Marine Air

[buglerbilly]

Corps’ first armed tanker supports grunts

Weaponized Hercules trolls Afghan skies

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer

Posted : Saturday Jan 29, 2011 8:52:47 EST


Sgt. Deanne Hurla / Marine Corps
The first and only KC-130J Harvest Hawk in Afghanistan sits on the flightline at Forward Operating Base Dwyer for routine maintenance.

The Marine Corps now has a KC-130J Hercules tanker trolling the skies over southern Afghanistan — armed to the teeth. Just three months into its first deployment it is already credited with saving lives on the ground and providing invaluable intelligence.

The modified Hercules arrived in October, equipped with a “Harvest Hawk” kit with missiles and high-tech infrared sensors and electronics to fly extended close-air support missions in southern Afghanistan. That includes the contested Sangin Valley, where officials say the aircraft helped locate improvised explosive devices before they were detonated against Marine targets.

The Herc is the first of three airplanes with San Diego-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 to be fitted with the Harvest Hawk kit. The kit, designed as a roll-on/roll-off weapon system, includes a pod attached to the left wing that can carry four Hellfire missiles, a rear-ramp launcher for 10 Griffin precision-guided missiles and a fire-control console the aircrew uses to track and hit targets. Aircrews can even share live video with ground units. Officials would also like to add a 30mm cannon to the mix.

The modifications give the Hercules, built and used for traditional aerial refueling and transport missions, an expanded battlefield role.

“The feedback has been extremely positive,” said Lt. Col. J. Mark “Moose” Evans, VMGR-352 squadron commander, in an interview at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. “It’s persistent. It can carry a lot of munitions.”

Two more aircraft will be equipped with the kit and should be ready to deploy overseas by summer. These are the first of 15 Hercs — three each at the Marine Corps’ active-duty VMGR squadrons — that have Harvest Hawk kits.

More punch

The 30mm cannon would be similar to what the Corps eyed for the likely-to-be-cancelled Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, said Maj. Rich Roberts, a pilot and the KC-130 requirements officer at Marine Corps Headquarters at the Pentagon. One issue still under review is the modularity of the cannon, like the roll-on/roll-off capability of the Harvest Hawk kit. The Corps prefers a weapon system for its Hercs that is not a permanent modification, Roberts said.

In Afghanistan, Harvest Hawk has remained a Marine air-ground task force asset, giving I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) a ready, armed tanker it can use to support its forces in the region.

A favorite mission is escorting ground patrols, said Maj. Pete Munson, VMGR-352’s executive officer, recently deployed to Afghanistan as the detachment officer-in-charge. Marines “are really happy that we are watching them for the entire patrol,” Munson said.

[buglerbilly]

USMC Harriers, Hornets and Hueys May Do EW



While the Navy is replacing its aging EA-6B Prowlers electronic warfare (EW) jets with brand new EA-18G Growlers the Marine Corps is hoping to outfit its F/A-18 Hornets and AV-8B Harriers with new electronic jammers.

The Intrepid Tiger II is the Corps’ homegrown jammer meant to disrupt IED radio detonators and intercept enemy communications. Best of all, it can be controlled by pilots or ground troops. Next month, the Marines will test out the system on a Harrier and hope to have it in Afghanistan by November, according to Marine Corps Times.

No, the Intrepid Tiget II probably won’t make Harriers and Hornets compete with Growlers and Prowlers in terms of high-end EW ability. However, the pod might be a great solution to a relatively low-end threat that’s constantly evolving. And who knows, it may spur further innovation that could be applied in high-end EW.

The Marines hope to someday put the jammer — which is about the size of an AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) — on UH-1 and AH-1 helos and are even testing a smaller version of the device on the RQ-7 Shadow UAV. Intrepid Tiger II is based on the Corps’ Intrepid Tiger I “communications pod” that was fielded around 2007 after less than a year of testing. (Note, that pod, officially called the AN⁄ALQ-228 (V) 1, might already give Harriers and Hornets some EW ability.)

The coolest thing about the Intrepid Tiger II is that it may represent a shift toward quickly developed technologies that can be easily upgraded and don’t require decades of development and billions of dollars to field.

From Marine Corps Times:


The Corps wants a system in which several inexpensive network pods covering different frequencies assume the electronic attack role.

Intrepid Tiger II has a open architecture, is fully reprogrammable and can operate over a far greater frequency range, Schuette said.

The pod also can be networked to form a distributed electronic attack “systems of systems,” meaning it can work in tandem with other pods to cover different frequencies and form a cohesive means to tackle multiple threats.

It can be controlled by a pilot or by Marine ground forces using laptop computers, said Lt. Col. Robert Kudelko, a Marine airborne EW requirements officer. Eventually, Marine officials said they hope to control the pod from a hand-held device.

In the future, upgrades and modifications should be possible without having to retest everything from scratch. If the Corps gets its way, the pod could be updated in less than two years. That’s important because modern enemies adapt quickly, Schuette said.

An individual pod costs less than $600,000, he said, and the total program cost is less than $20 million.

Read more: http://defensetech.org/2011/09/13/usmc-harriers-hornets-and-hueys-may-do-ew/#ixzz1XtPzwgeD
Defense.org

[buglerbilly]

MV-22 faces budget cuts, says USMC aviation chief

Stephen Trimble Washington DC

4 hours ago

Source: Flight Global

The US Marine Corps' top aviation official has confirmed the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey is one target of budget reduction proposals now under review.

So far, there have been proposals to reduce MV-22 purchases by between six and 24 aircraft during the next five years, said Lt Gen Terry Robling, the USMC's deputy commandant for aviation.

The Marines had hoped to buy 122 aircraft over a five-year period starting in fiscal year 2014. Bell Boeing, the contractor, would receive a lump-sum contract for all 122 aircraft and, in return, would reduce the price by 10%.

If the proposed cuts are accepted, the five-year total will drop to between 98 and 116. At those levels, Bell Boeing can still meet the 10% price cut, allowing the Marines to sign a multi-year deal, Robling said.


© US Navy

However, Robling added that the Marines are concerned the Department of Defense could cut the MV-22 procurement account even deeper. Reducing the five-year total below 98 aircraft could make it impossible for the contractors to offer the 10% discount, he said.

If the multi-year deal is not signed, the USMC would have to buy its MV-22s on an annual basis instead, which would expose the programme to potential budget changes every year.

The MV-22 is entering a period of budget uncertainty, even as programme officials claim the aircraft has "turned a corner" on several of its most vexing problems.

The tiltrotor's safety record has been of no serious concern for several years, but its operational costs have been criticised by lawmakers.

The MV-22's cost per flight hour had hovered as high as $12,000 until about eight months ago, Robling said. However, the cost has since dropped to about $9,000 per hour, with a monthly, fleet-wide average low of $7,500, he added.

[buglerbilly]

F-22s for the Marine Corps?

By John Reed Friday, September 30th, 2011 10:04 am



Yes, you read it correctly, Marines flying F-22s. One Marine aviator is making the case for just that.

