 AM
By Lt. j.g.
Frank Verducci, VP-9 Public Affairs
ALI AB, Iraq (NNS) -- Patrol
Squadron 9 (VP-9) executed a major safety milestone for
maritime patrol aviation Oct. 26 when Combat Aircrew 11
safely completed an eight-hour mission in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom surpassing 30 years and 180,000
hours of mishap-free flying.
From Cold War anti-submarine warfare in the 1970s out of
Adak, Alaska, to present-day expeditionary missions during
an Iraqi summer desert deployment, this accomplishment
uniquely attests to the squadron's past and present
leadership and keen focus in all matters concerning aviation
safety in any environment.
Cmdr. Curtis K. Phillips, commanding officer, Patrol
Squadron 9, praised the squadron for its professionalism and
dedication to this daily effort.
"Our concern for safety is a constant companion. This
milestone represents the efforts of VP-9 aviators and
maintenance professionals spanning the last thirty years.
"This mission was flown by a junior aircrew, a testament to
the standardization and leadership, at the lowest levels,
that is required to safely and effectively operate an aging
airframe while bridging the gap to the P-8 Poseidon. We are
proud to have the opportunity to reflect on this squadron's
legacy of safety."
Patrol Squadron 9 is finishing up a seven-month deployment
to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and
will return to their home base of Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Roughead Announces Flag Officer Assignments
(NAVY TIMES 30 OCT 08)
Flag officer assignments were announced
Thursday (103008) by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary
Roughead:
•
Rear Adm.
(lower half) Charles Smith is being assigned as program
executive officer, enterprise information systems, Office of the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (research, development, and
acquisition), Washington, D.C. Smith is currently serving as
vice commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command,
Norfolk, Va.
Rear Admiral Charles E. Smith
Vice Commander
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
 Rear
Admiral Charles “Grunt” Smith attended the Virginia Military
Institute where he earned his Bachelor of Science and
commission.
Following flight training, he deployed three times with the
"Diamond Cutters" of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 30 aboard USS
Forrestal (CV 59) and USS Saratoga (CV 60). In a
follow-on Instructor Pilot tour, he was selected for the U.S.
Naval Test Pilot program and served as Lead Test Pilot for
aircraft, tanker, carrier suitability, and weapons programs.
Following flight test duties and receipt of a Master of Science,
Rear Adm. Smith deployed with the "Maulers" of VS 32 aboard USS
America (CV 66) in support of Operations Desert Shield
and Desert Storm. Upon the conclusion of Desert Storm,
he reported to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIRSYSCOM),
Washington.
After his Aviation Command selection, Rear Adm. Smith reported
to the "Dragonfires" of VS 29 as Executive Officer and then
Commanding Officer, where he deployed twice aboard USS
Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operations
Southern Watch and Continue Hope. Rear Adm. Smith was
selected and qualified in the Navy’s Surface Nuclear Power
Program and soon after reported aboard USS George Washington
(CVN 73) as Executive Officer, where he deployed to the Persian
Gulf and upon return oversaw the ship's Drydock Planned
Incremental Availability.
After his tour aboard George Washington, he was assigned
to U.S. Joint Forces Command as a Capstone Instructor and
Deployable Team Chief, serving Geographical and Joint Task Force
Commanders in the European and Central Commands.
Rear Adm. Smith assumed command of the helicopter carrier USS
Inchon (MCS 12) and deployed through the Panama Canal for a
29,000 nautical mile Western Pacific deployment.
In April 2003, Rear Adm. Smith assumed command of the nuclear
powered aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN
69), the “Ike,” where he led his ship and crew through the
mid-life Refueling Complex Overhaul, returning Ike to sea
combat-ready.
Rear Adm. Smith recently completed his tour as Director
Aviation/Ship Integration and as Assistant Commander for
Acquisition at NAVAIRSYSCOM (AIR-1.0) where he performed Program
Executive Officer and Director duties for the Commander over
seven Aviation Program Offices, as well as the Program
Management competency.
Rear Adm. Smith’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit
(three awards), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the
Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Strike Flight Air
Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (three/one with Combat “V”)
and the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards).
He has more then 4,600 flight hours and 596 carrier arrestments
while piloting 32 different fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
Updated: 28 November 2007
•
Rear Adm.
(lower half) Stephen Voetsch is being assigned as director, Navy
International Programs Office, Office of the Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, D.C. Voetsch is currently serving as
commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force, Norfolk, Va.
