Rotor Review Spring 2021 #152

Spring 2021 Number 152

FULL SPECTRUM ROTARY WING SEAPOwER Also in this issue: On Leadership: Resilience is Commander’s Business Commodore’s Corner: Rotary Wing Relevance - What’s Next..You Decide Present at the Birth of Osprey Nation: The Perspective of Colonel Spaid, MAG-26 CO Moderate Bird Activity - Analysis of the “Strike-Chain” from a Bird’s Perspective On the Way Home from Antarctica Air Station Barbers Point Receives First MH-65E Dolphin Helicopter

CAPT “Robbie” Roberts NHA Lifetime Achievement Award

By LT Joey “Bags” DeLorenzo, USN, HSM-40 PAO

5

2 Naval Aircraft flown, over 20 years of Naval Service, and over 100 Combat Sorties — these are just some of the numbers that describe the achievements of CAPT “Robbie” Roberts.

“Robbie” is the oldest living Naval Helicopter Pilot with his 107th birthday on April 17th of 2021.

It was no surprise that he was chosen for the Naval Helicopter Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His service to Naval Aviation, and specifically to Naval Rotary Wing Aviation, were unwavering and immense. Aside from the numbers which depict his illustrious career, “Robbie” was the 2nd Naval Helicopter Squadron Commanding Officer of the Navy’s first helicopter squadron, HU-2 from 1953-1955.

The call came from the Naval Helicopter Association that CAPT Roberts was being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award and that it would be fitting if CAPT Roberts could be presented with the award by current Naval Helicopter Pilots. Honored to be given the opportunity to recognize a pillar of Naval Rotary Wing Aviation, CAPT Richard “Chip” Whitfield, Commodore of Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic, “rogered” up to call. Plans were set in motion to make the trip down to Orlando to present CAPT Roberts with his award in person.

HSM-40 plays many roles in the Naval Aviation Enterprise besides just training the latest Naval Aviators on the world’s most advanced helicopter. We also train maintainers, new and old, manage the East Coast’s Search and Rescue Program, train the latest Aircrewmen, and, often not mentioned, act as the face of HSM to the general public. While the perpetual battle against COVID-19 and the intricacies of maintaining the health and safety of our force and of our community prevented almost all of our Public Affairs activities from occurring in 2020, the opportunity to present CAPT Roberts with his Lifetime Achievement Award was the absolute perfect way to show our appreciation while maintaining and adhering to COVID-19 precautions.

The day started out much like any other flight day, both crews met at 0700 to execute our ORM and NATOPS brief. In one aircraft was CAPT “Chip” Whitfield and CAPT “JR” Drenning, the Commanding Officer of HSM-40, and in the other, myself and LT “Cheeto” Bakey, the JO’s responsible for ensuring the event went as planned. An uneventful preflight and takeoff led to the short flight down to Orlando Executive Airfield, just outside Orlando proper, where we would meet CAPT Roberts and his team. Upon landing, we were greeted by CAPT Roberts’ team, a few members of Navy League, and a couple of local news agencies. While CAPT Roberts was being prepped for an interview with local news, HSM-40 aircrew and maintainers from our aircraft individually went up and expressed gratitude and congratulations to him. Following the news interview, CAPT Drenning and CAPT Roberts, followed by small groups of other guests in rotation, went out to the two aircraft flown down earlier that day. Putting on his best tour guide impression, CAPT Drenning showed CAPT Roberts around the latest and greatest helicopter in the Navy’s arsenal, the MH-60R. The day finished out with the award presentation (with socially distancing) in a conference room at the back of the Atlantic Aviation FBO. Chairs spaced properly were filled with members of HSM-40, Navy League, and CAPT Roberts’ team who watched as CAPT Roberts was presented with his Lifetime Achievement Award. They listened intently as CAPT Roberts told sea-stories from an era of Naval Aviation unfamiliar to even the most senior of active duty Aviators in the room. After a final “see-you-soon” from the Aircrew to CAPT Roberts, CAPT Roberts departed for his home and the Aircrew back to Naval Station Mayport.

HSM-40 and HSMWL were honored to be there to present CAPT Roberts with his award. “Robbie” is a force to be reckoned with and we wish him all the best and congratulations and cannot wait to fly down again to visit!

View the video and images of CAPT Roberts' career at https://www.navalhelicopterassociation.org/

FOCUS: Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower

HSC Restructure: Resolving Organizational Dissonance through Cultural Alignment - LT Rob “OG” Swain, USN ................................................34

Spring 2021 ISSUE 152 Helicopters from USMC HMLA-169, USN HSM-71, and USN HSC-21 conduct anti-surface warfare training in support of Exercise Trident Storm. P/C: MC2 Isaacs Rotor Review (ISSN: 1085-9683) is published quarterly by the Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. (NHA), a California nonprofit 501(c)(6) corporation. NHA is located in Building 654, Rogers Road, NASNI, San Diego, CA 92135. Views expressed in Rotor Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of NHA or United States Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Rotor Review is printed in the USA. Periodical rate postage is paid at San Diego, CA. Subscription to Rotor Review is included in the NHA or corporate membership fee. A current corporation annual report, prepared in accordance with Section 8321 of the California Corporation Code, is available on the NHA Website at www.navalhelicopterassn.org.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Naval Helicopter Association, P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578.

Rotor Review supports the goals of the association, provides a forum for discussion and exchange of information on topics of interest to the rotary wing community and keeps membership informed of NHA activities. As necessary, the President of NHA will provide guidance to the Rotor Review Editorial Board to ensure Rotor Review content continues to support this statement of policy as the Naval Helicopter Association adjusts to the expanding and evolving Rotary Wing and Tilt Rotor Communities.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

The Dawn of Algorithmic Warfare - LT Alexander “Jarvis” Buck, USN.........................40 EABO and You: Seahawks, Marines, and the Familiar Future of Expeditionary Warfare - LT Cory R. Poudrier, USN.................42 The Giant Leap for Mine Countermeasures: Integrating the Navy’s MCM Forces - LT Joshua A. Price, USN ......................................44 No Tailhook, No Problem - The CMV-22 Inherits the COD Mission - LTJG Don Gahres, USN .....................................................................48 Present at the Birth of Osprey Nation: The Perspective of Colonel Spaid, CO of MAG-26 - Dr. Robbin Laird .......................................................................................50 Assault Pillar RF Threat - Update Surviving the High-End Fight - LT Addison "Poon" Pellerano, USN................................52

FEATURES

CAPT “Robbie” Roberts NHA Lifetime Achievement Award LT Joey “Bags” DeLorenzo, USN ...............................................................................................1 Update from HX-21 / MH-60 Test Community LCDR Justin “Street Meat” Langan, USN ..............................................................................54 Test Pilot School Instructors Conduct Research that Pushes Boundaries Paul Lagasse, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Communications .............................................57 Moderate Bird Activity - Analysis of the “Strike-Chain” from a Bird’s Perspective - LT Justin “Toto” Davis, USN ...................................................59 What is a Federal Executive Fellowship and Why Does It Matter? - CDR Trevor Prouty, USN........................................................62 The COMMIT Foundation Difference CDR Scott Walgren, USN (Ret.) .............................................................................................63

2

DEPARTMENTS Chairman’s Brief ....................................................................................................................6 Executive Director's View.....................................................................................................7 National President's Message...............................................................................................8 JO President's Message..........................................................................................................8 Vice President of Membership Report...............................................................................9 In Review...................................................................................................................................10 Letters to the Editor..............................................................................................................11 Historical Society....................................................................................................................12 Scholarship Fund Update .....................................................................................................13 View from the Labs ..............................................................................................................15 On Leadership .......................................................................................................................16 Resilience is Commander’s Business RDML John Menoni, USN Commodore's Corner Rotary Wing Relevance CAPT Jeffery Melody,USN........................................................................................................19' What’s Next…You DECIDE CAPT Richard "Chip" Whitfield USN .....................................................................................21 View from the Cabin.............................................................................................................23 Getting Started Telling Your Stories ..........................................................................................24 CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.) Industry and Technology.

‘Defiant X’ is the Meaner, Pointier Sikorsky-Boeing Pitch to Replace Black Hawk.............26 Airbus Flying Laboratory Accelerating Helicopter Innovation......................................................28 NASA Makes New Plans For Ingenuity Helicopter On Mars....................................................30 Northrop Grumman Collaborates with Ultra to Demonstrate Unmanned Anti-submarine Warfare Capability - Flights Showcase Flexibility of MQ-8C Fire Scout .....32 Submarine Hunting Kit Will Let MQ-8C Fire Scout Squadron Anniversaries and Reunions ..................................................................................65 True Story We Were on the Way Home from Antarctica - LT Howell Purvis., USNR..............................66 How Did the Cubi Point O’Club Bar Find a Home at the National Naval Aviation Museum? - CAPT Brian Buzzell, USN (Ret.)....................................68 Off Duty ..................................................................................................................................70 Red Tails Movie Review - LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.) Taking Flight:The Nadine Ramsey Story by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand Reviewer - LCDR Rebekah Cranor, USN Radio Check ..........................................................................................................................72 Change of Command ...........................................................................................................76 Squadron Updates..................................................................................................................80 HSC-9 Tridents Participate in Emerald Warrior Air Station Barbers Point Receives First MH-65E Dolphin Helicopter HSC-22: A Growing Force in Fourth Fleet Operations Inaugural Class Completes Project Avenger-Navy's Modernized Flight Training Engaging Rotors ....................................................................................................................86 Signal Charlie .........................................................................................................................92

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief LT Michael Short, USN michael.v.short@navy.mil

Managing Editor Allyson Darroch rotorreview@navalhelicopterassn.org Copy Editors CDR John Ball, USN (Ret.) helopapa71@gmail.com LT Adam Schmidt, USN adam.c.schmidt@navy.mil LT Sarah Rupp, USN sarahbrupp@gmail.com Aircrew Editors AWS1(NAC/AW) Patrick M. Miller, USN millerexpeditionco@gmail.com AWR1(NAC/AW) Aaron T. Messner, USN aaron.messner@navy.mil AWR1(NAC/AW/SW) Broc Fournier, USN broc.fournier@navy.mil AWR1 Calder L. Epes, USN calder.epes@navy.mil HSC Editors LT Edward McCarthy, USN (HSC West) edward.j.mccarthy1@navy.mil LT Drew Wilson USN (HSC East) andrew.b.wilson2@navy.mil HSM Editor LT Mike Washington, USN michael.j.washington@navy.mil USMC Editor Capt Nolan Vihlen, USMC nolan.vihlen@gmail.com USCG Editor LT Marco Tinari, USCG marco.m.tinari@uscg.mil NHA Photographer Raymond Rivard Technical Advisor LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.) chipplug@hotmail.com Historian CDR Joe Skrzypek, USN (Ret.) skrzypek@yahoo.com Editors Emeriti Wayne Jensen - John Ball - John Driver Sean Laughlin - Andy Quiett - Mike Curtis Susan Fink - Bill Chase - Tracey Keefe Maureen Palmerino - Bryan Buljat - Gabe Soltero Todd Vorenkamp - Steve Bury - Clay Shane Kristin Ohleger - Scott Lippincott - Allison Fletcher Ash Preston - Emily Lapp - Mallory Decker Caleb Levee - Shane Brenner - Shelby Gillis

©2021 Naval Helicopter Association, Inc., all rights reserved 3

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Our Thanks to Our Corporate Members - Your Support Keeps Our Rotors Turning To get the latest information from our Corporate Members, just click on their logos.

Gold Supporter Executive Patrons

Premium Sponsors

Corporate Members and Associates

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

4

Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578 (619) 435-7139 www.navalhelicopterassn.org National Officers

Regional Officers

President.................................CAPT William Eastham, USN Vice President .........................CDR Kenneth Colman, USN Executive Director...............CAPT Jim Gillcrist, USN (Ret.) Business Development..............................Ms. Linda Vydra Managing Editor, Rotor Review .......Ms. Allyson Darroch Retired Affairs ..................CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) Legal Advisor ..............CDR George Hurley, Jr., USN (Ret.) VP Corp. Membership .......CAPT Brad Garber, USN (Ret.) VP Awards ..........................................CDR Mike Silver, USN VP Membership ..........................CDR Michael Short, USN VP Symposium 2021 ...........CAPT William Eastham, USN Secretary.................................................LT Cort Jones, USN Treasurer ............................................LT Sinjen Povoli, USN NHA Stuff....................................LT Caleb Derrington, USN Senior HSM Advisor.............AWRCM Nathan Hickey, USN Senior HSC Advisor ......AWSCM Darren Hauptman, USN

Region 1 - San Diego Directors ............................ ........... CAPT Jeff Melody, USN CAPT Sean Rocheleau, USN CAPT Dewon Chaney, USN CAPT Quinton Packard, USN President ...…................................... CDR Tony Perez, USN Region 2 - Washington D.C. Director ...............................CAPT Matt Schnappauf, USN President ................................. CDR Pat Jeck, USN (Ret.) Region 3 - Jacksonville Director ................................CAPT Richard Whitfield, USN President ...........................................CDR Justin Banz, USN Region 4 - Norfolk Director ..............................................CAPT Ryan Keys, USN President ..................................CAPT Steven Thomas, USN

Directors at Large

Chairman.........................RADM Patrick McGrath, USN (Ret.) CAPT Gene Ager, USN (Ret.) CAPT Chuck Deitchman, USN (Ret.) CAPT Dennis DuBard, USN (Ret.) CAPT Tony Dzielski, USN (Ret.) CAPT Greg Hoffman, USN (Ret.) CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) CAPT Mario Mifsud, USN (Ret.) CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) LT Casey Keilty, USN

AWRCM Nathan Hickey, USN

Region 5 - Pensacola Director ............................................CAPT Jade Lepke, USN President ......................................CDR Patrick O'Neill, USN 2021 Fleet Fly-In Coordinator...........LT Maria Regis, USN Region 6 - OCONUS Director ..........................................CAPT Derek Brady, USN President .................................CDR Jonathan Dorsey, USN

Junior Officers Council

NHA Historical Society

National Pres. / Region 1 LT Casey “Screech” Keilty, USN Region 2 ..................LT Matthew “Cheeese” Wellens, USN Region 3 ...............................LT Colin “Cheeto” Bakey, USN Region 4 ...............................LT Tyler "Kuzco" Bothel, USN Region 5 .....................LT Maria “Thumbalina” Regis, USN Region 6................................. LT Roger “Loco” Castle, USN

President............................CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) Secretary .............................CDR Joe Skrzypek, USN (Ret.) Treasurer..........................CDR Chris Fitzgerald, USN (Ret.) S.D. Air & Space Museum...CAPT Jim Gillcrist, USN (Ret.) USS Midway Museum.....CDR Chris Fitzgerald, USN (Ret.) Webmaster........................CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.)

NHA Scholarship Fund

NHAHS Board of Directors

President..............................CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) Executive VP/ VP Ops ............CAPT Jim Toone, USN (Ret.) VP Plans...............................................CAPT Jon Kline, USN VP Scholarships .......................CAPT Bill Keller, USN (Ret.) VP Finance ...................................CDR Greg Knutson, USN Treasurer ................................................Mr. Jim Rosenberg Webmaster........................CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) Corresponding Secretary.........LT Caleb Derrington, USN CFC/Special Projects .............................LT Joe Brown, USN CAPT A.E. Monahan, USN (Ret.) CAPT Mark R. Starr, USN (Ret.) CAPT A.F. Emig, USN (Ret.) Mr. H. Nachlin

CAPT Dennis DuBard, USN (Ret.) CAPT Mike Reber, USN (Ret.) CDR John Ball, USN (Ret.) CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) CDR Chris Fitzgerald, USN (Ret.)

Navy Helicopter Association Founders CDR H.F. McLinden, USN (Ret.) CDR W. Straight, USN (Ret.) CDR P.W. Nicholas, USN (Ret.) 5

CDR D.J. Hayes, USN (Ret.) CAPT C.B. Smiley, USN (Ret.) CAPT J.M. Purtell, USN (Ret.) CDR H.V. Pepper, USN (Ret.)

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Chairman’s Brief Time for Some Cautious Optimism

By RADM Pat McGrath, USN (Ret.)

I

hope all of you and your families are faring well as we start our second year of COVID restrictions and health concerns. We are cautiously optimistic that the 2021 Symposium and Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In will be able to proceed as normal later in the year, and I am looking forward to seeing all our helo brothers, sisters and families at these upcoming events.

It is hard for me to believe, but I will be completing my third year as Chairman as the year closes out. I have decided to complete my tenure and am happy to say that recently retired Rear Admiral Dan Fillion will be taking over as Chairman. He is a legend in our Community and I am very confident that NHA could not be in better hands with Dan at the helm and our membership as strong as ever!

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

6

Executive Director’s View from Pri-Fly Getting to Yes

By CAPT Jim Gillcrist, USN (Ret.)

O

ur efforts on the NHA Staff are focused upon “getting to yes” regarding a return to normal operations after a full year of disruption. Most important of which is to provide two extraordinarily successful premier events this Fall: 2021 National Symposium (6-9 October in San Diego) and Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In (2-4 November in Pensacola). We are planning for live events and believe our active duty and retired members as well as industry partners will have good reason to gather and celebrate who we are. That is where “getting to yes” and finding ways to adapt and overcome will enable us to conduct these two events so critical to our professional growth, networking, camaraderie, and membership.

This year’s Symposium theme is “Force of the Future” which will provide a forum to discuss topics such as Air Wing of the Future, Project Overmatch, NAVPLAN 2021, fielding of the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS), Future of Vertical Lift - Maritime Strike (FVL-MS), initial deployments for CMV-22B and MQ-8C, Helo CONOPS, and much more.

The intent is to shine a spotlight on future programs and ongoing work that will impact the various Services and Communities – all of which contribute to a Naval Rotary Force which brings critical warfighting value to the fight.

Of note at Symposium, RADM Pat McGrath, USN (Ret.) will turn over his duties as NHA Chairman to RADM Dan Fillion, USN (Ret.). Early congratulations to both are deserving for pouring their time and talents into NHA to keep the organization viable and relevant.

I think you will enjoy this issue of Rotor Review – allow me to highlight several feature articles: ♦ On Leadership Column: “Resilience is Commander’s Business” by RDML Menoni ♦ Commodore’s Corner:

“Rotary Wing Relevance” by CAPT Melody "What's Next? You DECIDE" by CAPT Whitfield ♦ HSM-40 Airwolves honor CAPT Robbie Roberts (Lifetime Member #107 and oldest Helix) ♦ Transitioning: “The COMMIT Foundation Difference” by CDR Scott Walgren, USN (Ret.) ♦ And a host of articles from JOs across the Fleet who are pushing the thought leadership envelope on warfighting The 2020 NHA Awards Program nomination and selection process is complete. National and regional award winners for both manned and unmanned recognition deserve a big shout out and hearty congratulations for their exceptional performance.

Finally, membership is the lifeblood of the organization. Connecting with new and expired members remains a team sport.

Active members at all levels are in a great position to help drive membership. For those of you who are on the fence about joining or renewing – just “get to yes” and become a member of your professional organization! ♦ Please keep your membership / profile up to date. ♦ If you should need any assistance at all, give us a call at (619) 435-7139 and we will be happy to help – you will get Linda, Mike, Allyson, or myself.

Warm regards with high hopes, Jim Gillcrist / NHA LTM #43

“Every Member Counts / Stronger Together”

7

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

National President's Message The Road to Symposium

By CAPT Will “Easy” Eastham, USN

S

un, fun, and productive discussions about our collective future and the evolution of the Rotary Fighting Force. Sound like something worth being a part of? I thought so!

NHA is firmly on the Road to Symposium 2021 and I remain optimistic for a live event at Viejas Resort here in sunny San Diego. Hard to believe the last Symposium was also held at Viejas all the way back in the Spring of 2019. What I do know is it was a rousing success and we aim to meet that mark and more later this year.

As many of you know, this year’s Symposium will be the first ever in the Fall timeframe as we aim to preserve our best opportunity to gather, learn, and celebrate our community together. Dates for your Symposium are 6-9 October, 2021 so mark your calendars and have your OPSOs adjust those long range plans now!

The theme for Symposium will be "Force of the Future" and we’re excited to explore topics that will assuredly span from Future Vertical Lift to Air Wing of the Future to CMV-22’s Fleet introduction and beyond….and a little alliteration never hurt.

Symposium is our pinnacle professional service event. Like NHA, it is only as strong as our membership. As we steam down the Road to Symposium, I encourage you to check on and update your membership status, particularly so if the doldrums of COVID may of allowed it to lapse. The Lifetime Membership option has exceeded our expectations and remains an incredible way to lock in your standing in one pass.

Congratulations to the CY2020 NHA Award Winners! We’re proud of all of you for exceptional work on many fronts and look forward to celebrating you at Symposium 2021.

Fly, fight, lead, win. All the bests… V/R Easy / NHA Lifetime Member #25

JO President's Message Evolve and Adapt

By LT Casey “Screech” Keilty, USN

H

ello, NHA Warriors!

I hope you all are doing well and starting 2021 off strong. NHA has lots of exciting events planned for 2021, and I am hopeful that we all can gather and get back to celebrating our rotor community family soon. This edition of Rotor Review focuses on Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower. I am excited for you to read some of the interesting articles in this issue.

I view the theme of this issue through the Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) lens as well as my personal experiences. One of HSC’s greatest strengths—sometimes to a fault—is its ability to adapt to any mission or task and come prepared to execute with a superior level of professionalism. During my Helicopter Aircraft Commander (HAC) cruise, I experienced full spectrum warfare firsthand through tiring workups and a deployment lasting 17 months in total. These missions spanned the full range of military operations – from conventional Fleet Logistics to Rotary-Wing Escort in which we supported Tier One Naval Special Warfare assets. Our HSC detachment was an integral part of the wide array of capabilities that the Amphibious Ready Group brought to the fight. I appreciate every operational and training mission that I have flown because I have been a part of a great team representing the world’s greatest Navy.

I look forward to seeing other deployment and sea stories in this month’s issue of Rotor Review.

Fly Navy!

—Screech / NHA Lifetime Member #312 Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

8

VP for Membership Report Membership and Mentorship

By CDR Michael Short, USN

I

would love to say that I am where I am because of my own hard work and sustained superior performance, but I cannot. I must give credit to all the leaders who offered me sage words of advice, my peers, and to those I have led and mentored along the way.

While standing up HSM-35, there was a history to the command and a legacy that we were bringing back to the sea wall. The command’s motto is “A Legacy of Excellence.”

When you are an active mentor, you are building a legacy as well.

A mentorship is a relationship between two people where the individual with more experience, knowledge, and connections can pass along what they have learned to a more junior individual within a certain field. The more senior individual is usually the mentor, and the more junior individual is the mentee.

The mentor benefits because they can lead turn the future generation in an area they care about and ensure that best practices are passed along. Meanwhile, the mentee benefits because they have proven that they are ready to take the next step in their career and can receive the extra help needed to make that advancement.

As a member of NHA, I need YOUR help. I have worked with our website designers to help build the Mentorship Portal.

The portal is a search engine that will allow you to put yourself out there or seek out a mentor. It is currently in a soft opening phase and will be ready for prime time soon. First, I need you to update your profile and select areas in which you are willing to be a mentor. Then, I need you to poke around under the Membership Tab and select Mentorship. Until we get more members to update their profiles, we will not have enough profiles for an effective search.

This is a way to add value to your membership. I implore you to help build a legacy of excellence and to make every Membership count. In the end, we are STRONGER TOGETHER!

Newest Lifetime Member #440, CAPT Wes Cooper, USN (Ret.)

CAPT Amy "B-12" Bauernschmidt Lifetime Member #220

9

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

In Review Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower

By LT Michael "Bubbles" Short, USN

E

steemed Readership,

In compiling submissions for the Spring Issue of Rotor Review,(RR 152), I found myself in awe at the incredible variety of experience and perspective on which our contributors have drawn. In selecting RR 152’s theme, our staff sought to solicit contributions that would highlight the breadth of Rotary Wing Aviation’s impact on our Navy’s overarching objective of maintaining Seapower—not only here in 2021, but also in the future fight. As usual, our submissions from across the Fleet did not disappoint!

Within these pages, you will find pieces penned by Naval Aviators at the forefront of thought leadership within their respective communities. As the battlefield constantly evolves, our Naval Rotary Force thus encounters a litany of chances to put our training and innovation to task. Our contributors herein discuss opportunities for cultural growth within the HSC Community, HSM’s budding employment of Artificial Intelligence, the integration of airframes and TTPs in the ever-critical Mine Countermeasures Mission, and much more.

Finally, before you dive in, I’d like to give a shout out to one of our JO members who is doing fantastic things for the Naval Helicopter Association as a whole: LT Charles “Saul” Goodman. Not only does Saul serve as the CVW HARP Officer and ASE/SACT Subject Matter Expert at HSC Weapons School, Pacific, he’s also recently taken charge of NHA’s Instagram. Give him a follow (@naval_helicopter_association) and you’ll see some of the excellent work he’s putting in daily to promote our organization, and helicopter squadrons across the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard!

Thanks for reading; we’ll see you this summer!

Very respectfully, LT Michael “Bubbles” Short Editor-in-Chief, Rotor Review

RADIO CHECK Tell Us What You Think!

Next Issue's Radio Check: There are many aspects of the Rotary Wing Community that distinguish us from the rest of the Naval Aviation Enterprise. To me, one of the signature features that makes the Naval Rotary Force strong is our unique incorporation of aircrew in mission execution. Many accomplished pilots will tell you that they’d be nowhere in their respective careers if it weren’t for the guidance, knowledge, and wisdom of an excellent Crew Chief somewhere along the line.

For this installment of Radio Check, we’d like to hear from you regarding what makes a great Crew Chief. If you’ve got a specific individual in mind, how did that Crew Chief help you get to where you are today? Anecdotes and personal shout-outs, as always, are encouraged. We can’t wait to hear your responses!

You can email your comments to me directly, my email is michaelshort91@gmail.com or to rotorreview@navalhelicopterassn.org. Our publication deadline is June 30th 2021.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

10

Letters to the Editors It is always great to hear from our membership! We need your input to ensure that Rotor Review keeps you informed, connected and entertained. We maintain many open channels to contact the magazine staff for feedback, suggestions, praise, complaints or publishing corrections. Please advise us if you do not wish to have your input published in the magazine.

Your anonymity will be respected. Post comments on the NHA Facebook Page or send an email to the Editor-in-Chief (michaelshort91@gmail.com) or the Managing Editor (rotorreview@navalhelicopterassn.org.) You can use snail mail too. Rotor Review’s mailing address is: Letters to the Editor, c/o Naval Helicopter Association, Inc., P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578.

Notice to All Expired NHA Members NHA is asking members with expired memberships to renew NOW! Membership is the life blood to remain viable and relevant. Having to cancel the 2020 National Symposium had a significant impact on our annual operating revenue – 90% of which comes from this one event. Renewing NOW has become a strategic goal to keep NHA solvent.

We are reaching out to all expired members for your help. NHA remains a member supported non-profit organization.

Renewing for an Annual ($40.00), 3-Year ($110.00), or 5-Year ($175.00) Membership and encouraging your many shipmates within the Rotary Wing and Tiltrotor Communities to do the same will help us reach our goal. We are dependent upon individual membership to keep us strong and operating in support of our active duty, reserve, retired, and civilian members.

To renew your membership, please take one of the following actions: • Call NHA at (619) 435-7139 and we will assist you over the phone.

• E-mail NHA at membership@navalhelicopterassn.org.

• Go online and join as a member at www. navalhelicopterassn.org.

With your financial support, we will make it through the worst of the pandemic and return to member-based events in the new year. Thank you!

-

2021 Themes, Submission Deadlines and Publishing Dates

All submissions can be sent to your community editor via email or to Rotor Review by email at

Issue Submissions Deadline / Publication Dates UAVs and You - Summer 2021 (#153) ..........................................June 15, 2021 / July 30, 2021 rotorreview@navalhelicopterassn.org or by USPS mail to Training - Is it Real or Virtual? - Fall 2021 (#154) ......August 15, 2021 / September 30, 2021 Naval Helicopter Association The Force of the Future - Winter 2022 (#155) ........................ Nov. 30, 2021 / January 8, 2022 Attn: Rotor Review P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578 Articles and news items are welcomed from NHA’s general membership and corporate associates. Articles should be of general interest to the readership and geared toward current Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard affairs, technical advances in the helicopter industry or of historical interest. Humorous articles are encouraged.

Rotor Review and Website Submission Guidelines

1.

2.

Articles: MS Word documents for text. Do not embed your images within the document. Send as a separate attachment.

Photos and Vector Images: Should be as high a resolution as possible and sent as a separate file from the article. Please include a suggested caption that has the following information: date, names, ranks or titles, location and credit the photographer or source of your image.

3. Videos: Must be in a mp4, mov, wmv or avi format.

• With your submission, please include the title and caption of all media, photographer’s name, command and the length of the video.

• Verify the media does not display any classified information.

• Ensure all maneuvers comply with NATOPS procedures.

• All submissions shall be tasteful and in keeping with good order and discipline.

• All submissions should portray the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and individual units in a positive light.

11

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society Spring Ahead

By CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) LTM #46, R-16213 President

W

ell…the weather is starting to improve and Spring is in the air. Many people I know have had their second COVID-19 vaccination shot and people are talking about more activities, businesses re-opening and getting back to something like we remember as close to normal. Hopefully the light at the end of the tunnel is an indication of clear sailing ahead. NHA is planning in person activities this year in the form of a Symposium in October at the Viejas Casino Resort in San Diego and the Fleet Fly-In in Pensacola in November. That all is encouraging so let’s hope things continue to improve and open-up and allow for travel and in person events. The theme for this year’s NHA Symposium is “Force of the Future” so that should generate some good discussions with regards to everything that is currently being pursued in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard as well as allowing for some thoughtful feedback from the Fleet concerning ideas that might improve the many efforts that are ongoing.

The NHA Historical Society (NHAHS) has been involved with an event that is in an article in this edition of the Rotor Review that brought a Lifetime Membership Coin and some attention to our Oldest Helix (Oldest Helicopter Pilot), Captain Robbie Roberts, USN (Ret.), as he turned 107 years young on 17 April 2021. That is truly amazing and we’d like to thank all the personnel in Jacksonville both at the Wing and in the Squadron of Airwolves that made it all possible. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to pay tribute to one of our Naval Helicopter Community Heroes. Happy Birthday to CAPT Roberts and best wishes for continued good health!

NHAHS has also been busy with a couple other projects that we are excited about however are not quite ready for prime time (announcements in the Rotor Review). We look forward to working some more of the details and providing the information along with updates in the near future when we can brief you up on these initiatives. We have selected the Captain Mark Starr Pioneer Award Winners for 2020. CAPT Gene Pellerin, USN (Ret.) and CAPT Mike Coumatos, USN (Ret.) are co-winners this year. Congratulations to both of you for what has been lifetime contributions to the rotary wing community. CAPT Coumatos received his award in a private ceremony in April due to health issues and CAPT Pellerin will receive his award in October at the Annual NHA Awards Ceremony at the Viejas Casino Resort.

We continue to work on the Helicopter Hall of Heroes Slideshow displayed on the NHAHS Website (https://www. nhahistoricalsociety.org/helicopter-hall-of-heroes/) and Earn Your Number Website (https://eyn.navalhelicopterassociation. org/). Check out these presentations and websites and, if you have comments or suggestions, please send them to CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) at billpersonius@gmail.com and / or CDR Michael G. Brattland, USN (Ret.) at retiredaffairs@ navalhelicopterassn.org.

I for one am looking forward to getting back to normal and seeing some my helicopter friends and maybe even a visit to the I-Bar when their doors re-open again! Stay safe and keep your turns up!

Regards, CAPT P.

Did You Know?

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon. com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society.

Sign-up today! It does not cost you anything and a percentage of your purchase price is donated to NHAHS!

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

12

Naval Helicopter Association Scholarship Fund NHA Scholarship Fund Always Says Two Things: “Donate" and "Apply!”

By CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) President

E

nduring legacy: I’d like to tip my hat this month to the old H-46 Bubbas and their legendary thousand pallet lifts. I am asking you to send in your stories with a challenge, and maybe a fund drive in honor of the aircrews and deckhands doing this stuff at night with a rack of red masthead lights as their only reference. NHASF Legacy Awards can keep the spirit of the Thousand Pallet Lifts alive.

"Old Buck"

Scholarship News: A round of applause to our NHA Scholarship Fund Committee for their efforts to prescreen the 2021 applicant pool and deliver a slate of 56 highly qualified applicants across three categories, competing for fifteen $3,000 scholarships. The NHASF Committee, assisted by regional selection teams, to include two West Coast CMCs, selected 15 competitive undergraduate, graduate, and active-duty enlisted candidates and 8 designated alternates.

Jim Toone, our Executive VP and VP for Operations, said, “The 2021 selection group was the most competitive group of applicants we’ve seen over the past two years. In every category, we had tough decisions to make. This is a top-quality slate.”

By the end of March, we had closed the selection boards and delivered the slate to the Board of Directors for their approval.

The announcement for the awardees will be made in May, when we will notify each of the candidates of their selection status and request additional information needed to make the award.

But, that isn’t all we have been doing. Some of the less glamorous, but important, items on the NHASF Committee’s schedule between now and the end of August include the following: u u

u u

Reviewing lessons learned and implementing good ideas for the next cycle, “Changing the oil” on our website, particularly the donation pages, to codify the methods, or Landing Spots, for donations, Improving the online application process, and Streamlining the selection process with better grading gouge for the application review.

Coming out of the summer, our goal is to be ready to “hit-the-deck running” when we open the 2022 Award Cycle on September 1, 2021. Additional information will be provided no later than August 20, 2021. For planning, we will be looking at a fundraising target of $75k for 2022 (scholarships, Admin and investment portfolio increase). We will be asking for your help.

Categories for funding continue to show the generosity of both past and present donors, this year exceeding our fundraising goals for 2020. Our sources of income have grown, particularly the investment income based upon some generous gifts in perpetuity made years ago. u u u u u

Corporate sponsorships (annual and in perpetuity): CAE, FLIR (corporate), Midway Museum, Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Kaman, and NHA Historical Society Individual gifts increased dramatically with the focused Day of Giving Campaign in 2020.

Legacy and leadership challenge donations - (Mark Starr) Memorial gifts Emma Therese Jordon, Ream Memorial, and FLIR Memorial Investment growth based upon a handful of gifts made in perpetuity. Kaman, the Ream Family, and Don Patterson’s Points of Light generosity have anchored our investment, which grew significantly over the past two years – allowing the amount of each scholarships to grow to $3000.

NHASF is Looking for Volunteers We are looking for volunteers to fill three positions on the NHA Scholarship Committee opening in May 2021: Executive VP/VP Ops, VP Scholarships and VP Plans.

13

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

CAPT Jim Toone USN (Ret.), current Exec VP/ VP for Operations will leave the staff in late April after leading the applications process and delivering a highly qualified slate in both 2020 and 2021. Working with the VP Scholarships, and our Committee, he has rewritten the By-Laws and the Ops Manual to capture and clarify our scholarship procedures.

CAPT Bill Keller, USN (Ret.), VP for Scholarships, will leave the committee in May after streamlining the application process and procedures, and personally assisting dozens of applicants to make their way through the procedure. His hands on approach will be missed.

NHA Scholarship Fund

President .............................CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) Executive VP/ VP Ops ...........CAPT Jim Toone, USN (Ret.) VP Plans...............................................CAPT Jon Kline, USN VP Scholarships .......................CAPT Bill Keller, USN (Ret.) VP Finance ..................................CDR Greg Knutson, USN Treasurer ................................................Mr. Jim Rosenberg Webmaster........................CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) Corresponding Secretary.........LT Caleb Derrington, USN CFC/Special Projects ..............................LT Joe Brown, USN

CAPT Jon Kline, CO NSA Hampton Roads, and VP for plans has done a great job reinvigorating our message which increased awareness and grew our scholarship base. He will leave us this summer when he transfers to Naples, Italy to take on the Regional Deputy position.

Vice President Operations / Executive Vice President: The Vice President Operations / Executive Vice President shall perform all the duties of the President in his/her absence and shall: u Ensure day to day operations of the Fund are consistent with the By-Laws and Operations Manual. u Oversee the National Scholarship Selections and coordinate with regional and functional selection committees u Maintain an up to date Operations Manual Vice President, Scholarships: u Develop and modify, when needed, the scholarship application and selection process. u Work with the NHA Webmaster to streamline prescreen and application procedures and (as needed) assist potential applicants maneuver through the application process u Make notifications to applicants and selectees as to the results of the final selection list Vice President, Plans u Develop the annual strategic plan and determine the marketing effort needed to fundraise scholarship and overhead funds u Recommend the funding targets for the year based on fundraising and investment levels (ex. 15 scholarships at $3k each) u Make recommendations to update the NHASF Website.

If interested, please contact the NHASF President, CAPT Arne Nelson, USN (Ret.) at president@nhascholarshipfund.org.

Please forward a cover letter and resume/bio for consideration.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

14

View from the Labs Full Spectrum Rotary Seapower

By CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.)

T

his issue of Rotor Review has as its theme, “Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower.” That term can mean many things to many people. At a minimum, it means that the Naval Rotary Wing Community contributes to American Seapower.

Taken a bit further, it conveys the idea that Naval Rotary Wing Aviation is an indispensable element of America’s security and prosperity. And, of course, there are several definitions available between those two bookends.

From where I sit at the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC PAC), the Navy’s C4ISR Center of Excellence, where we are working with technologies for today’s and tomorrow’s Navy, as well as emergent technologies for the Navy-After-Next, we believe, as historian Max Boot said in his best-selling book, War Made New, “My view is that technology sets the parameters of the possible; it creates the potential for a military revolution.”

For that reason, I’d like to take the approach that Rotary Wing Aviation is an indispensable element of America’s security and prosperity today, and that do be able to do so tomorrow, we need to be aware of, and embrace, technological change so that we can continuously upgrade our current platforms, systems, sensors and weapons, as well as imagine those platforms, systems, sensors and weapons we will need for future conflicts.

So how do we imagine what we’ll need in the future? A recent article in the Washington Post, “We can’t prevent tomorrow’s catastrophes unless we imagine them today” (link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/03/18/future-forecastingstrategic-planning/?tid=usw_passupdatepg) pointed out just how tough it is to get away from the day-to-day and think about a future that may be decades distant.

That is tough, but necessary, if Naval Rotary Wing Aviation wants to ensure that it doesn’t become irrelevant in the future.

Just think, at one time we couldn’t live without buggy whips, eight-track tapes, VCRs, or you name it. All of us in our Community need to start from the premise that we could become quite dispensable and imagine a future where we are not.

A great place to start is America’s new Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, Advantage at Sea (https://media.defense.gov/2020/ Dec/16/2002553074/-1/-1/0/TRISERVICESTRATEGY.PDF). This document is focused on today’s and tomorrow’s Navy as well as the Navy-After-Next. Here is what it says about how we should look to the future: The Naval Service will pursue an agile and aggressive approach to experimentation and force modernization. Our future hybrid Fleet will combine existing platforms with new, smaller ships, lighter amphibious ships, modernized aircraft, expanded logistics, resilient space capabilities, and optionally manned and unmanned platforms. We will deliver innovative training and education to ensure our Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen remain the world’s premier Naval Force.

To prevail in long-term strategic competition, the Naval Service will promote a relentless drive to anticipate, think creatively, and lead through change. We cannot assume we will fight on our timelines, on our terms, from sanctuaries our opponents cannot reach, or with maritime superiority. Our success depends on boldly executing this strategy with collective resolve to preserve our advantage at sea.

The Naval Rotary Wing Community has been the best at many things for decades. As we mine our higher level documents like Advantage at Sea to intuit what our leadership is telling us about tomorrow’s fight, we would be well-served to have a community-wide discussion to determine how we can embrace emerging technologies to remain the best.

15

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

On Leadership "On Leadership” is a feature column in every issue where Rotary Wing Flag Officers are able to submit articles on leadership topics of their choosing. RDML Alvin “Bull” Holsey proposed the idea and provided the lead article on “Mentoring - What Matters Most?” in the Fall 2019 Issue.

Resilience is Commander’s Business What is resilience and why is it important to our Navy?

By RDML John Menoni, USN, Commander, Joint Region Marianas

I

n Advantage at Sea, our nation's recently released Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, resilience is defined as, “ability to retain or rapidly recover operational effectiveness during or immediately following a kinetic or non-kinetic attack.” The United States is in the midst of a long-term strategic competition with capable adversaries. The potential for this competition to escalate into conflict highlights the critical need of having a force that can take battle damage and casualties, stay in the fight and win.

History has many examples of superior resilience in pressurized, challenging scenarios.

The actions of USS Johnston (DDG 557) and USS Laffey (DD 724) during their service in World War II’s Pacific Theater are prime examples of resilience. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf in operations off of Samar Island on October 25, 1944, CDR Ernest Evans took the initiative, leading Johnston on the initial torpedo attack against the much stronger Japanese Center Force threatening to destroy the beachhead on the island of Leyte. Though his ship was severely damaged after its first torpedo run when it faced off against a heavy cruiser, Evans returned to the fight knowing that additional attacks could lead to the destruction of his ship and crew. Johnston and her sister ships followed their first torpedo runs with a second, receiving significant battle damage. Once all her torpedoes were expended, Johnston continued to attack the superior Japanese force with guns even as she was sinking, allowing most escort carriers of TAFFY 3 to avoid serious damage. During the Okinawa campaign, Laffey, commanded by CDR Frederick Becton, was assigned radar picket ship duty with a primary mission of providing advance raid warning and anti-aircraft fire support against Japanese air forces intent on attacking the Fleet supporting the invasion. On April 16, 1945, the crew of Laffey found themselves in the fight of their lives. Over a span of 80 minutes, Laffey was struck by six kamikaze aircraft and also hit with four bombs. She was credited with no less than eight enemy kills while suffering 32 dead and at least 71 wounded. Following the engagement, Laffey proceeded to Seattle, Washington for repairs under her own power.

There are vital lessons to be learned from these examples. Without question, both Johnston and Laffey’s crews were resilient.

Each suffered multiple attacks resulting in significant battle damage. Both crews had to deal with the heartache of lost shipmates, but each stayed in the fight until the mission was complete. Resilience isn’t about who is the strongest, most fearless, most experienced individual or the technologically superior force. Resilience often comes from within, whether it is an individual who is able to weather their own personal storms or a command with a culture that enables it to stay on mission despite having received battle damage and losing shipmates.

So, as leaders, how should we go about developing resilience within our organizations? There are three areas where direct attention by command leadership can help.

Training. Paul Sullivan discusses in his book Clutch how high performers excel under immense pressure. The basic premise is that individuals or organizations that we think of as clutch performers are those that make the extraordinary seem routine during a crisis, pressure-filled moment or in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

16

An example of an individual who has trained themselves to be clutch is a professional golfer who hits 1000 shots on the driving range thereby ensuring that the same shot is achievable despite the pressure cooker of a national television audience and a championship on the line. As to building our commands to be clutch under pressure, we have all heard sayings that describe this hypothesis – “be brilliant on the basics, focus on blocking and tackling, the more you sweat in peace the less you bleed in war,” all of which have a common thread training. Ensuring that your team’s training is dedicated, repetitive, and realistic will help you make difficult tasking seem routine.

USS Laffey (DD 724) firing

Consider a Naval Aviator landing on the ship at night - the thousands of hours of study, instruction, simulation and flight training that are focused on this one basic evolution. While no night landing is ever truly easy, landing the aircraft is a no fail task that every Naval Aviator must be able to accomplish on a regular basis. We need to train ourselves and our teams to do routine tasks the right way, with little to no deviation, every single time. Our teams need to know it to their core that they can accomplish a series of simple tasks as part of a complex evolution such as an underway replenishment without hesitation, fear or drama because they have practiced and prepared. When we truly believe we have mastered our craft, we will then have extra capacity to deal with any contingency or uncertainty that always exists in our operating environment. Leaders who understand this concept relentlessly train their teams to achieve warfighting excellence. They focus on flawless execution of mundane and routine tasks, objectively debriefing performance with a goal of continuous improvement and becoming world class. These leaders use their collective failures in training as teaching moments to improve performance. They emphasize and reiterate preparing the individual physically and mentally while managing their talent to build their teams. These commanders ensure that no Sailor will ever go into conflict untrained or unprepared. When highly trained commands are presented with a VUCA situation, they are able to rely on muscle memory developed in training to continue to do the basics (aviate, navigate, communicate) while dealing with the uncertainty and volatility of a crisis.

Communication. It is a truism that today’s military is the most educated force our country has ever fielded. A positive consequence of fielding intelligent, educated Sailors is their questioning attitude. They want to know the “why” behind the “what” they are tasked with doing. A leadership attitude where “just do it because I said so” is a common response will not resonate with a mature team of critical thinkers. Your Sailors want to hear from you. They want to understand the “why” behind the mission and they will be willing to wait for the right time to hear your perspective. It is better to over communicate than to allow an information vacuum to exist where uncertainty can metastasize into mistrust and fear. Today, technology offers the use of multiple communications media that can help ensure everyone gets the word. Email is good, but hearing your voice is better. Using the 1MC is a great technique, but some Sailors respond better to one on one discussions. Social media can be a valuable tool for keeping the home front informed, but it is only one tool and your message will be constrained by the necessity to maintain operational and information security. Communicating with your team is necessary when things are calm, but absolutely essential during a crisis. Don’t just tell your crew the good; they know it isn’t always sunshine and unicorns.

Make sure you are honest with them and tell them what you know, what you don’t know, and what is an opinion. If your crew knows that you are transparent in your communications, they are less likely to fill in any blank spaces with rumors and will be able to quell their internal fears, allowing them to do their jobs during a crisis. Transparent communications will give you decision space by keeping uncertainty about command issues at a minimum, out of the social media environment and prevent adjudication in the court of public opinion.

Trust. The Department of the Navy spends an enormous amount of its resources working to build and maintain physically safe environments in an effort to avoid the loss of readiness--a loss that could be brought about by hurting our people or breaking our equipment. Within the business community the concept of “psychological safety” is a necessary ingredient in building trust and a requirement for high-performing teams. The term may seem like a new age buzzword to military leaders, but the concept 17

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

is not new. It is a standard characteristic of high-performing organizations and their leadership. “psychological safety” is the ability to speak your mind without fear of reprisal, to highlight a problem and solution to your ISIC with no concern about a wire-brushing, to make a mistake without experiencing unprofessional ridicule or having your career ruined. A command team that promotes psychological safety alongside personal and material safety has laid the foundation of a command culture which will be built on trust. A truly resilient command is one which fosters a “culture of trust and confidence based on proven character and competence” where individuals have trust in their shipmates and their leadership simultaneously. RDML John Menoni, USN, Commander, Joint Region Marianas, elbow bumps Teammates feel safe to think about the U.S. Army 1st Lt. Courtney Arthur, a medical professional assigned to Task why, to be authentic to themselves and Force 671, after an awards ceremony at Santa Rita Compound. U.S. Navy photo

by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class MacAdam Kane Weissman. others, to provide objective feedback, to champion novel solutions, and to make honest mistakes without fear of reprisal. They believe their commanders will employ their talents in a manner for which they have trained and is necessary to successfully accomplish the team’s mission. They understand their operating environment is often uncertain and sometimes dangerous, but they trust that their leadership will not have a cavalier disregard for their safety. They buy into the concept the military has an obligation to put mission first while always looking after the welfare of our service members. A culture of immediate and absolute trust enables these commands to continue to operate successfully as their environment becomes more complex and uncertain, with no margin for error and little time to question orders. A high-performing team, which has a culture where trust is foundational, will often accomplish seemingly impossible tasks where others have failed.

CNO recently published NAVPLAN 2021 with a key objective within the guidance that speaks to our Sailors: Our focus is on developing seasoned naval warriors. Specifically, Admiral Gilday emphasizes the need for “a dominant naval force that can outthink and outfight any adversary.” He states that “our Sailors will remain the best trained and educated force in the world.

We will cultivate a culture of warfighting excellence rooted in our core values.” The U.S. is once again focused on strategic competition with its adversaries. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Team are the country’s “away team” and “911 force” and are most often face-to-face with our adversary’s forces over the horizon at the leading edge of a future conflict. Inherent in strategic competition is the possibility that USN, USMC, and USCG forces will be involved in conflict with peer adversaries.

That fight will not be clean nor will it be easy. It will result in significant human suffering, heartache, losses among our friends and foes. To prevail, we will need high-performing resilient teams who display the “gallantry, guts, and gumption” that are hallmarks of the Naval Service. It is up to leaders at all levels to continually self-assess the resiliency of their personnel, their teams and to correct any deficiencies. Building tough, resilient teams who will win in conflict is 100% Commander’s Business.

Bibliography

Morison, S. E. (1986). History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II - Volume 12. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Sullivan, P. (2010). Clutch. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Dr. Michael Paulovich Captain Brett Mietus Captain Edward Weiler Commander Thomas Butts Lieutenant Commander Rick Moore Command Master Chief Nicholas Messina

Contributors

The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense or the U.S. Navy.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

18

Commodore's Corner Rotary Wing Relevance

By CAPT Jeff “JMel” Melody, Commodore, HSM Wing Pacific

T

o all HSM and HSC Warfighters, you are laying the foundation for the Rotary Force of the future on your watch. I recently attended Global 13 (G-13) at the Naval War College (NWC) Wargaming Center in Newport, RI. This is a U.S. Pacific Fleet-led wargame series focused on the fight in their pivotal AOR, and was my second Global wargaming event. As opposed to G-11 in August 2019 with over 400 operators, G-13 was much scaled down in scope and focus.

But, what was noteworthy in both was the game leads ensured a Navy Rotary Wing representative (me) participated right alongside players from the other Services as well as several three letter agencies. Clearly, Navy Rotary Wing brings essential warfighting value to the fight.

In the past, we have seen some wargames unfold, focused on big picture muscle movements of Component Commanders, CSGs, logistics, and large force strikes, and Rotary Wing (RW) is left out of the picture. Similarly, this lack of recognition has been evident in Numbered Fleet Commander (NFC) OPORD tasking that included RW elements, yet sometimes did not involve a RW representative in planning to better synergize the assets. In my opinion, this tactical oversight is a thing of the past. Look at the Global wargaming series as an example, or look at ASW planning at the NFC level where we have reps at the table (and if we don’t, they call looking for one). Look at every multi-national maritime exercise occurring at any given time around the globe and it is undeniable RW brings warfighting value across all AORs and domains. In G-13, frankly I was impressed by how many participants, uniformed and civilians, came with a solid working knowledge of HSM and HSC, knew we were a foundational element to the plan and did not have to be educated on our capabilities or be continually reminded to include RW. As I think about this, and reflect on my past three years at HSMWINGPAC, I recall the first-ever Rotary Wing Panel at Tailhook 2018 where CAPT “Jean Luc” Richard stated from his OPNAV N98 RO perspective that “Rotary Wing contributions to CSG operations, and more broadly, DMO, are at unprecedented levels.” This was a bold statement to some, but a very TRUE statement, and one that deserved to be said then and bears repeating now. The level of RW contributions to the protection and sustainment of the CSG and NFC SAGs; be it inner-zone ASW protection, EW/MISR/ 19

SUW collection, information dissemination and F2T2EA, AMCM, SAR and Combat Logistics are at unprecedented levels. This demand signal will only grow larger in the future as we exercise more manned/unmanned teaming, play more in the LVC environment and Fleet Experimentation events, work with the Marine Corps in Expeditionary Advance Basing Operations design, develop our future Helo CONOPS and embark on development of Maritime Future of Vertical Lift.

Warfighters, you will be called on to employ the aircraft as you have trained - count on that. Hardly a week goes by where the Commodores do not receive an update from a deployed unit relaying how during a MISR mission they had to shift fires and pounce on a pop-up PLA(N) submarine near the HVU, intercept a UAS in the Arabian Gulf, execute shortnotice HADR tasking, take down a Low Profile Vessel drug runner with a USCG LEDET sniper embarked, receive less than 48-hour tasking to put a detachment(s) to sea to shadow an out of area deployer, perform as MAC for multi-service and domain assets in Long Range Maritime Strike constructive kills on opportune targets, land on partner nation ships, host foreign delegations interested in buying the H-60 (India begins a $2B contract with the U.S. Navy this June when we begin training a cadre of their pilots and maintainers at HSM-41), and the list goes continues. With the Advanced Data Transfer System and Sys Config 18 coming on-line for MH-60R, our TOFT Sys Configs keeping better pace with the aircraft, Digital MAD Test & Evaluation, the Air Wing Fallon syllabus revision that now includes two weeks of maritime missions in San Diego, Weapons Schools and NAWDC’s Sea Wolf & www.navalhelicopterassn.org

MISR Departments relentlessly “challenging the assumption” to drive more effective training models, nascent AI/ML work with DIA to enhance MISR and ASW Find-Fix capability and our three years running #1 NARG priority of netted maritime ISR&T to up our game with radar enhancements and digital ESM, you and your machines WILL be even more lethal in the years to come. Strike Group and SAG Commanders truly want to sail only where the area is sanitized and protected

by RW. No matter where you operate from, count on being called upon, and train so you deliver swiftly with precision, as you will likely only get one chance to get it done. RW relevance had never been firmer, and you are leading it!

Continue to push the envelope with innovation. The CDREs often quip we would be left in the dust if we were JOs with the likes of you today! We stand in awe of the extreme ownership and mastery you display in not accepting the status quo, and tirelessly driving to enhance lethality by extracting higher fidelity from our existing equipment, and refining and developing TTPs for new or proof of concept environments such as Romeos embarked on LHA/Ds, MCM, Space, EMCON, passive targeting, etc. Continue to treat every initiative as an opportunity to expand out contributions to DMO and re-affirm Rotary Wing relevance.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Readiness is the lynchpin to our effective employment; and in this metric we take a lot of pride in being NAE leaders in Mission Capable rates.

Squadron maintainers do an unbelievable job maintaining our aircraft, and their embracement of new ways of doing business with O-Level Maintenance Management practices is enabling us to start focusing on lethality & survivability FMC drivers.

Team, never go a day without walking the shops and the flight line to thank your maintenance professionals.

I’ll close by thanking the Rotor Review Staff and NHA Executive Director, CAPT Gillcrist, USN (Ret.) for having the vision to start the Commodore’s Corner. Commodore Bailey’s inaugural corner last issue was fantastic in illuminating the value proposition of being an NHA Member. Members, especially you incredible JOs, consider this your mission to beat the NHA drum, recruit and inspire your brothers and sisters to become members of the best Naval Aviation professional organization out there!

I am on short final with my time in the seat, and have the honor to pass the baton to CAPT Brannon “Bick” Bickel in June. Most of you know Bick well through his years of leading the community, and with his time as past NHA National President. Congratulations Bick and Family! The Wing is in good hands with you at the helm. It is an absolute honor and privilege to serve with you all!

A U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter prepares to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8). The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are conducting operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Kassie McDole.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

20

What’s Next…You DECIDE

By CAPT Richard "Chip" Whitfield USN

T

here are changes afoot in Naval Aviation, and many NHA members are concerned about what the future holds for our communities. In the case of HSM and HSC, we are experiencing contractions in the CVW world and expansions in other areas. Still, when I look around and see what our JO’s have been working on, I quickly become a “glass half full” old timer.

seems to be something wrong with the Link 16 architecture… you can see your ship, but you can’t see anyone else.

Fortunately for you, prior to deployment, 707 was outfitted with an IOC (Initial Operational Capability) roll-on kit that includes MINOTAUR. Your pre-cruise briefs explained that MINOTAUR uses an onboard mission processor to present tracks and sensor data from around the globe using a satellite downlink from the Integrated Broadcast Service. The system also benefits from inputs from the Intelligence Community to provide an accurate and comprehensive representation of the battlespace. The data from MINOTAUR means that you can tap into the entire national database of tracks to point your team in the right direction.

It would be easy to lament the reduced footprint of MH60R and MH-60S on the CVN as part of Air Wing of the Future. We know what we bring to the fight. Some might even argue it’s debatable if our CSG could fight and win without HSC and HSM, but theory and conjecture won’t change current circumstances. So, what do we do? We look to the future and get ahead of the game. In 1939, there were a bunch of newly winged aviators screaming about the value of Naval Aviation as our Navy continued to focus most major investments on bigger guns for battleships. Where did that get us? Today is no different. Those who wish us harm are, no doubt, students of our naval theory and the history of our CSG since December 8th, 1941. We can either sit and wait for the next December 7th, or we can look for the creative solutions for looming problems. Great Power Competition is back, and that’s our focus.

The greatest benefit is being able to see tips from Fleet and national assets to narrow your search area. Coordinating with the ship’s combat team, and with MINOTAUR, you’ve located and identified the surface combatants by the end of day one. It’s just a matter of time before you get an ESM sniff to corner the annoyingly elusive sub.

Even crazier than these new capabilities is how fast they got onto a deployed aircraft! You remember as an FRP that there was no mention of MINOTAUR, and news articles are constantly talking about delays and overruns in weapon system contracts. Something must be working...

Insert B-movie dream-sequence fade-in…

And the B-movie dream-sequence fades back to reality…

It is 2022, and you’re the MO on a two-aircraft Combat Element participating in a joint exercise in the Northern Atlantic while surrounded by icebergs. Your ship-air team is trying to track red force combatants several hundred miles away and locate a submarine that’s been elusive. The rest of your strike group is farther south in warmer waters, and there

…except we never really left reality because this is the kind of stuff your communities are working on! In 2020, HSM created a Fleet Experimentation and Innovation (FLEX) Cell that was born out of 2020’s pandemic cancellation of multiple Large Force Exercises. It was the brainchild of some truly gifted and committed patriots. The HSM Weapons Schools’ “Reach21

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Back Cell” provides quick data analysis, sensor recommendations, and troubleshooting help to deployed units around the world. Meanwhile, HSC is, writ large, reinventing itself with some of the best leadership I’ve seen in my career. In my humble opinion, EABO expansion will make Personnel Recovery (or CSAR) more relevant than it has ever been. Perhaps even more important, combat logistics will likely be the deciding factor if there is a “next” fight, and no community is better positioned than HSC to deliver those capabilities in austere environments. Once you add VRM into the mix, we have material solutions that are just waiting for JO U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Robert Class, left, signals the crew of an MHimagination and creativity. Add a 60R Seahawk helicopter assigned to HSM-51 during night flight operations aboard 60R Det to the 60S EABO Dets, and the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) in the Pacific Ocean. the USMC, properly placed, could U.S. Navy photo by Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Fidel C. Hart. cover just about any chokepoint in the world.

The next step is to accelerate and expand “idea generation” from the Fleet to feed traditional and non-traditional acquisition processes. This is our bottleneck. The Navy takes far too long to envision, develop, test, and field new capabilities. Meanwhile, our adversaries are eating our lunch. Within the last year (since we stood up the FLEX Cell), a small group of EW experts in HSMWL has had an oversized impact on the community by developing a new SIGINT system called Electric EMU (ELINT Modernization Update)—a cutting-edge carry-on kit that every single platform in the Navy could use. Seeing a capability in need of improvement, local experts from the Innovation Cell briefed and pitched their idea, ultimately securing over $1 million to make their vision a reality.

The EEMU Project is not just a “pipe dream” or a niche solution. Taking ownership of how we fight with our platforms has given us a megaphone to shape the helicopter’s systems and capabilities. Committing resources to Fleet experimentation, while simultaneously gaining readiness, demonstrates to Program Offices and industry partners that we are devoted to bringing the best capabilities to the fight…and helping develop them!

NHA and Rotor Review do a great job of keeping the family in touch and on the same page. The message I’d like to send is for our Fleet Aviators and Aircrewmen to share their ideas with the family. Don’t let a game changing innovation that feels impossibly out-of-reach die on the vine. Find opportunities in the change around you. This family has the resources and desire to cultivate good ideas that make us better warfighters. Speak up and be heard!

An MH-60R Seahawk, attached to the "Easy Riders" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 37, prepares to deliver a payload to the the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730). U.S. Navy

An unmanned aerial vehicle delivers a payload to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) around the Hawaiian Islands. U.S.

photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael B. Zingaro, USN.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

22

Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Devin M. Langer,USN.

View from the Cabin We Need to Hear from You! AWR1(NAC/AW) Calder L. Epes, USN, AWR1(NAC/AW/SW) Broc Fournier, USN, AWR1(NAC/AW) Aaron T. Messner, USN, and AWS1(NAC/AW) Patrick M. Miller, USN

F

ind us a SAR Petty Officer (PO) who doesn’t have a laundry list of complaints about training gear, pool scheduling, jumps scheduling, among many others, and we’ll show you a SAR PO who has his or her head in the sand. But isn’t that the nature of the job? We should always be unsatisfied and pushing ourselves to train better. Under normal circumstances, it all amounts to routine griping. But these have not been normal circumstances, yet we still met the mission, day in and day out.

Hickey credits the SARMM Team with developing training guidelines to aid shops in continuing training. With respect to evaluations, he adds that “in the beginning of the pandemic many Unit SAR Evaluations had to be postponed but once again the team adjusted and came up with creative ways to safely - but still effectively - evaluate SAR crews.”

Several other unit SAR POs who we spoke with echoed similar experiences and talked about how while the pandemic restrictions may be adding some antagonizing weight to their programs, they are, overall, able to stay afloat. What they really wished for was attention and money going toward training gear and resources such as survivor gear for pool training. One SAR PO noted that he assembles a “composite” survivor out of a backpack harness, oxygen mask with bayonet fittings, and an RSSK held in place manually. Our SAR crews are adapting and flexing to the restrictions that the Navy has imposed but are often just making due and pretending they have training gear that many haven’t seen since ARSS in Pensacola.

Now, a year into the COVID-19 shutdown, we have to ask ourselves what the real impact has been on training and SAR effectiveness. Instead of relatively mild scheduling gripes, are our SAR POs facing more significant obstacles to getting adequate training conducted? How has the Navy’s shutdown of fitness facilities and the FRAGORD from last summer affected our physical fitness and SAR readiness? What about our deployed swimmers on ships and stations without fitness facilities? How have they fared? To better answer some of these questions, we asked a few community leaders and SAR POs what they see.

As far as physical fitness goes, there are two factors that appear to be at play. The first is the prevalence of home gyms among the SAR community. Long before the pandemic closed the gyms, SAR swimmers had a culture of turning their garages or sheds into rubber-lined weight rooms and crossfit-type gyms.

The second factor is the use of off-base gyms that re-opened earlier in the pandemic. The limitations of the FRAGORD from last summer all but guaranteed that the only way for SAR crewmen that did not have their own home gym to stay fit was to violate COVID protocol. The issues presented by the pandemic begged the question, how do we respond when physical fitness is a requirement of the job? Fitness in this line of work is not just an easily waiverable requirement like “all Sailors must pass a PRT,” but a specific operational necessity.

SAR swimmers must be able to carry out a rescue to save lives.

One of the leaders who has been closely tracking the impact of COVID-19 mitigation on SAR readiness is AWRCM Nathan Hickey at HSMWINGPAC. He quickly articulated the challenge "Since, SAR training by its nature involves significant close contact whether it is in the pool, ocean, or cabin. The easy short-term solution was to waive training requirements. However, it quickly became apparent that COVID-19 was not going to be a short-term problem.”

As commands began flexing to the new training environment the old issues of inadequate training equipment and facilities became even more apparent. Naval Base Coronado, a Master Helicopter Base for both HSM and HSC, has the Crews Pool on NAS North Island units sometimes used the NAB Coronado MWR Pool during pre-Covid times. HSC units in Norfolk have few pool locations and they all are either falling apart or have standing reservations from ATG running the Surface SAR Program. So how did this set us up as a community to weather the Navy’s pandemic restrictions?