Writing in this month’s Marine Corps Gazette, Maj. Chrisopher Cannon, argues that it’s time the Corps begins looking at a plan B for the short take-off and vertical landing B-model– which has suffered numerous cost and schedule delays and was placed on a two year probation by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates last spring. Keep in mind that the plane is making considerable flight test progress and that just yesterday, the Marines’ top aviation officer reiterated the Corps long-held stance that there is no plan B for the Bravo.

Still, it’s understandable to worry about the F-35B’s fate in a time of serious budget cuts. Many would simply suggest the Corps buy more F-35C carrier variant JSFs or invest in F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

However, Cannon argues that Marine Aviation officials should look at replacing the Bravo with a mix of low-end turboprop attack planes (similar to the one the Air Force is considering for its light attack mission) and 60 of the super high-end F-22 Raptors. This would give the Corps a light attack capability and a fighter that “dwarfs the F–35 in stealth, speed, survivability, deployability, and firepower” for less money than it would cost to buy the F-35B.

Here’s what he has to say about buying the Raptor:


On the high end, the Marine Corps could opt for the most capable AAW platform available, the F–22. Embracing an aircraft Congress recently voted to stop producing may seem like an extreme course of action, but it makes the most sense for the Marine Corps for several reasons. First, F–22s could be purchased now and would be cheaper initially and cost less to maintain than F–35s in the future. The current DoD plan is to buy 50 Marine Corps F–35B aircraft through 2016 at a cost of $9 billion, or $190 million per aircraft. In 2011, flyaway costs for the F–22 are a reported $150 million per aircraft. The U.S. Air Force estimates flying hour costs for the F–22 are $44,259 per hour. The 2008 GAO report estimated $33,000 per flying hour in a JSF aircraft. However, F–35B costs will likely be higher than A and C models. Additionally, the 2011 GAO update states that “current JSF life-cycle cost estimates are considerably higher than the legacy aircraft it will replace.” If their most recent estimate of $1 trillion in operations and support costs proves true, F–35 flying hour costs will exceed $50,000 an hour. In other words, using current estimates, total life cycle costs for every F–35 exceeds that of an F–22 by almost $100 million per plane. Certainly there would be a cost to restart the F–22 manufacturing base, but this expense is easily dwarfed by these F–35 life cycle costs.

Most significantly, the F–22 dwarfs the F–35 in stealth, speed, survivability, deployability, and firepower. With a more mature and more powerful active electronically scanned array radar, and with planned upgrades, the F–22 is a more credible and less risky investment to fulfill the VMAQ’s AEA mission. The F–22 also represents a better platform for AEA upgrades.

Significantly, this course of action would accept providing only 11 fifth-generation fighter-capable carriers. It may also require making inroads in positioning Marine F–22s in more expeditionary stations than those in Hawaii, Alaska, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida, and Virginia, where all F–22 aircraft are currently stationed. Forward postured Marine F–22s could provide the Nation with greater strategic reach than amphibious-based F–35Bs. With a supercruise speed of 1,220 miles per hour, an aerial refueled F–22 could make the 1,700-mile transit from Guam to Taiwan in less than 2 hours.

Future Marine Corps involvement with the F–22 program could include testing air-to-ground weapon loads on the four external 5,000-pound-rated hard points and incorporating some of the ambitious close air support-enabling avionics and software upgrades currently only planned in the F–35. In the future, this would provide the Marine Corps with the most capable, stealthy AAW fighter for day one of any campaign. In the latter days of a conflict, an upgraded F–22 could serve as our most efficient and effective OAS asset. With proper development, the same platform could serve as the MAGTF’s AEA asset; conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; or even provide control for other aircraft or missiles. This would be all at less cost than the F–35B and without the threat of cancellation looming the next 2 years.

A high/low plan B could focus on acquiring approximately 60 F–22 aircraft to replace 5 F/A–18D squadrons scheduled to begin decommissioning in FY14 and removed from service by FY20. These aircraft would provide more capability and cost less than the estimates for the F–35B. For the cost of one F–35B, the Marine Corps could acquire and support 10 counterinsurgency-focused aircraft with a 6-hour loiter time. Seven squadrons, each consisting of 14 OV–10-like aircraft, could provide AV–8B replacements, gap the STOVL requirement while waiting for technology to mature, and pass the savings on to the taxpayer as part of the Commander in Chief’s $40 billion a year in cuts. Other options are available at less risk than betting on F–35B continuation in the next 2 years. It is time for an F–35B plan B.

Here’s the entire article.

http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/article/f%E2%80%9335b-needs-plan-b

He mentions a lot of the counter arguments against buying F-22s in his article but still, I’ve got to wonder how much it will cost to upgrade the F-22s avionics and sensors with those found on the JSF. Furthermore, how well would the Raptor stand up to being stationed at those expeditionary sites mentioned by Cannon? Don’t forget that the tooling for F-22 long-lead parts is already being shut down as Lockheed gets ready to end production of the jet. There are more questions to be asked, so go wild with this one.

Read more: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/09/30/f-22s-for-the-marine-corps/#ixzz1ZSS1DHxl
DoDBuzz.com

[buglerbilly]

USMC Guarding Existing Aviation Programs

Oct 14, 2011

By Amy Butler
Washington



As Washington weighs cuts from $450 billion to as high as $1 trillion to defense spending in the coming years, the U.S. Marine Corps is not as focused on starting new projects as it is on trying to protect those aviation programs already in development and production.

This is a contrast to its sister services, which face an uphill battle securing funds for such new projects as the Air Force Common Vertical Lift Support Program (CVLSP) Huey replacement as well as the Army Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) helicopter.

This week, industry executives are expected at a major Army conference here to push senior service officials to proceed with a long-expected technology demonstration for the AAS, a Kiowa replacement. Conventional wisdom is that a program is harder to kill once money is spent on it; this makes executives anxious to get contracts signed.

Industry has been eager to compete for the CVLSP program, but Air Force officials have put the competition on hold indefinitely pending budget talks; this could be the latest failure in years’ worth of attempts to replace this nuclear-missile-field and executive-lift helicopter.

The Marine Corps’ aviation plan relies largely upon continued work on the F-35, which will replace its tactical attack fleet, and the V-22 tiltrotor, for transport.

The largest question looming for the Marines is the uncertain schedule behind the F-35B, which is now being tested onboard the USS Wasp (see p. 42).

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, commandant for aviation, says he hopes to declare initial operational capability (IOC) in 2015 if possible. IOC had been slated for 2012 but slipped to 2014, owing to delays in development. The Marine Corps Aviation Plan, signed last year, calls for 10 F-35Bs equipped with Block IIB software, six aircraft capable of austere and/or ship-based operations, and a flight envelope of 7g and 50-deg. angle of attack to declare IOC.

The sluggish short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) testing and delayed delivery of aircraft to the fleet prompted then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates to declare a two-year “probation” period for Stovl. If the B model cannot be “fixed or gotten back on track” in two years, “I believe it should be canceled,” Gates said in January. This put intense pressure on Lockheed Martin, and the company has substantially improved work on the Stovl aircraft. Since Gates’s departure, talk of a potential B-only termination related to technical problems has waned. “Unfortunately, we used the word ‘probation,’” Robling said. “Probation has this negative aura about it . . . But we looked at it as a time to work issues.”

