ANAers – Again, lots in the
news, with the 100TH Anniversary of
Naval Aviation (CoNA) leading off with a letter
from the Commander, Naval Air Forces to the
Association.
Lots of other news follows -
Aviation Flag Officer moves, unmanned vehicles,
carrier inventories and rework, F-35 - the list
just goes on -
For those who will be
attending the Tailhook Association Reunion this
coming week, please stop by the ANA booth to say,
“Hi!” to our Editor Zip Rausa and me….we’d love to
see you and have the opportunity to discuss ANA.
Please remember this is the
new format – just use point at the article you want
to see, select CONTROL (CTRL) and mouse click –
Dutch
BULLHORN #52 contents:
BJ Penn Retires
After More than Four Decades of Service
100TH Anniversary of Naval
Aviation
The Commander,
Naval Air Forces has written the Association of
Naval Aviation to announce the coming 100th
Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 2011 and to
provide details of some current and planned
events. The cited address (URL) for the Centennial
of Naval Aviation web site is incorrect. It is
http://centennial.ahf.nmci.navy.mil/.
Unfortunately, many parts of the web site are
vacant. However, that is sure to be temporary so
please do ‘bookmark’ the address and go back to it
in the future for good gouge on the 100th,
the CoNA.
F-35 Refueling Trials
The last BULLHORN carried an
article about the F-35 doing refueling trials –
Thanks to San Diego Commanding Officer John Fry for
sending this photo of that event.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
US Navy Aims To Make Jetfuel From Seawater
Uranium
(THE REGISTER (UK) 20 AUG 09) ... Lewis Page
Coverage of recent US Navy research into producing
jet fuel from CO2 and hydrogen has been widely
reported under headlines such as "making jet fuel
from seawater".
The
coverage illustrates not only declining modern
understanding of science and technology, but also
the sad eclipse of proper science fiction by
vampire-lust fantasies.
The
stories arise from a paper presented at the weekend
by Robert Dorner and colleagues at the Naval
Research Laboratory. According to the Navy boffins:
The
impact CO2 is having on the environment has been
thoroughly documented over the last years. Many
different technologies have been proposed to reduce
its impact on global warming such as geological
sequestration. However, an interesting and
attractive alternative would be the recycling of
the gas into energy-rich molecules.
Dorner and Co have been working on mixing CO2 and
hydrogen to produce light hydrocarbons which could
then be processed into jet fuel. As jet fuel is
rich in energy, doing this uses a lot of energy -
and even then, a lot of the CO2 and hydrogen
actually turns to methane. Methane can actually be
a useful fuel, but not as useful as jetfuel - and
as a waste product it's far more damaging to the
environment than carbon dioxide, being a hugely
more powerful greenhouse gas.
But
Dorner and his colleagues have managed to get the
amount of methane produced down to 30 per cent or
so, using special catalysts. The "sea water" bit
comes from the fact that Dorner has also noted that
there's a fair bit of CO2 in sea water, plus
hydrogen too if you have even more energy to crack
water molecules apart.
If
you were interested in being green, and had a whole
load of energy which you considered green and
wanted to make liquid fuel with, you probably
wouldn't bother harvesting your CO2 from the sea -
you'd get it from coal power stations or other
hydrocarbon-burning powerplant exhausts. Such ideas
are already commonly touted among researchers.
Enormous amounts of cheap carbon-free power aren't
normally to be had, however, which is why such
ideas remain mainly notional.
They aren't quite as notional for the US Navy,
however. That's because US Navy aircraft carriers
have powerful nuclear reactors aboard, potentially
able to supply large amounts of energy if the ship
wasn't going at full speed and launching planes
(the reactors power the catapults as well as the
ship's props).
As
a result the primary limiting factor on how long a
US carrier can keep flying its planes is actually
the amount of jet fuel it can carry. The reactor's
uranium lasts for years.
Thus it would actually be useful if you could build
a plant on a carrier which could scoop CO2 out of
the water, crack hydrogen from it too, and combine
these to top off the ship's jet-fuel tanks. The
carrier would be able to keep dominating airspace
without needing to break off and replenish its
supplies so often.
That's how Dorner may have presented the ideas to
his bosses at the navy lab, perhaps. But when
speaking to people concerned primarily about the
environment, it's generally seen as silly to start
mentioning nuclear power.
But
there aren't really any other options for processes
like this. Making synthetic liquid hydrocarbon
fuels always consumes a lot more energy than you
could get by burning the fuel, so it's mostly
witless to make them using fossil power. (The US
military is interested in making jet fuel using
coal, but this is merely because America has a lot
of coal mines and potentially not enough oil wells.
The Germans who developed such processes originally
did so for similar reasons.)
