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NAVY / MARINE CORPS / COAST GUARD / MERCHANT MARINE SEAPOWER

WATERWAYS AWARENESS DROUGHT BRINGS FOCUS TO INLAND INFRASTRUCTURE

February 2013 $5.00 NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES www.navyleague.org

SPECIAL REPORT: ISR / INTERVIEW: U.S. COAST GUARD VICE ADM. ROBERT C. PARKER SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:14 PM Page COV2 SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:14 PM Page 1 SEAPOWER Volume 56, Number 2, February 2013 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES www.navyleague.org

DEPARTMENTS FEATURES

3 President’s Message 3 New Hopes, Old Problems 4 Editor’s Note BY PHILIP L. DUNMIRE 7 Intercepts 10 Drought Brings Focus to Inland Waterways Infrastructure BY DAISY R. KHALIFA 39 Program Snapshot 14 INTERVIEW: Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker 40 Seapower International Commander, Atlantic Area/Defense Force East 42 Historical Perspective BY JOHN C. MARCARIO

43 Ship’s Library 36 For Shipboard Synthetic Training, the Opportunities are VAST 44 Navy League News BY EDWARD LUNDQUIST 46 Council Digest 56 In My Own Words BY RETIRED NAVY LT. JIM DOWNING SENIOR PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR 6 Washington Report: COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. ‘Worst possible outcome’ prevented, but DoD still faces catastrophic cuts SPECIAL REPORT: INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE

18 Marines Focus on Coordinated Approach to Provide ‘Knowledge at the Point of Action’ BY OTTO KREISHER

22 Years Spent in Afghanistan Prepare Marine Unmanned Aircraft Squadrons for Asia-Pacific BY DANIEL P. TAYLOR

24 As Marines Return to Amphibs, the Service Hopes to Bring STUAS Aboard BY DANIEL P. TAYLOR 36 26 Unmanned Platforms Prove Their ISR Worth at Sea and Ashore BY NICK ADDE

30 High-altitude, High-endurance UAV for the Navy Will Begin Flight Tests This Year BY RICHARD R. BURGESS

32 Unmanned System’s Water Landing Capability Expands Operational Utility BY RICHARD R. BURGESS

34 Coast Guard Works to Save Money by Repurposing Existing, Emerging Technologies for Broader Applications BY JOHN C. MARCARIO

COVER PHOTO OF BARGE TOWS TRANSITING THE CHAIN OF ROCKS CANAL AND LOCKS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR ST. LOUIS DEC. 12 BY U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. COVER DESIGN BY AMY BILLINGHAM, PENSARÉ DESIGN GROUP LTD. SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:15 PM Page 2 SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:15 PM Page 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

New Hopes, Old Problems

By PHILIP L. DUNMIRE, Navy League National President

e go into each new year excit- tially modify and scale back our new W ed about what the future defense strategy. It could cut thou- holds and the opportunities that sands of programs by 10 or more await. The United States began 2013 percent. It could reduce war fund- with an 11th-hour measure that ing. It could allow for less training stopped the nation from going over for later-deploying Army and Marine the “fiscal cliff” and a new Congress Corps units to Afghanistan. It could eager to get to work. What we also force the release of temporary civil- bring into 2013 are some old prob- ian employees. It could very well lems that will negatively impact have an impact on morale.” national security if left unresolved. This fiscal uncertainty and Congress has failed to pass a instability comes at a time when budget — on time — for 16 years. the demands on our naval forces In that time, the federal govern- continue to increase. ment has been operating under During a Navy League Special continuing resolutions (CRs) to Topic Breakfast on Jan. 8, Vice keep the lights on. The current CR Adm. William R. Burke, Deputy funds various departments and agencies — including Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Systems, told more the Department of Defense (DoD) — through March than 100 industry representatives that the “demand 27 at levels set by the Budget Control Act of 2011. signal” for our Navy is high. “I testified last year,” he While President Barack Obama signed into law a recalled, “if we were to meet the COCOMS’ [Com - measure that would stop our fall over the cliff, sequestra- batant Commanders’] demand signal, we would need tion — indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts to discre- over 500 ships. We’re no where near that. We’re not tionary spending accounts — was only delayed by two going to get there, so we have to divvy out our ships months. This means that should a budget sequester wisely. But that high demand takes a toll.” occur, the cuts for 2013 — totaling as much as $52 billion How can you train and maintain assets for a high for the DoD — would be spread over just seven months, operations tempo when the fiscal future is so uncer- not the nine they would have had if the cuts began Jan. 2. tain? You can’t. It’s time to have a serious discussion Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told Pentagon about brokering a budget deal that puts this nation, reporters on Jan. 10, “This fiscal uncertainty has become and specifically our armed forces, back on track. a great threat to the security of the United States.” Spending on defense has become less popular these During a Jan. 8 news conference, Pentagon Press days, yet the world is as complicated as ever. All of us in Secretary George E. Little said the current budget the Navy League must communicate with members of process “is, at this stage, a mess.” Congress that by not doing their Constitutionally mandat- Indeed, this is a domestic mess with far-reaching ed job, by abdicating their responsibility to the American and long-term consequences. public, they have put the security and economic prosperi- “It’s time for Congress to avert sequestration once and ty of this nation in jeopardy. Congress must pass a budget for all,” Little said. “This is not just about cells on an that allows our forces to meet the demands of the chal- Excel spreadsheet. This is about the defense of the United lenging security environment both today and tomorrow. States and the people who serve in the United States mil- itary and our civilian personnel, also, who carry out mis- Every Member Get a Member … Involved! sions and support of the defense of this nation.” He reiterated the potential impact of sequestration cited by Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter in August: “This could seriously disrupt our forces and pro- grams to include readiness. It could require us to substan-