Industry officials note that since Gates left office this summer, little has been said about probation. The Office of the Secretary of Defense never released specific metrics to outline whether the jet would pass or fail. Now it seems that the biggest challenge for the program is not just keeping F-35B alive, but keeping all variant order numbers as high as possible in light of customer countries facing major economic problems.

Robling says the Pentagon is hoping for a “1.5 ramp rate,” meaning that year-over-year 50% more F-35s are ordered and delivered to customers. A slower ramp rate, however, would require that customers either assume risk in their ability to execute missions on the time lines expected or further fund more upgrades to existing fleets.

The Marine Corps’ Harrier fleet is expected to last until 2024, he says. But, the service is in talks with the U.K. to purchase its aircraft for parts to keep the AV-8B flying until the F-35 enters service. Robling’s main concern for the Harrier fleet is parts obsolescence, especially for the avionics and mission computers. “As decided in the Strategic Defense and Security Review, Harrier aircraft will be disposed of through whatever means will get best value-for-money for the U.K. taxpayer while ensuring appropriate future use of the assets. Discussions about options for disposal are ongoing,” according to a British defense official. Robling also acknowledges talk of extending the service life by two years beyond 2024.

By contrast, Marines are planning to extend the lives of up to 50 of their F/A‑18 A-D aircraft in order to bridge the gap until the F-35 is fielded, Robling says.

The combined Navy and Marine Corps shortfall is about 150 fighters, with a peak of 65 Hornets short in 2018, says Capt. Brian Block, a Marine spokesman. “We are in a very tight situation . . . . We’ve got to ‘SLEP’ those aircraft,” Robling says of the need for a Service-Life Extension Program for the A-D models up to 10,000 hr.

Each SLEP is expected to require about one year. “In some cases you find more than you thought you were going to find,” Robling says. “Every aircraft you bring in is going to be a little different.”

Additionally, the Navy is leading an analysis to determine whether life extensions are needed on the newer F/A-18E/Fs, which are still rolling off Boeing’s St. Louis final assembly line.

While pushing hard to preserve plans for the transition to F-35, the Marines appear to grudgingly acquiesce that the rotorcraft plan could take a hit. A second multiyear proposal is on the table from Bell Boeing to sell 122 V-22s, including some CV-22 models for Air Force Special Operations Command. Such a multiyear buy must provide a 10% price reduction per standards set by Congress. And, once inked, it is very difficult to break; this means the buy could be protected from future budget cuts. Robling acknowledges that up to 24 airframes could be cut without jeopardizing the ability to achieve the savings target. “Hopefully, down the road I can buy them back.” Beyond that number, he suggests, the cost is more substantial. Though the buy could take longer than planned, he says the total number needed remains 360.

He adds that he is eyeing a larger multiyear buy with Bell that would incorporate the purchase of H-1s from Bell as well. The Navy is purchasing the AH-1Z attack helicopter as well as the UH-1Y lift and support rotorcraft. Such a deal could provide a stable, low price for both but it is “not so good for the department of the Navy, because then they can’t use that for bill payers down the road,” Robling says.

Negotiations would start on a multiyear next March.

Photo: US Navy

[buglerbilly]

USMC Helo Programs Could Help Pay for F-35

By DAVE MAJUMDAR

Published: 15 Nov 2011 12:48

As the U.S. defense budget begins to fall, the U.S. Marine Corps is struggling to balance its aviation portfolio in internal budget deliberations, one senior defense official said. Two programs that might suffer are the Marines' UH-1Y utility and AH-1Z attack helicopters.


The U.S. Marine Corps is fighting the proposal to truncate or slow down production of the UH-1N, above, and the AH-1W. (Marine Corps)

"The UH-1Y and AH-1Z programs are exceedingly successful," one senior defense official said. But "the [Department of the Navy] is looking to make them bill payers once again to help pay for [F-35B Joint Strike Fighter] overrun costs."

The Marines are fighting the proposal to truncate or slow down production of the two helicopters. The Marines' current fleet of the UH-1N and AH-1W helicopters, which were old before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are worn out from a decade of nearly continuous combat.

"They absolutely need to be replaced," said retired Marine Lt. Gen. George Trautman, who served as the service's deputy commandant for aviation. "The Marine Corps is not getting out of the attack helicopter business."

"It will be significantly important that we fund the entire program," the senior defense official said. "We do not get completely out for the AH-1W business as it stands now until fiscal year 19."

Trautman said that developing the Marines' aviation budget is a balancing act.

"You just have to balance your portfolio and over time you have to figure out how to manage the money that's available to get the Marine Corps what they believe they must have," he said. Trautman said that if the UH-1Y and AH-1Z program are cut, "it'll only be some trimming at the margins I'd suspect."

The Marines have the most ambitious aviation modernization plan of any of the U.S. services, said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group, Fairfax, Va.

"There is a real danger here that the DoD starts viewing that pot of cash as a complete entity and forcing the Marines to make tough decisions," he said. "It's been a long time since they've had to make tough decisions."

The cost overruns for the F-35B are too large to be taken from any single program; instead the more likely scenario is one where the JSF program has to absorb most its own costs within the program, Trautman said.

"That's not good for the Marine Corps either," Trautman said. "That could potentially mean a slip in delivery rates."

But the Marines must have 420 F-35s, Trautman said. "There is no give there," he said. "The pace they reach 420 is the only thing in question."

Overall, the Marines' aviation portfolio is in great shape, Trautman said.

"The Marine Corps is in a very positive situation right now, but it's in some ways a challenging situation," he said.

The Marines' aviation plan was always risky, Aboulafia said, and depended in many respects on the service's allies in Congress because most of its hardware is specific to the Marines. But the nation's tough financial situation could put the Marines in a tricky situation, he said.

"They were always dependent upon the pro-Marine lobby in Congress, but in a budget environment like this, there is a lot of risk," Aboulafia said.

All of the Marines' aviation programs are very healthy at the moment, Trautman said. The MV-22 program is doing very well three years into a five-year buy, therefore it is difficult to pull money from that program, he said.

The UH-1Y and AH-1Z is also doing well.

"But they're not in a multiyear, so that's one place where you can go to get a little bit of money, Trautman said.

Given the Marine's absolute need for an attack helicopter, the service's best option might be to delay the UH-1Y and try to stretch out whatever life remains in the UH-1N, Aboulafia said.

"This is yet another conflict between transformation and current capabilities," he said.

The Marines' CH-53K is another program where money can be shuffled from if there are more urgent priorities, but those are research and development funds, which doesn't necessarily translate into procurement dollars, Trautman said.

The Marines need all of the aircraft that it is developing or currently procuring, Trautman said. The service desperately needs the F-35B, UH-1Y, AH-1Z, MV-22 and CH-53K, he said.

"There is not a lot of flexibility in the Marine Corps aviation portfolio because a lot of money is tied up in platforms," Trautman said. "They are 100 percent committed to these platforms," he said.