Return to index
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't Reduce American Carrier Strength
(ST. LOIUS POST-DISPATCH 20
AUG 09) ... Paul Rohrer
Hot
on the heels of President Barack Obama canceling
the Air Force's most advanced strike fighter, the
Congressional Research Service (CRS) announced this
week that we now face a much greater shortfall in
Navy and Marine Corps strike fighters than was
previously estimated. Last year, CRS predicted a
shortfall of 125 Navy fighter jets by 2017. They
now predict that the shortfall will be more than
300 jets.
The
American people deserve to understand what those
shortages really mean.
On
the surface, the president's defense budget calls
for cutting the Navy's aircraft carrier strike
groups from 11 to 10. But a closer inspection
reveals that Obama's program delays and budget cuts
will do terrible harm to the readiness and
capability of our carrier groups.
Although America does have 10 carrier groups, we
cannot deploy all 10 at any given time. Both
personnel and equipment require shore time for
maintenance, rest, and training. Along with the
carrier groups that are temporarily rotated out of
service, the worsening shortage of fighter aircraft
is reducing the number of ready carrier groups even
further.
Obama's defense budget is cutting back production
of F-18 Hornets and Super Hornets _ the Navy's top
fighter aircraft _ long before the new F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter is ready to deploy. Conservative
estimates are that the new F-35 won't be
operational for another six years, leading to what
CRS now estimates to be a 300-plane shortfall.
A
carrier group typically sails with 50 strike
fighters on board. If the F-18 inventory shortfall
climbs from 125 to 300, as the CRS now predicts,
then you have a shortage of six carrier groups
worth of jets.
Submitting a budget to Congress that simply ignores
an anticipated shortage of six aircraft carriers
worth of fighters, to put it mildly, is no way to
provide for fleet readiness.
Rendering our carrier strike groups unready for
deployment will leave America less capable of
defending ourselves and our allies against rogue
nations around the world. And, such a show of
weakness unnecessarily encourages adversaries to
test our will.
(Paul Rohrer of McLean, Va., served in the U.S.
Navy for more than four decades before retiring as
a Rear Admiral.)
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mishaps Point To Possible Problem For Hornets
(NAVY TIMES 19 AUG 09) ... Andrew Tilghman
The
Navy suffered two major mishaps involving F/A-18
Hornets in early August, both suggesting problems
with the jets’ airflow system and one resulting in
an engine fire.
Both mishaps prompted emergency landings after
indications of a failed bleed air system, which can
cause an engine fire or cut the cockpit’s oxygen
supply.
Lt.
Callie Ferrari, a Navy spokeswoman at the Pentagon,
said the mishaps were under investigation and it
was “premature to speculate” about whether the
mishaps were related or whether the Navy plans any
inspections. No injuries were reported.
The
bleed air system siphons compressed air from the
engine system and redirects it for uses that can
include pressurizing the cockpit or de-icing wings.
In
the first mishap, an F/A-18A+ Hornet made an
emergency landing in San Diego on Aug. 7 after the
cockpit’s control panel showed dual bleed air
warning lights.
The
plane, which was assigned to Strike Fighter
Squadron 204 based at Naval Air Station Joint
Reserve Base New Orleans, landed safely at Marine
Corps Air Station Miramar, said Lt. Adam Bashaw, a
spokesman for Naval Reserve Forces.
The
incident was initially listed as a Class A mishap,
meaning it resulted in more than $1 million in
damage. It was later downgraded to a Class B,
suggesting the repair costs will exceed $200,000,
Bashaw said.
The
nature of the damage and the cause of the
air-system warning remain under investigation,
Bashaw said.
F/A-18A+ Hornets are single-seat aircraft with an
upgraded radar system.
In
the second, an F/A-18F Super Hornet made an
emergency landing in central California on Aug. 13
after a fire erupted in the starboard engine, said
Lt. Glenn Sircy, a Navy spokesman with Naval Air
Forces, Pacific.
The
pilot’s control panel showed an engine fire and
also flashed a bleed air warning light, Sircy said.
The
plane landed safely at Naval Air Weapons Station
China Lake shortly before noon. It was assigned to
Strike Fighter Squadron 122, at Naval Air Station
Lemoore, Calif.
The
plane was conducting a familiarization flight,
Sircy said. VFA-122 is the West Coast’s fleet
replacement squadron for Super Hornets.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New Unmanned Helicopter To Go Into Active Duty
(10
NEWS (SAN DIEGO) 20 AUG 09)
SAN
DIEGO -- The newest addition to the military's
unmanned aerial arsenal is a pilotless helicopter
and, as 10News reporter Bob Lawrence found out, the
machine has a San Diego connection and is about to
go on active duty.
The
latest in military technology is an un-manned
helicopter called the Fire Scout. Developed by
Northrop-Grumman in San Diego, it is about to go to
sea on the war on drugs.
Unmanned aerial vehicles aren't new but what makes
this 22-foot-long, 9-foot-high UAV different is
that it's a helicopter and it doesn't require a
pilot to fly it.