Rear Admiral Stephen S. Voetsch
Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force
 Rear
Admiral Steve Voetsch is a 1979 graduate of the United
States Naval Academy. He was designated a Naval Flight
Officer in 1980.
His operational assignments include flying with VF-74 in the
F-4 Phantom aboard USS Forrestal (CV 59) and then
transitioning to the F-14 Tomcat aboard USS Saratoga
(CV 60). Later, he was assigned to VF-143 aboard USS
Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). He served in VF-41 aboard
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) as a department head,
flying numerous combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait during
Operations Desert Shield/Storm and Provide Comfort. He
commanded VF-102 and his most recent operational assignment
was as Commander, Carrier Air Wing 1. He has logged over
4,800 flight hours, 360 in combat, and has accumulated over
1,100 carrier-arrested landings.
Assignments to shore and staff billets include the Armed
Forces Staff College and assistant washington placement
officer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Rear Adm. Voetsch
was selected to serve as aide/flag lieutenant to the Chief
of Naval Personnel, Adm. Ronald J. Zlatoper. He commanded
VF-101, the F-14 Fleet Replacement Squadron, and completed a
one-year National Security Affairs Fellowship at the Hoover
Institute, Stanford University, in Calif. He served as
executive assistant to Commander, U.S. Space Command/North
American Aerospace Defense Command through it’s transition
to U.S. Northern Command.
After promotion to flag rank, Rear Adm. Voetsch served on
the staff of Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet as the deputy
chief of staff for Operations, Training and Readiness
(N3N7), from July 2005 to May 2007. On May 24, 2007, Rear
Adm. Voetsch assumed command of Operational Test and
Evaluation Force in Norfolk.
Navy Considers A New Rating For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Operators
(NAVY TIMES 02 NOV 08) ...
Andrew Tighlman
With a wave
of new unmanned aerial vehicles expected to join the fleet in
the coming years, personnel officials are considering whether to
create a rating for the sailors who will operate and maintain
these high-tech systems.
The new
generation of UAVs, which the Navy refers to as "unmanned aerial
systems" because they also can include weapons and sensors,
likely will create opportunities for sailors to play a bigger
role in real-time war fighting then ever before.
And while
traditional pilots will maintain their primary role, new
technology is expected to push highly trained sailors into roles
including flight operations, real-time intelligence analysis and
targeting decisions.
"Unmanned
aerial systems are going to provide an opportunity for sailors
to get into a new realm of war fighting," Rear Adm. Mark
Guadagnini, the chief of naval air training, said in an
interview. "We have to decide what rating can be a part of this
or do we need to generate a completely different, separate
rating for unmanned aerial systems."
Guadagnini
said he plans to meet in November with other Navy officials to
identify the knowledge, skills and experience needed for the
future UAV programs. They will address critical questions,
including:
Whether to
create a rating for the UAV community.
Whether to
expand or change the existing Navy enlisted classifications for
UAVs from a secondary NEC to a primary NEC.
What the
source ratings will be for sailors seeking to work with UAVs.
Whether to
create new training schools and programs or integrate UAV
training into existing education programs.
The Navy's
existing UAV programs are mostly limited to small, hand-held
tactical devices used for local intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance. There are about 163 sailors holding the Navy's
existing secondary NECs for UAVs,which includes UAV pilots,
technicians and payload operators. Half of them are individual
augmentees, Navy records show.
The primary
UAV in service is the ScanEagle, a small aircraft with a 10-foot
wingspan that sends live video feeds to ship commanders. The
Navy has seven ScanEagles in service, which are prioritized for
deploying ships.
UAVs are
expected to take on a significant role in the aviation fleet in
the next three to five years as the aircraft get larger and more
complex, but it's unclear how many jobs will open up in the UAV
community. The growth rate — and the number of positions created
— will depend largely on the number of aircraft purchased in the
coming years and how those programs are deployed, Navy officials
said.
Who does
the flying?
One of the
most common questions about the new UAV systems is: Who will fly
them? But new technology may make that question moot, according
to those familiar with the programs in development.
The
automated navigation systems mean missions will be planned and
uploaded before take-off rather than executed in real time from
the console. An aircraft operator will be able to adjust the
flight plan and redirect the air-craft at any time, but such a
move will be done with a keyboard and computer terminal — or
"fly by mouse" — rather than with a traditional joystick or
throttle.