[buglerbilly]

U.S. Marines Won't Fly Brit Harriers

By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS

Published: 17 Nov 2011 13:52

An official announcement could come within days of Britain's sale of its remaining Harrier jump jets to the U.S. Marine Corps, but sources are saying privately the purchase will be strictly for spare parts and logistic support, and not a move to increase the operational fleet.


A GR9 Harrier lands at RAF Cottesmore following a retirement ceremony in 2010. Britain retired its joint force of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Harrier aircraft late last year. (U.K. Ministry of Defence)

"We have no intent at any point to ever fly any of these" British jets, said one U.S. source.

The two-part deal was revealed Nov. 10 during a conference in New York, when Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich, chief of the U.S. Navy's Supply Corps, told attendees he had negotiated a $50 million deal to purchase the spare parts inventory from the British.

A separate deal, he said, was being negotiated by the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to acquire all 74 remaining GR Mark 9 and Mark 9A Harriers and their spare Rolls-Royce engines from the British.

Neither NAVAIR nor the British Ministry of Defence would officially comment on the negotiations, but sources on both sides of the Atlantic confirmed the deal was in the works.

Heinrich said the spare parts deal was worth $50 million, but no value for the larger aircraft and engine deal has been revealed.

One U.S. source, however, said that acquisition of the British aircraft and their spares could save the Marines up to $1 billion over the life of the fleet. The Marines plan to operate the AV-8B at least until 2025, when conversion to the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter is expected to be completed.

Britain retired its joint force of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Harrier aircraft late last year in one of the most controversial moves in a series of defense reductions, which also cut the aircraft carriers that operated the jets, other warships, maritime patrol planes and personnel.

British and U.S. Harrier II aircraft had a high degree of commonality from the beginning. The planes were developed and built in a joint arrangement between British Aerospace - now BAE Systems - and McDonnell Douglas, now a division of Boeing. While each company built its own wings, all forward sections of the British and American Harrier IIs were built by McDonnell in St. Louis, while British Aerospace built the fuselage sections aft of the cockpit.

"All the planes have to fit together," Lon Nordeen, a Harrier expert and author of several books about the aircraft, pointed out.

"There are significant differences between Royal Air Force GR Mark 9s and Marine AV-8Bs, which would be a challenge to overcome," Nordeen added. "However, the engines and spare parts would be very valuable for long-term sustainment of the Marine Corps Harrier fleet."

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps sources would not comment last week on media queries about their plans for the British jets, leading to speculation that the aircraft might be made operational.

[buglerbilly]

Osprey crew awarded medals in historic fight

December 16, 2011 6:06 PM

LINDELL KAY - DAILY NEWS STAFF


Four Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 — from left, Capt. Matthew Cave, Capt. Thomas Keech, Sgt. Justin Barfield-Smith and Cpl. John Cederholm — were awarded the Air Medal with combat distinguishing device for valor during a Friday afternoon ceremony in the VMM-264 hanger aboard New River Air Station.
Chuck Beckley/ The Daily News

Four Marines were awarded medals Friday for action taken during the first engagement of enemy forces by an MV-22B Osprey.

Capts. Thomas Keech and Matthew Cave, Sgt. Justin Barfield-Smith and Cpl. John Cederholm received the Air Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for Valor for actions during a June 12 mission.

After several ground missions failed to re-supply Marines fighting in the Sangin River Valley of Afghanistan, an Osprey was sent into the combat zone. The four-man crew of Keech, Cave, Barfield-Smith and Cederholm flew in with food, water, medical supplies and ammunition for the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, which had sustained heavy casualties throughout the day, according to award citations.

While unloading supply crates, the crew came under small arms and medium machine gun fire from Taliban forces. The pilots called in cover fire providing the crew enough time to unload supplies and re-board the aircraft.

The Osprey’s pilots told The Daily News on Friday that their aircraft was on the ground and under enemy fire for around three minutes, but it felt like time had ground to a halt and everything moved in slow motion.

As soon as the last crate was unloaded, the Osprey took flight with Cederholm firing the aircraft’s only weapon, a ramp-mounted machine gun, at approaching Taliban troops. Cederholm became the first Marine to ever engage the enemy from a MV-22B.

He downplayed the historical aspect of his mission Friday, saying he was just doing his job.

“I may have been the first, but I won’t be the last,” he said. “Others have done it since me and we will keep doing it as long as we have to.”

Cederholm’s father, Marine Col. Mike Cederholm, was present for the awards ceremony held at the VMM-264 hangar aboard New River Air Station.

“I’m so proud of my boy,” the elder Cederholm said of his son. “I’m in awe of these young men and women who continue to answer the call.”

Col. Cederholm said the four Marines receiving the award were representative of the around 250 members of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264.

Cpl. Cederholm’s mother, Rebecca Cederholm, said she didn’t realize until the citations were read at the ceremony that her son had gotten off the aircraft to help ground troops unload supplies.

Each member of the four-man crew exhibited courage during their mission, according to their individual awards.

Cave and Keech landed the Osprey on the first run and provided accurate enemy positions to friendly forces, which allowed support aircraft to suppress Taliban forces with rocket fire. Barfield-Smith helped unload supplies and called out targets to Cpl. Cederholm once the Osprey was back in the air.

The pilots and crew showed their “skillful airmanship, steadfast aggressiveness, and exemplary devotion to duty in the face of hazardous flying conditions,” their award citations read.

Receiving the Air Medal is not uncommon among flight crews, but being awarded the combat distinguishing device for valor is rare, said 1st Lt. Kristin Dalton, the director of public affairs for MCAS New River.

Contact Daily News Senior Reporter Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456 or lkay@freedomenc.com. Read his crime blog, "Off the Cuff," at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com. Follow him on Twitter @ 1lindell.

[buglerbilly]

Marines Want iPads to Control Robo-Copter Brains

By David Axe Email Author January 9, 2012 | 6:30 am



It’s been less than a month since the Marines flew their first robotic supply helicopter on its debut combat mission in Afghanistan. Already, the amphibious combat branch is working on the next generation of pilotless cargo copter — one that’s an order of magnitude more sophisticated, and can be controlled by an iPad or other tablet.

The Navy, on behalf of the Marines, launched the so-called Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System program late last year. According to program documents, the goal of the six-year-program is to produce an “unmanned and potentially optionally-manned” robot to “provide affordable and reliable rapid response cargo delivery to distributed small units in demanding, austere locations and environments.”

Robotic supply vehicles, including the Marines’ remote-controlled K-MAX (pictured) plus driver-less Army cargo trucks and even autonomous forklifts, are one subject of my new book From A to B, just out from Potomac Books.

http://www.amazon.com/Logistics-Fuels-American-Power-Prosperity/dp/1597975257

But AACUS, pronounced “ache-us,” isn’t meant to be just one robot design. Rather, it’s the brains of many models of robot. The idea is to produce a set of sensors, software, computers and controls that can be installed aboard almost any Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing aircraft, including helicopters and potentially tiltrotors or even ducted-fan vehicles. “We want to show that we can plug-and-play across different rotorcraft and VTOL aircraft and get some level of guaranteed performance,” Missy Cummings, the program director, tells Danger Room.