"The mission is pre-programmed into the aircraft
and it flies the mission," John VanBrabant of
Northrop-Grumman said. "It takes off, flies the
mission and lands automatically."
Operators can override the program and change the
flight if called for.
The
Fire Scout is assembled at a plant in Moss Point,
Miss., but critical componant testing is done
locally at the facility in Rancho Bernardo.
VanBrabant said, "One of the key concepts behind
Fire Scout is that a commander doesn't have to put
a large aircraft or pilot in the air to do the same
job."
Navy surface ships usually deploy with a
detatchment of SH-60 or MH-60 helicopters. What
Northrop-Grumman and the Navy intend to find out is
if Fire Scout -- which will ultimately be placed on
the Navy's newest ship, the LCS, or Littoral Combat
Ship -- can do mundane things so pilots don't have
to.
"It's that dull mission in the middle of the night
where you have to watch a piece of the ocean or a
mountain pass where you don't necessarily need an
F-18 or a manned helicopter just circling,"
VanBrabant said.
The
Fire Scout can fly 110 miles from a ship and stay
circling for five hours while sending back
real-time information.
While the Navy's version at the moment isn't armed
the Army is looking at taking one into the field
that definitely packs a punch.
For
now, Fire Scout will be aboard the USS McInerney
when it deploys for a counter-drug mission in the
Caribbean in about a month.
The
deployment in October will be critical for the
company. How it performs and what it's able to see
and do may determine just how many versions are
ordered.
From TheStrategyPage
Rebuilding Carriers
July 8, 2009: The USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz class
carrier, just completed its mid-life refueling and
overhaul. This is a three year process, and cost $3
billion. Part of that involved reloading the
nuclear reactors, which requires dismantling part
of the ship, as does many of the upgrades and
replacements done to electrical and mechanical
systems. In effect, the ship is largely rebuilt,
enabling it to serve for another 25 years.
The Vinson entered service in 1982, and is
scheduled to
retire in
2032. But this isn't the only time a Nimitz
undergoes scheduled shipyard maintenance. During a
half century of service, there are three other
trips to
the dry dock, and a dozen other shorter stays in
the shipyard. But the midlife work is the most
expensive, and takes the longest. All this is
necessary to keep the carrier up to date in terms
of technology, and deal with wear and tear. Other
warships undergo similar periods of maintenance,
but the nuclear boats all require the mid-life
refueling. However, a new generation of naval
reactors do not require a complex midlife
refueling. These reactors are already being used in
the Seawolf and Virginia class subs, as well as the
new Ford class carriers.
AND ----------
Northrop To Overhaul
Carrier Roosevelt For $2.4B
(NORFOLK VIRGINIAN-PILOT 27
AUG 09) ... Robert McCabe
The Navy has awarded Northrop
Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News a $2.4 billion
contract for a major overhaul of the Theodore
Roosevelt, a nuclear-powered carrier.
The work includes the
re-fueling of the ship's reactors, as well as
extensive modernization work to more than 2,300
compartments, 600 tanks and hundreds of systems.
In addition, major upgrades
will be made to the flight deck, catapults, combat
systems and the carrier's "island."
"During this large and complex
project, we'll touch almost every part of the
ship," said Jim Hughes, Northrop Grumman
Shipbuilding's vice president of aircraft carrier
overhaul and fleet support.
The "refueling and complex
overhaul" is performed once in a carrier's life
span. The process is intended to extend the life of
a carrier by 25 years, to its 50-year mark.
The Roosevelt is the fourth
ship in the Nimitz class to undergo such an
overhaul. Built by Northrop Grumman, it was
launched in 1984 and delivered to the Navy in 1986.
The Roosevelt is scheduled to
arrive at the shipyard this month.
Work is expected to be
completed by February 2013.
AND…………….
USS Theodore Roosevelt
Transitions to Newport News Shipyard for Complex
Overhaul
Story Number: NNS090901-18
9/1/2009
By Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Nathan L. Lockwood, USS
Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS
Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) made the move
across the James River Aug. 29 to Northrop Grumman
Shipbuilding in Newport News to begin the aircraft
carrier's scheduled Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH).
During the "dead-stick" move, Sailors on the ship's
bridge maneuvered the ship while it was moved by
tugs en route to a dry-dock at the shipyard where
it was built and commissioned nearly 25 years ago.
"RCOH is an important process for the life-span of
the ship that will require the combined efforts of
the shipyard and the Sailors to finish on time,"
said TR's commanding officer, Capt. Ladd Wheeler.
"I am confident that the 'Big Stick' will complete
this yard period safely and efficiently and return
to the fleet in the coming years ready for full
service."
A multi-year overhaul, RCOH involves the
alterations, repair, maintenance, and refueling of
the aircraft carrier. The RCOH enables the ship to
meet future mission and continue service life
requirements for approximately the next 25 years.
USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth Nimitz-class
aircraft carrier to participate in the RCOH at
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding.