"We are
trying to move away from the term `pilot' to `unmanned aircraft
operator,' " said Capt. Bob Dishman, the project manager for
Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems. "This opens up an
opportunity to maybe naval flight officers, and there may be
opportunities [for] even enlisted personnel to be not only part
of the sensor crew but the unmanned operator.
"There're
basically no stick and rudder skills. You just have to have an
understanding of what it takes to operate a large hunk of
machinery," Dishman said.
Traditional
pilots will continue to play a key role in UAV squadrons by
bringing knowledge of how weather and mechanical issues can
affect real-time flight. But the Navy may create a structure
allowing individual pilots to supervise and make key decisions
for multiple UAVs while teams of sailors monitor the actual
flight operations.
So far, the
service branches have taken different approaches to UAV systems.
The Air
Force restricted operation of UAV systems to pilots until
recently, when it began offering the job to enlisted airmen on a
limited basis. The Army already allows enlisted soldiers to
operate UAVs.
"The main
driver of Army operational practice is the desire to get recon
to war fighters in the field as fast as possible," said Loren
Thompson, a defense consultant with the Lexington Institute.
"The Air Force is more oriented to national- and theater-level
users. It's much more interested in getting the mission right
and protecting the airframe than a quick turnaround.
"The
services have a trade-off to make in terms of who they allow to
fly the unmanned aircraft. The more people you let fly them, the
more operational flexibility you have. But then you can also end
up with a multimillion-dollar airframe being operated by a
person who may not have significant experience," Thompson said.
Compared
with the Air Force, the Navy appears to be more willwilling to
give key positions in the UAV community to enlisted personnel,
said a defense contractor familiar with military UAV programs.
That may reflect the Navy's culture of empowering chiefs and the
longtime practice of training sailors for highly sensitive and
technical jobs.
"They've
had the enlisted doing nuclear work for years; why wouldn't they
have them work onthese?" said the contractor, who asked not to
be identified because he does business with several service
branches.
Beyond the
control consoles, the new UAV programs likely will create new
jobs in the communications field. Smaller tactical aircraft use
line-of-sight and antenna-based technology, but the larger,
longer-range aircraft will use satellite-based communications
systemsto constantly feed real-time information to and from the
aircraft. That will swell the ranks of technicians needed to
maintain and operate additional communications systems, both on
a ship and on land.
The UAV
programs are not de-signed to replace the current fleet — and
its human pilots — but will shoulder the less-desirable
missions. For example, the Fire Scout, the Navy's primary
rotor-wing UAV program, will begin operations at sea next year.
It will not replace the MH-60 Seahawk but will allow ship
commanders to fly additional and longer missions. 'The real
purpose is for the `three Ds' — the dull, the dirty and the
dangerous — the things you don't want to put people into," said
Capt. Tim Dunigan, program manager for the Fire Scout.
Some tasks
— such as targeting — will remain in the hands of humans.
"We don't anticipate that it
would be making any kind of weapons release decision on its
own at all — there always has to be a human in the loop in a
decision that looks at a weapon release," said Martin Deppe,
program manager for the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System,
which is developing an unmanned strike fighter.
Rare Airplanes Restored At Pensacola Naval Air Museum
(ASSOCIATED PRESS 02 NOV 08) ...
Melissa Nelson
PENSACOLA NAVAL AIR STATION, Fla. – Ed Ellis
steps across the National Naval Aviation Museum into the
aircraft that was Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Chester Nimitz's
flying headquarters during World War II.
"If this plane could talk," said the
67-year-old retired Navy captain, longing to hear the
conversations that happened aboard the vintage PB2Y Coronado.
"Nearly every Navy admiral in the Pacific was in here."
The Coronado – the first U.S. plane to land
in Tokyo after the war – is the latest restoration project
undertaken by the museum's mostly volunteer staff of hundreds of
military retirees.
Located at Pensacola Naval Air Station, the
museum has:
• A seven-story atrium that features four
Blue Angels jets hanging from the ceiling.
• An Imax theater that shows a film about the
acrobatic flyers.
• A flight simulator that depicts a jet
fighter swooping into battle during the first Iraq war.
• A cafe that's a recreation of the officer's
club at Cubi Point in the Philippines.