Cummings is the perfect leader for the program. A former Navy F/A-18 jet fighter pilot, Cummings went on to design robots for MIT. For several years, she focused on building Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that required only minimal input from an unskilled operator using an iPhone or similar device. “Our philosophy is that humans have important jobs they need to do, and should not worry about low-level housekeeping, telling a UAV to go from point to point,” she told Danger Room two years ago. “UAVs are smart, and can do that on their own these days.”

If the project works out as planned, the AACUS supply robots will fly between combat outposts with no direct human control, scanning their surroundings, detecting obstacles and enemies and even zooming in for quick deliveries after spending only seconds mapping out a landing zone using lasers, radar or other sensors. The ‘bots will only need people to tell them when and where to deliver something, by tapping out a few commands on a smart tablet.

The program takes an incremental approach to developing the hardware. The first step is to select two contractors to build early prototypes, matching Cummings’ technology with existing airframes. Lockheed Martin, a backer of the Marines’ current K-MAX robot copter, is a likely bidder. So are Boeing and Northrop Grumman, developers of the A160 and Fire Scout unmanned helicopters, respectively.

The best two bidders will compete in an increasingly realistic set of tests starting in 2014, swapping the AACUS brains across multiple airframes. By 2018, Cummings wants to pick a winner — and start building production models for combat use.

Initially, the AACUS ‘bots will handle supply runs in environments too dangerous for human pilots. Later, the pilotless copters could handle medevac missions, too. Cummings asks people to imagine a furious battle in difficult terrain. “Your buddy took a bullet to the chest and no manned helicopter is crazy enough to land.” A Marine whips out a handheld device, taps a button or two and, within minutes, a medical robot is hovering overhead.

There are applications in the civilian world, too, Cummings says. “You could use it in Alaska” or other remote places with bad weather and rough terrain.

Cummings admits that it’s an ambitious vision. “There’s no guarantee we’ll be able to make this work,” she says. But even a near-miss could result in much-improved robots for a range of missions. “We are going to make substantial improvements.”

Photo: Via Maj. Kyle O’Connor

[buglerbilly]

SNA: Lockheed’s K-MAX ambitions

By Philip Ewing Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 11:44 am



Good morning from the Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium in Arlington, Va.‘s beautiful district of Crystal City. (It isn’t actually all made from crystal.)

Lockheed Martin got the proceedings started on Tuesday with an ambitious update about its unmanned K-MAX helicopter, two of which are resupplying Marines now in Afghanistan. Company officials are very pleased with the way the helo has been working so far, making about a flight a day in place of manned resupply convoys, and they’ve got big dreams for what could happen going forward.

The Marines are all good and well, Lockheed says, but company officials said Thursday they’ve had a lot of interest from another big potential customer: The Army. Army service officials are interested in fitting a K-MAX with electro-optical sensors and some kind of “self-defense” armament, said Lockheed exec George Barton, and potentially duplicating the Marines’ resupply experiment on an Army scale.

There’s nothing official yet, Barton stressed (“it’s just a discussion”) but Lockheed hopes it can make the same pitch it made to the Marines: Resupplying troops with an unmanned helicopter takes convoys off the road, removing troops from the danger of ambushes and saving the fuel and wear on their vehicles.

“I think if this current military assessment goes as well as it’s going right now, it’ll show the benefit to troops on the ground, and I think there’s going to be tremendous interest from the U.S. Army, and continued interest from the Marine Corps” Barton said.

Company officials didn’t have exact details Tuesday for how K-MAX compares to traditional ground convoys — as in, exactly how many trips does it save, or how many trucks and soldiers does it take out of the fight. But they did say it takes much less maintenance than a manned helicopter and it can sling a lot of cargo: About 6,000 pounds at sea level and more than 4,000 pounds at 15,000-foot density altitude, the company says.

You might be thinking, great, wonderful, they’re obviously eager to do some big sales, but how about a reality check: This is the year of the big crunch, of Austerity America — does anyone expect anything in this environment but cuts, cuts cuts? Quite right. But you know the old game: If Lockheed and the services can show they end up saving money with unmanned resupply, given that it reduces the requirement for soldiers and vehicles, this thing could well take off after all.

Barton said Lockheed, Marine and Army officials are working out the “business case” now, based on some of the early data from the Afghanistan trial. He was clearly hopeful: “I think, intuitively, it’s there.”

Read more: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/01/10/sna-lockheeds-k-max-ambitions/#ixzz1j6lfxYTt
DoDBuzz.com

[buglerbilly]

Harrier Fleets Packed and Ready to Go

(Source: British Forces Broadcasting Service; posted Jan. 10, 2012)



The last images of Britain's Harrier fleet packaged ready for shipping to their new owners America have appeared in The Sun newspaper today.

They show the iconic aircraft on crates at Southampton ready to be shipped out and used as spares.

The MOD sold all 72 of them to the US Marine Corps in a £110 million deal.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Send in the Supplies: RoboCopters in Marines’ Future

08:53 GMT, January 16, 2012 (Released Jan. 10, 2012) ARLINGTON, Va. | Marines running low on ammo may one day use an app on their digital handhelds to summon a robotic helicopter to deliver supplies within minutes, enabled by technologies from a new Office of Naval Research (ONR) program.

The Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS) is a five-year, $98 million effort to develop sensors and control technologies for robotic vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

“AACUS is a leap-ahead technology that allows the Navy and the Marine Corps to move beyond having a highly trained operator fly an unmanned aircraft,” said Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, chief of naval research. “The program will let us leverage advanced autonomy, but still maintain the central and critical role of the human operator as the supervisor.”

Marines based at outposts or in the field will be able to request the autonomous cargo helicopters for rapid resupply of combat essentials.

“We want to turn any helicopter into a logistics machine,” said Dr. Mary “Missy” Cummings, program officer for AACUS, ONR’s newest innovative naval prototype. “In the near term, we want to succeed in fully-autonomous landings in austere locations, so Marines can get whatever they need on demand.

“In the long term, this could be a real life saver and revolutionize first response,” she added. While rapid resupply is the immediate focus for AACUS, long-term applications could include critical medical missions such as casualty evacuation.

Program officials are seeking researchers who will develop threat- and obstacle-detection and avoidance systems, as well as autonomous landing capabilities that can operate across different types of aircraft. They expect teams from industry and academia to join forces to compete for the contracts.

Proposals are due Feb. 22. Officials plan to award up to two contracts in April.

The effort follows the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory’s successful program to develop an unmanned system capable of hauling cargo semi-autonomously to landing zones at bases. The prototype, called K-MAX, flew its first combat mission in Afghanistan in mid-December, resupplying Marines with cargo carried in a sling-load.

AACUS, on the other hand, is aimed at internal load-carrying capacity. It will be a major leap ahead in autonomy, said Cummings. While K-MAX requires a trained operator within line-of-sight to fly, any operator will be able to call for AACUS from any location.

“It’s going to be designed to work with people who have no flight experience,” she said. “An operator will pick up his iPad or Android and make an emergency supply request. He’ll request that the helicopter come to him and land as close to him as possible.”

The helicopter not only will take off by itself, but will plan its own flight path and navigate its way through the airspace, requiring little to no input from an operator other than to verify its proposed landing site. The concept will require improvement in data processing.