Shortly after returning to Naval Station Norfolk on
April 18, the ship began the process of preparing
the ship for the transit to Newport News. This
included making cuts in the ship's hull to
accommodate removal and replacement of major ship
components.
TR, along with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8
and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, completed a
seven-and-a-half month deployment in April during
which they deployed to the Gulf of Oman in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship also made a
historic visit to Cape Town, South Africa, and a
port call in Portsmouth, England.
After successful completion of all mission
requirements Theodore Roosevelt arrived at Naval
Station Norfolk on May 30 and began the transition
period from an operational front-line, surge
capable aircraft carrier into a complex maintenance
period where just about every space will undergo
refurbishment to sustain the next 25 years of
service. Referred to as the "Smart Start" period,
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and other maintenance
activities were able to get a jump start and
prepare TR for entering drydock.
"The Smart Start period allowed the crew and the
shipyard to begin building the foundation work on a
successful RCOH," according to Cmdr. Gunter Braun,
TR's chief engineer. "Based on the results the
foundation for success is well-rooted."
Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class aircraft
carrier, was commissioned Oct. 25, 1986. The
1,092-foot ship weighs 101,000 tons and carries a
crew of approximately 3,200.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Next Naval Aviation Revolution
July 15, 2009: The U.S. Navy is hard at work
preparing its X-47B unmanned carrier aircraft, for
carrier operations. The new UAV is being put
together using, literally, some proven components.
This includes the tail hook from the retired F-14,
the same tires used on the retired S-3, the brakes
used on the F-18 and generators used in the F-22.
The X-47B weighs the same as the F-18. The navy
plans to use the X-47B for reconnaissance,
surveillance and targeting. But it also has two
internal bays holding two tons of smart bombs. Many
naval officers believe that eventually, once it
proves it can operate off a carrier, the X-47B will
be used for a lot of bombing. Sort of a
super-Predator. The navy has been impressed with
the success of the Predator. The 15 ton X-47B has a
wingspan of 62 feet (whose outer 15 foot portions
fold up to save space on the carrier). It uses a
F100-PW-220 engine, which is currently used in the
F-16 and F-15.
Many naval aviators have noted how a few UAVs can
maintain 24/7 observation over a lot of real
estate. That's persistent observation, and it is a
big advantage in combat. The submarine and surface
warfare communities in the navy are eager to get
that. The marines were already seeing persistence
in action, when they served in Iraq and
Afghanistan. The submariners liked the idea of long
range, persistent, UAVs scouting way ahead for
them. Then there is the prospect of one-way UAVs
that could be launched from a torpedo tube.
Suddenly, with UAVs, there are all manner of new
possibilities. But it was the carrier community
that finally saw the future. The persistent, much
longer ranged, UAVs can keep carriers safer, and
enable carrier aviation to strike targets much
farther away.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Navy rolled out the
X-47B, its first combat UAV (or UCAS, for Joint
Unmanned Combat Aerial System). This is part of a
six year long, $636 million contract to build and
test two X-47B aircraft. The test program calls for
first flight later this year, and first carrier
operations by 2011. The navy believes that, with
aerial refueling, a X-47B can stay aloft for fifty
hours. With internal fuel, it can go 2,700
kilometers and return to its carrier. This greatly
expands the reconnaissance capability of a carrier.
Five years ago, the X-47A UCAV made its first
flight. Development of this aircraft began in 2001.
The Air Force was also testing the X-45 UCAV, which
also had a naval version (the X-46). The X-45
program began in 1999, and the eight ton (max
takeoff weight, with two ton payload) aircraft was
ready for operational tests in 2006. The X-46 has a
different wing layout, and a range of 1,100
kilometers, carrying a payload of two tons. The
X-47A also has a two ton payload and a range of
1,600 kilometers. Unlike the X-45, which is built
to be stored for long periods, the X-47A was built
for sustained use aboard a carrier. All of these
aircraft are very stealthy and can operate
completely on their own (including landing and
takeoff, under software control). The UCAVs would
also be used for dangerous missions, like
destroying enemy air defenses, and reconnaissance
where enemy air defenses were strong.
The navy has developed auto-pilot software for
landing the X-47B on a carrier. In over 10,000
simulations, under a wide variety of sea and wind
conditions, the software has never failed to get
the X-47B safely down. This is the same simulation
software used to test changes to manned aircraft,
and has proven very realistic in predicting the
performance of the F-18. The navy is confident that
the X-47B will be successfully taking off and
landing on carriers within two years.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Raytheon Gets Nearly $19M US Navy Order
(ASSOCIATED PRESS 27 AUG 09)
WASHINGTON -- A unit of Raytheon Co. received a
nearly $19 million order from the Navy to buy 38
radar upgrade kits for F/A-18D aircraft used by the
Marine Corps, the Pentagon said late Wednesday.