AWR1 James Ritz from HSM-79 shared one positive theme that has arisen community dealing with the pandemic restrictions: cross-platform coordination. West Coast HSM and HSC Communities are communicating with each other to either share the pool or give a non-needed pool slot over completely. Meanwhile, in Ritz’ view, the issues that his shop has noticed are the perennial ones, not caused by COVID restrictions. There is not enough money for adequate training equipment and the crunch for SAR jumps boat support remains a challenge for units.

Our exploration of the state of our SAR training is far from complete, and we want to hear your experiences and opinions.

Every voice we hear adds another piece to complete the picture and contributes to greater community self-evaluation.

AWRCM Hickey summed up the NHA SAR Community’s response to the pandemi well and said "The COVID 19 pandemic was an unprecedented disruption to our force and especially to the way we train for SAR. However, our SAR crews never skipped a beat, they continued to execute rescues at sea, HADR missions and hundreds of COVID MEDEVAC and transport missions and did so safely.”

SOML.

23

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Get Started Telling Your Stories

By CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.)

Making the Freytag Pyramid Real

S

ince Rotor Review is published quarterly, I thought it would be helpful if I recapped what we talked about last time. Two big hitters: The log line: You have got to have one if you are going to write a novel. Here is the gouge: A log line is crucial to helping you focus on your story. Here is what a log line is. The subject of the sentence will describe (1) an imperfect but passionate and active protagonist. The verb will depict (2) the battle. And the direct object will describe (3) an insurmountable antagonist who tries to stop the protagonist from reaching (4) a physical goal on account of (5) the stakes, if the goal is not reached.

If you are even semi-serious about banging out a novel, this is a necessary step to get your brain around just what it is you intend to write. This is something you must have before you rush out of the starting blocks and start slamming 80,000 to 100,000 words on paper The Freytag Pyramid: All good novels follow this process.

You want to do this!

Just to remind you of what we teed up last time, here is what the Freytag Pyramid looks like:

And here is what each segment of the Freytag Pyramid means: 1. Exposition: Setting the scene. The writer introduces the characters and setting, providing description and background.

2. Inciting Incident: Something happens to begin the action. A single event usually signals the beginning of the main conflict. The inciting incident is sometimes called "the complication."

3. Rising Action: The story builds and gets more exciting.

4. Climax:The moment of greatest tension in a story.This is often the most exciting event. It is the event that the rising action builds up to and that the falling action follows.

5. Falling Action: Events happen as a result of the climax and we know that the story will soon end.

6. Resolution: The character solves the main problem/ conflict or someone solves it for him or her.

7. Dénouement: (a French term, pronounced: day-noomoh) The ending. At this point, any remaining secrets, questions or mysteries which remain after the resolution are solved by the characters or explained by the author.

Sometimes the author leaves us to think about the THEME or future possibilities for the characters.

So…have you done your homework and read or watched The Wizard of Oz? Yes, it’s a children’s story, but it is a perfect example of how a hugely popular story follows the Freytag Pyramid.

Stay with me on this. What we are going to do is show how a simple children’s story is built using the Freytag Pyramid. If this works for The Wizard of Oz, then it likely works for your story: The Wizard of Oz Exposition The exposition stage of the story sets the scene and introduces the characters. In The Wizard of Oz, the exposition is everything that happens from the beginning of the story to the tornado. We meet all the major characters. Dorothy runs

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

24

away with Toto and meets Professor Marvel; and on her way back to the farm, Dorothy is overtaken by the storm.

The Wizard of Oz Inciting Incident Next comes the inciting action, which is the event that introduces conflict into the story. This is a bit tricky in The Wizard of Oz, because there are two elements in the story that might be called the conflict: One is the conflict between Dorothy and Miss Gulch, because Miss Gulch wants Dorothy’s dog put to sleep. This is what causes Dorothy to run away from home, leading to the blow to the head she receives during the tornado. In this sense, we might consider Miss Gulch’s threat the inciting moment.

But this conflict becomes more complicated when the tornado transports Dorothy to the Land of Oz. There, Dorothy’s house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East and kills her, and the Wicked Witch of the West threatens to kill Dorothy in revenge.

The Wizard of Oz Rising Action The rising action is where the plot becomes more complicated and exciting, building tension. This includes Dorothy’s departure from Munchkinland, her meetings with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, her arrival in Emerald City, her audience with the Wizard, and her capture by the Witch.

During this part of the story, small obstacles are thrown in the path of Dorothy and her companions, and the two conflicts mentioned during the inciting incident are reemphasized.

The two conflicts are then explicitly linked when the Wizard tells Dorothy he’ll help her get back to Kansas if she brings him the Witch’s broom.

Dorothy and her companions then face their most difficult challenge, with Dorothy getting carried away by the flying monkeys and her companions breaking into the Witch’s castle to rescue her.

The Wizard of Oz Climax The climax is the most dramatic and exciting event in the story. In The Wizard of Oz, the climax comes when Dorothy and her friends are trapped in the Witch’s castle, and Dorothy kills the Witch by dousing her with a bucket of water. At that moment, much of the story’s tension is released because at least one of the conflicts, the one between Dorothy and the Witch, is ended, and the plot begins its descent down the other side of the pyramid.

The Wizard of Oz Falling Action The next element is the falling action, which is made up of events that result directly from the moment of climax. The element after that is called the resolution, where the character’s conflict is resolved: 25

After Dorothy has killed the Witch, she takes the broomstick back to the Wizard. He solves the problems of Dorothy’s three companions, and agrees to take Dorothy back to Kansas himself.

This is the falling action: it shows the results of the death of the Witch, but it doesn’t resolve Dorothy’s second conflict, the fact that she wants to go home to Kansas.

The Wizard of Oz Resolution The resolution comes when the Wizard accidentally takes off in his balloon without Dorothy, and Dorothy learns from Glinda the Good Witch that she could have taken herself back to Kansas at any time just by using the ruby slippers. At this point, Dorothy’s conflict is finally resolved. The threat from the witch is liquidated, and she realizes that she always had the power to go home.

The Wizard of Oz Dénouement The denouement is the ending of the story, when order is restored. At this point, we are often shown the characters one more time so we can see what happened to them. In The Wizard of Oz it’s the final scene in Dorothy’s bedroom, where she is reunited with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and the nowfamiliar farmhands: In some stories the denouement simply shows that order has been restored, and the world is now back to the way it was.

But this isn’t usually the case, and it’s certainly not the case in The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy is back home, but everything is not back to the way it was before she went to Oz. Dorothy’s understanding of herself and her place in the world have profoundly changed.

Easy breezy. I trust that by walking through this together you can see how your story can be steered to use this device to make what you want to say compelling for readers.

If your curiosity has kicked in and you don’t want to wait for the next Rotor Review, try this link to my website: https:// www.georgegaldorisi.com/. Other than writing thrillers, I like nothing more than connecting with readers. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter, and learn more about my books, blogs and other writing on my website. For those of you trying to up your game regarding any kind of writing, check out my “Writing Tips,” which offer useful advice for all writers from established authors to future best-selling writers.

Until next time.

CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.) is a career naval aviator with thirty years of active duty service. For more on Get Started Telling Your Stories or other writing seminar information, visit CAPT Galdorisi's webpage:https://www. georgegaldorisi.com/. www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Industry & technology ‘Defiant X’ is the Meaner, Pointier Sikorsky-Boeing Pitch to Replace Black Hawk

By Dan Parsons originally published in Vertical Magazine January 25, 2021

S

ikorsky and Boeing have unveiled a refined vision of the Defiant compound coaxial helicopter, the team’s ultimate pitch to replace the U.S. Army’s Black Hawk helicopters with a speedy Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

Changes to the Defiant design include a pointed nose cone, tricycle-style landing gear and a redesigned engine exhaust outlet. Defiant Team Image

The companies have released splashy renderings of the “Defiant X” and a video showing it performing demanding battlefield duty — cruising through forested ravines with an underslung artillery cannon, landing troops in combat formation — but were cagey with reporters about how the new design improves on the SB>1 Defiant prototype currently flying.

The signature coaxial, counter-rotating main rotor system and eight-bladed aft pusher propeller configuration remain essentially unchanged, thought some refinements to the rotor hubs may have been made to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, according to Jay Macklin, Sikorsky’s Director of Future Vertical Lift Business Development.

Images of Defiant X reveal a noticeably pointier nose cone, relocation of the engine exhaust outlet from aft of the main rotor assembly, lateral reshaping of the airframe and tail boom and chevron-style tail fins. All are enhancements to the existing design that reduce Defiant’s thermal signature and improve aerodynamic handling, according to the Defiant team.

Changes made to the Defiant are the result of data “flowing back and forth with the Army,” Macklin said in a Jan. 22 conference call with reporters. Macklin did not divulge much about the Defiant’s redesign, except to say the “X” iteration includes speed, survivability and other “enhancements” of capabilities demonstrated by the SB>1.

“Working very closely with the Army on requirements maturation, we’ve looked to optimize our design to what the Army’s looking for and you can see different changes to the aircraft that we believe provide the best level of performance,” Macklin said. “It’s a journey that we’re on with the Army.”

Defiant X also has a tricycle-style landing gear with one wheel under the cockpit and two wheels aft whereas the operational prototype Defiant sported two front wheels and a tail wheel that protruded down from its tail boom. The new configuration “improves stability and landing and taxiing in combat and austere environments,” according to the Defiant Team.

None of the renderings provided by the Defiant Team show weapons mounted on the aircraft.

Macklin said Defiant X is a “combat weapon system that builds on the handling qualities and transformational capability proven by all of the data that we’ve produced out of CD&RR as well as the team’s technology demonstrator.”

Defiant-X compound helicopters sling-loading heavy cargo (artist’s conception)

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

26

Heather McBryan, Director of Sales and Marketing for Boeing’s Future Vertical Lift Programs, said that changes were made to the “mold line” of the aircraft and that its aerodynamics are balanced with thermal signature.

New video shows the refined Defiant X performing battlefield heroics alongside footage of the operational SB>1 prototype.

Sikorsky, the incumbent manufacturer of the UH-60 and now owned by Lockheed Martin, has promised to deliver scalable compound coaxial helicopters that can dramatically improve on the performance of conventional rotorcraft.

Sikorsky has so far scaled its X2 technology — the basic configuration of counter-spinning, coaxial rotors paired with a clutched aft pusher propeller — from the 10,000-pound (5,000 kilogram) S-97 Raider to the 30,000-lb. (15,000 kg) Defiant.

“The nose cone is a good example of what we’re doing with aerodynamics and I’m not saying that won’t change, but that’s where we are at today,” McBryan said.

“We’re really driving a purpose-built solution to not only focus on the Army’s mission, but we’re also providing provisions for growth, improved supportability and innovations for a maintenance-friendly design,” McBryan said.

Defiant has logged 1,500 hours in Sikorsky’s systems integration laboratory (SIL), and 135 hours on the groundbased propulsion systems test bed (PSTB). After a rocky start, Defiant roared through a series of test milestones in 2020.

Despite recent refinements, Defiant X has the same footprint as the SB>1 Defiant demonstration aircraft, which was designed to fit in the same operational footprint as the Black Hawk. Macklin would not discuss aircraft weight, but said the aircraft is “very similar” to the existing Defiant demonstration aircraft.

In the two years since its first flight, the demonstration aircraft has performed 31 test flights, accumulating 26 total flight hours, according to the Defiant Team. With two-thirds prop torque and engine power, Defiant has achieved 211 knots in straight-and-level flight and 232 knots during a descent.

“As you look at a photo of this aircraft and then you look at Defiant, I mean, there are some changes, but I think what’s important is the basic configuration of the aircraft is the same,” Macklin said. “It’s important to see that this aircraft, this technology, can take these kind of design iterations without a wholesale design or significant change. It’s making the product better in conjunction with our Army partners.”

Sikorsky and Boeing can be forgiven for playing performance characteristics of their aircraft close to the vest.

Not only is the FLRAA competition ongoing, but the Army has not formalized its requirements. The Army is expected to release a formal request for proposals on FLRAA later this year, with a contract award expected in 2022 for one of the two industry competitors continuing to production. First deliveries of FLRAA are expected by 2030.

Defiant and its prime competitor — Bell’s V-280 Valor advanced tiltrotor — resulted from the Joint Multirole Technology Demonstration (JMR-TD) Program the Army launched in 2013. Both teams are operating demonstration aircraft and using the data collected to refine their FLRAA pitches under competitive demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) contracts awarded by the Army.

The Defiant Team is still “evaluating” options for the two engines that will power Defiant X. The SB>1 prototype is run by two Honeywell T55 engines, the same powerplants that power the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

The Defiant Team is planning to announce a new manufacturing team that will join forces to build a militarized, production version of Defiant X. Macklin would not comment on when production of the first Defiant X needs to begin in order to meet the Army’s program schedule. He did say the current team has set up “systems and places to produce this aircraft exactly when the Army wants it.”

The Defiant X is a version of the SB>1 coaxial compound helicopter optimized for aerodynamic efficiency and reduced thermal and acoustic signature. Defiant Team Image

27

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Industry & technology Airbus Flying Laboratory Accelerating Helicopter Innovation

By Tony Osborne

A

irbus Helicopters has developed a flying laboratory that could help bring new innovations to market three times faster.

Although much smaller than Airbus’ other Flightlab platforms, the

Flying since last April, the H130 is seen as key to speeding up development of technologies company’s single-engine H130 for autonomous flight. Credit: Airbus Helicopters Flightlab has already tested several so-called technology bricks to improve safety and to pave the Augmented Guidance for Landing Extension—an electrooptical, gimbaled camera system that aims to support enhanced way for the company’s urban air mobility ambitions. flight automation (AW&ST Oct. 16-29, 2017, p. 38).

Airbus plans to introduce a lidar-based obstacle warning Previous trials had already enabled automated landings using system to market this year “We want to move from ideas to imaging data. The next step will involve EAGLE technology flight-testing applications very quickly—this is at the heart of matured for low-altitude navigation, automatically identifying the Flightlab,” explains Tomasz Krysinski, Airbus Helicopters obstacles. head of research and innovation. “We are working together A more significant research effort to support urban air with other Airbus divisions,” he says. “We are integrating partners, startups, and that is how we are preparing for the mobility activity is planned for 2022. The installation of a hybrid fly-by-wire control system will aim to modify the future.” ergonomics of the flight controls to make flying the aircraft Flightlab is an Airbus-wide research and technology more intuitive, and inceptors will be fitted to the mechanical initiative. The H130’s equivalent in the commercial business control linkages in the helicopter to provide more authority is the prototype Airbus A340 airliner used for the BLADE and a level of envelope protection. Airbus says the trial will study several combinations of inceptors and control laws to laminar-flow-wing experiments. define the most optimized configurations.

So far, the H130 Flightlab has been used to mature Airbus’ “Several possibilities will be tested on stick inputs with Rotor Strike Alerting System (RSAS), which uses lidar sensors fitted on each side of the aircraft to provide detection of regards to aircraft response, such as speed hold and automatic obstacles that could present a collision risk to the main or tail return to hover,” a company spokesman tells Aviation Week. rotor.

The combination of both the flight control system and RSAS development flights took place in December, and the EAGLE is designed to reduce the workload of the pilot by company plans to begin offering the system on its family of providing “full autonomous assistance so that the pilot only needs to make decisions if the system is failing,” says Nicolas light helicopters by the middle of this year.

Damiani, autonomy expert at Airbus Helicopters.

To support urban air mobility efforts, the Flightlab has Airbus will also test a new health and usage monitoring also undertaken flight trials in conjunction with the French civil aviation regulator, the DGAC, to gauge the perception system (HUMS) technology that it hopes will become costof helicopter sound in urban areas and to better understand effective for use on light helicopters. Until now, the weight of wiring, systems and black boxes associated with such systems noise propagation. has been too heavy and costly to install on light helicopters, but During 2021, Flightlab will be used to further develop the new lightweight HUMS integrates the analysis software the company’s EAGLE Project—which stands for Eye for into the five sensors that monitor the H130’s dynamic systems.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

28

“The accelerometers in the system will feature software Krysinski believes that in addition to safety benefits, the [that] will pre-analyze the data before it is sent to the global hybrid technology, even in this early stage of development, computer on the aircraft,” says Alexandre Gierczynski, could increase the payload capacity of the light helicopter, Flightlab project leader. although the systems themselves will come with weight penalties (AW&ST Feb. 25-March 10, 2019, p. 68).

The HUMS system will also enable owners to undertake rotor track and balance without the need for an external Hybridization will also be a “lever” for reducing rotor speeds device to measure it. and reducing noise and could open up a path to hydrogenbased propulsion, Krysinski suggests.

The Flightlab will also be the platform with which Airbus will test a refined electrical backup system (EBS). It will use a Gierczynski says the company plans to test a road map Thales-supplied 100-kW electric motor powered by a battery of technology on Flightlab through 2024. Some of these developed by Airbus Defense and Space, in what Krysinski has technologies will be tested in parallel, and others in isolation, previously called a mild-hybrid architecture, to act as a safety notably the EBS, he says. device in the event of an engine failure. As rotor speed falls, the electric motor will kick in and give the pilot more time to “Having a dedicated platform to test these new technologies find somewhere to make a smoother and safer autorotation brings the future of flight a step closer and is a clear reflection landing. of our priorities at Airbus Helicopters,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even.

The trials will build on flight testing carried out with an AS350 Ecureuil/Squirrel/AStar platform in 2011. A later phase will expand the capability of the system, connecting two motors in parallel to the dynamic system and allowing the aircraft to make 2 minutes of electric flight in a low-power setting.

29

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Industry & technology NASA Makes New Plans For Ingenuity Helicopter On Mars

By Elena Moore, for National Public Radio

In this concept illustration provided by NASA, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter stands on the Red Planet's surface.

N

ASA is allotting additional time to test the operational capabilities of its groundbreaking Ingenuity helicopter, which completed its first powered flight on Mars less than two weeks ago. Since then, the device has completed a total of four flights. If all goes well following its fifth voyage, NASA says it plans to jump start the "next phase" of tests.

The original task of the Ingenuity helicopter was to show its flying ability, given the differences in atmospheric pressure and gravity found on the planet compared to Earth.

"Ingenuity's transition from conducting a technology demonstration to an operations demonstration brings with it a new flight envelope," NASA said. "There will be more precision maneuvering, greater use of its aerial-observation capabilities, and more risk overall," it added.

"The Ingenuity technology demonstration has been a resounding success," associate administrator for the NASA Science Mission Directorate Thomas Zurbuchen said in a statement Friday. "Since Ingenuity remains in excellent health, we plan to use it to benefit future aerial platforms while prioritizing and moving forward with the Perseverance rover team's near-term science goals," he added.

The additional testing will be conducted over the next few months, ending no later than August.

While the first helicopter flight went just 10 feet above the ground, each voyage has drastically increased in distance. On the fourth flight, the helicopter rose 16 feet in the air and made a round trip of 872 feet across the planet.

NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on Feb. 18, brought the helicopter to the Red Planet. The rover has since been exploring the planet's terrain near the landing location, and its success has allowed for increased time to test the Ingenuity helicopter, NASA says.

An added power in the updates comes when looking at the imagery captured by the cameras atop the Perseverance rover, allowing people on Earth to witness the helicopter hover above the red and orange rocky desert floor.

The objective of the rover is to examine rocks and soil found on the planet that could indicate if previous life existed there 3.5 billion years ago. The mission will take two Earth years, which comes out to a single year on Mars.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

"The Wright Brothers showed that powered flight in Earth's atmosphere was possible, using an experimental aircraft," Håvard Grip, Ingenuity's chief pilot at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a statement. "With Ingenuity, we're trying to do the same for Mars."

30

31

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Industry & technology Submarine Hunting Kit Will Let MQ-8C Fire Scout Drone Helicopters Launch Sonobuoys MQ-8Cs loaded with sonobuoys could help speed up searches for enemy submarines

By Joseph Trevithick (Reprinted from The War Zone February 4, 2021)

An artist's conception of an MQ-8C Fire Scout with anti-submarine warfare kit, including sonobuoy dispensers. Image provided by Northrop Grumman.

N

orthrop Grumman has revealed that it conducted an anti-submarine warfare test last year involving a surrogate for its MQ-8C Fire Scout drone helicopter equipped to drop sonobuoys. This comes amid a resurgence in interest in submarine-hunting capabilities within the U.S. military, as well as its allies, in recent years, as potential underwater threats, especially from Russia and China, continue to grow.

“Operating prototype hardware in a high-pressure realworld environment can be challenging,” Thomas Link, the President of Ultra Maritime, added in the same press release.

“Our partnership will bring an innovative and leading ASW capability into operation, combining both manned and unmanned ASW systems that will help defend our warfighters and provide increased capability to our forces.”

The maritime division of U.K.-based firm Ultra, which provided the sonobuoys and related signal processing systems, worked with Northrop Grumman on the test, which took place on Oct. 29, 2020, off the coast of Southern California.

A modified manned Bell 407 helicopter stood in for an MQ8C during this event. This variant of the Fire Scout is based on the Bell 407 design.

It's not clear what type or types of sonobuoys the surrogate helicopter deployed during the test, or how many it dropped in total. Northrop Grumman has released concept art, seen at the top of this story, showing an MQ-8C carrying two dispenser pods, each with 24 cells, on a plank-type mounting system running through the center of the fuselage.

However, a picture the company released from the October demonstration, indicates that the surrogate helicopter carried a single dispenser system under the central fuselage.

“Adding an ASW [anti-submarine warfare] capability to Fire Scout’s existing multi-mission capabilities would further enhance this highly-versatile platform,” Dan Redman, Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout Maritime Mission Expansion Lead, said in a statement. “This ASW capability would offer commanders flexibility to employ not only UAS systems in this particular ASW role, but also utilize the increased availability of crewed aircraft more incisively against an expanded mission set. This would increase the total available effect of the manned/unmanned teamed force mix.”

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

Northrop Grumman did say the sonobuoys were "used to conduct a large area multistatic acoustic search." Ultra offers multiple types of multistatic acoustic sonobuoys with active or passive sonars. "Ultra makes about 90% of all the sonobuoys used in the West," Redman, Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout Maritime Mission Expansion Lead, told Jane's in a subsequent interview.

32

Passive types have sensors to passively gather acoustic data, while active sonobuoys send out sonar "pings" to search for submarines and other objects of interest underwater. You can read more about how sonobuoys are employed in hunting for enemy submarines in this previous War Zone story.

Improvements in artificial intelligence and machine learning could help the MQ-8Cs process the data they receive from the sonobuoy arrays and do so rapidly. This could also allow them to weed out unwanted data and false positives before even passing anything along to human anti-submarine warfare personnel, reducing their workload and otherwise speeding up the search process.

"The mission payload and effects were controlled from the ground with the resultant ASW picture disseminated to locations across the globe," Northrop Grumman added in their press release. The company said that the U.S. Navy was not directly involved in the test and "has not yet identified a clear requirement for UAS [unmanned aviation systems] ASW capability," but "has shown interest in the development and continues to support and monitor progress."

There's also the possibility that MQ-8Cs could prosecute threats directly, either with some some level of engagement from a human operator or entirely autonomously based on a defined set of parameters. Northrop Grumman has already demonstrated the ability of a Bell 407 helicopter acting as a surrogate for a Fire Scout to employ a miniature torpedo, which you can read about in more detail in this past War Zone piece.

This overall test is similar in many respects to one that General Atomics carried out off the coast of Southern California in November of last year, which you can read more about in this past War Zone piece. In that instance, an MQ-9A Reaper dropped three different kinds of sonobuoys, including ones with active and passive sonars, as well as a bathythermograph type designed to detect objects through changes in water temperature, during a simulated search for an enemy submarine.

Regardless of how interested the Navy may be in adding anti-submarine warfare capabilities to its MQ-8Cs now, the service is only looking to expand its arsenal in this regard in general, amid concerns about the growing threat of Russian and Chinese submarine fleets and other underwater capabilities.

These two countries, among other potential adversaries, are working steadily to expanding their undersea fleets, including with more modern types designed specifically to be quieter, and, as a result, harder to detect and track underwater.

There are significant potential benefits to adding the ability to drop sonobuoys, as well as process and disseminate the information they collect, to the MQ-8C. This version of the Fire Scout, a completely different design from the earlier MQ8B, which is larger and more capable, is presently configured to perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and help acquire targets for other platforms, as well as support command and control and communications relay missions.

Northrop Grumman says the drone helicopter can remain airborne for at least 12 hours at time.

It is interesting to note that the Navy recently announced its desire to acquire a replacement for its MQ-8B and C Fire Scouts, as well as its MH-60R and S Seahawks, starting in the mid-2030s. Anti-submarine warfare was one of the mission sets that the service said it was looking for any future manned or unmanned helicopter to perform.

Still, an anti-submarine warfare kit for the MQ-8C could be a very viable way to expand the Navy's sub-hunting capabilities in the near term.

The Navy, which declared initial operational capability with the MQ-8C in 2019, typically deploys these drones together with manned MH-60R Seahawk helicopters on various types of warships. The Seahawk helicopters can also deploy sonobuoys, as well as hunt for submarines using dipping sonar. They are also now slated to receive magnetic anomaly detectors (MAD), which will offer another means of detecting potential underwater threats.

Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com About The War Zone/ The Drive Mission Statement A strong offense for the world of defense.

Your daily source for military, defense, and geopolitics coverage and analysis https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone

MQ-8Cs loaded with sonobuoys would offer a way to more rapidly expand the size of the overall array, making it more difficult for a hostile submarine to escape. The buoys also have limited battery life and there is a need to reseed arrays during protracted operations, another role an anti-submarine warfare Fire Scout could assist with. All of this, of course, could free up manned MH-60R helicopters, as well as the crews of other anti-submarine warfare aircraft and ships on the scene, to focus on specific contacts. A single MH-60R can only be in one place at once, as well, so MQ-8Cs being able to help at all would add valuable additional submarine-hunting capacity, too.

33

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower HSC Restructure: Resolving Organizational Dissonance through Cultural Alignment

By LT Rob “OG” Swain, USN, Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Pacific

“F

ly whatever you want, but don’t fly helicopters.” In 2013, I received this life advice from a trusted mentor. Recognizing the gravity of platform selection, I had reached out to my uncle–a retired Navy Captain who served 27 years in the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE)–and planned to apply his counsel without reservation. As I pen my thoughts on the guidance for the Naval Helicopter Association’s Rotor Review magazine, I am sure readers can infer how well I followed those instructions.

Six years of service in the Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Community has provided me the opportunity to analyze what generated this rotary-wing aversion in my fixed-wing flying uncle. Through this reflection, I arrived at three conclusions. First: it has been one of the great privileges of my life to serve in the rotary-wing community. Second: the rotary-wing community faces platform-specific cultural challenges within the NAE. And third: prospective restructure of HSC presents an opportunity to address and resolve twenty years of developed “organizational dissonance.”

An organization intended for operations from the sea, but fielded with a helicopter capable of operating as medium lift, with modular weapons systems, readiness requirements spanning from open ocean to high altitude mountain flying, and fueled by an adaptable “get it done” culture enabled institutionalized mission creep in HSC and conflicting, informal community selfidentification. The MH-60S is currently entering “legacy” status and Naval Aviation is readying for Great Power Competition through the development of “Air Wing of the Future.” The effects of these two factors drive an HSC reorganization for the first time since 2001. By not only physically restructuring, but culturally aligning HSC, the organization can take advantage of this watershed moment in helicopter history to not only answer “what we do” but define “who we are.”

HSC reorganization poses several unknowns. How will this modify training and readiness (T&R) and the Air Combat Training Continuum (ACTC) Syllabus? How will it affect the HSC Requirements of Capability/Projected Operational Environment (ROC/POE)? How will it impact MH-60S operational availability and employment capacity to combatant Commanders (CCMDs)? Despite the uncertainty, reorganization can affect positive change in HSC culture while validating the questions: “why does HSC exist?” and “what does HSC do?”

Community culture critically impacts effective operations and comprises “organizational and individual norms and values.”

A community’s ideology provides “explanation of why the organization serves broader and more important purposes. [It] helps members justify to themselves why they are doing what they are doing and help make the case to others.” When an organization executes global and diverse operations, “this requires even greater communication” and coordinating efforts. Understanding the unique challenge of fostering an aligned organizational culture in HSC requires a brief overview of community history.

HSC-28 launches armed reconnaissance to defend the USS IWO JIMA/26th MEU during a Bab-Al Mandeb Strait Transit. Photo by LT Boss

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

34

At the turn of the 21st century, the Navy operated eight different helicopter type/model/series (T/M/S) with specialized missions. The UH-3H “Sea King” flew reserve unit logistics and Distinguished Visitor (DV) flights, the MH-53E “Sea Dragon” conducted airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) and logistics support, and the SH-60F “Ocean Hawk” handled carrier strike group (CSG) plane guard and antisubmarine warfare (ASW). In addition, the HH-60H “Rescue Hawk” launched for CSG plane guard, personnel recovery (PR), and special operations force (SOF) support: the SH-60B “Sea Hawk” executed ASW and limited antisurface warfare (ASUW) aboard cruisers and destroyers (CRUDES), and the SH2F “Sea Sprite” embarked on national scientific ships providing logistics and

HSC-14 conducts anti-surface warfare training with SBT-1 and SFWP against 8 high-speed mobile surface targets.

Photo by SO1 Rivera

PR. Finally, the HH-1N “Huey” handled naval air station search and rescue (SAR), and the CH-46D “Sea Knight” satisfied amphibious ship SAR responsibilities, logistics, and SOF support. This Naval Air Forces’ portfolio of specialized rotary-wing platforms demanded eight unique supply chains, eight unique maintenance programs, and a cohort of pilots and aircrewmen to man five unique series of helicopter squadrons with distinct organizational cultures and operating environments.

Faced with an urgent need to replace the H-46, and informed by the end of the H-1, H-2, and H-3’s functional lifespans, the Head of Naval Aviation Requirements voiced the need for a more efficient course forward. Fewer helicopter T/M/S would facilitate significant cost savings for the Navy and relieve aircrew and maintenance manpower concerns. In 1997, the Helicopter Master Plan outlined an acquisitions proposal designed to deliver two vertical lift T/M/S capable of executing the multi-mission requirements of the previous medium-lift variants. To shape the squadron framework consolidating eight T/M/S into two, rotary-wing leadership implemented Helicopter Concept of Operations (HELO CONOPS).

HELO CONOPS combined the Helicopter Anti-Submarine (HS), Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL), Helicopter Combat Support (HC), and Helicopter Combat Support Special (HCS) squadrons into Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC)– flying the MH-60S “Knight Hawk”–and Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM)–flying the MH-60R “Strike Hawk.” HELO CONOPS directed HSL to transition to HSM, and HC to transition to HSC with 50% of HS transitioning to HSM and 50% transitioning to HSC. The architects of Helicopter Master Plan and HELO CONOPS envisioned synchronized hunter/ killer teaming of the MH-60R with its robust sensor suite fighting alongside the MH-60S for air operations in support of maritime surface warfare. The intent for the MH-60S and MH-60R to execute mixed-platform operations did not represent a novel concept for the Navy or greater Department of Defense (DoD). Throughout the armed services and across decades of warfighting, dissimilar rotary-wing teaming proved a highly effective technique to bridge capability gaps and leverage individual platform strengths.

During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Army OH-1 “Loach” light observation helicopters provided targeting information to Navy, Marine Corps, and Army AH-1 and UH-1 gunships. In support of SOF during every major conflict since the 1980s, the Army 160th Special Operations Air Regiment (SOAR) refined tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for their H-6 “Little Bird,” H-60 “Black Hawk,” and H-47 “Chinook” helicopters to operate seamlessly in unison. During Operation Inherent Resolve, the Air Force HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) squadron in Iraq established standardized operating procedures with collocated Army AH-64E “Apache” units for CSAR TTPs. In 1986, the Marine Corps changed the designation of their Marine Attack Helicopter (HMA) squadrons to Marine Light Attack Helicopter (HMLA) by integrating the UH-1N “Huey” into the exclusively AH-1T “Cobra” inventories. Standardized TTPs, cohesive mission focus, and an aligned warfighting culture for mixed T/M/S aircrews proved highly successful for Marine Air Ground Task Force operations across every conflict over the last thirty years.