“How you take the data from sensors and integrate them to make these decisions—that’s one of the big leaps,” said Cummings. “It’s like putting a frontal lobe on the helicopter.”

For more information on submitting proposals, review the AACUS broad agency announcement (12-004): http://goo.gl/SFbSm.

----

Grace Jean, Office of Naval Research

[buglerbilly]

Marine Mechanic Makes Lifesaving Find

(Source: US Marine Corps; issued Jan. 20, 2012)

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan --- Marine Corps Sgt. Christopher Lemke’s diligence as a helicopter mechanic paid off recently when he discovered a potentially deadly flaw in a UH-1Y Huey aircraft, military officials said.

The sergeant was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in a Jan. 12 ceremony here because of his find.

Lemke, a mechanic with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, nicknamed the "Gunfighters,” regularly conducts inspections on the squadron’s UH-1Y Hueys and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters.

It was during a routine phase inspection of a Huey in late December that Lemke, a native of Macomb, Mich., uncovered something that could save countless lives. Phase inspections are regular checks on an aircraft’s various components to ensure they are safe.

Underneath the UH-1Y Huey in the aircraft’s transmission compartment -- an area so difficult to reach that maintainers call it the “hell hole” -- Lemke found something wrong.

“When two metals rub together, it creates this black liquid, and that’s what I found,” he said.

The transmission pylon beam and the main beam joint, which secure the aircraft’s transmission to the airframe, were disintegrating.

“This failure represented an extreme risk to the aircraft and aircrew,” Lemke’s award citation reads.

The citation goes on to state that Lemke’s finding led to a Corps-wide inspection, resulting in an engineering advisory report about a manufacturing defect found on multiple UH-1Y aircraft.

“No one else had ever found such an issue, but when we looked at another aircraft we had in phase, it had the same problem. There was a fault in the design of the aircraft,” he said.

Lemke was not scheduled to inspect that part of the helicopter as there had never been an issue in the history of the aircraft, but he explained that Marine Corps aircraft maintenance demands more than completing the minimum requirements.

“That’s how I was trained -- it’s the Gunfighter way,” Lemke said of his squadron. “Our job isn’t just replacing things. If we don’t do it right, that’s someone’s life.”

Lemke is known for his work ethic. “It’s no surprise to me,” Lemke’s supervisor, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Ricardo Paez, said. “He’s always gone in there and done his job the right way.”

Lemke said he hopes younger mechanics in the squadron -- the privates first class, lance corporals and corporals -- see that as aircraft maintainers, they hold lives in their hands.

“I’m 24 years old and the responsibility we hold for our age is astronomical,” Lemke said. “I hope the junior guys around me realize that and go out and provide combat-capable aircraft for the Marines on the ground.”

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Small Tactical Unmanned Air System executes early operational capability


The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Ummanned Aircraft System early operational aircraft, Insitu's Integrator, is launched for the first time Jan. 22 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif. STUAS will provide provide battlefield commanders with an organic capability 24/7, for real-time, actionable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (Photo courtesy of Insitu)

Jan 25, 2012


Insitu's Integrator, the early operational capability aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps STUAS program, is recovered using a mobile catcher wire instead of the traditional landing strip after its first flight Jan. 22 at Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Photo by Cpl. Andrew D. Thorburn,USMC)

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md.-- Marines witnessed the first flight of the service's newest small unmanned aircraft Jan. 22 at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

As part of the RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) Early Operational Capability (EOC), personnel from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 2 and 3 and Insitu operators exercised the current configuration of Insitu’s Integrator for the two-hour maiden flight.

“The lessons learned from this flight and all operations that will be conducted at Twentynine Palms are invaluable,” said Lt. Col. John Allee, STUAS integrated product team co-lead at Pax River. “It will help our Marines fully understand how to operate the system when in theater.”

Insitu delivered one EOC system, which is the current configuration of the company’s Integrator, to Twentynine Palms early in January. The EOC contract option allows for up to 30 months of contractor-provided training and logistics services for the Integrator system. The team at Pax River received the second EOC system Jan. 12.

“This is a substantial achievement for the team” said Heather Bromley, STUAS IPT co-lead. “To go from contract award to an operable system in 16 months is a testament to the responsiveness of both the government and contractor personnel.”

A CONUS-based deployment for EOC allows the Navy and Marine Corps to train operators, collect additional performance data and support development for Initial Operational Capability (IOC). The government-industry team will continue to develop the RQ-21A configuration for initial and full operational capability while the EOC system is deployed with VMU-3.

RQ-21A will have payload capacity to support multi missions in a single sortie. Its sensor package will include Electro-Optic, mid-wave infrared cameras with an infrared marker and laser rangefinder.

“We are very excited to deploy an asset that has a greater performance capability with a significantly larger payload, mass, volume and power than intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services available in theater today,” said Marine Col. Jim Rector, Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical UAS program manager.

RQ-21A will eventually replace the Navy and Marine ISR services contract in which current ISR missions are conducted in Iraq, Afghanistan and shipboard. The system will provide battlefield commanders with an organic capability 24/7, for real-time, actionable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“The appetite for ISR has been insatiable,” Rector said. “There is an increased demand for ISR capability in theater; and with fewer boots on the ground, we need this asset more than ever.”

PEO(U&W) Public Affairs
(301) 757-9703

[buglerbilly]

Lockheed Martin's AH-1Z Cobra TSS makes 11th MEU operational debut

20 February 2012 - 17:11 by the Shephard News Team



Lockheed Martin has announced that its Target Sight System (TSS) for the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter has made its first operational deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as part of the Amphibious Squadron 5.

Lockheed Martin's TSS is the fire control system for the AH-1Z Cobra. The TSS integrates sensors to provide aviators with superior imagery through a highly stabilized sensor suite that includes a laser designator, colour TV camera and third-generation, mid-wave, forward-looking infrared sensor with advanced image processing.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center awarded the initial TSS production contract in March 2008, followed by a second production contract in June 2010. Lockheed Martin delivered the first TSS in June 2009, and recently began early delivery of low-rate initial production units. Production is expected to continue through 2018.

[buglerbilly]

News: Marine Corps aviation introduces F-35B Lightning II into fleet

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing & Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Story by Lance Cpl. Glen Santy


Photo by Lance Cpl. Glen Santy
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks during the F-35B Lightning II Rollout Ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 24. “For the first time in aviation history, the most lethal characteristics – supersonic speed, radar-evading stealth, extreme agility, and short takeoff vertical landing capability – have been combined in a single platform,” said Dunford.


U.S. Representative Jeff Miller (FL-1), Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., and Lockheed Martin CEO Robert Stevens stand for the playing of the national anthem at the Marine Corps’ F-35B Lightning II Rollout Ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 24.

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A century after 1st Lt. Alfred A. Cunningham took his first flight in 1912, Marine Corps aviation introduced the F-35B Lightning II aircraft into its fleet. The short takeoff vertical landing variant combined with fifth generation capabilities is a breakthrough in itself, matching the importance of the first Marine aviator and starting a new chapter in Marine Corps aviation history.