Work will be performed in Forest, Miss.; El
Segundo, Calif.; and other locations. It is
expected to be completed by March 2012.
Shares of the Waltham, Mass., company rose 7 cents
to $47.67 in midday trading Thursday.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TEXAN to Whiting
Whiting Welcomes New Training Planes
New
Generation Of Training Craft Is Christened
(PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL 28 AUG 09) ... Louis Cooper
Because
cracked champagne bottles leave marks, streams of water
from two fire trucks christened the arrival of the
Navy's newest generation of training aircraft at
Whiting Field Naval Air Station on Thursday.
Whiting's Training Air Wing 5 took delivery of its
first two T-6B Texan II training aircraft, which will
replace the T-34 Turbo Mentor. The Navy has used the
older craft since 1978.
About
200 people gathered at a hangar to welcome the new
arrivals. The new planes cost $5.5 million each.
"Modern
aerial combat is a very complex business" said Rear
Adm. Mark Guadagnini, chief of the Naval Air Training
Command. "There are systems that come from space. There
are systems that come from off-board. ... And there are
systems onboard the airplanes that are unlike any that
have been flown before.
"To
operate those systems to their fullest advantage, you
need to train correctly. That's what the T-6 brings us.
It brings us a digital cockpit."
The new
systems will be more familiar to a generation of pilots
who grew up with home computers and iPods, he said.
U.S.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Dave Hoten piloted one of the two
planes. He was trained on the older model.
"They're both really good airplanes," Hoten said. "The
new plane has a digital avionics package that is more
like commercial airliners and fleet aircraft of today,
whereas the old airplane has round gauges, steam
gauges, and older technology. This brings up the
training aspect to the digital age."
Marine
Col. John Walsh, commodore of Training Air Wing 5, was
excited to get the new planes. He pointed out that the
T-34 in which he trained at Whiting in 1987 is still in
use today.
"You
can see around here we're not big fans of the Cash for
Clunkers program," Walsh said, drawing laughter from
the crowd. "We like to keep things flying around here.
The taxpayers buy stuff for us, we take good care of it
and we put it to good use. That T-34 is getting pretty
darn old, obviously."
The new
plane flies at a maximum of 316 knots. The old one tops
out at 280 knots.
Whiting
will receive 156 planes by 2015, delivered in periodic
shipments. Student pilots will begin using the new
planes in April.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AFO
CNO Announces Flag
Officer Assignments
Story Number: NNS090828-13
Release Date: 8/28/2009 2:52:00 PM
Special release from the U.S. Department of Defense
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm.
Gary Roughead announced today the following
assignments:
Rear Adm. (lower half) Joseph P. Aucoin will be
assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group 3,
Bremerton, Wash. Aucoin is currently serving as deputy
director, Air Warfare Division, N88B, Office of the
Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
Rear Admiral Joseph P. Aucoin
Deputy Director, Air Warfare (N88B)
 Rear
Admiral Joseph P. Aucoin graduated from North Carolina
State University with a bachelor of Science in
Electrical Engineering and received his commission
through the University of North Carolina NROTC program
in 1980. He was designated a naval flight officer in
1981 and reported to Fighter Squadron (VF) 101 for
initial training in the F-14 Tomcat.
Aucoin served in VF-33 “Tarsiers” embarked aboard USS
America (CV 66), VF-101 as an instructor, VF-84
“Jolly Rogers” embarked aboard USS Nimitz (CVN
68) and VF-41 “Black Aces” embarked aboard USS
Roosevelt (CVN 71). He served as Carrier Air Wing 8
operations officer embarked aboard Roosevelt
and returned to VF-41 as commanding officer embarked
aboard USS Kennedy (CV 67) and Roosevelt.
He commanded Carrier Air Wing 5 forward deployed in
Japan and embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV
63).
Ashore, he has served in the Program Planning and
Development Branch (N801), OPNAV Staff; Programming and
Budget Division (PBAD), J8, Joint Staff; Aviation
Strike Warfare Requirements (N880); Head, Program
Planning and Development Branch (N801); Head, Maritime,
Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Aviation Training Plans and
Programs (N882). Aucoin reported back to N88 in
September 2007 and is currently serving as deputy
director, Air Warfare (N88B).
Aucoin has accumulated more than 4700 hours and more
than 1300 carrier arrested landings. His personal
awards include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit,
the Distinguished Flying Cross with V and Bronze Stars.
He is an Arthur S. Moreau Scholar and holds masters
degrees in Public Administration from Harvard
University and in National Security Studies and
Strategic Affairs from the Naval War College.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Joseph P. Mulloy will be
assigned as director, Office of Budget, Office of the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial
Management and Comptroller/director, Fiscal Management
Division, N82, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations,
Washington, D.C. Mulloy is currently assigned as
director, Programming Division, N80, Office of the
Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. (SWO)
Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark A. Vance, who has been
selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be
assigned as director, Programming Division, N80, Office
of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
Vance is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike
Group 3, Bremerton, Wash.