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Unmanned Demand

By AMY L. WITTMAN, Editor in Chief SEAPOWER

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES Volume 56, Number 2, February 2013

he demands Iraq and Afghanistan PUBLISHER T made on the have prepared the Philip L. Dunmire Navy-Marine Corps service for the shift to ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Team will only in- the Pacific and the Dale A. Lumme crease as the Depart- maritime do main, at EDITOR IN CHIEF Amy L. Wittman ment of Defense re- least in terms of [email protected] balances its global unman ned aircraft. DEPUTY EDITOR pre sence to the Pa- With the RQ-21A, Peter E. Atkinson cific and Middle Taylor says in “Un - [email protected]

East. Investment in man ned & Expe- MANAGING EDITOR unman ned systems ditionary” (page 24), Richard R. Burgess is seen as critical to the Corps is looking [email protected] meeting the demands of this shift. forward to not having to rely on ASSOCIATE EDITOR John C. Marcario “Our ability to meet the demands contracting out ISR services to [email protected] of this new strategy depends on the companies. DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES improvements we have begun and Special Correspondent Nick Charles A. Hull objectives we have set regarding Adde, in “Mission Critical” (page [email protected]

how we design, purchase and build 26), notes that Naval Air Systems DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS new platforms, combat systems and Command is pursuing enhance- Kerri Carpenter equipment; increase the develop- ments of airborne ISR systems that [email protected] ment and deployment of unmanned have been key to mission success SEAPOWER CORRESPONDENT systems to provide increased pres- for ground forces in Afghanistan. Megan Scully ence and enhanced persistence at In “Year of the Triton” (page PHOTOGRAPHER Lisa Nipp lower cost and less danger; and how 30), Ma naging Editor Richard R. PROOFREADER we use, produce and procure ener- Burgess says 2013 will see the first Jean B. Reynolds gy,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus testi- deployment of the P-8A Poseidon DESIGN AND PRODUCTION fied before the Senate Armed Ser- aircraft and the first flight of the Amy Billingham and Rob Black vices Committee last March. MQ-4C Tri ton, which together will Pensaré Design Group

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) give the Navy a high degree of mar- SEAPOWER feature prominently in our special itime domain awareness. 2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200 report on intelligence, surveillance Burgess, in “Flexible Response” Arlington, VA 22201-5424 TEL: 703-528-1775 — editorial and reconnaissance (ISR). (page 32), also takes a look at the ca- 703-528-2075 — advertising Special Correspondent Otto pa bilities of the RQ-20A UAS, which FAX: 703-243-8251 Kreisher, in his report “Integrated has become a staple of the Navy’s E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.seapowermagazine.org Intel” (page 18), Marine Corps ISR coastal Riverine forces, the Marine TWITTER: @seapowermag Enterprise officials are prioritizing Corps and other armed services. the development of airborne ISR Associate Editor John C. COMMUNICATIONS BOARD capabilities, including unmanned Marcario, in “Mission Possible” CHAIRMAN: Brandon R. “Randy” Belote III platforms and the nontraditional (page 34), looks at Coast Guard NATIONAL OFFICER: Philip L. Dunmire ISR that strike-fighter pilots collect. efforts to take existing and emerging MEMBERS: Merritt Allen, Maureen Cragin, Daniel Dayton, Robert Hamilton, Margaret Expanding on the Corps’ work in technologies and adapt them for B. Holtz, Guy Shields that arena, Special Correspondent broader use throughout the service. EX-OFFICIO: Karen Crawford, John Daniels, Daniel P. Taylor looks at the family of Dale A. Lumme, Amy L. Wittman UASs at the service’s disposal in “Drone Shift” (page 22). One Marine official tells Taylor that the years in