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 hosted the ceremony inducting the F-35B Lightning II multirole, joint strike fighter, into the Marine Corps aviation arsenal at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, stated at the rollout ceremony that for the first time in aviation history, the most lethal fighter characteristics came together on a single platform. A list of the aircraft's abilities include supersonic speed, radar-evading stealth, extreme agility and short takeoff vertical landing capability.

"It's innovation like that represented here today which has kept Marine aviation ready and relevant for the last 100 years," said Dunford.

The new aircraft was on display at the VMFAT-501 hangar for military leaders, government officials and other guests to view.

VMFAT-501 will also be the first Marine Corps unit to begin training for and with the F-35B. Eglin has already constructed the F-35 Academic Training Center and in the near future will begin training, throughout all military branches, maintainers and pilots on the aircraft.

"501 is on the forefront of one of the most significant transition periods Marine aviation has ever known," said Dunford. "Certainly one of the most important in a long time. Maybe since the introduction of the helicopter."

"We are trying not to waste the time we've been given," said Col. Arthur Tomassetti, the vice commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing, which is responsible for pilot and maintainer training on the F-35 A, B and C models. "We hope that people will be pleased and proud to see the time we've been given to prepare operational readiness has been used to the advantage."

Tomassetti said that VMFAT-501 was approaching the training for the aircraft with a crawl-walk-run approach, and were currently between crawl and walk. He explained the importance of taking their time learning the aircraft and feeding off the constructive feedback from outside sources.

"We could accelerate training," said Tomassetti. "But then we might miss things. It's better to just get it right the first time."

The fifth generation aircraft is slated to replace the Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier and EA-6B Prowler, reducing maintenance costs while ensuring the Marine Corps’ tactical air dominance.

Maj. Gen. Jon Davis, the commanding general of 2nd MAW, said that today was a very exciting day for the Marine Corps and it's been 60 years in the making. Davis explained that the aircraft means something for more than just the wing side but it is there for the infantrymen as well.

"Thank you all for being witness to this historic event," said Dunford. "Know that the spirit of innovation within Marine aviation is alive and well and lives on today in every Marine before you. It will continue to live on here with the Warlords of VMFAT-501 as it has in every clime and place for the last 100 years of Marine aviation. May the next 100 be as memorable."

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/84324/marine-corps-aviation-introduces-f-35b-lightning-ii-into-fleet#.T0l6p3l1Y9U#ixzz1nSeyCd00

[buglerbilly]

CH-53Es join Marine Corps squadron in Hawaii

29 February 2012 - 14:00 by Tony Osborne in London



The first Marine Corps CH-53Es Super Stallions have arrived in Hawaii, it has been announced.

Seven CH-53Es arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay on 21 February where they will form a new fleet under squadron HMH-463 'Pegasus'. More Super Stallions are expected to arrive later this year bringing the unit's total compliment to a full squadron of 12.

HMH-463 is the only squadron at Kaneohe Bay to transition to the CH-53Es and they are the last heavy helicopter squadron in the Marine Corps to receive them. It is understood that several of the aircraft taken on by the unit previously served with HMX-1, the Marine Corps' VIP unit.

The unit previously flew the CH-53D Sea Stallion, which was ceremonially retired from service on 10 February.

The squadron is preparing to work up the CH-53s in preparation for the upcoming 2012 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world’s largest maritime naval exercise, which includes the US, UK, Japan, South Korea and Australia and various other nations.

Kaneohe Bay is set to undergo many changes in the coming year. As well as the arrival of the CH-53Es, the air station is also consulting residents about the possible basing of MV-22 Ospreys and a HMLA squadron of AH-1 Cobras and UH-1Y Hueys.

[buglerbilly]

Sikorsky tables new CH-53K proposal

By: Dave Majumdar Washington DC

7 minutes ago

Source:

The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is evaluating a proposal from Sikorsky to build four production-representative CH-53K Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, says the US Marine Corps' programme manager.

"We're looking at the proposal now," says Col Robert Pridgen.

NAVAIR received the proposal at the beginning of March, he says. A contract award is expected some time after this has been evaluated, although Pridgen says: "I don't want to nail down a date."

The four pre-production aircraft will be "fleet-representative" and be used for operational evaluations, as well to finish developmental testing.

The CH-53K is now scheduled to become operational in 2019 - one year later than previously slated - and the Marines hope to buy about 200 of the three-engined type.

When the programme first started, the service only wanted to buy 156 aircraft, Pridgen says. Initial operational capability was then set for late 2015, but the USMC upped the order and stretched the programme out by three years in August 2007. Production numbers were to have reached as many as 227, before they were trimmed back to 200.

The USMC will continue to operate the legacy three-engined CH-53E until the new "Kilo" model replaces it, but plans to retire its remaining twin-engined CH-53Ds at the end of 2012.

Development of the CH-53K is moving ahead smoothly, Pridgen says. One senior Marine official singled out the programme as a "good news story".

Despite the CH-53 designation, the K-model helicopter is a clean-sheet design incorporating all-new technology, Pridgen says. It has a fly-by-wire control system and new engines, as well as a split-torque transmission described by Pridgen as a "work of art", composite rotor-blades and a new cabin, all designed using CATIA-5 computer-aided design software.

If all continues to go smoothly, "we'll go flying [in] 2014", Pridgen says.

However, that first flight will be preceded by the start of integration testing on a ground test vehicle that is currently under construction at Sikorsky's facilities in West Palm Beach, Florida.

"That's going to occur in 2013," Pridgen says.

The ground test vehicle will have most of the subsystems of a flyable aircraft, including the cockpit, hydraulics, rotor-head and composite blades.

"It will truly be integration for us to understand what the aircraft looks like dynamically," Pridgen says.

A number of subsystems are already being tested in preparation for installation in the ground test airframe. The CH-53K's 7,500shp (5,600kW) General Electric GE38-1B turboshaft engine design has already accumulated over 1,100h in test and Pridgen says: "We've been testing components for some time now."

Sikorsky has also built a static test airframe, which is being used to determine how the helicopter handles the structural loads that will be imposed on it in flight. That testing is underway at the company's facility in Connecticut.

Only after the new helicopter satisfactorily completes those tests will the aircraft be cleared for flight, Pridgen says.

Two flight test vehicles that will be used for developmental purposes are currently in production in West Palm Beach.

Once basic flight tests prove that the helicopter is airworthy, the Marines intend to start operational testing on the four pre-production aircraft, in conjunction with finishing developmental tests.

"With that data I will do something called operational test 1B," Pridgen says. "And that's where we bring Marines in."

The USMC's VMX-22 operational test squadron will verify the service's requirement to lift 12,300kg (27,000lb) at a 6,000ft (1,830m) pressure altitude on a 35˚C (95˚F) day, roughly three times the lift capacity of the CH-53E. The helicopter is also required to carry that load over a distance of 110nm (204km).

The unit will also make sure the aircraft is suitable for fleet use and integrate it into the USMC's order of battle. Only after these tests have taken place will the Marines approve low-rate initial production, which Pridgen expects to occur in 2015.