But the backbone of the museum, which opened
in 1963 and has been expanded three times, is its restored
planes. The museum has the Navy's S-3B Viking that President
Bush flew when he landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham
Lincoln and made his "Mission Accomplished" speech about the
Iraq war.
The first President Bush is also recognized
at the museum – a trainer he flew as a 19-year-old World War II
flight student hangs inside.
The volunteers often draw on their own
military experience to make the restorations authentic, and the
thousands of hours in labor donated each year have made the
volunteer program a model for other museums.
Former Navy pilot Mort Eckhouse, 79, has
logged thousands of volunteer hours over nearly 20 years working
in the restoration area's machine shop. The retired commander
meticulously recreates rusted and broken aircraft parts on
donated 1950s-era milling machines.
His work is tested whenever a pilot or crew
member of a restored aircraft sees the finished product in the
museum.
"It's a wonderful moment when they guy who
actually flew the plane comes and checks it out," he said while
working on a part used to attach the Coronado's vertical
stabilizer. "We try to restore them as close to the factory
specs as we can."
Volunteer Jeff Peyronnin, 62, has spent the
last two years working on the Coronado's tail section. He and
the other volunteers like to joke that it will take another 10
years before the restoration is complete. The museum estimates
at least another three years to completion.
"Every time you mess with it you feel like
you are touching history," said Peyronnin, who served in the
Coast Guard. "I like to picture this old lady at Tokyo Bay."
Bob Matlock, 69, served as an aircraft
mechanic in Vietnam. Nowadays Matlock is using his skills
replacing some 10,000 rivets in the Coronado's tail section.
He winces when he thinks about the thousands
of museum visitors that will climb the stairs of the restored
plane and peak inside one day, scratching the paint and shaking
loose some of the bolts and rivets.
Many of Les Schnyder's restoration projects
are already on display inside the museum. The 82-year-old World
War II veteran has logged more than 18,000 hours as a volunteer.
His niche is restoring the blimp-like air ships that escorted
convoys in World War II. Schnyder, a former Navy man, worked as
a civilian contractor maintaining air ships at Lakehurst Naval
Air Station in New Jersey.
Some of the planes were brought back to life
after being pulled from the water years later. Ellis' favorite
museum aircraft is an early World War II-era Brewster Buccaneer
that was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. It later
flew in the Battle of Midway and then became a training aircraft
for pilots practicing carrier landings in Lake Michigan, where
it sank following a crash. It was salvaged from the lake's
depths after six decades.
Wally Farrand retired after 22 years in the
Navy and now restores the museum's vintage aircraft engines,
including the Brewster's. As he painstakingly went over parts
from the Coronado's engine with a cleaning solvent and cloth, he
joked that his best work is never seen by museum visitors
because it is covered inside the aircraft.
"But everything I do here, I just love it," he said.
Navy Encouraged By Results Of F-18 Hornet
Wing Inspections
(DEFENSE DAILY 07 NOV 08) ... Geoff Fein
The Navy yesterday said it is encouraged by
the results of a recent inspection for cracks on Boeing [BA]
F/A-18 Hornets' outer wing panels, and expects there will be
minimal operational impact, the service said.
The good news comes two weeks after the
service issued an aviation bulletin to inspect all 636 A through
D Hornets in the Navy and Marine Corps' inventory.
"We have inspected 99 percent of the Hornet
fleet in a deployed or training status, including 100 percent of
the 112 aircraft deployed with Carrier Air Wings and Marine Air
Wings," Lt. Clayton Doss, a Navy spokesman, told Defense Daily.
"We grounded 10 aircraft and placed flight restrictions on an
additional 20 aircraft. Of the deployed aircraft, two were
grounded and eight were flight restricted."
Of the 636 aircraft inspected, 480 are either
used for training or in deployed status. The remaining aircraft
are in depots, Doss added.
The Navy will prioritize repairs of deployed
aircraft to ensure safe operations and mission requirements are
met, Doss said
"Enough parts are available to quickly repair
the two grounded aircraft," he added. "All others will be
restored to full flight status using remaining supplies."
The Navy will continue to analyze the data
gathered to determine the root cause of the cracks discovered in
the aluminum outer wing outboard aileron hinges.
"With procedures in place, and maintenance techniques under
development, we do not expect additional degradations to the
Navy's strike-fighter capability resulting from the
identified hinge cracks," Doss said.