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WASHINGTON REPORT

‘Worst Possible Outcome’ Prevented, But DoD Still Faces Catastrophic Cuts

he Department of Defense (DoD) dodged a bullet T when Congress agreed to put off looming, across- the-board cuts to the military’s budget by two months, but deep partisan divides on Capitol Hill could make those feared budget reductions a reality come March 1. As part of the New Year’s deal on the so-called fiscal cliff, lawmakers agreed to delay the sequester, essen- tially buying Congress and the White House some time to hash out a more palatable deficit-reduction agree- ment than the indiscriminate cuts that will target the government’s discretionary budget if the two parties cannot reach a compromise. Along with the delay, lawmakers agreed to bring the total price for sequester in 2013 from nearly $63 bil- lion to about $48 billion for the DoD, according to some budget analysts. Pentagon Comptroller Robert F. Hale on Jan. 8 esti- mated the department’s share at $45 billion, but

stressed that his calculations were extremely rough DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE due to the complexity of the deal on the fiscal cliff. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discuss Chiefs of Staff, put the total at $52 billion during a Jan. the effects of sequestration if it were to take effect at the 10 briefing at the Pentagon. end of March during a briefing at the Pentagon Jan. 10.

The price was lowered to reflect ment’s roughly 800,000 personnel to was, in short, a forcing mechanism to the fact that the department would make up for the budgetary shortfall. find a better deficit-reduction deal. have only seven months to imple- Purchases of some weapons systems “Congress has prevented the ment the sequester before Sept. 30 would be trimmed, and some con- worst possible outcome by delay- — the end of the fiscal year — rather tracts would have to be renegotiated ing sequestration for two months. than the nine months it would have to reflect the sudden funding cut. Unfortunately, the cloud of seques- had had the cuts gone into effect Jan. The Defense Department has tration remains,” Defense Secretary 2, as originally planned. called the sequester cuts — which Leon E. Panetta said in a Jan. 2 For the department, however, would total $500 billion over the statement. “The responsibility now the effect remains nearly the same. next decade — catastrophic and is to eliminate it as a threat by All department accounts — aside devastating. enacting balanced deficit reduc- from military personnel, which is Indeed, sequestration, which was tion. Congress cannot continue to exempt from sequester — would approved as part of the Budget just kick the can down the road.” be cut by roughly 8.8 percent. Control Act of 2011, was intended to But that better deal remains elu- That would mean one-month fur- be so hard to swallow that it never sive, particularly as lawmakers wran- loughs for nearly all of the depart- actually would be implemented. It gle at the same time over raising the