Navy Helicopter Master Plan and HELO CONOPS hoped to mirror the sister services’ hunter/killer successes. Twenty years later, however, an analysis of Navy rotary-wing application does not reflect the optimistic hunter/killer vision. HSM and HSC maintain individual SOPs, write series-specific language for application of the same TTPs, develop discrete Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP) training curricula, focus training efforts in disaggregated environments, and largely focus on autonomous execution with limited integration in the same primary mission area of ASUW. Though the two Navy helicopter communities share the same aircraft model, fly in the same carrier air wings (CVWs), and train to the same tactical publications,

35

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower HSM advertises three primary mission areas while HSC debates over the prioritization of fifteen. So, what happened? The conversation returns to culture.

Originally, HELO CONOPS outlined a plan to transition 50% of HS to HSM and 50% of HS to HSC. In execution, however, 10% of HS transitioned to HSM and 90% of HS transitioned to HSC. While both communities faced similar functional challenges in their respective infancies with new airframes, the HC/HS cultural dichotomy did not manifest in the HSL to HSM transition. The ripples of an expeditionary detachment-modeled logistics community marrying ASW and PR carrier-based squadrons required more than just familiarization with new equipment; it required the fostering of a new and aligned community culture. The divergent trajectory of HSC, however, generated a feudalistic organization of competing focus.

An MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is underway conducting Afloat Training Group 1.4 basic phase training.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tommy Lamkin, USN.

The architects of Helicopter Master Plan sought to replace the H-46 Fleet logistics workhorse that, by 2000, was “literally falling out of the sky.” Unlike the MH-60R, which benefited from the robust and deliberate Navy acquisitions process for shipboard helicopter operations, the MH-60S represented a hybridized Army/Navy-borne aircraft spawning from an Army airframe purchase surplus during the Gulf Wars. Shipboard-enabling modifications provided a platform with multimission potential designed for operational growth. In the early 2000s, with U.S. forces becoming embroiled in overland counterinsurgency campaigns in the Middle East, coupled with the diminished Soviet maritime threat and a Department of Defense (DoD) dismissal of rising Chinese maritime capability, the Joint Force Commander (JFC) in Central Command (CENTCOM) experienced no shortage of demand for rotary-wing support. The MH-60S could meet many requests for forces.

In 2005, CENTCOM outlined the request for a Naval Air Ambulance Detachment (NAAD) in Kuwait as a six-month capability gap in Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) to relieve the Army’s burden of pre-emergency hospital care to service members involved in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Instead, the 2515th NAAD evolved into a seven-year enduring commitment for HSC. During a critical period for establishing cultural identity in the new community, the NAAD demonstrated that the MH-60S could provide effective overland support. The adaptability and innovation of NAAD personnel led to seven successful years of selfless “sand Sailor” service, 2,293 MEDEVACs, and a stark departure from the resourced intent of HSC to support operations at sea and in the littorals.

An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron (HSC) 4 participates in a helicopter training exercise over Diamond Head crater on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. HSC-4 is attached to Carrier Air Wing (CAG) 2 embarked on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Joseph Pfaff, USN.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

36

The Joint Force Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC) maintains responsibility for operations in the maritime domain. Assets resourced for the Navy maintain responsibility for ensuring maritime superiority at sea and in the littorals.

While this seems obvious, tracking the employment of Navy helicopters after 2001, history reveals a distinct HSC exodus from the ocean to the

overland environment not experienced

by HSM. This feet-dry employment complicated the ability of early HSC leadership to establish an aligned and distinct definition of “who we are” and “what we do” in support of maritime operations.

Simultaneous to the Navy’s demonstration of overland MH-60S mission execution in SOF, PR, and life-saving efforts in Iraq and Kuwait in the mid-2000s, HSC sought to retain the HS community’s ASUW mission.

In 2008, a modified HSC Capabilities Production Document (CPD) outlined Air Force Airmen from the 48th Rescue Squadron load gear for a joint Search requirements for a forward-firing and Rescue (SAR) operation throughout the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey configuration of the MH-60S designed utilizing Air Force small boats and Navy helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat specifically for CSG defense against Squadron (HSC) 7. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl, USN. fast attack craft/fast inshore attack craft (FAC/FIAC). An influx in funding for armed helicopter kits allowed the ASUW mission to expand to the expeditionary HSC squadrons deploying with Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG) in support of Defense of the Amphibious Task Force (DATF).

The Navy originally planned for nine ESGs. Naval Air Warfare (N98) resourced aircraft to support nine two-plane MH-60S detachments on the LHD to fly alongside eighteen two-plane MH-60R detachments deployed on ESG CRUDES vessels. In theory, the ESG would maintain organic ship defense through these hunter/killer rotary-wing teams. By 2010, however, Naval Surface Forces declared they could not provide the CRUDES hulls to facilitate the ESG concept. The Navy elected to continue with the legacy Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) model without HSM. In an effort to bridge the DATF gap created by the absence of four planned MH-60Rs, HSC offered a “zero sum” augment of an additional MH-60S on the LHD sourced from other requirements.

The increase from two to three MH-60S on the LHD expanded the operational potential of the HSC ARG/MEU Sea Combat Detachments from plane guard, logistics, and limited ASUW to supporting all Amphibious Task Force operations. Over the past six years, expeditionary three-aircraft HSC Sea Combat Detachments on both coasts have worked to validate the adaptable utility of the MH-60S in support of all ARG/MEU operations. Innovative aircrews have fought for relevancy and force multiplication potential with a ground swell of participation alongside the MEU in assault support (ASPT), tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP), and close air support (CAS). Bottom-up proofs of concept, however, do not change the resourced requirements for a DATF and Fleet Support Operations (FSO) Navy helicopter detachment on the ARG. These departures from the ROC/POE and bottom-up adjustments to T&R precipitate confusion and frustration at all levels of expeditionary HSC. When aircraft capability and application is not tempered by funded requirements, the variability in guidance from operational commanders leads to detachment after detachment “reinventing the wheel” to define HSC’s place in the ARG. An MH-60S assigned to HSC-28 aboard HM Mount Bay for a 2019 mine sweeping experiment.

37

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower Defining “what we do” calls attention to the resourced purpose of Navy rotary wing: maritime attack and Fleet support operations.

DoD assets must frame all operations by the tactical considerations of warfighting. The flexible utility of HSC facilitates rapid embarkation of aircraft on all air-capable Navy shipping. This has allowed the DoD to set a dangerous precedent by satisfying Defense Support for Civil Authorities (DSCA) calls for almost any homeland crisis with U.S. Code Title 10 active-duty units. While state and local officials maintain responsibility for “preparing for and coordinating the provision of assistance for domestic emergencies…and have the authority to deploy and employ National Guard forces,” the DoD displays a penchant for rapidly sortieing MH-60S detachments. The proverbial “easy button” of employing active-duty assets ahead of U.S. Code Title 32 Air National Guard and Army National Guard aircraft for almost any homeland disaster relief effort levies a tax with which HSC cannot recover without significant time, resource, and impacts to operational readiness for warfighting both in the operational and fleet replacement squadrons. Though homeland missions to include hurricane relief and firefighting remain critical to national security and stability, if misunderstood to represent primary mission areas rather than contingency operations with DoD readiness impacts, these complicate the HSC understanding of “who we are.”

Today, MH-60S pilots and aircrewmen demonstrate an impressive full-spectrum execution of rotary-wing operational support. Over the Sailors secure a MH-60S Seahawk from Helicopter past twenty years, HSC aircrews have saved the lives of isolated service Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4 prior to refueling and launching aboard Independence-class littoral combat members, both overwater and overland. HSC has also provided ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). U.S. Navy photo by medium-lift to SOF task forces, stood operational CAS alerts LTJG Melissa Spoerl, USN. alongside tier-one assets, conducted maritime interdiction against suspect vessels, and performed Airborne Use of Force with the U.S. Coast Guard. HSC has enabled Fleet logistics, executed extensive humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts, and deployed mine countermeasures systems. The multi-mission utility of the platform remains uncontested, but how does this precipitate “organizational dissonance?”

Without formal and consistent direction from centralized leadership on community values, priorities, and left and right limits of operational availability informed by senior NAE and Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) guidance, an individual’s understanding of organizational culture and prioritized mission areas develops through mentorship and personal experience. An HSC-26 “Desert Hawk” flying out of Bahrain may focus on the importance of logistics support in CENTCOM after indoctrination into a forty-year tradition rooted in the legacy operations of HC-2. An HSC-6 “Screamin’ Indian” embarked on CVN 68 may focus on the importance of ASUW in Indonesia-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) after indoctrination into a forty-year tradition of ship defense rooted in the legacy operations of HS-6. The necessity to provide equity between HC and HS personnel and primary mission areas in the formative years of HSC’s organizational culture generated the divisive mantra in the newly formed community “big S little C” or “big C little S.” The insidious ripples of this organizational dissonance permitted a rift to develop between the HSC ROC/POE (both CVW and Expeditionary), T&R, ACTC, and in the values HSC subconsciously instills through Fleet Replacement Pilot (FRP) and Aircrewman (FRAC) indoctrination. For years, a legacy HC-centric FRS syllabus anchoring solely on detailed Naval Aviation Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) systems and SAR procedures failed to contextualize foundational knowledge through the lens of warfighting and combat support; “tactics'' became a term mutually exclusive from NATOPS. The HSC ACTC Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Program (SWTP) developed in parallel to T&R and informed bottom-up changes to the T&R instruction rather than functioning as a derivative enabler of resourced rotary-wing readiness for the Fleet. “What we do” and “who we are” matured to a place of conflicting personal opinion.

To combat organizational dissonance, leadership at all echelons must eliminate informal self-identification through clear community messaging in alignment with the Navy’s strategic maritime focus and greater DoD governing documents. When organizational priorities develop in isolation across the ranks “without clearly understanding the organization and its environment, the results can intensify organizational frustration and ineffectiveness.” Operational readiness in assigned primary mission areas Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

38

remains the unambiguous purpose of all military units. Historical context shedding light on what contributed to organizational dissonance in HSC can inform “the organization’s knowledge base and help to develop insights that are actionable.” An influx of LCS Aviation Detachments for the expeditionary squadrons and downsizing CVW squadrons from eight to five aircraft directs attention from community thinkers to how HSC strategically generates readiness.

In early 2020, informed by the Two MH-60S accompany an MQ-8 National Defense Strategy, National Military Strategy, Great Power Competition, Distributed Maritime Operations, Littoral Operations in Contested Environments, and Air Wing of the Future, Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific (CHSCWP), published an HSC Mission Statement. The document outlines how the HSC Community puzzle piece fits into contemporary Fleet operations. Regardless of previous rotary-wing operational efforts, the document mirrors Commander’s Guidance across the NAE, directing that the Navy will aggressively return attention to maritime superiority, and all efforts should align to support and achieve this national security goal. The mission statement outlines the purpose of HSC: to provide manned and unmanned helicopter operations in “maritime attack, combat support, and airborne mine countermeasures.”

The HSC restructure will require a methodical and informed plan of action based on resourced requirements of the organization to “pivot back to the sea.” Chaired by CHSCWP leadership and staffed by action officers from CHSCWP, HSC3, HSC-2, HSC Weapons School Atlantic, HSC Weapons School Pacific, and SEAWOLF, HSC established three working groups to guide the reorganization of community maintenance, training, and force structure.

The governing documents that will shape a restructured HSC organizational identity include the ROC/POE, T&R, and the ACTC. While all of these instructions should align and complement one another, this proves difficult when different people and disparate organizations develop the documents independently with individual priorities for HSC. Starting in January 2021, the training working group will scrutinize the governing instructions to identify inefficiencies in maintenance and training hours that detract from operational readiness of the community. Even though FRS training and ACTC should enable readiness, and T&R should be informed by and derivative of the ROC/POE, a major restructure will require writing and developing these adjusted documents in parallel. The restructure calls for not only clear vertical guidance from leadership to the working groups on the community’s focused maritime direction but also open lines of lateral communication between working groups to appropriately align efforts and eliminate mission prioritization based on personal opinion.

My uncle retired from the Navy in 2009. His exposure to Navy helicopters reflected an organization in transition, facing an identity crisis, and struggling for solidarity while navigating complex and uncertain operational environments. He watched HSC repeatedly pivot in an attempt to satisfy the insatiable demand for vertical lift across a burgeoning spectrum of missions while supporting Navy relevancy in overland conflict. “Fly whatever you want, but don’t fly helicopters” reflected neither criticism toward the capabilities of the platform nor the aptitude of the people. It signaled the challenge of the Navy rotarywing business model.

Navy rotary-wing currently benefits from a unique opportunity to resolve HSC organizational dissonance. Restructure will allow for cultural alignment and organizational efficiencies in HSC, and all of Navy rotary-wing can gain from the dividends of reorganization. Emphasis on the MH-60S’s operational purpose to maintain maritime superiority will present new opportunities for fostering the HSC/HSM maritime employment relationship and reinvigorate Navy hunter/killer helicopter teaming for air operations in support of maritime surface warfare (AOMSW). Refined training syllabi reflecting operational employment of HSC will mitigate organizational frustration, increase job satisfaction, and yield higher retention among junior officers and enlisted Sailors. By aligning these governing instructions, limiting operations to the resourced and funded requirements of the MH-60S, and through focused attention on sustainable maritime combat and combat support contributing to DoD operational readiness and availability, HSC will garner validated confidence in “what we do,” and a universal understanding of “who we are.”

39

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower The Dawn of Algorithmic Warfare

By LT Alexander “Jarvis” Buck, USN

A

The Sunrise Bag

s you walk into the dim green light of the flight deck you catch the warm breeze so characteristic of the South China Sea. You arrived in theater one week ago and every day since you’ve been on the sunrise bag with the 0230 launch. Your tasking is to sanitize a strait from reported red force submarines whose farthest on circles are now approaching your position. As you launch and seed your buoys, the littoral environment makes interpreting the sonar data challenging. With a flip of a switch, you turn on the new acoustic processing feature powered by machine learning and the displays change. Now you have markers classifying each sound you’re hearing and clustering the sources into possible contacts. The new processing mode benefits from hundreds of hours of examples recorded by aircrew like you over the past two years to compare these new sounds Marines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command.

Original photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Osborne, USMC. against. Suddenly a quiet cluster, otherwise hidden in the noise of fishing trawlers and merchant ships daunting for a complex task such as “detect and classify the transiting the strait, now clearly stands out with a unique acoustic target with this sonar data,” or “identify what type signature! With the sun just starting to light the eastern sky, of vessel this is with this radar data." The field of machine you key the mic to call Zulu with your contact report… learning, specifically deep learning, offers a different avenue.

Instead of codifying every aspect of the decision process, the The future of warfighting is on the horizon. The spectrum machine learns the important features from a comprehensive of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, from perception tasks like collection of examples that have been labeled with the the previous example, to complex reasoning and planning, are correct interpretation. By providing the inputs (sensor data) already being developed. The next step for the Navy and the and the output (the correct interpretation), the machine HSM community is envisioning how we incorporate AI and can learn arbitrarily complex analyses. The burden then machine learning (ML) into warfighting doctrine. There are becomes gathering enough examples to properly teach the certainly limitations to this nascent technology but "history machine. As opaque and mysterious as this new phase of AI informs us that those who are first to harness once-in-a- may seem at first, this phase defined by machine learning is generation technologies often have a decisive advantage on not fundamentally new; it is still a computer just crunching the battlefield for years to come," said Defense Secretary Mark numbers.

Esper.

The Fleet’s Call to Action

AI Is Already Here, It Always Has Been

Fundamentally AI is just the process of automating a cognitive task and it is all around us when we operate our aircraft. The radar data processor analyzing radar returns to generate “tracks,” the acoustic processor detecting clusters and sequential detections, the electronic support measures system proposing identifications for detected signals; these are all examples of “expert systems” artificial intelligence. They have hard coded rules, created by subject matter experts, to automate the processing of sensor data. As aircrew, we trust them and we take advantage of the mental space afforded by these automated tasks to be a more effective crew.

The limitation with these systems is their ability to scale to complex problems. The creators need to explicitly define the decisions the machine could make, ahead of time, which is Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

40

The entire concept of machine learning relies on the premise that there is a large enough set of examples from which the machine can learn. This is simply not a true statement for the Naval Helicopter Community. The HSM Community faces many significant challenges in large scale data collection, from storage limitations to network bandwidth constraints in the shipboard environment. Serendipitously, in September 2020, the DoD, through its first ever DoD Data Strategy, established the vision to be “a data-centric organization that uses data at speed and scale for operational advantage and increased efficiency.” Within this foundational document, the DoD established 8 guiding principles. The three most relevant to HSM are:

Data is a Strategic Asset – DoD data is a high-interest commodity and must be leveraged in a way that brings both immediate and lasting military advantage.

Data Collection – DoD must enable electronic collection of data at the point of creation and maintain the pedigree of that data at all times.

highway.” This device can begin to solve both the storage space and bandwidth limitations faced by the community.

We took a crawl-walk-run approach to developing this capability. Over a 5-month span, from July to November 2020, HSMWSP developed the tools and procedures to store every byte of recorded data from the MH-60R onto the Snowball Edge. The result was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security [OUSD(IS), the agency that houses Project Maven], and CHSMWP to begin data collection from operational units.

Data for Artificial Intelligence Training – Data sets for AI training and algorithmic models will increasingly become the DoD’s most valuable digital assets and we must create a framework for managing them across the data lifecycle that provides protected visibility and responsible brokerage.

The DoD Data Strategy charts a course that values the collection and exploitation of data at all levels of the Department. Within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, there is already movement to enact the framework to manage AI systems (most visibly with the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (AWCFT), also known as Project Maven). Project Maven demonstrated the viability of using ML to analyze full-motion video from MQ-1 and MQ-9 UAS platforms, providing object detection and cuing analysts to only look at relevant video clips rather than hours on end empty video.

Acknowledging the value of data and collecting data from the tactical edge, however, remains within the hands of the operators that live there. The fleet’s hands. Our hands.

With the process prototyped, we identified the first two units for our sea trial: HSM-75 onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt, and HSM-35.2 onboard USS John Finn. These two units represent the two main deployment patterns for HSM units: a large unit embarked on the CVN with the space that affords, and a small footprint onboard a CRUDES with minimal manning. These two efforts are ongoing and are intended to determine the challenges with shipboard operations that can't be found in the office. Once those challenges have been addressed it will be time to run; the roadmap is to scale up to include additional CHSMWP deploying units (perhaps yours!) and scale out to include CHSMWL.

Stepping into the Sunrise

HSM prides itself on being an exquisite surveillance and collection platform; we have a degree of presence and persistence that is invaluable. There is a small (r)evolution regarding how humans interact with our sensors, caused by advancements in AI/ML over the past decade. Project Maven highlighted the shift with object detection within video feeds and there are new initiatives are coming online that apply acoustic analysis and discrimination to the undersea warfare domain (see Project Harbinger). We have a bright future available but if the HSM Community cannot provide the requisite large collection of real-world examples to develop these systems for our sensors, it may very well get left in the dark.

HSM Charts a Course

Inspired by a white paper penned by LTJG Artem Sherbinin and 1st Lt. Richard Kuzma, the Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Pacific (CHSMWP), via the Weapons School (HSMWSP), entered a dialog with Project Maven to address these principles. The timing with the fleet release of System Configuration 18 and the proliferation of Advanced Data Transfer System (ADTS) hardware could not be better.

The combination of Sys Config 18 and ADTS provides unprecedented access to recorded sensor data relevant to all of our primary warfare domains.

In cooperation with Project Maven, HSMWSP has developed a collection process that leverages the Commercial Cloud Service (C2S) contract between the Intelligence Community (IC) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to store and process data up to SECRET//NOFORN classification.

This process uses the AWS Snowball Edge storage device to mitigate both storage space, and network bandwidth challenges. The Snowball Edge is a suitcase-sized 80 TB (1 TB = 1000 GB) storage device designed and ruggedized for operating in the field, or in our case, on the ship. The storage space is so large that it will fit all the data generated by an entire CVW element over a 6-month deployment, effectively getting rid of any storage constraints. After deployment, the device is shipped back to the classified AWS cloud server for long term storage and exploitation by DoD machine learning engineers. It brings to mind the saying, “Never underestimate the bandwidth of a truck full of hard drives hurtling down the

“I would be so bold to suggest the DoD should never buy another weapon system for the rest of its natural life without artificial intelligence baked into it.”

Lt Gen. Jack Shanahan, USAF. Director, DoD Joint AI Center (JAIC)

41

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower EABO and You: Seahawks, Marines, and the Familiar Future of Expeditionary Warfare

By LT Cory R. Poudrier, USN

T

he MH-60R settled into darkness on its final landing of the night. As the crew went through the newly familiar confined area landing (CAL) calls, it weighed on their minds just how dark the jungle really was. They’d been flying these night sorties for 4 days now, hopping from one hand-cut LZ to another, greeted by the same team of Marines who had been supporting these ops for months. They were far from their forward arming and refueling point (FARP), but with the new fuel bags and sheer manpower, the combined Navy/USMC support element had been keeping them resupplied with food, shelter, fuel, and sonobuoys without fail every night. As the crew sat with their Marine comms team uploading their post flight data, it started to really feel like deployment. Settling into their cots, "alone and unafraid" suddenly didn’t feel so alone.

Integrating for Success

In the last few years, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) and his staff have published a number of interesting concepts. Beginning with “Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment,” (LOCE)1, there has been a call for creativity to tackle unique problems in the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR): how can the Navy and Marine Corps redesign the way we integrate at sea to achieve sea denial from the littorals? From this charge came Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).

While EABO may seem like another new buzzword, the rotary wing community is in a unique position to collaborate with

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

42

the Marines while they develop their new tactics, techniques, and procedures, (TTPs) in this effort. EABO concepts of operations (CONOPS)2 are in their infancy, and HSM and HSC have an opportunity to demonstrate our expeditionary and integrated expertise.

What do Sierras and Romeos bring to the fight? The same things we bring to the Air Wing. The persistent surveillance and ASW presence of the MH-60R, combined with the combat SOF insertion and logistics capabilities of the MH60S, provide the EABO with organic intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), ASW, command and control (C2), and self-support. With the aid of USMC ground teams, already proficient in operating in austere, hostile environments, the MH60R/S Team provides battlespace awareness that is agile, low profile, and low cost. While CMC’s discussion on EABO focuses on establishing FARPs with runways, primarily to refuel and rearm F-35 or P-8s3, utilizing MH60R as a sensor platform reduces fuel requirements, ground support requirements, and eliminates the need for a runway.

H-60 Teams simply need a clearing. MH-60S can provide movement and logistics to SOF and USMC ground support elements in seizing and establishing new landing zones. Once established, USMC ground support, already familiar with calling for fires overland, can utilize MH60R sensor cueing to direct their HIMARS4 and other assets in support of the highend maritime fight. The MH-60R, supported by MH-60S and USMC logistics, can maintain a mission agile forward position that can plug into the theatre ASW and EW picture as well5.

The Path

The Technical Manual (TM) EABO6, released in February of 2021, outlines the structure and the USMC concepts of interest. This document outlines in Appendix B the mission essential tasks that USMC headquarters sees as important.

These tasks are places where we can collaborate to bolster each other’s capabilities, but defining the details of these tasks will take experimentation and development. As new exercises test the waters of FARP and EABO operations, operators and planners are identifying new operational and doctrinal hurdles to integration. USMC policies for ordnance handling are very different from USN policies, for example. Are there ways to change our instructions to allow for those differences?

How will Navy rotary wing assets plug into FARP fueling equipment? How do EABO assets see and update the COP? Who has the authority to make these things happen? It is important in our efforts to integrate that we remain flexible and creative; there is not likely one solution to these problems, and it will take creative minds to find the ones that work.

between Marine Air units and controllers, highlighting the need to know each other’s publications as well as our own.

USMC units are leaving the desert where they’ve spent the last two decades training and fighting in order to establish FARPs on islands off Southern California, HSMWSP is exploring iterative plans to incorporate USMC fires, communications, and logistics support into the Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP). All of these efforts and more are building proficiency and greasing the skids for the big picture problems to come.

Will We Be Ready?

In order to meet this challenging problem head on, we will need creative, aggressive leaders who are willing to try new things in support of atypical operations. Have no fear: this is part of the process. Working together to understand organizational differences and cultural norms are part of what makes joint efforts difficult, but we have much to learn from each other. This concept will ask us to perform at our best, allowing us to illustrate the professionalism and flexibility that CVW, DESRON, and Fleet Forces have come to expect. We Current Efforts The USMC and USN are testing elements of this concept must continue to push into events supporting this mission set, every day. CHSMWP is embarking detachments on the and look for every possible excuse to integrate and dominate in Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), building relationships with the high level maritime battlespace. the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and finding ways to collaborate on strike group level problems. The “Fury” series of exercises conducted by 3rd MAW are testing our contracts

Notes

1.https://www.candp.marines.mil/Concepts/Subordinate-Operating-Concepts/Littoral-Operations-in-a-ContestedEnvironment/ 2.https://mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/Expeditionary-Advanced-Base-Operations-EABO-handbook-1.1.pdf 3.https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/november/marines-will-help-fight-submarines 4.https://news.usni.org/2019/05/08/raytheon-to-arm-marine-corps-with-anti-ship-missiles-in-47m-deal 5.https://news.usni.org/2021/02/17/ike-carrier-strike-group-commands-seals-marine-missile-teams-in-first-of-a-kind-largescale-drill 6.Headquarters, USMC (2021, February). Tentative Manual for Expeditionary Advance Base Operations Department of Defense.

A world-leading manufacturer of flight critical subsystems, assemblies, and components for defense and commercial aerospace.

ENSURING OUR CUSTOMERS WITH DURABLE & RELIABLE LANDING GEAR, PROVIDING SAFE LANDINGS FOR OVER 50 YEARS

integralaerospace.com

949.250.3123

2040 E. Dyer Rd. Santa Ana CA 92705

43

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower The Giant Leap for Mine Countermeasures: Integrating the Navy’s MCM Forces

By LT Joshua A. Price, HSCWSL

HSC-28 and HM-14 aircraft operating at NAS Key West during Combined HARP 21-1. Photo by LT Rich Babauta

O

n July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. This was no small feat for many reasons, but primarily noteworthy because this achievement was made a mere eight years after the first US space flight, and only 26 years after the first US jet-powered flight. Similarly, the modern naval mine was perfected in 1847 when Alfred Hertz invented the chemical horn and a mere seven years later, hundreds of naval mines were used in the first successful mining operation against the Royal Navy at Fort Pavel in St. Petersburg. Both accomplishments were due to rapid advancements in technology that made the untamable seas and outer space seem much more manageable.

In the time since the Royal Navy was halted and Armstrong took his giant leap, advancing technology has outpaced even the wildest dreams of many twentieth century science fiction authors. The invention of the internet and the smartphone have changed life as we know it and made the world a much smaller place. In so many fields, advances in computers and microprocessors have revolutionized almost every industry and product known to man. Why is it then that short of placing static objects in orbit, no real advances have been made in space travel? The answer is simple, if not infinitely frustrating: space is big and not conducive to human life. Sure, we have collectively launched more satellites, telescopes, and robots than anyone cares to remember, but at the time of this writing, humans have not ventured beyond the Sea of Tranquility.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

44

The same fundamental problem that NASA faced in 1970 when deciding what to do next has not been solved with the microchip. The collective human advances of the last 50 years have not solved the problem of a continuous need for food, water, and oxygen. A parallel can be drawn to the stalemate between naval mining forces and those whose movements they restrict. The contact mine, a buoyant metal sphere packed with explosives, has been something that time and technology cannot defeat. The concept of a modern carrier strike group stopped in its tracks by a single, unattended explosive device that costs all of $1,000 seems unthinkable. Unfortunately, that is the reality we may face. U.S. Naval strategic concepts all hinge on the premise of assured mobility. The ability to safely transit through sea lines of communication to key weapons employment zones is the food, water, and oxygen of the Navy. Every numbered Fleet Commander faces adversaries with hundreds or even thousands of these devices, and they are far more diabolical than any cutting-edge, million dollar carrier killer missile. They outnumber U.S. Naval vessels by ~12,000 to one, and can be deployed by any surface vessel, military or civil, in about five minutes. Even more perplexing is the fact that these devices were designed several years before the American Civil War, with many existing inventories being manufactured before the end of the Second World War. Called Infernal Machines by the Royal Navy in 1853, early mines could be produced at a low cost and in great numbers, acting as a great force multiplier for even the weakest of fleets. The design of the near-surface contact mine has not changed much since then, and due to its simplicity, low cost, and availability, it has become the most prolific naval mine in

the world by a factor of 1,000. Indeed, cheap and easily-obtainable near-surface moored contact mines pose the same threat to our modern Navy that they did 180 years ago. Like human space travel, this is a problem that time and technology has yet to conquer. It was not until the late 1940s that the US Navy started developing methods and strategies to defend against mines, after two world wars and almost 90 years of worry and fear of them.

Like everything else in the US Navy, our Mine Countermeasures (MCM) tactics were born in the United Kingdom. Due to the widespread use of near-surface contact mines, British MCM tactics developed in the 1930s, starting with the mechanical sweeping HM-15 recovering the Q-24C Towed Sonar Vehicle. Photo by CDR Eric Johnson of moored mines, which involves physically cutting the mooring of contact mines. US Surface While newer technologies such as the Airborne Laser Mine MCM vessels first saw combat during the Korean War in Detection System (ALMDS) of the MH-60S can detect and response to the robust mining of Wonsan Harbor. Slow classify contact mines, it cannot remove them from the water transit times, attacks from other surface belligerents, and the column. Likewise, ExMCM companies cannot operate their fact that minesweeper personnel must transit mine infested UUVs in high sea states or beyond the reach of an elevwaters left naval leadership with a desire for something en-meter RHIB. Practically stated, a single platform cannot faster, safer, and with longer legs. The helicopter fit this role perform every MCM task needed in a complex mine probnicely, and by the middle of the Vietnam Conflict, Airborne lem. That’s where the integration of existing assets becomes a Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) helicopters were a reality. very attractive solution – assets fill in each other’s capability Mechanical and influence (magnetic) minesweeping devices gaps to maximize clearance and minimize timelines. In designed for surface vessels were miniaturized and made the current state of MCM, it is the only way to maintain deployable from the first purpose-built AMCM helicopter, dominance in an ever-expanding global mine threat. the RH-53D. For the last three years, the HM, HSC and EOD Phased out in the late 1980s, the RH-53D was redesigned Communities have conducted joint MCM Exercises in Key and made larger in every way, which gave birth to the MH- West in various Fleet-representative MCM Scenarios. This 53E Sea Dragon. In the Fleet since 1989, Big Iron is now has been accomplished in conjunction with the annual HM configurable for seven different AMCM missions and stands Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP). HARP is ready to deploy worldwide in 72 hours in response to the designed to task, assess, and certify a helicopter squadron or global mine threat. For the past 30 years, MH-53E assets detachment for deployment in similar conditions that they have worked in concert with Surface MCM (SMCM) and would encounter during that deployment. In the case of an EOD components performing Undersea MCM (UMCM) to MCM squadron, this is typically an expeditionary contingent counter mines across the globe. However, the aging fleet of of three helicopters and 160 personnel, including maintenance only 28 MH-53E airframes and the rapid decommissioning of and tactics personnel. On its own, an HM squadron is the Avenger class of SMCM ships has placed the Navy in the manned and equipped to execute the full detect-to-engage same position as it found itself in following the Korean War; sequence against all mine types, from initial detection we need something faster, safer, and with longer legs. through neutralization. An inherent problem (and planning assumption) for HM is that all MCM operations must occur Newer MCM technologies are on the horizon, and in daylight hours only. The MH-53E platform is not capable luckily, some are already here. EOD Expeditionary MCM of safely executing overwater hover operations at night, such (ExMCM) companies have been outfitted with a surface-deas the extended hover required to stream and recover MCM ployed Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) that has all equipment. Factors such as extreme rotor wash at low altitudes of the capabilities of the MH-53E’s towed sonar array. The and a coarse hover coupler make this an unnecessary risk for a HSC Community has been outfitted with airborne lasers relatively small reward of additional MCM effort in the hours capable of localizing near-surface moored mines and a of darkness. second system that can neutralize influence mines in situ.