A
product of... Navy
Office of Information
www.navy.mil November
6, 2008
Monthly
Update
"The
importance of these gatherings cannot be overstated, and I also
believe that we should consider these types of events, these
symposiums, to be a continuum around the world. We can continue
our conversations, continue our discussions, continue our
initiatives so that we can build momentum that allows us to
develop solutions to the challenges and issues that we face.”
– Adm. Gary
Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations
In
October CNO travelled to Venice, Italy, to participate in the 7th
Regional Seapower Symposium for the Mediterranean
and Black Sea Countries. This symposium brings together
coalition partners from NATO and nearly 40 countries in the
region to increase cooperation between participating navies and
world organizations. CNO also spoke at the christening ceremony
for USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) in Bath, Maine, and celebrated
the Navy’s 233rd
birthday.
Current
Readiness – Enhancing Cooperation and Building Partnerships with
Maritime Partners
We work
closely with our global maritime partners to be present
globally, using the capabilities outlined in the Maritime
Strategy. We have moved proactively with maritime security,
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and these are truly
cooperative efforts. We must seek ways to expand and link our
cooperative efforts beyond and across traditional regional
maritime boundaries, and seek to bridge regional initiatives to
build that network of partnerships around the world. Sharing
information and conducting personnel exchanges in joint
exercises is key to enhancing our global partnerships.
“We’ve also
moved proactively with humanitarian assistance. In the past two
years, working with many of your navies and maritime forces and
agencies from your government, and working with non-governmental
organizations, we have participated together in humanitarian
assistance operations in Africa, South America, Central America
and in Southeast Asia. And in those operations, we have taken
care of, 320,000 patients—people around the world—who never
thought that they would have access to the assistance, the help,
and medical care that you and your professionals have been able
to provide. That is truly a cooperative effort, one that we are
proud to participate in.”
Future
Readiness – Innovation is Moving the Navy Forward
Wayne E.
Meyer (DDG 108) was named after the admiral who is considered
the father of Aegis and modern-day ballistic missile defense. It
is important that we continue to look forward and develop
capabilities that, like Aegis, will change the face of Fleet
operations in the future.
“Admiral
Meyer delivered a great leap in defense technology. One that has
given us the flexibility to adjust to emerging threats over
several decades and as we have seen recently it will be able to
adjust to emerging threats for decades to come. Who would have
thought? And I will tell you that as a young officer serving in
USS Barry and later in USS Port Royal, if someone had told me
that from one of these ships a failing satellite would be shot
down in space, I would have questioned that. But that is exactly
what has happened in the past year.”
People –
Sailors and Navy Civilians Are the Pioneers of Tomorrow’s Navy
Sailors
today have the unique opportunity to make a difference in the
Navy of tomorrow. Rear Adm. Wayne E. Meyer pioneered a new
standard in combat systems technology when he envisioned Aegis,
and like him, every Sailor can accomplish great things. In
developing and acquiring the technology for tomorrow, Sailors
and Navy civilians should look for the next big thing like Aegis
– the next big thing that will provide us with the flexibility
and the capability to meet our current and future threats. Our
Sailors and Navy civilian professionals who work so hard to
achieve that end would do well to study the journey of Rear Adm.
Wayne E. Meyer
“Our
obligation is to provide the very best ships to our Sailors
with relevant combat capability so that when they go forward
into harm’s way they will not be in a fair fight. They
should never be in a fair fight. They must prevail every
time.”
Status
of the Navy (as of 4 November)
Navy
Personnel
Total Active Component 332,436
Total Reserve Component 123,159
DoN Civilians 184,461
Ships, Submarines & Aircraft
Total deployable ships/subs 283
Ship underway 120 (42%)
Subs underway 31 (57%)
Ships deployed 99 (35%)
Subs deployed 20 (37%)
Total Operational Aircraft 3,700+
Ground
Forces in NAVCENT AOR
Countries ≥400
AC RC
Iraq 5,134
1,169
Bahrain 2,652
65
Kuwait 1,401
509
Afghanistan 1,778
314
Qatar 592
48
Total on ground, all countries 14,003
Sailors at Sea by AOR
NAVCENT/C5F 9,439
PACFLT 15,000
NAVSOUTH/C4F 2,038
C2F 6,630
CNE-C6F 1,759
Navy
Personnel
Total Active Component 332,436
Total Reserve Component 123,159
DoN Civilians 184,461
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