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WASHINGTON REPORT

debt ceiling — a political minefield — by early March and try to deter- INTERCEPTS mine federal spending levels for the last six months of the fiscal year. “We’ve heard that already on the front lines in Afghanistan, The stopgap continuing resolu- the troops have serious questions about sequestration. This tion (CR), which is funding the is not just a Washington issue. It’s a Camp Bastion issue. It’s federal government at fiscal 2012 an issue at Incirlik. It’s an issue at our bases in Asia. We need levels, expires March 27. Without to think carefully about this.” an agreement in place to either George E. Little extend the CR or set new spending Pentagon Press Secretary levels for the current fiscal year, Noting the far-reaching concerns about sequestration, during a Pentagon briefing. the government would have to Armed Forces Press Service, Jan. 8 shut down by that date. Todd Harrison, an analyst at the “It’s made it far easier to say, ‘We can’t do more.’ And without Center for Strategic and Budgetary addressing the debt issues, it will be easier to make that Assessments, said Jan. 9 he believes argument for years to come.” this confluence of events, which he refers to as “March Madness,” makes Vali Nasr it less likely than before that lawmak- Dean of the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University ers will be able to avert sequestration. On the potential foreign policy and global influence implications of the fiscal situa- There may be another effort to tion in the United States. delay its implementation, he said, New York Times, Jan. 4 but even if there is a deal on deficit reduction, defense, which makes up half of all federal discretionary spending, likely would be a signif- Panetta and Dempsey said the billion over 10 years. The DoD can icant part of the deal — likely spending re ductions would affect do that and still support the new meaning somewhere in the neigh- routine training, maintenance of national strategy announced last borhood of $200 billion to $300 aircraft, ships and facilities and year, he said, but “if we face addi- billion cut over the next decade. delay hiring of De part ment of tional meat ax cuts due to Harrison said the sudden, dra- Defense civilian employees. sequester” they could not sustain matic drop in spending that se - In a briefing for Pentagon re- the strategy. questration would force — as well porters on Jan. 10, Panetta said If sequester hit, “we would have as the across-the-board nature of that al though the United States to ground aircraft, return ships to the cuts — would make it all the faces “a num ber of adversaries” port, maybe furlough civilian em- more difficult to implement. But he around the world, “the most im- ployees and we would be unable to also suggested it may not necessar- mediate threat that we face is fiscal reset the force after a decade of ily be the doomsday scenario uncertainty” crea ted by the threat war,” Dempsey said. Defense Depart ment leaders have of sequester, the pending March Reset means the repair or made it out to be. expiration of the CR that is fund- replacement of equipment and “I think it’s a mess. I think it forces ing the government and the ap - weapons worn out or destroyed in a lot of really stupid decisions,” he proaching debt ceiling limit that Iraq and Afghanistan. said. “I think it’s shortsighted. But could prevent the government “After a few months, we would we’ll survive it, if it happens.” from paying all its bills. be less prepared. After a year, we He called the combination of would be unprepared,” he said. Panetta: Fiscal Uncertainty the three fiscal threats “a perfect The two leaders said the impact Is Most Immediate Threat storm” that could lead to a “hollow on most of the force would be aggra- Panetta has ordered the military to force,” which would not be ready vated by the fact that they would not begin taking “prudent steps to to defend the nation. deprive funds for the continuing reduce expenditures” in an attempt Panetta noted that the depart- fight in Afghanistan or for units to reduce the potential harm to ment already is making its contri- preparing to deploy to the fight. national security if Congress cannot bution to resolving the budget With three deadlines looming, avoid sequester and the other “fiscal deficit problem by planning to “we have no idea what the hell will cliff” threats that are looming. reduce expected spending by $487 happen,” Panetta said.