45

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

The MH-60S in its AMCM configurations does not suffer from this problem. Their ALMDS near-surface mine detection system and Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS) are certified for day or night operations from ship or shore. Designed for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deployments, ALMDS and AMNS are part of the new MCM Mission Package (MCM MP), which as of this writing, is not ready for issue to either of the two LCS hull variants. As the LCS-operated MCM components are not in the Fleet yet, this leaves the MH-60S with critical AMCM capability gaps as ALMDS and AMNS are not complementary but part of the larger, complete LCS MCM MP. This does not mean that HSC AMCM assets are incapable of contributing to the AMCM Community. HSC-21 and HSC-28 have repeatedly proven their value during various exercises and particularly during the inaugural HSC AMCM HARP late last year. It does, however, emphasize the need for AMCM integration in the coming years. As the venerable and capable Sea Dragon nears the end of its service life, both HM squadrons feel the pressure of limited aircraft and MCM system parts availability. Added to this pressure is the increased demand for their participation in HADR and DSCA operations around the world, which only exacerbates these logistic hurdles. In the midst of these demands, the global mine threat has not decreased or diminished in any way. As we approach the end of the MH53E lifespan, the demand for a rapidly-deployable MCM asset with over-the-horizon capability has never been higher.

To satisfy this demand, the HM and HSC Communities have joined forces over the last three years to demonstrate the immense capabilities of an integrated AMCM force against various modern mine threats.

mines can be swept by replicating their triggering signatures with a towed influence device. However, MCM assets are better utilized by applying time and effort to localizing and identifying mines. This is especially true for the wide array of advanced sensors that are employed by the majority of modern influence mines HM assets employ the AN/AQS-24C towed vehicle, which utilizes a synthetic aperture side-scan sonar with optional laser or volume sonar sections, capable of localizing and identifying bottom and volume mines. Operating for the entirety of daylight hours can yield dozens of targets for neutralization, which can then be passed along to an MH-60S for neutralization at night. For the EOD’s Mk-18 UUV family of systems, airborne deployment and recovery of the UUV from an MH-60S results in extended range and reduction in sea state limitations, expanding its already impressive capabilities.

When HSC and ExMCM Detachments are coupled with HM assets, either ashore or on board an Expeditionary Staging Base (ESB), our adversaries would be faced with a lethal and adaptable expeditionary MCM force capable of countering any expected mine threat to the point of attrition.

ExMCM’s Mk-18 UUV family of systems is not the only unmanned platform that the Navy is relying upon in the future. Private industry has promised over-the-horizon, full detect-to-engage capabilities from unmanned surface and airborne platforms. The Navy has invested heavily into development of these future capabilities, even though they are far from deployable. Despite the fact that these programs have been chronically delayed and solid timelines have not been established, the Navy has been marking its calendar for divestment and decommissioning of legacy MCM platforms.

In the coming years, the Avenger Class MCM ships and MH53E helicopters will be decommissioned, leaving only LCS and ExMCM to bear the MCM requirement for the U.S. Navy. While none of these dates have been declared with any certainty, one thing has been made very clear: The integration of expeditionary MCM forces is how we must fight today.

For example, near-surface contact mines were historically located only after their moorings were cut in large-scale mechanical sweeping operations. The MH-53E utilizes the Mk-103 mechanical sweeping system to accomplish this task, which can be towed in four different symmetrical configurations based on the given tactical situation. ALMDS can scan the near-surface of the same water space in a fraction of the time, day or night, though the threat remains in the water column. Integration between the two platforms has yielded a more focused and efficient solution. ALMDS is used to detect mines in a water space. The positions of these mines are then passed to HM assets for "spot sweeping," which is the cutting of a localized mine with a smaller portion of the mechanical sweep. Following the mine cut, HSC assets cast EOD personnel near the mine for neutralization on the surface.

The performance of the expeditionary MCM contingent in Key West has yielded far better results than any of the exercise planners could have hoped. We were able to verify existing capabilities and validate new tactics with legacy systems in support of MCM integration. Across Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Fleet-representative scenarios, the integration of existing MCM forces has shown itself to be far more effective than the results of independently-operating MCM units. As we navigate the waters of constrained budgets, delayed timelines, and the eventual sundown of legacy systems, integration is the key to maintaining worldwide MCM readiness.

Influence mines, whether resting on the sea floor (bottom mines) or moored at a set distance from an anchor, are another problem entirely. These mines use a variety of sensors to detect target vessels and unlike contact mines, they are designed to sink a ship by attacking the keel rather than blowing a hole in the hull below the water line. In some cases, influence

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

46

47

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower No Tailhook, No Problem – The CMV-22 Inherits the COD Mission

By LTJG Don Gahres, USN, VRM-30

F

or the past five decades, the C-2 has supported the Carrier Strike Group as the only platform capable of the Carrier On-Board Delivery (COD) mission. The C-2 Community fine-tuned the at-sea logistics mission over its history and operated as a well-oiled machine. For Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron THREE ZERO (VRM30), filling these shoes will be no easy task. After an outstanding Safe-For-Flight Certification in September of 2020 and the delivery of six aircraft, the CMV-22 Osprey and VRM-30 stand ready to accept the COD torch from the mighty C-2A Greyhound. Those involved hold an overarching sentiment of excitement and readiness, determined to professionally and safely take carrier on-board delivery to the next level. With a fantastic record like the C-2, assuming the mission will not be a cakewalk, but the CMV-22 and the VRM-30 Titans are up for the challenge.

The preparation to assume the mission starts with the men and women of VRM-30, a group unparalleled in its professional diversity. Our pilots are mainly previous C-2 and MH-60S drivers, with only six initial accession Osprey pilots.

Our aircrew have a wide range of experience from C-2s, P-3s, C-130s, C-12s, and C-26s. Their combined knowledge leads to mastery when it comes to the unique challenges the Osprey presents. The backbone of our squadron is the group with the most technical diversity - our maintainers. They transitioned to CMV-22s from backgrounds in F-18s, MH-60s, P-3s, P-8s, E-2s, C-2s, and even F-35s. Their unique experience spans most of Naval Aviation! One of our maintainers, AME1 Levi Smith, came from the F-18 Community. He shared that in coming here, “everyone had a different way of doing things. Leveraging different experiences and coming together to find the right way forward was challenging, but ultimately rewarding.”

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

48

One obvious deficiency for the squadron to overcome was gaining experience with the CMV-22. The introduction of a new airframe, means that we have to build that experience from the ground up. For the VRM-30 flyers, we tackle this short-term inexperience with a mentality and training regimen we call “Crawl, Walk, Run."

Crawl

Establish a baseline of standards for the way we are going to maintain and fly this aircraft, and train to that standard. This starts with concentrating on the basics learned at the USMC V-22 Fleet Replacement Squadron, VMMT-204, which includes ground, simulator, and flight training.

Walk

Expand training into advanced mission sets not covered in the FRS such as Aerial Refueling, Carrier Qualification, and extended range operations with the additional installed fuel tanks unique to the Navy variant of the Osprey. In a tight window, with the help of the USS Carl Vinson during its Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA) in February of this year, we were able to get a majority of our pilots and aircrew carrier qualified, setting us up for the “Run” Phase.

Run

Execute the COD mission. This kicked off at a sprinting start as the squadron successfully moved an F-35 Power Module (PM) to and from the aircraft carrier over the course of eight logistics missions. The PM move was a complex evolution employing two aircraft over four days, extensive training, and coordination between a number of shore based and at sea entities. This benchmark moment signaled the start of the CMV-22 being ready to assume the primary role of at-

to keep this bird in the air.” The increased maintenance effort for the CMV-22 over its predecessor directly correlates with it increased mission capability and flexibility as the new COD no longer requires a runway to takeoff or land. As a new T/M/S, new guidance to operate safely and maintain efficiently has to be developed. Furthermore, corporate knowledge and best practices need to be developed, codified and instituted.

VRM-30 met these challenge head on, completing 100% of its scheduled sorties in support of the USS Carl Vinson Strike Group, delivering 140 personnel and 23,000 pounds of cargo over two weeks;

sea logistics support from the C-2, in addition to the safe and expeditious transportation of Commander Naval Air Forces, Commander Pacific Fleet, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of Defense... all within two weeks to two different aircraft carriers.

Despite the recent success, the squadron recognizes there will be more challenges to come. The CMV-22B is an engineering and technological marvel. The ability to takeoff from a confined area or short runway, but still cruise like a multi-engine aircraft is an unmatched advancement in mission flexibility. Furthermore, the on board computer systems, multitude of sensors, and fly-by-wire technology greatly reduce pilot workload while increasing safety margins.

These advancements also come with an increased maintenance effort. LCDR Andrew “Hard-G” Gerry, a CMV-22 pilot with over 1,500 hours in the MH-60S, remarks, “Maintaining the CMV-22 is much more intensive than its predecessor, so expectations will have to align on how much work it takes

As VRC passes the logistics baton to VRM, there are still many unknowns and hurdles to overcome. By the efforts of our personnel, the VRM Community will bound these hurdles as our first Detachment heads over the horizon on deployment later this year and the personnel of VRM-30 proudly continue to “Carry the Fleet” and much more!

Vice President Joe Biden exits an MV-22 Osprey assigned to the Greyhawks of Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron (VMM) 161 on USS John C. Stennis' (CVN 74) flight deck during the Rim of the Pacific Maritime Exercise. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to August 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan Jiang.

49

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower Present at the Birth of Osprey Nation: The Perspective of Colonel Spaid, CO of MAG-26

By Dr. Robbin Laird

Three Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 MV-22 Ospreys take off from Sather Air Base, Iraq on March 16, 2008. Sather AB, located on the west side of Baghdad International Airport, is the largest passenger hub in Iraq.

U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt Jeffrey Allen

M

y first encounters with the Osprey go back to the early days of the coming of the aircraft to the operational force. In 2007, I landed on the HMS Illustrious, the first non-U.S. warship on which an Osprey was to land. I had the opportunity to be aboard one of those Ospreys and land on the ship and observe Marines working with the Royal Navy and operating their Harriers off of the jump-jet carrier as part of their training effort. At the time British Harriers were operating in Iraq and not aboard the ship itself.

“We could now operate at altitude with speed and range and able to circumnavigate the battlespace and then insert in a favorable point into that battlespace. We also had a more survivable aircraft with the new materials used for the air frame as well.”

The airplane was so different from legacy aircraft, that he jokingly compared his transition to the Osprey as equivalent for him of being inconceivably selected for the space program, with new technologies, new capabilities, and very different operational possibilities. The tiltrotor capabilities were certainly and still are revolutionary, but the maneuverability side of the aircraft was also a challenging part of the Osprey revolution.

In 2007, the Osprey was starting its operational life by the engagement in Iraq to be followed by the deployments to Afghanistan. In a discussion last year with Lt. Gen. (Retired) George Trautman, the Deputy Commandant of Aviation when the Osprey was introduced into combat, he underscored that the approach was to introduce the Osprey into Iraq through an 18-month period with three groups of Marines each operating in Iraq for a six-month period. The first was headed by now Maj. Gen. Rock, the second was by the current head of I MEF, Lt. General Heckl and the third

by Col. (Retired) “Mongo” Seymour.

“The fly by wire capability and unique flight control system of the aircraft was new for the legacy rotary-wing community.

And learning to fly it and get used to what it could do was exciting and a challenge to transition from the old ways of doing things. When I started working precision landings, it took a couple of days to adjust. It was not a normal aircraft and doing precision landings was different as well.

During a December 2020 visit to MAG-26, where Ihad first seen the Osprey during a visit in 2007, I had a chance to discuss the early days of Osprey Nation with the current Commander of MAG-26. Col. Spaid was part of that first squadron and indeed, with his co-pilot was the first to enter Iraq flying from the Middle East. His CH-46 squadron transitioned to Ospreys and he flew with that squadron to Iraq. He had flown with HMM-263 in Iraq and was aware of its limitations and vulnerabilities, and saw the Osprey as providing capabilities for a different operational approach in Iraq.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

“Indeed, when I was first learning how to fly the aircraft in the simulator and even first flights in the aircraft, I believed that it was going to be an area weapon. There’s no way I’d be able to land precisely where I wanted to, but soon learned to do so with ease.

Then there was the tactical adjustment. “Being able to operate high and fast while minimizing our time in the climb and dive and then coming in unexpected, was a tactical advantage that no one else had or seen.”

50

As the Marines were learning to use the aircraft in combat, my own observation was that inside the Beltway, the aircraft started to get support from top leaders because it could take them around all of Iraq for inspections in a day, rather than having to operate over a longer time within the limitations of how far a helicopter could fly. Col. Spaid noted that indeed he had that experience of flying senior military around Iraq and doing so as I described it. For example, “On Christmas Day in 2007, we flew General Petraeus around to three or four different FOBs in a single day, and he loved the plane.”

Col. Spaid described the operational difference from a CH46 in these terms: “A year and half earlier, I would fly a CH-46 from al-Assad out to al-Qa’im once a week. For rotary wing assets, you are going out West and the weather could be bad, and it was just a long-legged journey. With the Osprey, we did it daily.”

The Osprey started small in terms of deployment numbers for sure, but there was an esprit de corps to the team that would lead them to call themselves the Osprey Nation. It started by bringing back lessons learned from operations to then shape the TTPs (tactics, techniques and procedures) for the followon squadrons. As Col. Spaid put it: “In Iraq, we spent a lot of time in the dust doing reduced visibility landings. We worked some initial tactics and procedures and brought those back to the squadrons. And that started an earnest process of refining tactics.

“We were a small community, but we came from a variety of aviation settings and platforms. And that mix of different experiences informed our approach on how best to operate the Osprey. We had a very good mix of healthy work ethics which drove innovative thinking.

“It was a melting pot of Marine Corps aviation. We all brought our best professional military aviator qualities into this effort, which means we had a unique opportunity to filter out bad habits that may have been lingering in our previous communities. We were working objective area mechanics and tactics for the aircraft and learning to fly the aircraft in those settings.”But as the community grew, standardization needed to be shaped. “In the period from 2010-2012, we focused heavily on standardization as West Coast squadrons were standing up.”

Then in 2009, he deployed with the first MEU for the Osprey. Col. Paul “Pup” Ryan was their squadron commander.

They operated in the CENTCOM area with Fifth Fleet. They were in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq during the first MEU tour for the Osprey. This was the first time the aircraft operated from the sea base to project power from the sea.

the LHD and four on the LPD. This was a learning challenge for the Navy as they had to adjust to Osprey operations and learn how it could operate from the ship, just as the Marines were learning how to maintain the new aircraft afloat.

Eventually, the Navy officers onboard learned, in Spaid’s words, that “we could fix it faster, we could launch it faster, we could fold it faster than originally expected. In the end, the confidence of the Navy officers and crew grew.”

This experience clearly impacted CENTCOM leadership for it set in motion what would become known as Special Purpose MAGTFs, and in EUCOM and AFRICOM is now called the North Africa Response Force, the NARF. Combatant Commanders learned, in Spaid’s words: “that we could offload in Kuwait but operate all throughout Iraq. That was an eye opener for them.”

In effect, with the Osprey the Marines were finally demonstrating what a long-range shipboard assault support asset could do while the entire concept of an ARG-MEU was transforming. This initial experience clearly has made Col. Spaid a plank holder in Osprey Nation. As Spaid put it: “Being a plank owner and setting up a squadron is one thing but taking that aircraft with the first squadron and doing the first MEU, doing the first combat deployment in Iraq, you’re not just the plank owner, you’re driving the ship that you built the plank on. It is like being a plank owner for a revolutionary military advantage.”

But he noted that at the time you really did not focus on that. “We were just doing our jobs. You focus on mission accomplishment; you don’t really understand the historical significance of the event at the time. There were some really significant contributions there from the whole team, but I don’t think you really appreciate it until later.”

Just doing their jobs but launching the tiltrotor revolution has had significant ripple effects on U.S force transformation which continues and generates further change as the Osprey comes to the large deck carrier, and the Osprey after next is worked and launched.

About the Author Dr. Robbin Laird is a defense analyst who is based in Arlington VA and has worked on defense transformation issues for more than two decades. He is a Research Fellow for the Williams Foundation in Canberra, Australia, and works in Europe from his base in Paris, France. His latest book is Training for the High-End Fight: The Strategic Shift of the 2020s, is to published in the first quarter of 2021.

Col. Spaid served as the Aviation Maintenance Officer for that deployment. Among the 29 aircraft assigned to the composite squadron, 12 Ospreys were deployed with eight on

51

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus - Full Spectrum Rotary Wing Seapower Assault Pillar RF Threat - Update Surviving the High-End Fight

By LT Addison "Poon" Pellerano, USN

T

he strategic outlook of the Naval Services has rapidly changed in the past five years, moving from a landbased war against terrorism and violent extremist organizations (VEOs) to an inter-state strategic competition.1 The competition with our near-peer adversaries requires extensive modernization and strategic forethought to recover from the past two decades of war and strategic atrophy.2 While Naval rotary-wing aircraft survivability focused on acquiring nonradio frequency (RF) countermeasures and threat warning systems to fight the war on terror, state actors have developed highly sophisticated, RF-based, anti-access area-denial (A2AD) capabilities. The battlefield has now clearly shifted to a longrange overwater fight against technologically advanced adversaries, requiring a renewed focus on RF countermeasures and RF threat warning systems.

With the release of the tri-service strategy document “Advantage at Sea” in December of 2020, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC), and Commandant of the Coast Guard (CCG) collectively published their perspectives on the likelihood of future conflicts and directives on how the Naval Service should prepare for those scenarios.3 In addition to the policy shift from desert wars against non-state actors towards the nearpeer threat, the rapid increase in People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) spending, acquisitions of new ships, and RFbased surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems are changing the battlefield.

This contested environment will challenge Navy and Marine Corp aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) in the beyondvisual range fight. More effective RF threat warning and defeat

capabilities are urgently needed to maintain our competitive edge. As of August 2020, the PLA(N) has launched 25 Type 052D Destroyers (Luyang III) and 8 Type 055 Destroyers (Renhai), both classes wielding an impressive armament including the upgrade to the HHQ-9, allowing the ship to target and engage aircraft at a range beyond 200 km.3 The RF threat does not just come from numerous advanced warships, but from the islands and reefs China has either created or unlawfully seized over the past decade. The installation of HHQ-9B battalions has created a defense network across the South China Sea, adding to the contested environment and making it more difficult to provide support to the ships and troops operating in and around the South China Sea.5 As the Naval Service moves to one integrated fighting force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard rotary-wing assets will be exposed to these adversaries and their integrated air defense (IAD) network, while working to achieve Combatant Commander objectives. Naval rotary-wing communities need to recognize the urgent requirement to shift its survivability focus from short-range, infrared threats to field upgraded, networked RF threat warning systems and endeavor to acquire advanced defeat mechanisms for the high-end fight.

Footnotes 1. Mattis, “Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy.”

2. Mattis, ibid.

3. Berger, Gilday, and Schultz, “Advantage at Sea.” 4.Vavasseur, “Shipyard in China Launched The 25th Type 052D and 8th Type 055 Destroyers For PLAN.” 5.“China Deploys YJ-12B and HQ-9B Missiles on South China Sea Islands.”

Satellite image taken on March 19 shows the Fiery Cross Reef, one of China's artificial island bases in the South China Sea. Reuters Photo

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

52

53

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Features Update from HX-21 / MH-60 Test Community

By LCDR Justin “Street Meat” Langan, USN

M

y intentions are three-fold: communicate the improvements of SysConfig18 and future capabilities of SysConfig20 (expected early 2022), provide details on how to effect change in the H-60, and put in a shameless recruiting plug for future test pilots by explaining HX-21’s role in Naval Aviation.

SysConfig 18 (SC18) for MH-60R/S

The long-awaited and highly anticipated SC18 is finally hitting the Fleet… By now, some operators have already experienced the new functionality, but below is a summary of several SC18 highlights. If you would like to find training information pertaining to these additions, please contact your Wing Training Officers. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

VOR/ILS Capability for the MH-60R (H/W dependent) Multi-Helo AMP Dip Patterns for up to 4 MH-60Rs / AMP Live DAFIF Auto-Tuning for Radios / NAVAIDS ADS-B L16 EW Messages MTS Elevation Slewing CDU Shortcuts for ATAK, ESM, FLIR, ACST, and ASE Display Modes TACAN Tracks Rocket Sim Mode for DRL/APKWS ASW Sim Mode ALFS Data Displayed on the Hover Mode Decreased Number of Nuisance Fuel Low Master Caution Alerts Updates to Acoustics / ESM / Data Fusion / L16 / Datalink / ADTS recording / JMPS

Testing of SC18 consisted of 66 sorties and 184 flight hours over a period of four years with hundreds of lab and ground testing hours in Pax River, MD at HX-21 and Owego, NY at Lockheed Martin. Initially thought to be the last software update in the MH-60 lifetime, it was the single largest software release in program history. Many challenges were experienced during the SC18 rollout including the expansive scope of the release, testing with new aircraft hardware, and incorporating new software releases for supporting components including ADTS / MTS / IMDS / JMPS. In addition, SC18 involved a large programmatic coordination effort from multiple civilian contractors and multiple program offices. We overcame these challenges with joint efforts from HX-21, VX-1, PMA-299, and Lockheed Martin.

What to look forward to in SysConfig 20 (SC20) in early 2022

Because of the continued success of the H-60 and lessons learned from SC18, a desire arose to improve capability through incremental hardware and software releases, which led to SC20. In SC20, operators can expect the following functionality: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Active Radio Indications Radio Scan Barometric Altimeter Low Altitude Alerts Enhanced Fuel and Power Management (EFPM) TOT / Jet Log Flight Plan Table DVE Mode Target Attack Menu Wind Calculation Changes / Manual Wind Entry Updates to Radar / ESM / Acoustics / JMPS

This effort is already well underway including testing new mission computers with Intel processors for added processing capability. Your idea for an enhancement/fix can become a reality SysConfig releases are planned periodically. Therefore, if there are improvements that you as a Fleet operator would like to see, writing a Software Trouble Report (STR) and submitting it to PMA-299 (https://pma299.navair.navy. mil) is the first step in getting that fix implemented in an upcoming release. Fleet operators will then evaluate these requested fixes/enhancements at a Software Naval Aviation Requirements Group (SNARG) and rank them in accordance with their priority. PMA-299 will then pursue funding for STRs and Program Trouble Reports (PTRs) for inclusion into future SysConfigs. An engineer will create the STR/ PTR Prototype and will brief the Fleet operators and the Program Office at Crew Systems Working Group (CSWGs).

DAFIF Auto-Tuning for Radios / NAVAIDS

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

54

K-DUCK1 Recent HX testing on the MH-60S in July 2020. K-DUCK testing was led by LCDR Matthew Arnsberger, fellow HX-21 Project Officer and Test Pilot.

Photo Credit: Steve Wolff.

Once fine-tuned, the functionality will then be included in an initial software release. The ideal software release progression would start with an -01 release, which is an initial engineering build. The -02 release is designed to include any last “new” functionality as well as solutions to early design issues. The -03 and final -04 releases are to capture any important fixes from previous -01 and -02 releases found during Contractor, Developmental, and Operational test events. The -04 release is designed as the full Fleet release along with any associated WRA software, publications, and procedures. This process is repeated with every SysConfig release. In order to streamline this process and ensure your ideas are clearly communicated to the Program Office / test community it is important to ensure that STRs follow the below guidelines: •

Whether an enhancement or a fix…the more specific the better. If ambiguous, your ideas will likely get interpreted differently than how you imagined.

•

How often have you encountered this issue? What was the environmental information? This information is relevant to determine if the issue you encountered was due to hardware, software, electrical wiring in a specific aircraft, or even cyber.

•

What mission is your STR designed to impact? Are there any other missions this fix could impact? We need to make sure that one fix in one area doesn’t create a problem in a different area.

•

How do you want this system to function in a degraded status, if at all?

•

What is HX-21’s role and why should you join Test?

At HX-21, we plan, execute, and report on ground and flight-testing for new aircraft equipment and systems. The MH-60 Test Team is just one of 5 test teams that comprise HX-21. We also have teams dedicated to flight testing the CMV-22B/MV22B, CH-53K/CH-53E, AH-1Z/UH-1Y, and even a Presidential Team that tests the VH-92A, VH60N, and VH-3N. Tasking for the MH-60R and MH-60S most often comes from PMA-299 but can also come from other program offices. In order to accomplish our tasking, we work together as a team of Project Officers, Project Engineers, and Aircrew to conduct coordinated testing with contractors such as Lockheed Martin and operational testing with VX-1 and Fleet Operators. Project Officers are post-first-tour pilots who have graduated from Test Pilot School (TPS) and the Project Engineers are civilian flight test professionals from NAVAIR or other supporting agencies.

Once we get a requirement for testing, we ensure that the systems achieve the desired mission objective. If not, we write Deficiency Reports (DRs) in order to correct the functionality to improve safety of flight, mission effectiveness, maintenance readiness, or operator workload. Once testing is complete, we convey HX’s test methodology, results, and recommendations to stakeholders in the form of Interim Summary Reports (ISRs) or Report of Test Results (RTRs). We also work with Class Desks to document new functionality in the NTRP / NATOPS. Flying an aircraft such as the MH-60 with the selfproclaimed title “jack of all trades” is a benefit to the user and challenge to the tester. That means the helicopter is capable of completing a multitude of tasks, however, there is often a balance between being great at a small number of tasks and being good at all of them. For example, if there is a requirement for a helicopter to travel 400 NM and remain on station for 4 hours, that helicopter will most likely not be

Any related HAZREPs, MISHAP Reports, Safety System Working Group inputs which could support the required change.

55

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Features the most agile helicopter in a close air support (CAS) mission.

There are different tradeoffs between having the optimal rotor blades / fuel and weight capacity / seating configurations and performance and handling qualities etc.

The majority of testing is now systems testing because the MH-60 has been fielded for 15+ years, however, many exciting opportunities for testing exist in the future at HX21. Future test efforts include various stores carriage and separation testing, dynamic interface testing to determine ship-aircraft wind envelopes, and engine performance testing with new 401D engines.

I almost forgot to mention that as a tester you get to fly some remarkable machines. Since the beginning of TPS (I completed Empire Test Pilot School in Wiltshire, England)

through my time at HX, I have flown over 10 different models of helicopters including the Apache AH1, Eurocopter Tiger, AH-1Z Viper, Gazelle HT3, and the Airbus H125 as well as a passenger plane (Avro RJ100) and a jet (BAE Systems Hawk).

I have taken a helicopter up to 18,500 ft with a parachute strapped to my back, conducted full engine-off landings as a part of avoid curve demonstrations, conducted confined area landings in the snow-clad French Alps, and participated in Top Owl Helmet Mounted Display (HUD) demonstrations in Amsterdam.

If you want to continue to fly, have an engineering inclination, and are interested in flight test as a pilot or aircrew, please contact me at justin.langan@navy.mil or visit https://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/usntps.

Editor's Note Images below show LCDR Langan in several of the aircraft he flew in his test pilot training while at Empire Test Pilot School in Boscombe Down, England. Author's personal photos 2018

Author next to an Apache AH1 after conducting a qualitative evaluation flight at the Army Aviation Centre Middle Wallop in England

Author in a Gazelle HT3 cockpit. In the Gazelle he used supplemental oxygen and a parachute for high-altitude testing

Author next to a Eurocopter Tiger in a hangar at the Valence-Chabeuil Airport in France

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

56

Test Pilot School Instructors Conduct Research that Pushes Boundaries

By Paul Lagasse, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Communications

T

he instructors at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland are dedicated to ensuring the next generation of developmental test pilots, flight officers, and engineers gain the skills necessary for testing the aircraft and systems of tomorrow. Less widely known, but no less valuable, is their dedication to conducting original research that broadens the body of aerospace knowledge and improves flight test safety and practice.

The shadow of a U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) OH-58C Kiowa falls on the face of the Elevated Fixed Platform, a test platform constructed from over 100 shipping containers stacked to form a 38-foot-tall box and capped with steel plates.

U.S. Navy photo by John Holder

A good example of this is a recent flight test program conducted by USNTPS rotary wing instructors John Tritschler and John Holder to evaluate the hover performance of helicopters near obstacles and inside confined areas, in order to better understand how helicopters behave when landing on and taking off from ships at sea, rooftop platforms, and other complex environments.

effects on the V-22 Osprey using dozens of anemometers affixed to the sides of the EFP to measure airflow variations.

Once those tests were completed, the two USNTPS instructors learned there would be a brief window of time before the EFP was dismantled. It was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. "I saw the EFP as a target of opportunity for USNTPS," Tritschler said. "I argued that it would have been irresponsible of us as a learning institution not to take advantage of this great opportunity to create a dataset that would be useful not just for the engineering community, but also for the operational community."

Helicopter rotors generate lift in part by accelerating air downward — a phenomenon, appropriately enough, called downwash. Nearby obstacles such as buildings, hangars, and ship superstructures can bounce some of that downwash back toward the helicopter, which is called recirculation. Excessive recirculation can force a pilot to use more engine power to stay in a hover, and in some extreme instances it can even result in a loss of control. It's a situation that pilots learn to deal with through experience, but Tritschler and Holder sought to gain a more systematic understanding of downwash recirculation so that pilots could train better to deal with it.

With the approval of USNTPS commanding officer Lt. Col. Rory Feely, Holder and Tritschler developed and implemented a series of test flights with three USNTPS helicopters — a UH-72A Lakota, a UH-60L Black Hawk, and an OH-58C Kiowa — to study how recirculation affected the helicopters' performance when hovering at various predetermined locations and altitudes above and alongside the EFP's roof, walls, and corners. Once the roof and one wall have been removed as part of the dismantling process, the two pilots will return to fly a similar series of tests inside the box itself. So far, five USNTPS staff pilots have participated in the research flights along with Holder and Tritschler, providing them with valuable first-hand experience and knowledge that they can use in designing test projects of their own.

"We have been conducting flight test research programs for several years at USNTPS," Tritschler said. "This particular project came about organically from a previous project that Noddy" — that's Holder's call sign from his previous service in the Royal Navy — "and I conducted to assess the effect of sloping terrain on helicopter downwash."

To conduct their research program, Holder and Tritschler took advantage of a unique opportunity: a temporary structure that had been built on a disused taxiway at NAS Patuxent River. Constructed from over 100 shipping containers stacked to form a 38-foot-tall box and capped with steel plates, the Elevated Fixed Platform (EFP) was built to test recirculation

During the tests, Holder and Tritschler varied the helicopters' rotor speeds and gross weight. "In doing so, you get a wide range of thrust conditions, and you can explore whether there are any sensitivities that effect those conditions," Tritschler explained. "We wanted to make sure that we collected data across the widest range as possible because it

57

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Features is inappropriate to draw conclusions on vehicle performance on the basis of extrapolated data."

Once the test flights are completed at the end of February, the two instructors will analyze the data they collected to see what patterns emerge. "We're going to let the data indicate to us just how well the phenomena we observed can be generalized for helicopters with a single main rotor," Tritschler said. "Then, hopefully we can make broader statements to a wide range of operational communities about how much additional power margin they will need in a given operational scenario. But at this point, it's an open question just how much the results will generalize across aircraft."

A helicopter-eye view of the Elevated Fixed Platform (EFP).

U.S. Navy photo by John Holder.