[buglerbilly]

News: HMLA-267 conducts their final flight of the ‘Whiskey’

I Marine Expeditionary Force

Story by Lance Cpl. Joshua Young Follow This Journalist


Photo by Lance Cpl. Joshua Young
Lt. Col. Matthew T. Mowery, the commanding officer of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, returns from the unit’s final flight of the AH-1W Super Cobra at Camp Pendleton Calif., March 23. Mowery, 41, from Troup, Texas, flew the aircraft around the base and landed it at HMLA-169. The unit has been flying the ‘Whiskey’ for 25 years and has used it on multiple deployments and Marine expeditionary units.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 conducted it’s final flight of their last AH-1W Super Cobra at Marine Corps Air Station 39, Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 23.

The squadron first received an AH-1W in 1987 and has been conducting training and combat operations with it for the last 25 years. They will receive six AH-1Z Super Cobras within the next week to continue training, and complete the conversion from the AH-1W to the AH-1Z.

“Today marks our last flight in the AH-1W,” said Capt. Justin Reinwand, an attack helicopter naval air training and operating procedures standardization officer with HMLA-267. “I am really sad to see the ‘Whiskey’ go. It’s got the coolest sounding rotor blades on Earth, and I’ll miss that, but time goes on.”

The squadron will be among the first units to phase out the AH-1W and completely convert to the AH-1Z. Many of their pilots are currently training for the conversion.

“Starting on Monday, we will become an ‘all-upgrades squadron’ with AH-1Y Venom’s and AH-1Z’s,” said Lt. Col. Matthew T. Mowery, the commanding officer of HMLA-267. “It’s a big deal for us, historically. This squad has flown the ‘Whiskey’ for 25 years.”

They will be the first unit to be fully upgraded with the Yankees and the AH-1Z’s. Some of the Marines had mixed feelings as the aircraft departed for it’s final flight with HMLA-267.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Maj. Brian Ashford, a maintenance officer with HMLA-267. “We watched the ‘Whiskey’ fly away. It’s not the last flight for the ‘Whiskey’, but it’s the last flight for it here. Somebody has to be first and we are embracing it.”

The AH-1W deployed with HMLA-267, Marine Expeditionary Units and notably in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

“When the guys on the ground see a ‘Whiskey’ coming overhead, they know they are going to get some very good support,” said Mowery, who has logged at least 2,900 hours in the aircraft since 1996. “It’s been a success story for 25-plus years and I was just proud to be part of that.”

Marines might miss hearing the sound of the AH-1W in the future, but they will probably be pleased with the sound of the AH-1Z flying overhead, considering the upgrades that enhance it’s ability to provide support.

“The grunts always want skids overhead, they’re always asking for it,” Reinwand said. “As long as there are boots on the ground there are going to be people asking for us.”

The AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopter has a four rotor-blade system. The upgrades allow the aircraft to carry an additional 4,000 pounds, travel faster and conduct combat operations from a safer distance. The helicopter has safety upgrades such as improved crash-worthy seats and all-glass cockpits.
“It’s just like trading in your old 1957 Chevy for something modern,” Mowery said. “The ‘57 Chevy is still going to get you around, but the modern vehicle is going to be a lot more effective.”

The commanding officer of HMLA-267 piloted the unit’s final flight of the AH-1W. The squadron attended the departure, cheered and applauded as the helicopter took flight. Mowery smiled as he handed off the AH-1Z’s logbook to the HMLA-169 commanding officer.

“For me, this is the end of an era,” Mowery said. “It’s probably the last time I’m going to fly a ‘Whiskey’.”


Capt. Derek Garden, an operations officer and Lt. Col. Matthew T. Mowery, the commanding officer of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 prepare to take off for the final flight of the unit’s last AH-1W Super Cobra at Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 23. Mowery, 41, from Troup, Texas, flew the aircraft around base before landing it at HMLA-169 and passing off the logbook to their commanding officer. “It’s been a success story for 25-plus years, and I was just proud to be part of that,” said Mowery, 41, from Troup, Texas. “For me, this is the end of an era.”

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/85978/hmla-267-conducts-their-final-flight-whiskey#ixzz1qanqds9e

[buglerbilly]

QuadA2012: USMC looks to extend K-Max trial in Afghanistan

03 April 2012 - 23:41 by Tony Osborne & Darren Lake in Nashville, US



Lockheed Martin is believed to be working with the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to extend the deployment of the K-Max unmanned cargo helicopter in Afghanistan.

Two of the aircraft are in Afghanistan conducting a trial with the US Marine Corps (USMC) resupplying forward operating bases from Camp Dwyer near Garmsir.

Speaking to Stars and Stripes recently Maj Kyle O'Connor, who is overseeing the trial in theatre, said that they are 'working hard' to extend the deployment in theatre because of the success of the trials.

Lockheed Martin did not confirm whether the aircraft’s time in theatre would be extended but pointed out that the deal could be extended on a month-by-month basis if requested by the marines.

However, Kaman, the manufacturer of the K-Max, told Shephard at Quad A in Nashville that they were expecting a follow-on contract to extend the aircraft for a further six months.

Jon McMillen, business development lead for unmanned K-MAX, told reporters that the aircraft was achieving better than 90% levels of availability and had flown around 230 operational missions carrying over half a million pounds of cargo.

Meanwhile, Boeing confirmed that they did not expect a reversal of the stop work order the navy placed on their contract to conduct similar trials in Afghanistan with A-160 Hummingbird.

The original intention was to also trial the purpose built UAS as a cargo carrier. However, Jeffrey Shelton UAS business development manager at Boeing told Shephard that the company was now in the process of finishing up negotiations on the stop work order.

'The navy will own two A-160s and we need to wait and see what they would like to do with those,' he explained. Boeing said that there were a variety of possible options for utilising the aircraft.

A separate initiative with the US Army does mean that the Hummingbird will still join K-Max in Afghanistan. The army is readying to deploy with three of the UAS equipped with the ARGUS sensor to perform wide area ISR.

[buglerbilly]

When the iPad does gun runs

by David Reeder on May 15, 2012



Gridded reference graphics, CAS missions and a successful battle with entrenched bureaucracy: a very interesting article from Disruptive Thinkers:

Most Marine Corps aviators who have served in Afghanistan in a close air support role are familiar with the over 1,000 maps that make up the Helmand Valley. These maps are made using high resolution imagery with every building identified by a unique number. Such products enable aircrew to quickly correlate friendly and enemy locations, more effectively providing accurate and timely aviation fires for ground based units. This, in turn, saves the lives of young Americans and their allies.

Until recently, aircrew carried all 1000 map sheets individually. To find the right one required sorting through 30 lbs of paper to find the appropriate gridded reference graphic for a specific operational area. In fact, there are so many maps, they won’t all physically fit inside the cockpit — an operational liability if you are told to provide support in an unanticipated area. Additionally, finding the right map could take several minutes — precious time during a fire fight.

In order to solve this problem, an enterprising AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter pilot, Captain Jim “Hottie” Carlson, developed an application to electronically digitize and stitch these map sheets together so that a pilot could view them on an iPad.

Read the original article in its entirety.

http://disruptivethinkers.blogspot.com/2012/05/lessons-in-how-ipad-changed-close-air.html?m=1

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1v27I708W
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