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WASHINGTON REPORT

A veteran of decades of budget demolition; and reducing funds for will be. That hinges on what law- battles while in Congress and with base operating support. makers decide to do as the follow- two administrations, Panetta was More directly affecting the fleet on to the CR, due to expire March asked why the government was would be delaying the decommis- 27, as well as the looming se- not able to resolve its budget sioning, disposal or lay-up of ships. quester threat. issues now. The services also would imple- Pentagon officials hope the cur- He said that in the past, “govern- ment a civilian hiring freeze and fire rent environment is an anomaly, and ing was good politics. If you could temporary employees, except “those not the new way of doing business. deal with the nation’s problems, that supporting mission-critical activities “This lack of budgetary stability was seen as good politics. supporting the warfighter.” makes it very hard to plan and, I “Now, for whatever reasons, that Decisions to furlough civilian think, extremely hard to plan well,” no longer is the case. … Governing employees are made at the Defense Hale said. “So I think the nation’s is no longer good politics, gridlock Department level. stability would be better served if is good politics.” “We expect to receive FY-13 the Congress adopted and stayed Overseas Contingency Operations with a more stable budget plan.” Navy Department Preps funding,” Mabus said in the mes- For Belt-Tightening sage. “However, those funds are ear- Authorization Act Saves Should CR Be Extended marked for support of critical Cruisers from Retirement The Department of the Navy is mak- warfighting requirements and would President Barack Obama signed the ing plans to reduce spending to con- not provide any significant relief to 2013 National Defense Authori - serve funds and preserve fleet readi- our baseline operating accounts. We zation Act (NDAA) into law on Jan. ness in case Congress fails to pass a project a shortfall of over $4 billion 2, two weeks after the Senate and defense appropriations bill and ex- in our base [Operations & Main- House approved the report of the tends the CR beyond its March 27 tenance] accounts which fund Navy conference committee and forward- expiration date. and Marine Corps readiness. ed the bill to the White House. “These steps will not solve the The NDAA is good news for air- problem completely,” Navy Secre- Budget Proposal craft and ship manufacturers in that tary Ray Mabus said in an internal Delays Are Likely it authorizes or extends multiyear Jan. 13 message. “We will only be Budget watchers expecting the procurement (MYP) for several pro- able to sustain current fleet opera- Pentagon and other government grams. The law authorizes an addi- tions. We will not be able to suffi- agencies to send their annual tional year to the current MYP for ciently maintain and reset our forces spending proposals to Capitol Hill the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike for future operations.” by early February, as usual, likely fighter and the EA-18G Growler In the message, titled “Risk will have to wait a little bit longer. electronic attack aircraft, an MYP be- Mitigation Financial Planning” and As of early January, the Defense gin ning in 2013 for the V-22 Osprey sent to all Navy and Marine Corps Department still was unsure what tiltrotor aircraft, an MYP beginning commands, Mabus said that Navy its topline for fiscal 2014 would be, in 2013 for up to 10 Arleigh Burke- and Marine Corps leadership have largely because of the impact of the class guided-missile destroyers and advised the secretary of defense of fiscal cliff deal on the department’s an MYP beginning in 2014 for up to belt-tightening actions they are con- spending for next year. 10 Virginia-class submarines. sidering, and which will be re- The exact timing of the budget The law also authorizes $1.5 bil- versible, at least to some extent. submission to Congress will be up to lion to proceed with the refueling and Most of the planned actions the White House’s Office of Manage - comprehensive overhaul of the affect the overhead of the support ment and Budget (OMB). Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ab- structure for the fleet, including “I think it’s almost inevitable raham Lincoln, to extend incremental reducing official travel, administra- there will be some delay, I just funding of the Gerald R. Ford-class tive contract services, and informa- don’t know what,” Pentagon carrier and for the inactivation of the tion and technology budgets. Comptroller Hale said. “Normally, carrier USS Enterprise, limited to Many of the planned actions we would be transmitting data to $708 million for the latter event. involve physical facilities: curtail- OMB right now, and we’re not The NDAA prohibits any 2013 ing facilities sustainment, includ- ready to do that.” funds to retire Ticonderoga-class ing restoration and modernization, At the same time, department cruisers (CGs) or dock landing ships except for safety-of-life reasons; officials do not know what total (LSDs). The Navy had planned to canceling any planned facilities spending in fiscal 2013 ultimately decommission four CGs and two