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division engineers will also be able to use the data collected in this investigation to validate the computational fluid dynamics models they are developing as part of the Dynamic Interface Virtual Environment (DIVE) Program. Led by NAWCAD engineers and funded by the Office of Naval Research, the DIVE Program seeks to develop simulations that will enable designers and operators to reduce the amount of shipboard testing required to establish launch and recovery envelopes for rotary wing aircraft.

Tritschler said that USNTPS has some unique advantages that enable it to conduct this type of fundamental research, namely a variety of rotary wing aircraft on strength and the in-house expertise needed to prepare and execute a rigorous, highly repeatable test plan.

USNTPS Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Rory Feely, said that original research like Holder's and Tritschler's helps keep the school in the forefront of aeronautical research through partnerships with agencies like NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as supports the Navy’s other research efforts into aircraft shipboard landing characteristics. And by allowing instructors to engage in career pursuits that extend beyond the classroom, it plays a vital workforce development role for the school too.

“The academics walk to the aircraft every day,” Feely said. “How else do you get to be the preeminent flight test school unless you allow people to indulge their curiosity and explore important questions and use their imagination and skills to push boundaries? It’s a philosophy that has enabled USNTPS to become a brain trust of aviation.”

The research conducted by USNTPS instructors also benefits the pilots, engineers, and Naval Flight Officers who attend the school as students. "As an institution, you don't want to teach the same thing over and over again because then you'll stagnate," Tritschler said. "Knowledge isn't finite.

Research allows us to think deeply about the most important elements of flight test as well as performance and handling qualities that we wouldn't be able to do elsewhere."

"You don't want to just teach what is known," Tritschler emphasized. "If you don't start exploring the unknown, you start losing that edge."

A U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) UH-72A Lakota hovers near the Elevated Fixed Platform.

U.S. Navy photo by Mark Silva.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

58

Moderate Bird Activity Analysis of the “Strike-Chain” from a Bird’s Perspective

By LT Justin “Toto” Davis, USN

A Bird Strike, or from a Bird’s Perspective, a Helicopter Strike We share the skies with an ancient and learned adversary. When it comes to air superiority, humans are incredibly late to the game.

Insects were the first animals to evolve flight, probably as early as 400 million years ago (160 million years before the first dinosaurs). The Pterosaurs, the group including Pterodactyls, followed suit at around 220 million years ago. Next up, the ancestors of the modern birds we know and love and hit today were well-adapted to a flying lifestyle by 130 million years ago.

Then, finally, bats established themselves as fliers by about 55 million years ago (Alexander 76).

flight maneuverability--was the best predictor for how often a species is struck. Species with lower wing loading (smaller birds with greater maneuverability) were found to collide with aircraft at a much higher rate compared to species with higher wing loading (larger birds with reduced maneuverability) (Fernández-Juricic et al. 7). This may seem counter-intuitive, but many small-bodied birds have higher energy requirements and end up spending a good portion of their lives actively foraging for food at or below 500 feet AGL (Fernández-Juricic et al. 9). Does that altitude sound familiar? All that time in the air leads to a much higher likelihood of a strike overall.

In addition, these birds usually gather in large flocks, (up to 100,000 individuals for European starlings) so while a single strike would likely not cause damage, flying through an entire flock would be ruinous. Such was the case in the single most fatal bird strike ever recorded, when a Lockheed L-188 Electra passed through a flock of these same 3-oz. European starlings on takeoff from Boston in 1960, killing 62 passengers on board.

Humans, though? We finally parted with solid ground a little over 100 years ago when Orville and Wilbur Wright made magic happen over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. It should be no surprise that shortly after the advent of powered flight, our aircraft rapidly surpassed the ability of birds to detect and react to our presence in the air. Indeed, only a few years later in 1914, we experienced our first fatality as the result of a bird strike. Incidentally this was also the same year the U.S. Navy began flying airplanes. After all, modern military aircraft (especially helicopters) flying through the bird-rich lower altitudes, are a completely novel threat to birds from an evolutionary standpoint. With this in mind, would we be able to dissect what goes wrong in a bird strike from the bird’s perspective and use that information to possibly avoid a last-minute strike altogether?

Now, which birds inflict the greatest amount of damage? This is a simple matter of Newtonian Force = Mass x Acceleration.

In this case, the larger-bodied birds pose the highest risk-the geese, ducks, vultures, and birds of prey, to name a few groups. Despite these birds ranking low in overall strike frequency, their sheer body mass and their abilty to achieve higher airspeeds make them a very serious threat to helicopters (Pfeiffer et al. 5). Additionally, when you have a large species that also tends to fly in flocks, like Canada geese, the chances of having a catastrophic incident increases dramatically. This was the case when a U.S. Air Force Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft ingested several geese and crashed two miles after takeoff from Elmendorf AFB in 1995, killing all 24 crew members on board.

Probability versus Severity Before diving into this question, some context is needed.

As with most situations in military aviation, bird strikes are a matter of probability versus severity. So, what groups of birds are struck most often? It turns out that for rotorcraft the groups that score the highest in strike frequency are the small-bodied songbirds (larks, starlings, blackbirds, sparrows, etc.) and the shorebirds (gull, killdeer, etc.) (Pfeiffer et al. 13). Naturally, there are many variables that play into this but perhaps the most enlightening reason comes out of one recent study that found that a bird’s wing loading--a measure of the bird’s in59

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Features A Breakdown of the “Strike-Chain” So, how is it that in such a vast, three-dimensional space, birds and aircraft continue to smack into each other? After all, you never see birds, bats, and insects taking each other out unintentionally in flight. While there are many variables at play, the root of the problem goes back to the biological limitations by which birds are constrained when trying to share the skies with our machines. From our perspective it seems simple. We see the bird (hopefully from a distance) and then maneuver away. However, what does the bird see? How does it perceive an aircraft? How does it try to maneuver away from an approaching helicopter (if it sees us at all)? By studying the mechanics of a bird strike from the bird’s perspective we might be better equipped to reduce the frequency and severity of strikes by adjusting our in-flight behavior to minimize some of these biological limitations that constrain these birds. In other words, by gaining an understanding of how birds detect, perceive, and react to our presence, we may be better equipped to interrupt the steps which can lead to a bird strike. To help the tacticians among us, these steps can be called the “StrikeChain” and are summarized by the acronym DAM: Detect, Assess, Maneuver.

1. Detect. In the first step, the bird must detect the aircraft by either sight or sound. In general, the earlier the detection occurs, the better. Visual detection will vary based on the bird’s visual acuity (eye size), aircraft speed, time of day, etc.

Sound detection will vary based on both wind and aircraft flight parameters (velocity, altitude, etc.). As previously stated, birds’ visual and auditory systems are not adapted to detect the speeds and sounds by which modern aircraft operate (Lima et al. 62). With that in mind, it’s likely that, in many cases, the unfortunate birds were removed from the gene pool long before they even knew an aircraft was there. Fortunately, in terms of breaking the “Strike-Chain,” our lights, engines, and rotor blades do most of the early warning work for us passively.

Unfortunately for us, however, this seemingly positive effect also carries with it some grave side-effects as we’ll see below.

2. Assess. The bird must assess the aircraft as a threat once it has been detected. This threat assessment is usually predicated on whether or not a collision is imminent. However, a few problems exist here for the bird. The chief issue is that helicopters, with their size and shape, do not resemble any existing natural predators a bird might have. Hence, they’re likely not able to draw an immediate relationship between the unrecognized threat of, say, an approaching Knighthawk helicopter versus the natural threat of an approaching Redtailed hawk, at least until a collision is unavoidable. What is even more troubling however, is that given the sheer volume of aircraft and birds sharing the skies together, birds have simply become habituated to the presence of aircraft. This means that birds likely perceive aircraft to be benign obstacles rather than recognizing them to be the certifiable threats to their existence that they are. This desensitization to aircraft ultimately causes birds to allow for dangerously close approaches with aircraft, so that by the time an imminent collision is recognized, evasive Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

60

maneuvering is no longer effective (Lima et al. 68). In terms of breaking the “Strike-Chain” for this step, there is little we can do. Unless we wage active war on birds with helicopters, they will continue to perceive us as a non-threat, and will thus continue to pose a BASH risk. That said, it should be noted that there have been reports of eagles and ospreys aggressively approaching small planes and helicopters (Lima et al. 69).

While this is a rare behavior and likely prompted by defense of a nearby nest it is still an aggressive act and should not be taken lightly.

3. Maneuver. If indeed the bird assesses an aircraft as a threat early enough, it may initiate the aforementioned evasive maneuvers. As the third step in the “Strike-Chain,” this is also where we as pilots and aircrewmen have the most control.

While little research has been conducted for this part of the “Strike-Chain,” there have been some preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence from pilots from which we can glean some insights. These can be categorized into two general modes of evasion: ground and airborne.

Ground evasion carries a high degree of risk, particularly for us low-flying helicopters. In this situation, after groundbased birds detect an aircraft they then take off in an attempt to evade the unknown threat. This may cause them to actually fly directly into the path of the approaching aircraft they were trying to avoid in the first place. Highly maneuverable birds with short takeoff distance requirements, are more likely to get airborne quickly and thus create a significant risk to helicopters if the flock is large enough. Large-bodied birds, on the other hand, may be more likely to stay put due to the longer takeoff distance requirements needed to get airborne (Fernández-Juricic et al. 9). However, should a group of large-bodied birds take off and intercept the flight path of a low-flying helicopter, the results could be, and have been, incredibly traumatic. Little can be done to prevent a scenario such as this developing, outside of avoiding wildlife areas and areas of land close to bodies of water. A nigh impossible task for us Navy/Marine Corps rotorcraft.

Airborne evasion maneuvers are even more unpredictable due to variations in species, altitude, relative airspeed, and distance, to name just a few factors. But generally speaking, relative distance and altitude are perhaps the best variables to focus on when determining how a bird might react to your presence. At greater distances, a common tactic of some less maneuverable but faster flying species (geese, ducks, shorebirds, etc.) is to simply accelerate away from the aircraft with no change in flight direction, obviously a bit of a lost cause. Other long-range tactics involve changing the direction of flight by flying an S-type maneuver (the most common) or by conducting a 360-degree loop with the birds returning to the original heading after the aircraft has passed (Lima et al.

69). These long-range evasive maneuvers may even take place before the pilots and aircrewmen have noticed the birds were there.

Lower altitudes (below 150’ AGL) are even more pernicious, however. One study observed a variety of responses, ranging from diving, turning, climbing, etc. (Lima et al. 69). Another study found that when flying directly towards an aircraft, birds usually attempted to climb to avoid a collision, but when flying away from an aircraft, birds usually attempted to descend (Fernández-Juricic et al. 2). Given this seemingly hopeless case in the terrain flight environment, your best bet is to keep your altitude stable while simultaneously decelerating and turning away from the bird. Attempting to climb or descend in this situation is not advisable, since the unpredictable maneuvering of birds at low altitudes may lead to you and the bird inadvertently climbing or descending in harmony, only to greet each other at a different altitude. These guidelines are, of course, predicated on whether or not you see the bird(s) in the first place

As the proximity to the aircraft decreases to within 100 to 200 meters most birds will be forced to rely upon ingrained anti-predatory behaviors to avoid a collision (Lima et al. 69).

These anti-predatory responses are normally used to evade attacks from more natural predators (hawks, eagles, etc.), but some birds will employ them as a last-ditch effort to avoid a fatal collision with an advancing helicopter. Hence, having a general understanding of them may help in our prediction of how a bird might react when in close quarters with your aircraft.

In general, the altitude of you and bird from the ground will provide the biggest indicator of how a bird might maneuver in relation to you. These altitudes will naturally vary based on any number of variables but generally, at higher altitudes (not in the terrain flight environment) diving is likely the preferred method of avoidance for co-altitude birds. According to one study, at altitudes above 150’ AGL, birds were found to usually attempt to dive/descend to avoid a collision (Lima et al. 69).

With this in mind, at higher altitudes a climbing turn away from the bird is probably the best course of action to avoid a strike, with an emphasis on the climb.

Conclusions At the end of the day, our options are limited. Neither we, nor birds are going away, so we’ll always be forced to contend with one another in our shared skies. Changing how and when we fly to accommodate bird behavior is also likely not going to happen. However, what we can do is at least attempt to minimize the frequency and overall damage of bird strikes by recognizing some of the aforementioned limits birds have when flying in close quarters with an aircraft. Keeping in mind that while it is impossible to cover every variable that plays into a BASH event, hopefully now you have some idea of how a bird may react, thus allowing you to maneuver to avoid, or at the very least minimize the damage, of a bird strike. In parting, BASH reports are a crucial piece to this issue and continuously go underreported across all of Naval Aviation. With that said, the more reports submitted the more effectively biologists are able to identify, track, and correct problematic species and areas to keep us safe. So, with all this said, pay heed all who take flight and know that the threat of a bird strike is omnipresent. We’re outnumbered, out of our element and lack the home-field advantage. Besides, we haven’t even discussed insects, bats, or pterodactyls yet.

References 1. Lima, Steven L., Blackwell, Bradley F., DeVault, Travis L. and Fernández-Juricic, Esteban (2015). Animal reactions to oncoming vehicles: a conceptual review. Biological Review 90, 60-76.

2. Pfeiffer, Morgan B., Blackwell, Bradely F., DeVault, Travis. L. (2018). Quantification of avian hazards to military aircraft and implications for wildlife management. PLOS ONE 13, 11 3. Fernández-Juricic E, Brand, J, Blackwell, Bradely F., Seamans, Thomas W., DeVault, Travis L. (2018). Species With Greater Aerial Maneuverability Have Higher Frequency of Collisions With Aircaft: A Comparative Study.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 6, 17 4. Alexander, David, E. On The Wing: Insects, Pterosaurs, Birds, Bats and the Evolution of Animal Flight. Oxford University Press, 2015

61

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

What is a Federal Executive Fellowship and Why Does It Matter?

By CDR Trevor Prouty, USN

O

n an unseasonably cold evening last October, I settled in to learn from a guest lecturer as part of my Federal Executive Fellowship (FEF) Program in Boston. Dr. Henry Kissinger opened his remarks with his thoughts on Sino-U.S. relations, and over the next hour I had the privilege of interacting with one of the most influential statesmen of the twentieth century as he provided an unfiltered perspective on both past and present geopolitical issues.

MIT's iconic rotunda. Photo credit: Christopher Harting

My journey to that discussion began a year earlier, when I submitted an application to the FEF Program. My application ultimately resulted in my selection as a fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Security Studies Program. During the fellowship, I benefit from the flexibility to enroll in my choice of national security classes across a consortium of three outstanding universities–MIT, Harvard, and Tufts. The program’s academic focus parallels a year at a senior war college, but with the unique opportunity to engage with a diverse collection of civilian undergraduates, PhD candidates, and policy makers.

our conventional discussions of the “golden career path.”

Involvement in these programs adds breadth and depth to your contributions as a uniformed warfighter, while also expanding your areas of expertise for your inevitable eventual transition to the civilian world.

Participation in these opportunities requires proactive career management. Community milestone requirements, the potential ramifications of unobserved evaluations, and, of course, the traditional “needs of the Navy” detailing that accompanies any career choice remain key factors in determining suitability for candidates. Simply put, certain times in your career allow participation; other times do not.

With that in mind, researching available programs now, combined with assertive planning on your part, may lead to your ability to participate in the future.

This civilian immersion constantly challenges my ingrained assumptions resulting from two decades in uniform. I hear differing perspectives that too often get lost in the echochamber of homogenous military ideals. I contribute to academic discussions on wide-ranging topics, humanizing the Navy perspective and adding context that occasionally goes missing in discussions which lack military representation.

So, how can you learn more about these programs? Every year the responsible custodian releases a NAVADMIN message delineating the timelines and requirements for each program. The updated MyNavyHR Website allows easy access to all released messages—simply enter “NAVADMIN” in the search box on MyNavyHR and scroll to find the applicable message with details specific to each opportunity.

The FEF Program exists as only one example of the incredible options that await you when you make a concerted effort to step away from the aircraft. This broad category of opportunities also includes Legislative Fellowships, the Secretary of Navy Tours with Industry Program, the Fleet Scholars Education Program, and the Politico-Military Master’s Program among others.

If you determine one of these programs fits your goals, successfully maneuver through the inevitable obstacles, and triumphantly arrive in-residence, you will reap tremendous rewards. Your unique experience will make you a better Naval Officer, and make our Navy, and our Community, even stronger.

Developing leaders who are competent in national level decision-making requires broad revision of talent management among the Armed Services, including fellowships, civilian education, and assignments that increase understanding of interagency decision-making processes, as well as alliances and coalitions.

Editor's Note Commander Trevor Prouty has served in three helicopter aviation squadrons, most recently leading the Dragon Whales of HSC-28. He will report next to Charleston, SC for nuclear power training, with follow-on orders to the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).

These Navy endorsed opportunities provide tremendous advantages, yet while they count many of our senior leaders as participants and alumni, these programs too rarely enter

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

62

The COMMIT Foundation Difference

By CDR Scott Walgren, USN (Ret.)

T

he professional journey for Navy pilots and aircrew is pretty standard. From day one, we know the learning objectives, standards of performance, and measurements of success. We’re provided a NATOPS syllabus, a tactical syllabus, and a road map for the duration of our career. We’re guided to meet specific gates and screen boards, informed by trusted leaders, peers, and detailers. The path is specific, predictable, and linear. For 10, 20, sometimes 30 years, we know where to be and how to succeed.

We’re conditioned to look toward our next set of orders early and often, hopeful of getting through the uncertainty and discomfort of the process as quickly as possible. Knowing what’s next makes life easier.

Deciding to buy or rent, planning for kids’ schooling, supporting our spouse or partner's career, scheduling the PCS, and writing the elusive turnover binder are patterns repeated throughout our naval career. That is, until the time comes to hang up the uniform. And that time arrives for everyone. Everyone. Some earlier than others, but at some point we all transition. What then?

During this transition, some of these cultural perspectives and learned behaviors create obstacles. The same behaviors which generated success over a military career can actually work against us in transition. The tendency to race through uncertainty, create and complete checklists, seek out perspectives from others with remarkably similar backgrounds, while informed by DoD’s one-size-fits-all approach to transition support, all work against high performing, high achieving military professionals.

Combine this reality with the acknowledgment that we’ve never needed a resume, never interviewed for a job, never negotiated a compensation package, and confidence naturally begins to erode. The fact is few of us have been remotely curious about career paths outside of our narrow aviation profession. With all this, how does someone even begin to imagine the realm of what’s possible?

I’d like to offer one solution to the transition challenge, through an organization I joined following my own 20 year career flying Navy helicopters. Since my retirement in 2018, I’ve been honored to lead the programmatic efforts of The COMMIT Foundation, which I know to be the best veteran transition program in the country. The opportunity to bring together two groups that I love, Navy rotary wing professionals and The COMMIT Foundation is humbling and exciting.

At COMMIT, we tackle the very obstacles described above, offering a highly individualized approach to transition. We’re singularly focused on helping exceptional American service members and veterans transition into successful roles and careers postservice, ensuring you find purpose and meaning, both personally and professionally after the military. We start by encouraging a pause in your bias for action, long enough to ask tough questions about who you want to be after the military. We want you to truly understand, envision, and believe in the life you want to build, and we support that effort through an uncompromising standard of high-touch, high-impact programming.

Professional interests which were commonly aligned during active duty service become radically divergent when leaving the military, so COMMIT invests time and resources in each person to address specific challenges with a personalized approach.

We explore values, skills, and life design fundamentals to identify your individual sources of purpose and meaning. The effort builds self-awareness and results in a more intentional, focused, deliberate, and holistic transition. Stated another way, we help to develop a strategic vision first, grounded in identity and selfawareness, after which you design the tactical implementation of the plan while being supported by the COMMIT Team . It’s easier (and completely natural) to address tactical-level challenges first, but without knowing what you really want, tactical steps don’t help. There’s no right or wrong in the life you design, only intentional or unintentional decisions. This is the COMMIT difference.

CAPT Mike Dowling,USN (Ret.) participating in a recent COMMIT Workshop.

Our transition services include an individually tailored, layered delivery of One-on-One Transition Assistance Services and Transition Mentoring Workshops all supported by a tremendous collection of professionals who recognize the value and contribution you offer post-service.

63

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Our One-on-One Transition Assistance Program first identifies exactly where an individual is in their transition journey, helping to determine what lives they want to live post-service, and connecting them with people who can help make the life they’ve designed a reality. Services include executive coaching, career counseling, professional resume writing, scholarships for skills training/degree programs, and interview preparation. In addition, we facilitate introductions to industry leaders who align with their interests.

Through our network of board members, staff, mentors, and program alumni, we make connections in a manner no other organization can replicate.

Katy Stanfill, clinical psychologist and executive coach who flew H-46s during her Navy career speaks during a Mentoring Workshop

We offer access to our digital platform known as Pursue Your Purpose. It explores individual transition priorities framed by personal values, strengths, and constraints. The effort is supported by five sessions with an executive coach, who helps to more fully define personal and professional opportunities and create new levels of self-awareness.

Our Transition Mentoring Workshops are based on concepts similar to one-on-one assistance. Those who attend are provided a two-day immersive experience to share in conversations and thought exercises alongside peers. They also have an opportunity to engage with a group of successful public and private sector leaders from various industries, some of whom are veterans.

All individuals receiving services have access to our Digital Library, an online collection of resources pertaining to subjects transitioning veterans find critical or challenging. The library is “living” and continuously evolves as COMMIT uses data analytics and surveys to expand and introduce new subjects our veterans would benefit from most.

Our services are provided at no cost to transitioning service members and veterans, but there is an expectation. We expect those accepted into our programs to invest fully in the process. Big life questions shouldn’t be easy to answer, and we ask a lot of them. What’s going to make you happy? What’s going to make your family happy? What’s holding you back from pursuing exactly what you want? You deserve to thrive, and figuring out the formula to make that happen deserves time and attention.

Applications are invited without regard to commissioning status or rank.

The privilege of being a part of the HSC, HSM, and HM Communities for any period of time should be celebrated and treasured. It’s an honor very few people in our nation ever experience, framed by purpose, professionalism, camaraderie, and pride.

The decision to leave is rarely easy, and often approached with a sense of uncertainty, disorientation, and fear.

Imagine the opportunity to design a post-Navy life that is just as fulfilling, just as purposeful, and of which you can be just as proud. That’s an uncommon perspective for anyone leaving the rotary wing community, let alone the military, and it should absolutely be the standard. The skills and talents honed over a military career uniquely position us to contribute powerfully to whatever endeavor we choose. That’s the perspective and promise The COMMIT Foundation offers. It requires work. It demands answers to hard questions. And the end result is a life filled with purpose and meaning which each and every one of us deserve.

Learn more and apply at www.commitfoundaton.org

CDR Scott Walgren, USN (Ret.) is the Chief Programs Officer for the COMMIT Foundation

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

64

ION AT CI

ST

OR

IC A L S O CIE

Check the NHA website(www.navalhelicopterassn.org) for the most current information on anniversaries and reunions or contact CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) at retiredaffairs@navalhelicopterassn.org

Big Iron Reunion HM-12 50th Anniversary Reunion has been postponed until April 2022 in Norfolk, VA. Check back for a firm date. POC for the event is : SCPO Bud Merritt, USN (Ret) email: bud.merritt@cox.net telephone: (757) 630-4417.

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/263843381639871/ The Ole Jax “RotorHeadRumble” Reunion is October 23-24, 2021 in Jax. Check out the website. Watch here for information. CAPT Al Ferber, USN (Ret.), CAPT Rich Strickler, USN (Ret.) and CAPT Hardy Kircher, USN (Ret.) are the POCs and working on it. They are looking for input on how many folks would be interested in attending. Contact “RotorHeadRumble” Committee at rotorheadrumble@gmail.com

HS-1-70th Year-Date-1951

HM-12 50th Year-Date 1971

HS-5/HSC-5 65th Year-Date 1956

HAL-4/HCS-4/HSC-84 40th Year-Date 1976

HS-6/HSC-6 65th Year-Date-1956

HM-18 35th Year-Date 1976

HS-8/HSC-8 65th Year-Date 1956

HSL-44/HSM-74 35th Year-Date 1976

HS-9 65th Year-Date 1956

HSL-45/HSM-75 35th Year-Date 1986

HS-15/HSC-15 50th Year-Date 1971

HSL-51/HSM-51 30th Year-Date 1990

65

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

T

Y

NAVA L

NHA HS

HI

Squadron Anniversaries and Reunions

OPTER ASSO LIC HE

True Story

We Were on the Way Home from Antarctica

By LT Howell Purvis, USNR

O

n December 15th, 1959 we set sail aboard the USS Edisto (AGB 2). She was a proven tough Icebreaker of the U.S. Navy “Operation Deep Freeze IV” in Antarctica. On board were two helicopters, an HRS Sikorsky and an HUL Bell. There were three pilots--LTJG Allen M. Erickson, LTJG Howell H. Purvis and ENS Richard M. Nelson--along with seven crewmen. We were a detachment from HU-2, NAS Lakehurst, N.J. and under the operational control of Commander Task Force 43. I am Howell Purvis, and this is a brief history of that deployment.

Our task was to cruise to Ellsworth Station in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica. On arrival at Ellsworth, we’d support the final International Geophysical Year summer activities, evacuate the ‘winter-over’ party, and turn custody of the base over to the government of Argentina. After the Change of Command Ceremony at the Station, we were to set sail back to the U.S. Upon getting underway, we were redirected to rescue both a German and a British ship. These ships had been beset in the ice for some time and were helpless. This new assignment took over a month to complete but was successful.

Altogether, we spent about four months in Antarctica and our helicopters were used for a variety of missions. We’d fly out ahead of the Edisto to search for open water and cracks in the ice. This made it much easier for the ship to navigate the sometimes 28-foot-thick ice pack. We’d also transfer personnel and supplies from other ships in the area.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

66

On April 10th, 1959 came the end of our participation in Operation Deep Freeze IV. The Edisto again left the ice, this time headed for Buenos Aires, Argentina to offload one H-34 helicopter and two Otters which had been assigned to Ellsworth Station.

On April 17th, finally enroute to the U.S., we received a message from the Chief of Naval Operations that changed our plans again. The tiny country of Uruguay was experiencing the worst flood in its history and was in a state of extreme emergency. The Edisto was ordered to proceed immediately to Uruguay to provide all assistance necessary. That same evening we arrived and docked in Montevideo, the capital.

The next morning, our two helicopters flew to two separate disaster areas. The HUL was equipped with pontoons and I flew it to the northeastern part of the country to set up a base of operations in a town of about 8,000, named Treinta y Tres, (Spanish for “33”). This town was about 190 miles from Montevideo. My crewman was AD1 Eugene Davis.

From there, I flew a radius of about twenty miles out to search for those stranded by the flood waters, rescue, and fly them back to Treinta y Tres. In a span of 48 hours, I had transported 31 people. The folks in this area lived in native adobe huts and made their living from small farms and trap lines along the Olimar and Cebollati Rivers. Waters had already risen to a height of 8 feet in many homes (huts) and it was very windy and the currents were strong. Picking up people in these waters was tricky. One time I almost slid into an occupied hut with my rotor blades because of a panicked

happened to be visiting, arrived and we shook hands. The event was very nice and they all thanked us for our service.

“Unforgettable?” Indeed.

survivor. AD1 Davis was standing with the door open on one pontoon. At that moment a panicked survivor, up to his waist in water, suddenly jumped onto the same pontoon. I ran out of cyclic stick trying to avoid hitting the family on the hut floor with the rotor blades. I yelled on the intercom to "Kick him off! Kick him off!” Thankfully he did, and I recovered before injuring his family.

Now back to that HUL mentioned before as ‘over-boosted,’ lifting the stranded family of five. The very next morning, Ensign Nelson planned to take several Edisto officers in that HUL on a photo-taking mission. It would not lift off the flight deck. AD1 Davis drained the engine oil sump and got a handful of metal. I had put so much stress on that engine that it had to be replaced.

One afternoon searching, I spotted five people in an opening in the trees on a small knoll. They were completely surrounded by the flood waters. The only way to get to them was to make a vertical landing. I had room enough, but just barely. These people were a family: father, mother and three children. They had been there for several days and were hungry and thirsty. Davis loaded them on the seat behind me, but there was no room for him. The only place left was in front of me leaning up against the plexiglas canopy. He had to spread his legs and hold position so as not to interfere with the rudder pedals. I attempted to lift out of there vertically, but did not have sufficient power. Davis suggested that I add about 400 to 500 more RPM; thankfully that was enough to ease us out of that situation. However, the additional RPM exceeded the red line and ‘over boosted’ the engine; more to this story later.

On April 27th we were finally on our way to the good ole U.S.A. We had never received any kind of thanks from the Uruguayan government. On December 31st, 1959, I was released from the Navy. During the next fourteen years, I married, went back to college and graduated, then re-entered the Navy for another six years. My assignments were NAS Fallon, NV and Commander, Amphibious Squadron Five in San Diego. During my three years with Comphibron 5, we made three trips to Vietnam, where we planned and conducted fourteen amphibious landings.

On June 15th, 1967, I was again released from the Navy and returned to my home in Purvis, MS. I applied to the U.S. Secret Service, and was hired as a Special Agent on January 6th, 1968. I spent the next twenty years in that service. In 1972, I was assigned to the New Orleans, Louisiana Field Office. One Saturday morning there, I received a call from a Colonel of the Uruguayan Air Force. He said a file had been found in their Embassy in Washington, D.C. That file contained a letter recommending medals for the pilots involved in the helicopter missions during the floods of 1959. He asked if it would be proper to mail them to the pilots. Of course, I said, “Yes.”

Several times we picked up people who were stranded in the water up to their waist and they had to wade or swim out to the helicopter to be rescued. We searched the area for a couple more days, but thankfully did not find additional folks in need.

After completing our mission in Treinta y Tres, the local folks wanted to show their appreciation and they gave us a few nice gifts before we left. We had been there for seven days. We thanked them and said our goodbyes.

It has been almost 62 years since our trip to Antarctica, and our involvement assisting the country of Uruguay during those devastating floods of 1959. My wife, Mary Ann, and I have had four children, ten grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

We still live in Purvis, MS, our hometown, and, on December 13, 2020, we celebrated 61 years of marriage.

Thank you for allowing me to share my unforgettable memories.

We headed back to join the other two pilots, who were operating in central Uruguay. They had helped evacuate Paso de los Torros, a city that was in peril by the flooding Rio Negro. The country's major dam and source of electricity was on this river and threatened to burst from the tremendous pressure of the rising waters. They needed to make no rescues, but transported food, supplies and other things for that city.

Our next assignment was to haul in dynamite. The plan was to blast a diversion channel in the dam spillway to ease pressure on the dam itself. We continually hauled boxes of the explosive for over two days, then parked the helicopters at what we thought was a ‘good ways’ from that spillway. An hour or so later, there was no warning, but a tremendous explosion sent us diving for cover, as rocks and debris sailed up and out. One big rock fell through the tail of the HRS, but luckily did only ‘skin’ damage.

The next night in Montevideo, the U.S. Ambassador held a reception in our honor. Many VIPs from the Uruguayan government along with Nat King Cole and his wife, who 67

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

True Story How Did the Cubi Point O’Club Bar Find a Home at the National Naval Aviation Museum?

By CAPT Brian Buzzell, USN (Ret.)

O

ne of the first things you learned starting flight school as an Aviation Officer Candidate (AOC) in 1969 was the importance to Naval Aviation of the culture and traditions surrounding officer clubs. In fact, as an AOC we were schooled in proper officer club etiquette and decorum and just before our commissioning The view towards Subic Bay from the outside Bar Terrace. Several years ago, there would be an AOC Ball where SBMA allowed a developer to build a condominium complex in front of the club.

Pensacola young ladies (and wives of The view is now gone.

