Commodore's Corner

Be Ready

By Col. David Fitzsimmons, USMC Commander Marine Aircraft Group 29

There have been many recent articles discussing Richard Betts’ question on military readiness, “ready for what?” The strategic concept of readiness has been evolving in the Pentagon over the last few years but for guidance from the Commodore’s Corner, I’m looking at the tactical level. Given current hostile events around the world, today’s Navy and Marine Corps are facing threat levels not seen in decades. With open conflict in Europe, Africa, and Central Asia, combined with significant potential for open conflict developing in the Pacific and South America, it is only a matter of time before the U.S. military finds itself decisively engaged again. We need to be ready for fighting our rotorcraft on the modern battlefield. As our Department of Defense leaders focus on policy and a strategy of balanced investments and force management decisions, we need to focus on being exceptional at our day-to-day tactical jobs! In Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 29, I am seeking proficiency in three areas to focus our efforts. No matter the location or enemy, Marine Corps rotary wing aviation needs to manage our signature by operating distributed forward in small elements, maintaining and repairing our aircraft from forward locations within the enemy’s reach, and communicating within a larger network without large support packages.

The large signature associated with our past operations in Iraq and Afghanistan will not survive a contemporary peer adversary. Large footprints in fixed positions are easily targeted by shortened intelligence cycles and readily available precision weapons. Managing our signature with respect to force disposition and footprint will be an operational art; what size and scope will remain below the enemy threshold for targeting? A pilot or aircrew who can operate without large support elements is critical to the success of rotary wing aviation detachments maintaining a small signature. This concept is not new. One area of focus we need to “be ready” is the ability to lead in the sky and on the ground. Leading a small detachment within the enemy’s reach has force protection and logistical concerns not often dealt with by aircrew. Forward staging rotorcraft and operating from low signature locations is not compatible with large-scale forward operating base infrastructure and resources. This will challenge pilots and aircrew to be responsible for some of the logistics of life support and basic security. We need pilots and aircrew who have given this problem set devoted study and are ready for those challenges when tasked to operate in a distributed battlefield.

Maintenance in forward distributed areas will challenge our current naval aviation maintenance posture, and aircrew will need exceptional systems knowledge to keep their rotorcraft in the fight. Navy and Marine Corps maintenance posture is generally a garrison-based construct. While we have the ability

to do field maintenance, the system is optimized for a central location in close proximity to supply and intermediate-level maintenance expertise. Flying and fighting from distributed forward locations will stretch our ability to maintain aircraft. Are pilots and aircrews being provided realistic training opportunities to gain and maintain proficiency and skillsets of flying, with an intimate understanding of the aircraft, intermediate and varsity-level maintaining, sustaining, repairing, communicating, and fighting in a distributed and contested environment? This question should force us to think about how maintenance departments are split into forward teams, determine what level of maintenance can be reliably conducted from forward sites, review the frequency of inspections required for safe operations while allowing uninterrupted forward operations, and identify substitutes acceptable for consumable items and support equipment. All of these processes make it essential for aircraft commanders, who are responsible for safe execution of the mission, to know their machines better than ever. In the modern cockpits of multifunction displays and mission computers, the status of aircraft has become binary with the aircraft telling the pilot if it is up or down. Pilots need to fully understand the interdependency of systems within their machines so they can make real-time risk decisions that are supported by foundational Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) systems knowledge and safety policies. It may not be easy to call for a specialist to troubleshoot a system in a forward location. A crew’s decision to remain in place or knowingly fly a degraded but safe aircraft to a maintenance location will have implications on risk exposure and distribution of maintenance capabilities.

Col. David Fitzsimmons, USMC Commander Marine Aircraft Group 29

Communication remains the hallmark of any effective fighting organization and will absolutely be essential to distributed operations. Pilots and aircrew will need to be experts in radio and network capabilities, structure, and the signature that is produced. How our aircrew tie into the battle when airborne will be as important as how they tie into command and control of distributed sites on the ground. Where to go next, what to plan when they get there, how they will be supported, and coordinating resupply are just some of the considerations they will face when communicating. Degraded and denied spectrums will require savvy crews who can effectively communicate through several different means and waveforms. Signature management will also be key to how crews communicate; the pathways, spectrum, and domains may be a lifeline to friendly forces but can also betray a distributed location to the enemy if not managed properly. To be ready, we need to focus on rapidly developing communications capabilities available and ensure every aircraft commander can facilitate their own communications and network administration. This is no small task, but it’s absolutely essential and very much akin to the pioneers of aviation evolving radio communications in past conflicts.

The future fight looms and the skills required to find success on the battlefield are daunting. Technological advantages are shrinking, and the targeting cycle is exponentially faster. Training and readiness will have to make up the difference. Aircrew training cannot be limited to great airmanship; we must be ready as leaders, platform-specific experts, and agile communicators familiar with the equipment and spectrum available today to be effective on the battlefield. The spirit of our naval aviation heritage has not changed, these responsibilities are not new, but now is the time to prepare because I suspect our time to be ready is dwindling.

Author's Note: The content of this article is my view/opinions and does not represent the position/views of the DoD or USMC.