Rear Admiral Mark A. Vance
Commander, Carrier Strike Group 3
Commander, John C. Stennis Strike Group
 A
native of Billings, Mont., Rear Admiral Mark Vance
graduated from the University of Idaho in May 1980. In
1981 he received his Naval Flight Officer wings and
reported to Fighter Squadron 101 for training in the
F-14 Tomcat. He has earned graduate degrees in Systems
Management from the University of Southern California
in 1988, and the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. in
2001.
Vance’s fleet assignments include deployments from both
coasts in Fighter Squadron 84 embarked aboard USS
Nimitz (CVN 68); Fighter Squadron 154 embarked
aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) and USS
Independence (CV 62); commanding officer, Fighter
Squadron 11 embarked aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN
70) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), and
commander, Carrier Air Wing 3 embarked aboard USS
Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during Operation Iraqi
Freedom. Vance’s shore assignments include Air Test
and Evaluation Squadron 4 in Point Mugu, Calif., Naval
Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nev., U.S.
Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo., air
operations officer for Commander, 2nd Fleet and chief
of staff for Commander, 5th Fleet.
In December 2005, Vance reported as deputy director of
Deep Blue. In March 2006, he assumed duties as acting
director of Deep Blue. Vance served as associate
director, Assessment Division (N81D) from November 2006
through September 2008. He assumed duties as commander,
Carrier Strike Group 3 and commander, John C. Stennis
Strike Group in September 2008.
Vance’s awards include the Legion of Merit (4), Bronze
Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious
Service Medal (2), Air Medal (3) with Combat “V”,
Strike/Fight Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation Medal (2) with Combat “V”, Navy and Marine
Corps Achievement Medal (2) and various other campaign
and service awards. Vance is the recipient of the Tail
Hooker of the year award for 2004. He has accumulated
over 4000 accident-free hours in various Navy jets,
including over 3,500 hours in the F-14 Tomcat.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard C. Vinci will be
assigned as chief, Navy Dental Corps/deputy chief of
staff for installations and logistics, M4, Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery, Washington, D.C. Vinci is
currently serving as chief, Navy Dental
Corps/commander, Navy Medicine Support Command,
Jacksonville, Fla.
Capt. David B. Woods, who has been selected for
promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be
assigned as director, Strategy and Policy Division,
N51, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations,
Washington, D.C. Woods is currently serving as head of
strategic planning for Navy Quadrennial Defense Review,
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington,
D.C.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Calling F-35 Vital, Gates
Assures Lockheed Of Military's Backing
(FORT
WORTH STAR TELEGRAM 01 SEP 09)
FORT
WORTH — Right on cue, an F-35 roared over Lockheed
Martin on Monday morning, just as Defense Secretary
Robert Gates delivered what might have been his
strongest endorsement yet of the joint strike fighter.
"The
F-35 is the core of our combat tactical aircraft in the
future," Gates said while standing in a hangar in front
of a newly built F-35 Lightning II. "My view is we
cannot afford as a nation not to have this airplane."
Gates,
who has summarily canceled more than a few weapons
programs for cost overruns and extensive delays,
arrived at the plant with thousands of employees
awaiting his judgment on whether the F-35 program is
worth the escalating price in a time of worsening
budget pressures.
His
visit to the mile-long plant — the spot where B-24
Liberators to F-16 Fighting Falcons have been assembled
since the 1940s — was the first for a defense secretary
since Donald Rumsfeld made in appearance in 1976,
during the Ford administration.
Gates’
visit was significant to M.L. Smith, a 30-year mechanic
at the facility and representative in the International
Association of Machinists, and not just because he was
asked to explain the integrated power package to him.
"It
signals to the people on this line that our government
is backing the JSF," Smith said.
Led on
the factory tour by F-35 program general manager Dan
Crowley, Gates was accompanied by Defense
Undersecretary Ashton Carter, Lockheed CEO Robert
Stevens, Lockheed Executive Vice President Ralph Heath
and Marine Maj. Gen. David Heinz, the program’s
executive officer.
Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract in 2001 to
develop and produce the military’s next workhorse
fighter/bomber.
The
Pentagon intends to eventually buy more than 2,500 of
the airplanes — for close to $300 billion — and field
slightly different versions for the Air Force, Navy and
Marines. Lockheed Martin is also counting on hundreds
more sales to foreign nations.
Gates,
who became defense secretary under President George W.
Bush in December 2006, pushed to end production of the
F-22 Raptor, also built by Lockheed Martin. He has long
been a fan of the F-35, which he pointedly said would
be "less than half the price" of the F-22 when it goes
to full production.
"The
importance of this program can hardly be overstated,"
Gates said. "I’m heartened by what I’ve seen this
morning, especially by the commitment of the people
involved in putting this airplane together."