AOCs) were invited, and the etiquette lady graded us on our behavior. Officer Clubs were very much a part of our lives as newly minted officers and Detachment WESTPAC 1980-81 forward deployment out future Naval Aviators. of NAF Atsugi, I had a wooden replica of a Mad Bird made to hang over the left corner of the bar. You can see it today There were many famous NAS Officer Clubs in the 1970’s hanging in the Museum Café in precisely the same place. and 80’s. NAS Oceana, NAS Breezy Point, NAS North Island, and NAS Miramar (made even more famous by the movie Top By the early 1990’s, some would argue a good portion of Gun), but arguably the most famous of all was NAS Cubi Naval Aviation history resided in the Cubi Point O’ Club Bar. Point O’ Club. Here, legends were made, careers ruined, and I was one of them. So was RADM Tom Mercer, USN (Ret.) lives changed forever. I suspect in today’s wardrooms and formerly COMNAVUSPHIL, my immediate boss and CAPT at happy hours stories are still being told of the exploits and Bruce Wood, USN (Ret.) the last CO of NAS Cubi Point. debauchery that took place inside Cubi Point O’ Club. The This history belonged to Naval Aviation, not the Philippine “etiquette lady” would have been appalled. government.

The fact of the matter is they are just stories, mostly folklore, as it has been 29 years since the club closed and there are very few if any active-duty aviators that experienced firsthand a happy hour at the Cubi Point O’ Club.

The club was always lively as carriers and small boys came into Subic Bay having been on Yankee Station for months during the Vietnam War or coming home from the Gulf after Desert Storm. Once ashore, the Naval Aviators gathered en masse at the club to wind down from months of combat sorties and the inherent dangers of Naval Aviation. There were no “rules” at the Cubi Point O’ Club other than the Air Wing had to pay for the damage which inevitably occurred. It got so bad during Vietnam that the Club manager required a $10,000 deposit before the carrier pulled into Subic.

At some point during this cycle of deployments it became a tradition for each squadron, every staff, and each helicopter detachment to leave behind a squadron memento, plaque, or ornate carving with every pilot’s name inscribed on it. These mementos were dutifully placed in an appropriate location in the bar. Most squadrons negotiated with the club manager for the location before having the memento made by the skilled Filipino craftsman in Olongapo. During my HSL-37 LAMPS Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

68

The time frame was 1992 and because of the Philippine Senate’s rejection of the renewal of the Military Bases Agreement the U.S. Navy was in the process of closing all its installations in the Philippines, the largest being Naval Operating Base, Subic Bay. The plan was to be out of the Philippines by Thanksgiving with a 2-stage withdrawal; the closure and turnover of Naval Station Subic by September 30th followed by closure and turnover of NAS Cubi Point on Wednesday, November 25th in time for the last remaining Navy personnel to get home to the states for Thanksgiving.

Captain Bruce Wood and I met several times to devise a plan to remove certain artifacts from the club before the Philippine government officially made a request to have the property remain in place. I was the liaison with the Philippine government for the withdrawal and my days were consumed by Philippine officials requesting everything from bowling alleys, horses, computers, office equipment, PWC transformers, etc. to be left in place or sold to the Philippine government via the excess defense articles DRMO process.

Mayor Richard Gordon of Olongapo City and the first Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman had plans to keep the O' Club open after our withdrawal. His primary focus was the bar. He knew the importance it had with the

Navy. The Mayor’s plan was for it to be the main tourist attraction for SBMA. I knew this.

Our plan was to contact several Naval museums with our first choice being the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) in Pensacola, Fl. After several back n’ forth discussions, the NNAM eventually accepted our offer and Captain Wood executed the removal down to the wood on the bar itself with U.S. sailors. Captain Wood was not to inform me when this would occur. Why? So that I and Admiral Mercer had plausible deniability with the Philippine government.

The Filipinos had been given the day off to keep them from knowing what we were up to, but the next morning quickly reported The main entrance to the Club today. After the closure SBMA made it the removal of the bar to the Mayor. Mayor into a conference center. The Philippines hosted APEC 1996 at Subic Bay. President Clinton attended and spent the day inside the former Gordon was terribly upset, called me to his NAS Cubi PT O’Club renamed “SUMMIT.” Since then, the club was left office and lectured me for over an hour. By to the monkeys and jungle and I am told it has been sold to a Chinese then the crates were on their way to Pensacola. investor who intends to tear it down and replace it with a Chinese CAPT Wood had a C-130 on the tarmac that Casino. night to ensure the bar had left Philippine airspace by the time Philippine government officials found out about its removal. As an aside, this was just one of many disputes over Navy property I had with Mayor Gordon.

Additionally, Captain Wood with lots of encouragement, agreed to sell the Cubi Point O’Club Mikasa china dinnerware to those of us still at Subic with the proceeds going to MWR. The unsold china was shipped to the Museum, too. I have a complete set which I use when fellow WESTPAC Naval Officers come for dinner.

The Cubi Point O’Club closed at midnight on Saturday, 21 November with the Filipino band in the downstairs Ready Room Bar/Disco Lounge playing the Rolling Stones song "I Can’t Get No Satisfaction." In the bar that night were Admiral Mercer, Captain Wood, myself, several of his staff officers, and Marine Officers from the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) brought in to Subic Bay to support the last 3 weeks of the withdrawal.

HSL-37 Det 7 Mad Bird hanging on the left corner of the bar where it was in November 1992.

And that is how the Cubi Point O’ Club Bar came to the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Do you have a Cubi Point O' Club story to tell?

Send it in to Rotor Review. We are planning an in-depth lookback for the Summer issue. Our email is rotor review@navalhelicopterassn.org.

Pictures are always welcome. If requested, your anonymity will be respected.

69

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Off Duty Red Tails

Movie Review by LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.)

I

t’s 1944. The air war over Europe is seriously underway and Allied Bomber Command is taking serious losses.

Hundreds of bombers are being shot down with thousands of aircrew being lost. A single B-17 or B-24 shot down means the loss of 10 or 11 aircrew respectively KIA, MIA, wounded or captured. The bombers have defensive armament but still cannot adequately defend against enemy fighters. The bomber groups need escort fighters for each mission.

Red Tails starts in the air in the middle of a B-17 bomber formation with a savage air battle underway. The fighting is intense and we can see what the problem is as the escort P-51 fighters are drawn away from the bomber formation to chase after individual Me-109 attackers leaving the bomber formation unprotected. We then segue to an airfield in Italy of the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. The story focuses on one squadron of the air group under the command of CO Maj Stance played by Cuba Gooding Jr. (Selma, American Crime Story) and flight leader, Capt. “Easy” Julian, played by Nate Parker (American Skin, Birth of a Nation).

Other pilots in Easy’s flight, to name a few, in the film’s action include Lt. “Lightening” Little, played by David Oyelowo (Selma, The Water Man), Lt. “Smokey” Salem played by NeYo (World of Dance, singer, song writer), Lt. “Winky” Hall, played by Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton) and Lt. Wilson, played

by Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther). Tension is high in the squadron as Army Command has relegated them to ground attack missions only, with essentially outdated airplanes, flying the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. They fear that under the current military atmosphere, they will never be allowed to fight the enemy in the air. Their CO tells them, “what did they expect from 150 years of discrimination, they can stay and fight or go home true failures.”

The Tuskegee Airmen have faced constant and intense discrimination from the start to get black pilots and aircrew trained and into combat. The movie starts with a comment from a 1925 Army War College study that stated “Blacks are mentally inferior, by nature subservient, and cowards in the face of danger. They are therefore unfit for combat.” An attitude which is still prevalent in the U.S. forces of World War II. Thus, the film takes us to Washington D.C. where the Fighter Group Commander, Col. Bullard, played by Terrance Howard (Winnie Mandela, Iron Man) is arguing with the D.C. top brass to let his group have a chance to escort the bombers. Army Command represented by Maj. Gen Luntz played by Gerald McRaney (This Is Us) and Col Mortamus played by Brian Cranston (Breaking Bad) finally relents but not without a fight. Col. Bullard makes a deal, the group will fly air cover for an upcoming amphibious assault. If they do a good job, then they’ll talk bomber escort.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

70

Back in Italy there’s a love interest afoot for the romantics.

Lightening is courting Sophia, played

by Daniela Ruah (NCIS Los Angeles), with strict maternal supervision.

Back at the base, however, there’s jubilation over the mission change.

Providing air cover over the landing craft, the squadron meets the Messerschmitt Me-109’s head on with a huge dog fight ensuing. We’re introduced to the enemy flight leader, an ace whose 109 is emblazoned with a yellow nose, so they christen him “Pretty Boy” played by Lars Van Riesen. The air battle sees losses on both sides with an especially aggressive dogfight between Easy, Lightening and Pretty Boy. The Americans carry the day supporting the amphibious assault. The mission, though successful, aggravates rivalry tensions in the squadron, especially egregious with the loss of squadron mates. This opens another side-story POW line.

However, with success comes reward. Col. Bullard arrives back from the states with good news. Their mission has been upgraded from ground support to bomber escort. In order to support the new mission tasking, they’re also getting new aircraft with the North American P-51 Mustang. They ferry the new P-51’s back to the base where they have the nose and tails painted red, hence the name Red Tails. They take off on the first escort mission, two by two sections, climbing to altitude with their red tails rising out of the cloud deck like shark fins. The squadron wants to mix it up with the 109’s, especially with their new 51’s, but they are restricted in that they have to stay with the bombers and not get sucked off like previous escorts. This is especially aggravating for Pretty Boy, as the Red Tails are not falling for his former tactics.

Regardless, plenty of air to air action takes place as the 109’s dive into the B-17 formation only to be picked off by the waiting Red Tails in their 51’s.

Air action continues including a first ever encounter with jet aircraft with the Messerschmitt Me-262. All story lines are resolved but I’ll leave that air action and resolution for you to discover. The aviation sequences in Red Tails are accurate and realistic. Years ago, I walked into the WWII section of the Smithsonian Aviation Museum and was blown away by a full wall mural of a B-17 formation, brilliantly lit, giving the impression that you were in the middle of the formation. This

is the same feeling I had for the bomber formation sequences in Red Tails. The graphic CGI is primarily from Lucasfilms Industrial Light and Magic backed by a thunderous audio tract from Skywalker Sound. The realism of the film was enhanced by preproduction pilot flights in the Planes of Fame P-51 giving the pilot actors a sense of g-forces encountered in dogfighting and using the B-17 Pink Lady based at Orly Airport in Paris.

Film production used gimbal-mounted cockpits, wings and fuselages along with the CGI to show more realistic aircraft maneuvering. These production methods were coupled with an award winning cast supported by 35 Tuskegee Airmen advisors as well as documentation from the Tuskegee Institute and Airmen Archives.

The movie is an adaptation of the book Red Tails, Black Wings: The Men of America’s Black Air Force by John B. Holway. Much has been written and filmed about the Tuskegee

Airmen, but this is the first film to bring the graphic air combat to the screen. The Tuskegee Airmen have a deep and broad history. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group flying P-39s, P-40s, P-47s and P-51s and the 477th Bombardment Group flying B-25s. The 477th never completed training in time to see combat and both of these Air Groups are still active today in the USAF. The 332nd had the distinction of not losing a single bomber to enemy fighter attacks during the groups 200 escort missions and received three Distinguished Unit Citations, at least one Silver Star, 96 DFCs, 14 Bronze Stars, 744 Air Medals and 8 Purple Hearts. Red Tails is based on a rich and colorful historical background giving us a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience. I give Red Tails two enthusiastic thumbs up, so break out the popcorn and beverage of choice and settle back for a great ride.

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand Reviewed by LCDR Rebekah Cranor, USN

D

espite the massive amount of literature written about World War II, there are still plenty of unsung heroes that deserve to have their stories told. Members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) certainly fall into the category of overlooked heroes. “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story” tells the story of one WASP Member, Nadine Ramsay. While it is indicative of all women who served in the WASP, this book is a personal narrative about Nadine and her family.

Both Nadine and her brother, Ed, served in World War II. Col. Edwin Ramsey became famous for his role as the guerrilla leader during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and leading the last American cavalry charge in military history. His sister’s story is not nearly as well known. “Taking Flight” tells the story of Nadine’s exceptional piloting skills, love of flying, time in military service, and role as a trailblazer for women in aviation.

Nadine grew up in Wichita, named the Air Capital City in 1929. Following in the footsteps of women like Amelia Earhart and Jackie Cochran, Nadine began flying lessons. She became the first Kansas woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license and the first female pilot in Wichita’s chapter of the National Aeronautic Association.

As a WASP, Nadine joined the over 1,000 women serving as pilots who tested and ferried aircraft, freeing up male pilots for combat roles in WWII. Throughout the book, the authors do an excellent job of detailing Nadine’s life, from the highs of being chosen to fly fighter aircraft including P-51s and P-38s, to the lows of losing one of her close friends, Helen Jo Severson, who was one of the 38 WASPs to lose their life in service during the War. The authors also tell of Nadine’s life after the war. The end of WWII and the disbanding of the WASPs meant that many female pilots were no longer able to pursue flying, military or commercial. Nadine went on to be the only female pilot after the war to train male pilots to fly Army Air Force fighter planes. She also was the first woman to own a P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft.

I read the book wishing that I could have met Nadine at an air show or had her as one of my instructor pilots. Her love of flying is contagious, and the authors have written a beautiful tribute to an amazing woman. This is not just a book for female aviators, but should be enjoyed by everyone who loves aviation and learning about the pioneers who paved the way for military aviation as we know it today.

71

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Radio Check In this iteration of Radio Check, we asked you to share your reading list as it relates to your professional development.

Professional reading plays an enormous role in our personal development as aviators, service members, leaders, and human beings. It challenges us to expand our perspective outside of what we know and believe, and feeds our decision-making, understanding of personalities, and literacy in a variety of professional competencies.

What literature has influenced you most in your career and life, and why?

There are no limitations on genre, form, or subject matter. Even NATOPS is an acceptable answer. Any type of writing/reading can be influential!

I

believe that maintaining an equal balance between fiction and nonfiction reading is essential to the development of critical thinking skills, language, and creativity. Admiral Fluckey's Thunder Below and Parshall and Tully's Shattered Sword take the cake for influential page-turners due to their unbelievably detailed accounts of major events in Naval history. As for fiction, I've always found Michael Crichton's works repeatedly entertaining, especially when relaxing in the rack after a long SSC flight on the boat. Timeline, Sphere, and Jurassic Park are some of his best!"

Regards, LT John "Dom" Bamonte Carrier Strike Group 15

T

his book, The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenbach and Smith, includes several examples of implementing the team concept in business and military applications. Best quote, "A high performance team is achieved when each member of the team makes a deep, personal commitment to the success of every other member on the team."

CDR Tom Hinderleider, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM #334

T

he book Strategic Learning: How to Be Smarter Than Your Competition and Turn Key Insights into Competitive Advantage by Willie Pietersen . Strategy and leadership concepts, teachings, cases and plans, with real examples.. in an easy reading format.. flows well, keeps the reader engaged.

RADM John Roberti, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM #404

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

72

T

his is going to sound strange, however it is all true.

I was between the age of 6 and 10 living in Germany because my father was a Battalion First Sergeant. He would come home maybe twice a month with two items of reading material for me. The first was a comic book, usually Blackhawk, Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassady, or Donald Duck, whatever caught his eye at the post exchange, and he knew I would read them from cover to cover.

The second item was always two to five pages from an army manual or a pamphlet. It could have from the M-1 Rifle, the Patton Tank, even how to set up a potable water bag. Something that was technical.

The deal was I had to read the manual pages first and then, he would ask me a question or two from it. The questions were not that hard as I recall, however they did require a bit of thought. As my reward I got to read the comic.

It might seem a bit much for a boy of that age, but it helped me for the rest of my life especially in the Navy and post Navy career. I found it much easier to read the must know, must understand, and must adhere to information, like NATOPS, when I knew the easy reading was coming. The easy stuff like the WSM, SAR Procedures, MAD Theory of Operation, you know the interestingly easy stuff. It also set me up to understand that I had to do the hard work first and then slack off a bit for the easier tasks.

I cannot say I followed the philosophy all of my life, however, even today at 3/4 of a century old, I still read the hard first and the easy or fun second. The hard work I really do put at the bottom of the list for tomorrow.

Senior Chief Ralph Deyo, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM # 131 non sibi, sed patriae

I

know that the editor hopes that my professional reading would extend to Carl von Clausewitz's "On War", or Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" from my time at Naval War College. However, those who know, understand that these readings had little impact on my "personal development". However, I did always look forward to the delivery of our Naval Aviation News each month, so I could read the newest rendition of Grandpaw Pettibone! Squadron NATOPS billets motivated me to "study" Grandpaw's replies to the emergency events that were presented in his column. Even though the flight events presented could have had serious consequences, Grandpa always gave the reader a good laugh in his evaluation of the procedures not followed, with his "Jumpin' Jehosaphat" responses. Had a bonus encounter later in life when I had the opportunity to meet the real Grandpa Pettibone, Ted Wilbur, at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. Ted's articles weren't at the same professional level of Carl or Sun, but he provided the substance of hours of good NATOPS discussions during Squadron AOMs. Respectfully submitted, CAPT Mike Middleton, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM #322

https://navalaviationnews.navylive.dodlive.mil/2019/02/26/grampaw-pettibone-24/ 73

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

I

f you have any interest in commitment, honor, courage and patriotism, In Love and War is an exceptional read Admiral Stockdale and his wife, Sybil, co-authored In Love and War; the story of a family's ordeal and sacrifices during the Vietnam War. It recounts the Admiral's experiences while in Vietnam and in alternating chapters also tells the story of Mrs. Stockdale's early involvement in the League of American Families of POWs and MIAs which she helped to found and serve as its first Chairperson. James Stockdale was a POW from 1965-73 and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1976 for his heroic leadership of American POWs in Hanoi. Sybil Stockdale brought public attention to North Vietnamese violations of international law regarding the treatment of prisoners of war. Stockdale was CAG-16 aboard USS Oriskany (CV-34) when his A-4 was shot down and he was subsequently captured by the NVA. Mrs. Stockdale was the homefront glue, with their 4 sons, in California during CAG's seven and a half years of captivity.

In Love And War was written & published initially in 1984 and revised and updated in 1990. The Admiral passed away in 2005 and his wife passed in 2015. They were married 58 years.

Anchors aweigh, CAPT Monte Squires, USN (Ret.)

W

ow, pretty broad question. “Professional Reading” for my whole life? Homing in on professional reading to mean something I was not REQUIRED to read while I was actually serving on active duty, thus eliminating the books which “bent the twig," what (ONE book) has influenced me the most?

Regarding bending the twig, I recall happily a series of biographies in my elementary school library of Great Americans. They all had light sky blue hardback covers with the signature of the Great Person on the front with the name. I went through them all in order from the most initially interesting to the least and discovered many delightful entries and additions to my rapidly filling mental rolodex. BTW, don’t think we elderly can’t remember things, it just takes longer to find them as we have so many more file cards to sort through than you.

Of professional reading, as defined by me above, one immediately leaped to mind: Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer. It is a novel, but powerful in the dilemmas and controversies of conscience and dedication encountered in the military life of the protagonist, “Night Clerk” Sam Damon. Every person I have shared it with has been moved as it is DIRECTLY relevant to the career of a military professional. Read it and we will talk. Close behind is This Kind of War by T.R. Fehrenbach. It is about the Korean War and its lessons of unpreparedness as we leaped to the “peace dividend” in the wake of World War II, and not only demobilized severely, but compromised realistic training and readiness. It is wellwritten, gripping, military - and some political - history, the kind of book that gives history a GOOD NAME. LCDR Tom Phillips, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM #52

M

y choice is “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing. In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica, where he planned to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. In January 1915, after battling its way through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, they attempted a nearimpossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization.

This is an epic story about leadership, teamwork, and survival – about leading from the front, knowing your men, and never giving up. Shackleton brought all of his men home. The leadership insights contained in this book are directly applicable to anyone seeking to lead at sea – most particularly, Detachment Officer-in-Charge (OIC)!

CAPT Jim Gillcrist, USN (Ret.) NHA LTM #43 Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

74

A

ll these books, many first editions are a part of my personal collection.

Bonsal, Stephen, “Edward Fitzgerald Beale, A Pioneer in the Path of Empire 1822-1903,” G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York and London, The Knickerbocker Press, 1912.

Chernow, Ron, “Grant,” Penquin Books, New York, 2017.

Derby, J.C. & Jackson, Baynard J., “A Sketch of the Life of Commodore Robert F. Stockton United States Navy: with An Appendix, Comprising His Correspondence with The Navy Department Respecting his Conquest of California; and Extracted From The Defence of Col. J. C Fremont, in Relation to the Same Subject; Together with his Speeches in the Senate of the United States, and his Political Letters,” Derby & Jackson, New York, 1856.

Henderson, Daniel, “The Hidden Coasts - Biography of Admiral Charles Wilkes, USN,” William Sloane Associates, Publishers, New York, 1953.

Marti, Werner H., “Messenger of Destiny: The California Adventures, 1846-1847 of Archibald H, Gillespie U.S. Marine Corps,” John Howell-Books, San Francisco, Ca, 1960.

CDR Michael Brattland, USN, (Ret.)

M

y recommendations: "Approach" Magazine and "Naval Institute Proceedings"

Jim Gaskins (904) 219-6750

Next Issue's Radio Check: There are many aspects of the Rotary Wing community that distinguish us from the rest of the Naval Aviation Enterprise. To me, one of the signature features that makes the naval Rotary Force strong is our unique incorporation of aircrew in mission execution. Many accomplished pilots will tell you that they’d be nowhere in their respective careers if it weren’t for the guidance, knowledge, and wisdom of an excellent Crew Chief somewhere along the line.

For this installment of Radio Check, we’d like to hear from you regarding what makes a great Crew Chief. If you’ve got a specific individual in mind, how did that Crew Chief help you get to where you are today? Anecdotes and personal shout-outs, as always, are encouraged. We can’t wait to hear your responses!

You can email your comments to me directly, my email is michaelshort91@gmail.com or to rotorreview@navalhelicopterassn.org. Our publication deadline is June 30th 2021.

75

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Change of Command Commander, Navy Personnel Command (NPC)

HSC-25 Island Knights

HSC-8 Eightballers

RADM Alvin Holsey, USN relieved RADM Jeff Hughes, USN January 8, 2021

HSM-71 Raptors CDR Thomas “Smokey” Butts, USN relieved CDR Christopher “Chunk” Carreon, USN February 18, 2021

CDR Daniel Thomas, USN relieved CDR Brian Jamison, USN March 15, 2021

HT-18 Vigilant Eagles

HT-28 Hellions

CDR Travis Wandell, USN relieved CDR Brandon Hunter, USN March 11, 2021

LtCol Andrew Kellner, USMC relieved CDR Nathan Moore, USN March 18, 2021

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

CDR Justin Cobb ,USN relieved LtCol John R. Beal , USMC March 12, 2021 76

NAS Whiting Field

CAPT Paul Flores USN relieved CAPT Paul Bowditch USN January 14, 2021

COMHSMLANT Weapons School Talons

HSM-40 Airwolves

HSM-49 Scorpions CDR Kyle P. Lambert, USN relieved CDR Nathaniel R. Velcio, USN February 10, 2021.

CDR Michael G. King, USN relieved CDR Robert. K Elizondo, USN May 6, 2021

CDR Jusitn Banz, USN relieved CAPT Ross Drenning, USN April 1, 2021 77

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Change of Command New Leadership for Navy Personnel Command

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Jared Catlett , USN Navy Personnel Command

http://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/

R

ADM Alvin Holsey relieved RADM Jeff Hughes as Commander, Navy Personnel Command (NPC) during a change of command ceremony held in Millington, Tennessee on January 8, 2021.

The ceremony took place with a limited number of guests in attendance to ensure COVID-19 mitigation precautions, but more than 500 people attended virtually through a live stream on social media and official video teleconferencing platforms.

Chief of Naval Personnel VADM John Nowell addressed participants, guests and those watching virtually at the change of command ceremony and expressed his gratitude for Hughes accomplishments.

“Hughes was the perfect person for this job,” said Nowell, “He not only rose to the challenge, he surpassed all expectations. I am honored to sing some of your praise here at the change of command ceremony.”

RADM Jeffrey Hughes, right, is relieved by RADM Alvin Holsey, left, during a change of command ceremony as Commander, Navy Personnel Command.

U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Michael Russell.

RADM Hughes led a team of more than 2,000 officers, Sailors, Civilians and Contractors during his tour at NPC from March 2018 to January 2021. He will report as Director of Warfare Development (OPNAV N7) for his follow on tour.

“We have set the conditions to design, develop, and deliver an enhanced and modern talent management system,” said RADM Hughes. “From developmental coaching and data rich assessment selection processes to steady and rapidly increasing progress towards fueling a true talent marketplace; we are moving the needle toward better talent identification and placement to ensure our Navy’s ability to maintain our advantage at sea.”

RADM Holsey is reporting to NPC after completing successful flag officer assignments as Commander, Carrier Strike Group One and subsequently as the Director, Task Force One Navy under the Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP). “To the men and women of the Navy Personnel Command, I am honored today to stand before you as your leader,” said RADM Holsey, “Much has been written and said about leadership. My commitment to you is simple, I will give you everything that I have and I will lead you. In return I will only ask for one thing and that’s your personal best.”

NPC’s mission is to leverage an inspirational culture to man the Fleet with ready Sailors to allow America’s Navy to assure mission success, and deliver unprecedented quality of service for Sailors to thrive in a life-changing experience.

RADM Alvin Holsey and RADM Jeffrey Hughes speak to guests during a change of command ceremony.

U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Michael Russell, USN.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

78

Island Knights Hold Change of Command Ceremony on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

By LTJG Sean Murray, USN

O

n February 18, 2021 CDR Thomas “Smokey” Butts relieved CDR Christopher “Chunk” Carreon in a hybrid ceremony that was both virtually streamed and attended in-person by immediate family, ceremony staff, and key personnel. Commander, Joint Region Marianas (JRM) RDML John Menoni presided over the ceremony.

“I am humbled for the opportunity to be here to play a small part in one of the most time-honored traditions in our great Navy. It is also very special for me as I have a lot of history with this command as well as CDRs Carreon and Butts,” said Menoni.

Menoni served with Helicopter Combat CDR Christopher Carreon receives the Meritorious Service Medal from RDML Support (HC) Squadron Five, the predecessor John Menoni, Commander, Joint Region Marianas. to HSC 25 and would later return to Guam as Photo taken by LTJG Sean Murray, USN. the Commanding Officer of HSC-25 where flight hours, 44 SARs / MEDEVACs, have been logged saving both Carreon and Butts were junior officers in his wardroom.

53 lives. You did that, not me,” said Carreon. “You won the Golden Wrench, provided support to underway units, earned “I know personally how difficult the job can be on a day-tothe Navy Blue “H” and “M,” and Navy Retention Awards. day basis, let alone in the midst of a global pandemic. When I couldn’t have asked for a better group of Sailors. I’ll never called on by the people of Guam for help, whether it was a forget this tour. Thank you so much for the memories.” search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) or fire, your team was always on point,” said Menoni. As an island military community, we have gone through one of the toughest years in recent memory. The pandemic has challenged us in ways we could have never anticipated. But, I want to say how proud I am of this squadron, all of its Sailors, and our families and teammates.”

CDR Carreon’s next assignment is in Naples, Italy as 6th Fleet’s Staff Planning and Flight Operations Safety Officer.

“This morning you have heard several recent examples of how this squadron has led the way for our community, the Naval Aviation Enterprise, our Navy and our great Nation. I assure you that we will continue to build upon this great record of accomplishments and lead the way,” CDR Butts remarked in his address to the audience. “My promise to you is that I will bring my best every day. In return, all I ask is that you bring your best. I am proud to be an Island Knight and serve by your side. It is the greatest honor of my career to be your Commanding Officer.”

In the last year, under CDR Carreon’s leadership, HSC 25 was tasked to support the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam, JRM, and U.S. 7th Fleet in support of SAR, MEDEVAC, and firefighting operations throughout Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. They also provided support and training, for Explosive Ordnance Demolition Mobile Unit 5, SEAL Teams 3 and 5, Coastal Riverine Groups 1 and 2, VMFA-121, VAQ-138, and several international partner nations to include Australia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.

CDR Butts is a native of Erlanger, Kentucky. He enlisted in the Navy in 1995 as a Radioman and was later selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program. He graduated from the University of North Florida, earning a Bachelor of Science in Communications. CDR Butts was designated a Naval Aviator in December 2004 and has accumulated over 2,400 flight hours in the MH-60S Knighthawk and other training aircraft throughout his career.

Additionally, HSC-25 had members and assets participate in exercises Cope North, Cobra Gold, NOL SWATT, Phoenix Fire, Machete Green, Pacific Vanguard, Valiant Shield, 31st MEU AIT/CERTEX, Spartan Flex, Dawn Strike, and Pacific Griffin SINKEX.

HSC-25 is the Navy's only forward deployed MH-60S expeditionary squadron. They provide armed helicopter capability for U.S. 7th Fleet as well as detachments to various commands covering a diverse mission set.

“I want to say thank you to all my Island Knight Sailors.

We’ve done so much over the past 15 months. Over 11,000 79

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Squadron Updates HSC-9 Tridents Participate in Emerald Warrior

By LT Arnold Martinez, USN

F

rom an underway aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) to a quick turnaround for an immediate departure to support Emerald Warrior--a joint exercise with Air Force Special Operations Command--the World Famous Tridents of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 9 (HSC-9) continue to demonstrate the capabilities of what a cohesive, motivated team can accomplish in a short period of time. The Tridents departed Norfolk, Virginia shortly after an underway period, as a flight of four headed south to the Florida panhandle. The mission was participation in Emerald Warrior and demonstration of joint warfighting capabilities at Hurlburt Field. Emerald Warrior tested the integration of multiple assets, both air and ground, from the United States Navy and Air Force.

From the sky, Air Force AC-130, MC-130, and U-28 aircraft shared the airspace with Trident MH-60S aircraft to provide a top-tier collection of aviation platforms.

These air assets demonstrated the ability to rapidly respond and support the Air Force’s Special Tactics Squadron in a A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator assigned to the 24th Special wide variety of missions, to include Personnel Recovery, Operations Wing provides medical care to a simulated casualty as a U.S. CASEVAC, Direct Action, Close Air Support, Parajumps, Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Nine prepares and Combat Logistics. Over the course of two weeks, the to move casualties to a follow on medical treatment center during a personnel Tridents flew more than 50 sorties over 170 flight hours, recovery training mission for Emerald Warrior U.S. Air Force photo by Master in addition to countless hours spent participating in Sgt. Jason Robertson, USAF. extensive mission and operational planning. The Trident team successfully provided a key asset in both permissive and non-permissive environments in the near-peer competition scenario simulated throughout the exercise. These flight hours and sorties also resulted in the tactical qualification upgrades of multiple pilots and aircrewmen in primary mission sets held by the MH-60S crews, directly improving readiness by adding more capable and well-trained warfighters to the Fleet.

To kick off a busy first week, consisting of full mission profiles and unit level training, the Tridents were able to expeditiously insert a task force overwater, utilizing the Tethered-Duck method, during an overwater scenario. Next, the Tridents were tasked to conduct Personnel Recovery in a GPS-denied environment for personnel on the ground, successfully recovering isolated members of the task force. In addition to landing to insert special operators, the Tridents also conducted parajumps from 10,000 feet MSL to insert 13 special operators from the sky. Using a three-aircraft division, the Tridents met the time-on-target requirements for the jumpers to deploy into a zone that would be established as a Military Support Site Field, which included a Forward Arming and Refueling Point and a fully functional airfield to support MC-130 and MH-60S operations. Throughout the exercise, HSC-9 answered the call on short notice for all tasking, providing special operators the flexibility in operations required for the near-peer fight.