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WASHINGTON REPORT

LSDs in 2013. The law also prohibits the Navy from inactivating ballistic- INTERCEPTS missile submarines (SSBNs) to a force level below 12 SSBNs. “I think that should be a major point of focus and concern. If Congress is keeping its finger on we’re going to remain a superpower, we have to be able to the pulse of the Littoral Combat reach out and touch people, and the way that you do that is Ship program, directing in the law with the U.S. Navy.” that the Navy report on the design U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. of the ships, the operational sup- Member of the House Armed Services Committee port and sustainment strategy for Outlining one of his goals for the year ahead, which is maintaining U.S. fleet strength. the ships, and a status report on Politico, Jan. 1 their mission packages. Congress also advised the Navy “The basic ballistic submarine gets underway and then it to consider its investment priori- disappears. It’s not always 5 knots to nowhere, but no one ties in the next generation of large knows where it is, not even our own government. That’s a big amphibious assault ship, including piece of its survivability. It’s a phenomenal capability.” survivability features and com- monality of hull design. Rear Adm. Barry L. Bruner The NDAA directs the Navy by Director of submarine warfare June to establish initial operational On one of the enduring strengths of U.S. ballistic-missile submarine force. capability (IOC) dates for the F- Aviation Week, Jan. 10 35B and F-35C Lightning II strike fighters. As the aircraft have expe- rienced developmental delays, the services have been reluctant to set In a December statement, Forbes DoD acquires Weapon Systems and definitive IOC dates. said he wants to grow the Navy’s Recent Efforts to Reform,” penned The Marine Corps is directed to fleet and enhance its readiness, by Moshe Schwartz, CRS specialist study and report to the Congress while also strengthening its air com- in defense acquisition. on its future electronic warfare ponent to better posture it to meet The report, which provided an capabilities, including a detailed future threats. For the Marine overview of the process by which disposition plan for its EA-6B Corps, he wants to grow the the DoD acquires weapons systems, Prowler squadrons. amphibious fleet, while providing said that, to this day, the DoD and The NDAA authorizes end- the service the “essential equipment Congress continue to work together strength force levels for the Navy to be a premier expeditionary force.” to try to improve a process that is and Marine Corps for Sept. 20 of constantly put under the spotlight 322,700 Sailors and 197,300 DoD’s Struggle With for excessive spending and lengthy Marines. The law also directs the Cost Overruns Continues project delays. Marine Corps to develop and DoD efforts to improve its acquisi- “DoD’s acquisition system is implement a plan to increase tion process to control cost overruns highly complex, and it does not Marine security guards for U.S. the past three decades has been always produce systems that meet embassies and consulates. largely unsuccessful, according to a estimated cost or performance recent Congressional Research Serv - expectations. Congress has been Virginia’s Forbes Heads ice (CRS) report. concerned with the structure of the Seapower Subcommittee “Despite the numerous studies defense acquisition system for Republican Rep. J. Randy Forbes of (more than 100 since the end of many years,” the report said. Virginia is the new chairman of the World War II), congressional hear- The CRS works for Congress House Armed Services seapower ings, and DoD reports that have and provides policy and legal and projection forces subcommit- often echoed the same themes and analysis to committees. I tee, with jurisdiction over Navy highlighted the same weaknesses in and Marine Corps research, devel- the acquisition process, acquisition Reporting by Seapower Correspondent opment and acquisition programs. reform efforts pursued over the last Megan Scully. Managing Editor Richard Forbes takes over the panel from 30 years have been unable to rein in R. Burgess, Associate Editor John C. former Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., who cost and schedule growth,” said the Marcario and Special Correspondent lost his bid for a Senate seat. report, “Defense Acquisitions: How Otto Kreisher contributed to this report.

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COVER STORY WATERWAYS AWARENESS DROUGHT BRINGS FOCUS TO INLAND INFRASTRUCTURE

By DAISY R. KHALIFA, Special Correspondent

Those fears were allayed, at least Capital Needs temporarily, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that The Army Corps of Engineers, through its Civil Works Program, is work that began in December to responsible for ensuring the safe movement of vessels by con- remove river-bottom rocks and structing and maintaining the nation’s navigation channels, harbors, deepen the commercial channel locks and dams, and by regulating water levels on inland waterways. between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill., I Stakeholders from industry and navigation trade groups say and recent rains and water releases they believe funding falls far short when it comes to the health, from the Army Corps’ Carlyle Lake rehabilitation and continued development of the inland rivers. in Illinois, had improved the fore- cast for the Middle Mississippi I The Inland Marine Transportation System Capital Investment River — at least through January. Team delivered a report to Congress that provided a capital The crisis has drawn attention to investment strategy and a list of long-term capital needs for the the Army Corps of Engineers and its inland navigation system. role in waterway maintenance. The I The Army Corps has identified more than 100 projects that require, Army Corps has been working close- or could require, capital investments in the next 20 years. ly with the U.S. Coast Guard and industry to ensure the safety and security of vessels and mariners as they transit through the affected ne of the worst droughts in decades along waterways, and has been dredging along the Mississippi the Mississippi River triggered a mounting since last summer to try to maintain a channel for naviga- O panic early in the new year among shippers tion that is 9 feet deep and 300 feet wide. and navigation experts who were faced with consider- The Mississippi River situation also has drawn some ing the repercussions of a halt to the robust barge traf- serious attention to America’s river system as a whole, fic along the river. and its importance to the nation’s economic well being. Tows and barges carry millions of dollars of cargo, Still, as many in the waterborne trades agree, the impor- including grain, coal and other commodities, along tance of investing in maritime infrastructure, particularly the river daily from the Gulf of Mexico through the the nation’s inland rivers, is not well understood. central United States. But historically low water levels President Barack Obama’s budget request for fiscal on the Mississippi, which already had slowed shipping 2013 year included a proposed $476 billion investment in some sections because of narrow or shallow chan- in transportation infrastructure over six years. And nels, threatened to stop commercial traffic entirely in while the implications for improvements to roads and early January. the development of high-speed rail figured prominently Two industry groups, the American Waterways in the budget discussion that followed, the condition of Operators and the Waterways Council Inc., said that the nation’s vital inland waterways, also a component of such a shutdown could affect more than 8,000 jobs, cost the package, received relatively scant attention. $54 million in wages and benefits, and halt the move- Indeed, the notion of the United States as a “mar- ment of 7.2 million tons of commodities valued at $2.8 itime nation” and its economic reliance on its river sys- billion, according to a Jan. 2 report from Reuters. tem for the movement and export of goods tends to be