The
program is about two years behind schedule, and
development has cost several billion dollars more than
first anticipated. This year’s schedule of flight tests
is also running several months behind.
Jon
Beesley, Lockheed Martin’s chief test pilot, said the
delays are minor in a program of the F-35’s scope.
"You’d
always like to be ahead," Beesley said. "But when you
step back and look at it from a programmatic view,
we’re still in a position to execute the program."
Gates
did not express concern Monday, saying that he has "a
good deal of confidence in the leadership here" and
that "virtually every modern tactical aircraft has had
its challenges in development."
He said
plans remain on track to establish an Air Force
training squadron in 2011 and a Marine squadron in
2012.
"My
impression is that most of the high-risk elements
associated with this developmental program are largely
behind us," he said. "I can’t stand here and say there
won’t be further cost growth or anything like that, but
I think everybody is aware of the importance both of
the timelines and the execution of this program to keep
the cost as low as possible."
About
7,000 employees work on the F-35 in Fort Worth,
although that number will grow as the plane moves into
full production. By 2016, Lockheed Martin intends to
build one airplane a day.
Steve
Nelson, associate manager of the forward fuselage team,
also talked to Gates on Monday, demonstrating for him
the accessibility of the components and the
improvements in the cockpit compared with the F-16.
"His
visit tells me he’s interested in the product," Nelson
said.
Despite
his strong endorsement of the F-35 program, Gates
reiterated his opposition to development of an
alternative engine, saying it would add billions of
dollars in costs and further delays.
Some on
Capitol Hill have been pushing for development of a
General Electric and Rolls-Royce engine to serve as an
alternative to the current Pratt & Whitney engine.
"At
this point, where we’re trying to count every dollar . . .
we feel strongly that there is not a need for a second
engine," he said. "The Hill has been informed that the
president’s advisers would recommend a veto if that’s
in the bill."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Navy Discussing 2014 IOC For Joint Strike Fighter
Carrier Variant
(INSIDE
THE NAVY 31 AUG 09) ... Dan Taylor
There
are discussions among Navy leadership about shaving a
full year off the initial operational capability date
for the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter, from 2015 to 2014, according to a source
familiar with the JSF program.
“Nothing is definite, but there are discussions,” the
source said.
Moving
the IOC to the left for the F-35C would likely involve
a change in the definition of IOC, he said. For
example, if the IOC were defined as four squadrons
deployed, officials might decide they may only need one
squadron on a ship initially, which could be achieved
sooner, he said. “No one’s talked about changing
deliveries or any change to the program,” he said. “But
in general, it’s when you have enough planes and they
have enough capability you could go to war with them.”
The
source added that the discussions could “live and die
all in one breath,” but if the chief of naval
operations signs off on it, the Navy would have a JSF
on a carrier deck at its disposal sooner. Requirements
officials still have to hash out exactly what the new
IOC would look like and whether such a move would be
realistic, he said.
“Some
might say all you need is one squadron, some might say
three squadrons,” he said. “Someone over in the
Pentagon and Navy leadership is exploring the
possibility.”
If such
a move were to happen, it would be good news for a
program that has been challenged by delays and cost
increases across all three variants throughout the
JSF’s development. With a looming strike fighter
shortfall in the next decade, the Navy is depending on
both the Marine Corps and Navy variants of the JSF to
stay on time, and even reach the fleet early if
possible. Officials have said that any delay to JSF
would exacerbate the shortfall.
The
Pentagon’s JSF Joint Estimate Team will meet with
manufacturer Lockheed Martin in the fall to address key
concerns about the program. Last year’s JET report
projected the aircraft would face an additional two
years of schedule delay.
In
July, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics unveiled the first
F-35C test aircraft, CF-1, at its headquarters in Fort
Worth, TX.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
E-6B Mercury Aircraft To Undergo
Refit
(UPI 31 AUG 09)
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --
The U.S Defense Department announced plans to begin a
refit program for the Navy's E-6B Mercury airborne
strategic command aircraft.
The E-6B aircraft, operated by the
Strategic Communications Wing One at Tinker Air Force
Base in Oklahoma, will undergo upgrades from the 566th
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the Air Force reported.
As part of the refit program, the
566th squadron will inspect and replace up to 15,000
fasteners on 16 of the Navy's Boeing-made E-6B
aircraft. Officials say the refit is designed to extend
the life of the aircraft by two decades.
"That's the extent of the program,
but it's very labor intensive," Bill Cain, 566th
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron deputy director, said in
a statement.
"It will require an incredible
amount of hand work to replace virtually all the wing
skin fasteners."
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Enterprise Completes Second Phase Of Crew
Certification
(NAVY.MIL
02 SEP 09) ... Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class
Jeffrey Willadsen
NEWPORT
NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- The crew of the nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) passed phase
two of the Crew Certification Process (Crew Cert) Sept.
1 in preparation for getting the ship out of the
shipyards and back underway.