This flexibility was not just provided through the pilots and aircrew – it was enabled by the hard work of the maintenance team to provide mission ready aircraft, as well as the expeditionary nature of the administrative team to deploy and move 120 personnel in short notice. With the added knowledge and experience brought forth by the guest pilots of the HSC Weapons School Atlantic and the Carrier Air Wing 8 HSC representative, HSC-9 full-team effort made the exercise a true success.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

80

Squadron Updates Air Station Barbers Point Receives First MH-65E Dolphin Helicopter Source: US Coast Guard

T

he US Coast Guard’s MH-65D Dolphin helicopter upgrade program began fullrate production on November 21, 2019. Fullrate production meant that the U.S. Coast Guard would convert 22 examples of the Eurocopter MH-65D per year into the “E” configuration. The step up in production officially started in November with the transfer of one aircraft to the US Coast Guard’s Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Two more helicopters were transferred in December of 2019 and one was transferred in early January 2020.

The MH-65D is the US Coast Guard’s short-range utility helicopter. It is best known for its role as a search and rescue aircraft, but also is used for law enforcement and homeland security missions.

A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point aircrew unloads a MH-65E Dolphin helicopter from a HC-130 Hercules airplane on Oahu, Hawaii, Jan. 28, 2021. The helicopter is a new “echo” model with improvements ranging from enhanced digital weather/surface radar to modernization of the avionics from the previous “delta” model. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty

The service has been gradually upgrading its fleet of MH-65s since 2007, when the helicopter's turboshaft engines were replaced Officer 2nd Class Matthew West, USCG. with the Turbomeca Arriel 2C2-CG, increasing power by 40%. Later, the helicopters were upgraded with 7.62mm machine guns and the ability to land aboard US Coast Guard Cutters. The “E” configuration changes are the last phase of the service’s upgrade plan. The “E” configuration upgrades to the twin-engined helicopter are focused on the aircraft’s avionics, including improvements to its automatic flight control system and a new digital flight deck with a Common Avionics Architecture System. That common avionics architecture is shared with the US Coast Guard’s Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk medium-range helicopter, as well as other H-60 variants in the Department of Defense inventory, such as the UH-60 Black Hawk.

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to convert all 98 examples of MH-65 in its fleet to the “E” configuration by fiscal year 2024.

At the same time that upgrades are being done, the US Coast Guard is putting the MH-65 through a Service Life Extension Program, which is intended to increase the service life of the helicopter by 10,000 flight hours, to a total of 30,000 flight hours.

Service life extension work includes replacing five major structure components: the nine-degree frame, canopy, center console floor assembly, floorboards and side panels, says the service.

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to continue flying the MH-65 until between 2035 and 2039, at which time it would begin replacing the helicopter. The service may opt to buy a variant of the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, which is scheduled for introduction into service in 2028.

81

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Squadron Updates HSC-22: A Growing Force in Fourth Fleet Operations

By LT Rebecca Atkinson,USN HSC-22.7 AOIC

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Beard, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet

F

or the past year and a half, HSC-22 has been executing operations within the 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR), deploying small detachments of 25 personnel onboard Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). During this time, HSC-22 has set the standard for composite detachment operations in 4th Fleet and highlighted the squadron’s effectiveness in the Counter-Illicit Trafficking (CIT) Mission.

HSC-22’s primary role while in the 4th Fleet AOR has been Airborne Use of Force (AUF) while embarked on LCS. This mission incorporates U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETS), consisting of small boat teams, Airborne Precision Marksmen (PM-A), and AUF Controllers capable of interdicting vessels suspected of illegal narcotics trafficking.

Due to the unique design of the ship, HSC LCS Detachments man and train much differently than traditional HSC Detachments. A typical LCS Detachment consists of 25 personnel: five pilots, four aircrewmen, one Maintenance Chief, and 15 maintainers, with one MH-60S and one MQ-8B. Pilots and aircrewmen are not only required to qualify in MH-60S ACTC Missions, but also obtain tactical Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

82

proficiency in the MQ-8 ACTC Syllabus. Additionally, they must complete the Coast Guard’s AUF Syllabus. With only 15 maintainers it is necessary that each is qualified to work on both Type/Model/Series (T/M/S) aircraft. The additional levels of qualifications lead to small detachments with a robust level of knowledge flexibility.

Due to their small footprint, LCS Detachments are tight knit and have the capability to flex to any situation. All gear and personnel can be packed up and transported to wherever they are needed in just a few days. This has been demonstrated

by HSC-22’s Spring 2019 trip to NAS Point Mugu, CA, in which one MH-60S, two MQ-8Bs, all maintenance equipment for two T/M/S aircraft, and 35 personnel loaded into a C-5 Galaxy and traveled across the country in one day.

Prior to Initial Ship and Aviation Team Training (ISATT), Advanced Phase and deployment, LCS Detachments must regularly conduct similar evolutions to embark onboard their LCS at Naval Station Mayport.

HSC-22 is uniquely suited to conducting AUF due to its ability to employ two T/M/S aircraft simultaneously. CIT heavily relies on all assets remaining covert until Coast District

7 has granted permission to interdict a vessel. This is what makes an HSC LCS Detachment so perfectly suited to the mission. Due to its small size, low aural profile, ZPY-4 radar and BRITE Star Block II sensor, the MQ-8 Fire Scout is the perfect asset to gather the required intelligence to obtain a Statement of No Objection (SNO) needed to conduct AUF and Surface Use of Force (SUF). While the Fire Scout conducts Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) the MH-60S crew is able to thoroughly brief and be ready to launch. When the SNO is granted and the LCS is in position to conduct AUF, the MH-60S can launch providing greater on station time to conduct the interdiction while the Fire Scout remains airborne and gathers intelligence.

USS Sioux City (LCS 11) joins Hurricane Iota relief efforts Nov. 27, in Honduras, deploying its embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 Det. 6 to join Southcom efforts to deliver life-saving supplies.

HSC-22 continues to conduct successful operations within the 4th Fleet AOR. Det 3 was the first HSC detachment to deploy with MQ-8B on the East Coast in October of 2019. DET 5 conducted the first U.S. Navy AUF disabling fire since 2016, together disrupting a total of 2150 kilograms of illicit drugs worth over $133 million. HSC-22 Det 6 not only provided AUF support, but also conducted HA/DR operations in Honduras in response to hurricanes ETA and IOTA this fall.

Earlier this year HSC-22 received its first MQ-8C and looks forward to providing additional capabilities to the AOR. With increasing experience and knowledge, the squadron continues to set the standard for operational success on the East Coast.

HSC-22 VERTREP aboard USNS Comfort 83

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Squadron Updates

Instructor pilot Navy LT Paula Register oversees student naval aviators Marine 1st Lt. Andre Demarinis, left, and Navy Ensign Chris Nance as they conduct virtual reality trainer flights during Naval Aviation Training Photo by LT Michelle Tucker.

Inaugural Class Completes Project Avenger - Navy's Modernized Flight Training

By Anne Owens, CNATRA Staff

The first class of 19 student naval aviators completed Naval Aviation Training Next-Project Avenger at TRAWING 4 Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, April 1, 2021.

Project Avenger is a prototype primary flight training syllabus designed to develop a more capable, self-sufficient aviator, proficient in a dynamic and fluid environment, and to do it more efficiently than the current training program to increase Fleet naval aviator readiness.

“Project Avenger is revolutionizing Naval Aviation undergraduate primary flight training,” Chief of Naval Air Training, RADM Robert Westendorff said. “Our innovative team developed, refined, and implemented the program and this first class of primary completers is a testament to the entire team’s hard work and dedication.”

Challenged with addressing a shortage of strike fighter pilots in the Fleet, CNATRA examined the primary flight-training curriculum, which had not seen significant changes in more than 50 years. Project Avenger leverages modern technology to optimize training and uses a student-centric model that tailors timelines to skill development unique to each student.

Students enrolled in the traditional primary syllabus take an average of 29 weeks to complete. Project Avenger aims to increase students’ information retention, lower attrition rates, and increase skill level, while also reducing time to train. Project Avenger Class 1 began September 14, however, record-breaking cold weather in South Texas and the global COVID-19 pandemic became challenges that contributed to an increase in projected time to complete.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

84

Replacing the towering stack of books, publications, and checklists normally issued, Project Avenger students get a digital tablet with on-demand, 24-hour access to aviationspecific apps and pre-loaded course content. Students also use the tablets for flight planning, briefing, and in-flight navigation. Virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality trainers, and 360-degree videos allow students to witness real-world flight training events, for example, an engine stall or recovery from a tailspin. Pairing these virtual reality trainer devices with realistic flight controls increases aircraft procedural familiarity before a student ever steps into the cockpit of the primary trainer aircraft – the T-6B Texan II. “Increased use of technology was one of our pillars going into this experiment,” LCDR Josh Calhoun, Project Avenger Officer-in-Charge said. “Technology improvements enabled a restructuring of introduction of aviation skillsets. Live Air Traffic Control training capabilities allowed our students to practice skillsets well before a traditional primary student. We were able to introduce visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument approach procedures in a real-time trainer much earlier.”

In a significant paradigm shift, students had access to a pool of seven dedicated Project Avenger Instructors. The traditional syllabus does not allocate specific instructors to students.

Thus, for Project Avenger students, this allowed the studentinstructor relationship to develop early in training and led to greater instructor mentorship and involvement.

ENS Andrew Harding, from Lafayette, Louisiana, is a 2019 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the first class of Project Avenger and said he benefited greatly from this modified approach.

of what we will deal with in advanced training and ultimately in the Fleet.”

“Project Avenger had a classroom where all of the instructors and students worked,” Harding said. “This atmosphere allowed for a continuous learning experience where students were constantly asking questions and building a firm foundation.

The instructors from both Training Squadron (VT) 27 and VT-28 were phenomenal, and my on-wing was one of the best teachers I’ve had in my life. He would often hold meetings for the entire class over Zoom to go over common errors or flying mistakes.”

Training Air Wing 4 is the parent unit for two primary flight training squadrons – the “Boomers” of VT-27 and the “Rangers” of VT-28. Although students were administratively assigned to either the Boomers or the Rangers, the class wore a combined patch and students considered themselves one team.

After they completed, the students’ respective Commanding Officers informed them of their follow-on training pipeline selections – strike, maritime, rotary, or tilt-rotor. The second Project Avenger Class is slated to begin in May and will include some slight curriculum adjustments.

While the traditional primary syllabus is linear in nature, Project Avenger uses deep repetitions allowing students to achieve mastery of a skill and progress through the syllabus at their own pace, benefiting their learning experience. If a student is struggling, their instructor can remediate and provide additional support as necessary.

Project Avenger is currently offered at Training Air Wing 4 only but the program is expected to expand to Training Air Wing 5. Future Naval Aviation Training Next program development includes expansion into a T-6B strike intermediate syllabus (Project Hellcat), an advanced T-45C Goshawk strike syllabus (Project Corsair), and all other aviation training pipelines.

“It’s exciting, challenging work for the students because they are learning multiple topics at once,” LT Jeffrey Pentz, Project Avenger Operations Officer said. “Ultimately, when they are in advanced, they will have to jump between different profiles of aircraft. I think Project Avenger has given them that practice, changing lanes quickly and pulling from various disciplines.”

Project Avenger is named for the aircraft flown by naval aviator and former President George H.W. Bush, who commissioned in the U.S. Navy Reserve June 9, 1943 at age 18, becoming one of the youngest naval aviators in history. He earned his Wings of Gold at NAS Corpus Christi.

Marine 1stLt. Rachel Hardinger, from Lakewood, Colorado, and a 2012 graduate of the Metropolitan State University of Denver, also completed Project Avenger and will continue to Helicopter Training Squadron (HT) 28 in Milton, Florida.

Upon earning her Wings of Gold, she is slated to fly the MV22 Osprey.

CNATRA trains the world's finest combat-quality aviation professionals, delivering them at the right time, in the right numbers, and at the right cost to a naval force, that is where it matters, when it matters. Headquartered at NAS Corpus Christi, CNATRA comprises five training air wings in Florida, Mississippi, and Texas, which are home to 17 training squadrons. In addition, CNATRA oversees the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron the Blue Angels and the training curriculum for all Fleet Replacement Squadrons.

“My biggest takeaway from Project Avenger is that being a naval aviator requires a great deal more than being technically accurate,” Hardinger said. “We had to use critical thinking throughout our training to determine the best course of action while also taking a wingman into consideration. This phase of training was very difficult but I believe it gave us a small taste

The first students from Naval Aviation Training Next-Project Avenger are joined by their instructors after completing primary flight training aboard Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, April 1. Photo by Anne Owens/ 85

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Engaging Rotors Congratulations to the New Naval Aviators February 5, 2021

HT-8

HT-18

HT-28 Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

86

Congratulations to the New Naval Aviators February 26, 2021

HT- 8 and HT-18

HT-28 87

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Engaging Rotors Congratulations to the New Naval Aviators March 12, 2021

HT-8

HT-18

HT-28 Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

88

Congratulations to the New Naval Aviators March 26, 2021

HT-8

HT-18

HT-28 89

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Engaging Rotors Congratulations to HSC-3 March 19, 2021 Fleet Replacement Aircrew Class 951 Graduates

CAPT William Eastham, AWS3 Hagestuen, AWS3 Sierra, AWS3 Salazar, AWS3 Montgomery, and AWSCM Kershaw (HSC-3 Aircrew LCPO)

Congratulations to HSM-41 Fleet Replacement Aircrew Class 2007 Graduates

AWR3 Kevin Cowan, USN (HSM-78), AWR3 John Dekovitch, USN (HSM-75), AWR3 Alexander Kuszak, USN (HSM-35), AWR3 Alexander Martinez, USN (HSM-73), AWR3 Cody McCoy, USN (HSM-78), and AWR3 Alexander Wood, USN (HSM-79)

Congratulations to HSM 40 April 23, 2021 Fleet Replacement Aircrew Class 2008 Graduates

AWR3 Jacob Gehl, USN,(HSM-46), AWR3 Mateo Apodaca, USN, (HSM-74), AWR3 Brandon Goins, (HSM-60)

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

90

Congratulations to HSC-2 March 31 2021 Fleet Replacement Aircrew Class Graduates

Congratulations to HSM 40 March 31 2021 Fleet Replacement Aircrew Class 2007 Graduates

AWR3 Jacob Skomer,USN (HONOR MAN, heading to HSM-48), AWR3 Ian Henley, USN (HSM-48), AWR3 Jacob Westra, USN (HSM-72), AWR3 Jacob Schmidt, USN (HSM-46), AWR2 Alex Varney, USN (HSM-70), and AWR3 Michael Williamson, USN(HSM-72)

91

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Signal Charlie CAPT Dick Catone, USN (Ret.) following a memorial service for a fellow helicopter pilot, is credited with the following statement: “I guess we are all in starboard delta waiting for Signal Charlie.” Starboard Delta is the holding pattern for the airborne Search and Rescue helicopters on the starboard (right) side of the aircraft carrier. They fly at a low altitude so as not to interfere with the fixed-wing aircraft recovery pattern, and only land when the last fixed-wing aircraft is safe on board. When tower calls the helicopter to pass “Charlie” to a landing spot, the crew knows the fixed-wing recovery is complete, all is well, and it is time to come back. Hence, the statement appears appropriate that someday we will receive our own “Signal Charlie” and will be called home for a final landing.

Signal Charlie has been created to inform our membership and honor the passing of fellow unrestricted aviators. It is only as good as the information we receive. If you have an obituary or other information that you would like to provide concerning the passing of a shipmate, co-worker, or friend of the community, please contact the NHA National Office at signalcharlie@navalhelicopterassn.org and we will get the word out.

CAPT John M. “Jack” Hood, Jr, USN (Ret.) March 17, 1940 - January 3, 2021

J

ohn (Jack) Hood was born on March 17th, 1940, the son of Dr. John and Mary Hood, in Mason City, Iowa. Jack spent most of his childhood fishing, hunting or playing sports.

He excelled in track and won first place in the 100 yard dash at the Drake Relays in 1958. That led to an appointment to the US Naval Academy in 1959. He served 24 years in the Navy, retiring as a captain in 1987. While in the Navy, he served as a helicopter pilot, and test pilot, actively flying all but two years of his career. ENS Hood received his wings at HT-8, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, FL on August 18, 1964. ENS Hood was Navy Helicopter Pilot Designator Number R-7548.

He returned to Pensacola, FL with his wife, Ginger, and their two boys and earned his teaching certificate. He taught high school physics, and found teaching as much as a challenge as flying. He loved to tell the story of his most famous student, Emmet Smith (Dallas Cowboys). Emmet told Mr. Hood that someday he would be a famous football player and would return to give him a ride in his Lamborghini, which he did to the delight of Jack and the whole school.

He and Ginger grew weary of the frequent hurricanes that came through Pensacola and decided they would move back to his home town of Mason City. They enjoyed monthly get-togethers with his classmates, and made many new friends during their 10 year stay there. He and his sister, Cathy Buren, often swam together at the Y, and he loved to help (direct) his sister on the art of lawn maintenance.

They eventually moved to Virginia to be closer to family. They enjoyed touring the many wineries and visiting all the historic sites with their grandchildren. Jack led a very active life up until a recent diagnosis of Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. He elected to enter into the excellent care of Hospice and died peacefully, surrounded by family, on Jan. 3, 2021.

Jack will be remembered for his quick smile and helpful hand to anyone in need.

He was preceded in death by both of his paternal and maternal grandparents, and his parents, Dr. John and Mary Hood..

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Ginger Center Hood, his sons John, a retired U.S .Navy Captain (Sandra), Tom, a teacher,(Marla), four grandchildren, Katie (Matt) Baker, Karen Hood, Jack and Liev Hood, two sisters, Susan Hoisington, Houston TX, and Cathy (Paul) Buren of Mason City Iowa.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

92

LCDR John M. Reid, USN (Ret.) July 1, 1941 - January 15, 2021

J

ohn Mark Reid Jr. was born July 1, 1941 to John and Juanita Reid in California.

LCDR John Mark Reid, Jr., USN (Ret.) passed away in Bonita, California on January 15, 2021. He was 79 years of age. LCDR Reid received his wings in HT-8 at NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, Fl on September 15, 1966. He was Navy Helicopter Pilot Designator Number R-8604. LCDR Reid retired from the Navy after 21 years of service.

LCDR Reid was a member of HS-6, NAS Imperial Beach, California flying SH-3A Sikorsky Seaking Helicopters. He was a very active member of both of the local NHA Region 1 Retired Officer Groups as well as a member of the Raunchy Redskins. LCDR Reid has been active with NHA since the beginning in 1971. During his first year in HS-6, LT Reid was part of the recovery team assigned to test the Apollo recovery module camera package. John was one of the University of Utah (UTEs) outstanding defensive tackles. In his first year of the Western Athletic Conference in 1963, he was named to the All·WAC Team. John was a long time member of Bonita Optimist Club, becoming President in 2006 and later becoming Lt. Governor for Calsouth District Optimist. John had a lot of friends in the Optimist Club and was loved by many. LCDR Reid is survived by his sister, Juanita Reid, of Boston, Massachusetts. A Celebration of John Reid’s Life was hosted by Bonita Optimists on February 16, 2021 in Bonita, California.

Fair Winds and Following Seas Commander Reid!

“I was truly saddened to hear the news of John Reid. I first came in contact with him in my first summer in Pensacola as part of the AVROC program. John was a Company Officer and was an imposing presence. He could barely fit into a khaki shirt with those “guns” that he had. I crossed paths with him throughout my career and served with him in a couple of commands. I knew him to be a fine and honorable man and he was a credit to the the uniform he wore, the Navy and to himself as a man. Sad news.”

CDR Bob Schottle, USN (Ret.) former CO of HS-8

CDR James Archibald McCallum, USN (Ret.)

E

NS J.A. McCallum, USNR, received his wings at HT-8, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, FL on May 15, 1963. ENS McCallum is Navy Helicopter Pilot Designation Number R-6671. CDR McCallum is the former Commanding Officer of HC-11 at NAS North Island, Coronado, California, December, 1979.

We celebrate the life of CDR James Archibald “ Jim” McCallum, age 80 of St. Augustine, who passed away on February 5th, 2021 from complications brought on by COVID. Jim was a caring father, husband, uncle, grandfather, brother and friend. Born in Vidalia, Georgia on October 28th, 1940, he was the son of Maureen Meadows and James Archibald McCallum.

This Georgia farm boy did not know a stranger. Until the very end, he never lost his sense of humor and the twinkle in his eyes. We honor him as a United States Navy Commander and Aviator who flew over 600 combat missions in Vietnam. A true American Hero. Early in his Navy career he was in the Navy Choir. He had the voice of an angel. His strength and fun loving spirit lives on in all of us.

He is survived by his five children: Chip, Maria, Michael, Dean and Ryan. The countless hours he devoted to his children’s sporting and other events will never be forgotten. His love and devotion to farming and gardening kept his kids well fed throughout their childhood. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Melanie McCallum; wife, Julie Ambrose and brother James Ware McCallum. He was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Ware Bivins.

Memorial services will be determined at a later date. Please consider donating to The Fisher House that provides services to active duty servicemen and veterans. St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

93

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

CAPT William E. Zidbeck, USN (Ret.) June 7, 1932 - March 15, 2021 CAPT William E. Zidbeck, USN (Ret.), former Commanding Officer of HS-5, NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and a lifetime member of the Naval Helicopter Association (NHA), passed away at home in Imperial Beach, California on March 15, 2021. He was 88 years old. LT William E. Zidbeck, USN became a designated Navy Helicopter Pilot on December 11, 1963 at HT-8, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, Flordia. LT Zidbeck was Naval Helicopter Designator Number R-7083. He was born on 7 June 1932 in Ancon, Canal Zone, Panama.

Bill Zidbeck was 12 years old when his family moved to Corona CA. He was valedictorian of his class at Corona Senior High School. He attended Stanford University on an NROTC scholarship and graduated in 1954 with a degree in Biology. At Stanford, he met his wife, Jo Ann “Jody” Hill, of Alhambra, and they were married June 13, 1954, in Stanford’s Memorial Church.

In October 1955 he finished his flight training at NAS Hutchinson, Kansas, and received his “Wings of Gold” as a Naval Aviator. No allotments in Neptune P2V squadron were available at that time, so Bill was sent to Glynco, Georgia for lighterthan-airship training. In 1956-57 he served in airship squadron ZP-4, and ZW-1 until the Navy ended its support of airships at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in1961. He next served as an NROTC Instructor at USC and finished his 3 year tour in 1963, with orders to a helicopter squadron in Imperial Beach, California. In the summer of 1965, Jody and Bill adopted their son, William Scott. He then qualified as a helicopter pilot at Ellyson Field, Pensacola FL. After HS-10 replacement pilot training, he went to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 6 in 1964 as Administrative and subsequently Maintenance Officer and was embarked in 1964 and in 1966 on USS Kearsarge for two Western Pacific deployments in the South China Sea. His next tour of duty was as Replacement Air Group Instructor at Helicopter AntiSubmarine Squadron 1, NAS Key West, Florida, and was promoted to Captain.

He assumed command of HS-5 in Hamburg, Germany. During Captain Zidbeck’s tenure of command, 1970-1971, HS-5 deployed into the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean and was the recipient of the Battle “E”, Arnold J. Isbell Trophy for Excellence in Airborne ASW Operations and the Navy Unit Commendation.

He assumed command of Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from 1977-1979.

NAS Guantanamo was the first recipient of the Silver Eagle Award for the best retention program in the U.S. Naval Forces, Atlantic. In 1982, he and his wife moved to Coronado.

His last tour of duty was as Commanding Officer of Naval Education, Training and Support, Pacific.

In 1984 he retired from the Navy and moved to Imperial Beach where he taught Science at Castle Park High School. He founded the Imperial Beach Optimist Club in 1987 and in 2001, he was the first president of the Friends of the Imperial Beach Library. His life was dedicated to public service and will be greatly missed.

CAPT Bill Zidbeck, USN (Ret.)(first row right) and others who served at Ream Field stand with Naval Base Coronado Commanding Officer CAPT Timothy J. Slentz, (left), and NBC Executive Officer Capt. John W. DePree, (back row right), after the Ream Field Centennial Ceremony held at Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Imperial Beach (IB) on Oct. 5, 2018. U.S. Navy photo by Air Traffic

Controller 1st Class Joseph Rolfe, USN.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

94

CDR Robert Grady Duff, USN (Ret.) March 9, 2021 T Robert Grady Duff, USN, became a designated Naval Helicopter Pilot on December 7, 1960 at HT-8, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, FL. LT Duff was Naval Helicopter Pilot Designation Number R-5497.

L

Seawolf Robert Grady Duff, Sr., Executive Officer, CDR, 12/31/1969 to 12/15/1970, Awarded: Bronze Star (V); Air Medal (Individual Action); Air Medal Flight/Strike (at least 4 numerals) and a Life Member Seawolf Association since 1991.

Commander Robert G. Duff, USN, (Ret.), 89, of Pensacola went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 9, 2021. Bob was a loving husband, father and Pawpaw. He loved his family and was proud of his children. He enjoyed the friendships he made and the time he spent traveling in his RV during retirement. He had a good sense of humor and always had a joke to tell anyone that would listen. He loved baseball and his Atlanta Braves; he would count the days to the start of Spring training. He enjoyed the talks and meals he had with his driver, medical translator and grandson, Seth Gray.

Bob was the youngest of 3 brothers born to Alsie H. and Cora B. Duff of Bynum, Tx. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Howard and Douglas. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 67 years Lou, his children Robert (Lorri), Richard (Margarita), Annette Gray Bartush (Gary), 9 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren.

Bob enlisted in the Navy in 1950. While serving his country, he earned a B.A. in Political Science from the Naval Postgraduate School and an M.A. in Education from USC. He was accepted into aviation training and received his wings at NAS Pensacola in 1954. He began his Navy aviator career as an Airship Test Pilot before entering helicopter training at San Diego. He served with several carrier-based helicopter squadrons, and at Ellyson Field before joining the Navy’s most decorated squadron (HAL3) in Vietnam. He then served on the United States Taiwan Defense Command and completed his career at Tulane University NROTC before retiring in 1975.

A celebration of Bob’s life took place at Faith Chapel North on March 27, 2021 with family and friends. In lieu of flowers, please kindly consider a memorial donation to the American Kidney Fund (www.kidneyfund.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org). Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 S. Hwy 29, Cantonment, FL has been entrusted with arrangements. You may express your condolences online at www.fcfhs.com.

95

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

CAPT Leonard O. Woltersdorf, USN (Ret.)

C

aptain Leonard Oscar Woltersdorf, one of the last original founders of NHA, passed to his eternal reward 08 Feb 2021. Born in Laramie, WY on March 10, 1939, to Howard and Donna Woltersdorf, he grew up in Wyoming, Montana, and Southern California, learning to hunt and fish…and do the things most kids do. In 1959, Captain Woltersdorf began his journey to earn the coveted ‘wings of gold’ by becoming a NAVCAD. After a couple years in training, and honing his piloting skills, he earned those ‘wings of gold’ on February 17,1961 at HT-8, NAS Ellyson Field in Pensacola FL. Ensign Woltersdorf was Navy Helicopter Pilot Designation Number R-5560.

Captain Woltersdorf began his aviation career with the ‘Sea Griffins’ of HS-9 based in Quonset Point, RI, but stationed on USS Essex (CV 9), where he was front and center during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After that tour, he returned to the “Cradle of Naval Aviation” and the ‘Eightballers’ of HT-8 to teach up and coming student aviators how to fly. He earned a reputation for being VERY tough…but VERY fair. He cemented that reputation when he failed the Commanding Officer of the squadron when he came up for his annual Emergency Procedures check flight. Fortunately for ALL, the CO did MUCH better on the recheck. At the peak of his flying time at HT-8, he had the opportunity to train some of the first NASA astronauts.

He had always considered himself to be one of the best pilots around…..until he flew with the astronauts and he learned a valuable lesson on the value of humility.

After several years in HT-8, Captain Woltersdorf was ordered to Vietnam, where he Joined the ‘Sea Wolves’ of HAL-3 as Operations Officer and Fire Team Leader. While there, he earned the ire of his enemies so much, that they put a bounty on his head. A bounty they tried…but were ultimately unable to collect.

After his tour in Vietnam, Captain Woltersdorf spent two years at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA where he earned a B.S. in Engineering Science. After NPS, he began his “Aviation Appreciation Tour” as the Air Boss on USS Denver (LPD 9). He repeatedly stated that this was one of the most exasperating…and yet rewarding tours he ever had.

In 1973, he transferred to the ‘Sea Devils’ of HC-7 where he served in several different capacities, including Executive Officer as the squadron was disestablished. Captain Woltersdorf returned to academia for a year at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, where he earned a Masters of International Relations, and a MBA from Salve Regina College. Upon graduation, Captain Woltersdorf returned to his aviation roots and became the Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of the ‘Indians’ of HS-6 in San Diego. While he was at HS-6, the squadron won pretty much every award possible for them to win, including Battle E, Isabel trophy (for ASW Excellence) twice, and the Safety S. After this highly successful tour, Captain Woltersdorf was ordered back to sea to become the Executive Officer on USS New Orleans (LPH 11). In 1983, Captain Woltersdorf was ordered to Navy Personnel Command in Washington D.C,. where he was in charge of enlisted separations. He felt he did more good for the Navy at that job than any previous billet, as he was separating people who were not making the Navy a more effective fighting force. After this first tour to D.C., he was ordered to Greece to become the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Souda Bay, on the island of Crete. He said that this tour was probably the most fun, since it gave an opportunity to travel and learn a new and decidedly different culture. After his tour in Souda Bay, Captain Woltersdorf returned to D.C .and this time he worked in the Pentagon as the “Duty Captain," while simultaneously earning a Teaching Certificate from George Washington University.

He retired from Active Duty in 1992 and moved to Spokane, WA. While in Spokane, Captain Woltersdorf re-entered the gates of academia, but this time as a high school math and science teacher. His tough but fair approach gained quite a few admirers….though that was usually AFTER they graduated and realized that he was preparing them for life beyond school.

Captain Woltersdorf was an elder at Northview Bible Church. He was also heavily involved with the Gideons International, helping ensure Bibles were distributed all over the world to places that were in dire need of receiving the Word. He was also a member of El Katif Shrine, North Hill Masonic Order and Valley San Diego Scottish Rite. When he wasn’t saving the world from the enemies of democracy, he LOVED to travel, especially if trout fishing was involved…and he played a wicked game of bridge. Captain Woltersdorf awards are the Distinguished Flying Cross with a star, Air Medal with numeral 34, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal, in addition to numerous unit citations and awards. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, the former Ruth Ann Barnicoat of Butte, MT. They have two sons, Kurt and Keith, three granddaughters, two great grandsons and one great granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to either Gideons International or the Shriner’s Hospital for Children.

Rotor Review #152 Spring '21

96

YO U R M E M B E R S H I P H E L P S YO U R M E M B E R S H I P H E L P S

BU I L D O N U S BU I L D O N

EXCELLENCE! EXCELLENCE!

Join on line: JOIN US

http://www.navalhelicopterassn.org/join2 Now is an exciting time to become a NHA Member!

Now is an e x c iting time to be c o m e a NHA Me m b e r !

Naval Helicopter Association P.O BOX 180578 CORONADO, CA 92178-0578

Naval Helicopter Membership Application Association (circle selection)

Name ________________________________________ Rank / Grade _____________ Branch of Service:

USN

USMC

Profession: Pilot

Aircrewman

USCG

Maintenance

Active Duty Civilian

Retired Other

Aircraft Flown:___________________________________________________________ Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________________ State_____ Zip Code____________ Unit / Squadron ____________________ Current Assignment____________ Ship / Station_________ Warfare Community (i.e. HSC / HSM / HM / VMM / CG) _____________________________________ Primary Phone Number: ______________________________________ Home

Work

Mobile

Secondary Phone Number (optional) : ____________________________Home

Work

Mobile

Email Address:______________________________________________________________________ Level of Membership: 1 year - $40.00 year-Nugget (O-1 / O-2 on first tour) - $40.00

3 years - $110.00 5 years - 175.00 1 year Enlisted Membership - $15.00

NEW: Lifetime membership See the website for details

2