The
purpose of Crew Cert is to ensure the ship's Sailors
are knowledgeable of the fundamentals of shipboard life
and have a baseline level of knowledge that can be
applied across all ratings.
"Crew
Cert is designed to make sure that all hands can play
their significant roles in getting this warship out of
the yards and back into the fight where she belongs,"
said Chief Operations Specialist (SW/SS) Brian Wemmerus,
Enterprise Training Department's leading chief petty
officer.
The
test is a series of examinations, both written and
oral, designed to assess the crew's ability to fight
and protect the ship. The topics vary widely but cover
all aspects of the ship's daily and emergency
functions, including maintenance, damage control,
navigation, operations, and watchstanding.
Crew
Cert consists of three phases, the first of which was
completed in July. Phase two contains some of Crew
Cert's most important segments including grading items
such as developing the ship's training plans,
watchstander interviews in a wide variety of positions,
administrative audits of the Standard Organization and
Regulations Manual, watch, quarter and station bill,
rules of the nautical road testing for appropriate
watchstanders, flight-deck handling procedures; and
auxiliary engineering practices.
"Phase
three is scheduled during fast cruise to test the
ship's abilities in a simulated underway environment,"
said Wemmerus. "The whole purpose of the process is the
gradual buildup of skill sets that are degraded by this
time in the shipyard and to get everyone back up to
speed."
The
certification is geared toward ensuring that all
Sailors are able to demonstrate their capability to
respond to dangers in different scenarios.
"Crew
Certification affects every Sailor aboard," said
Wemmerus. "All Enterprise Sailors played a vital role
in our success."
Enterprise is currently undergoing a maintenance period
in the Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard and
training to maintain proficiency in preparation to
return to the fleet.
Return to index
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ASN I&E
BJ Penn
Retires After More than Four Decades of Service
Release Date: 9/3/2009 4:45:00 PM
By Lt. j.g. Laura Stegherr, Navy
Office of Information
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The assistant
secretary of the Navy for installations and environment
(ASN I&E), retired from civilian service Sept. 3 after
more than four years as the leader of the Department of
the Navy's shore establishment and three months as
acting secretary of the Navy.
BJ Penn, ASN I&E credits his previous three decades for
his success.
Penn's journey began as a seaman recruit when he
enlisted in the Navy in 1961. He went on to earn his
wings as a naval aviator, serve as both the executive
officer and commanding officer of VAQ-33 and as air
boss on the USS America.
"Every aviator wants to then be the commander officer
of an aircraft carrier," said Penn. "However, I didn't
screen for a carrier, I got Naval Air Station North
Island, which was phenomenal, because at the time it
was the Navy's largest air station. Everything I did
during my time at the air station is what prepared me
so greatly for this job."
During his tenure as ASN (I&E), Penn was responsible
for the management of the Department's shore
infrastructure, which encompasses 102 installations and
72,500 facilities valued at over $215 billion. This
position carried with it several new and complex
responsibilities - ensuring the Department was
environmentally compliant, energy efficient, and was
supported by a force with a high quality of life.
"To relocate forces to Guam, we are doing 85 different
environmental studies," said Penn. "It's going to take
us about three years at a major cost. But we have to do
the right thing – if we don't take care of the
environment, we are doing ourselves a disservice as
well as the rest of the world."
Penn also noted how the Department's mission is
expanding with the DoN's efforts as a leader in energy
efficiency.
"We are striving to green the Navy. All of our new
construction projects are going to be green, LEED
certified buildings. The result in cost savings and for
the environment will be unbelievable."
Above all, Penn emphasized that the quality of life for
Sailors and Marines is the most important part of his
job.
"I was just in Miramar a month or so ago looking at the
new private-public venture housing, which is fantastic.
With our Homeport Ashore Program, we've opened up
apartments for Sailors in San Diego, and we're building
36 new barracks for the Marines over the next few
years. That is what we are doing for our people, and I
think that's the right thing to do."
In an award ceremony for Penn Aug. 31 at the Navy
Memorial, Vice Adm. Michael Loose, deputy chief of
Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics,
praised Penn's leadership and his contributions to the
Navy.
"You leave a legacy of being a phenomenal and
inspirational teacher, coach, mentor and team builder
who would selflessly do anything for a shipmate or a
friend," said Loose. "You did what you said you would
do – you not only visited every single one of the
Navy's and Marine Corps' 102 bases, but you made a
significant impact on the people you visited. And from
every one of those visits, you brought back the issues
that meant the most to our Sailors, Marines and their
families."
Looking back at his life, Penn reflected that his time
in the Navy has truly been an incredible journey. "If
you want to make it, you certainly can in the Navy.
Every day I pinch myself. Where else can a kid from
Peru, Indiana come in as an E-1 in the Navy, fulfill a
childhood dream of flying jets, serve with the best
people in the world and even act as the Secretary of
the Navy? It's truly the American dream."
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