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An aerial view of the Mississippi River in St. Louis Dec. 5 shows the crowded conditions for shipping along the river due to historically low water levels resulting from one of the worst droughts in more than 50 years.

lost on the general public, as is the mission of agencies stakeholders from industry and navigation trade like the Army Corps of Engineers, said James E. Walker groups believe funding falls far short. Industry advo- Jr., chief of the Army Corps’ navigation branch. cates, through a federal advisory group called the “We’re finally getting infrastructure into the vernac- Inland Waterway Users Board, are pushing for legisla- ular,” he said. “You’re hearing roads, rails and runways. tion on a water source development authorization bill We’re trying to get ‘rivers’ into that mix. We’ve got peo- that would allow industry to further subsidize key cap- ple thinking about infrastructure. Now we’ve got to get ital expenditures over the next 20 years. more public awareness about maritime infrastructure. “When people talk about roads, runways and rail- “A real bottom line for us is: ‘what do we do, and why road, we feel we are the silent ‘R’ in transportation,” said is it important?’” Walker added, in reference to the Mike Toohey, president of Waterways Council Inc. responsibilities of the Army Corps’ Civil Works Program, (WCI), referring to inland rivers. WCI is a national pub- and the navigation branch for which he has oversight. lic policy organization whose members — shippers and He explained that in addition to its military mission, receivers of bulk commodities — advocate modernizing the Army Corps of Engineers, through the Civil Works the nation’s ports, inland rivers and waterways. Program, is responsible for ensuring the safe move- These maritime stakeholders, working together as ment of vessels by constructing and maintaining the the Inland Marine Transportation System (IMTS) nation’s navigation channels, harbors, locks and dams, Capital Investment Team, delivered the Inland Marine and by regulating water levels on inland waterways. Transportation Systems Capital Projects Business “What we’re doing is providing a navigation infra- Model to Congress in April 2010, and are hopeful for structure that is reliable, efficient and resilient to action this year with the new 113th Congress. enable American goods to compete in a global market- “We’re on the cusp of achieving some change,” place,” he said. Toohey said. “We have proposed legislation that has So important is the health, rehabilitation and con- been introduced in the House and in the Senate, and tinued development of the nation’s inland rivers that both of the committees of jurisdiction have stated that

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COVER STORY

views of the Army Corps. “We are very optimistic that this is the year that we’re going to accomplish the goals for the capital development plan, which is a road map for invest- ment for the next 20 years.” The nation’s 12,000 miles of commercially active inland and intracoastal waterways have long served as a substantially cheaper way of moving major bulk com- modities such as grain, coal and petroleum. Today, the system moves more than 600 million tons of goods and commodities at about two-thirds the cost of rail and one- tenth the cost of trucks, according

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS to recent Army Corps data on Workers contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clear rocks from the inland waterway navigation. Missis sippi River floor near Thebes, Ill., Dec. 17. The Coast Guard and the Army Through the use of tows and Corps are overseeing the removal operations. multiple barges — up to as many as 40 or 50 on parts of the 2013 will be the year that they act on a water resource Mississippi River — the United States has standardized development authorization bill.” the towing industry to impressive levels in order to The detailed report provided a capital investment realize the transportation cost savings, Walker said. strategy and a list of long-term capital needs for the “It’s almost like an assembly line has come to inland navigation system. A collaborative effort marine transportation as far as barge sizes and config- between the Waterways Users Board and the Army urations,” he said. Corps, industry members produced a funding strategy A 15-barge tow, commonly used on the Ohio, to identify future demands on the Inland Waterways Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Tennessee rivers, for Trust Fund (IWTF). The Army Corps identified a list of example, carries about 26,000 tons of cargo as a single more than 100 projects that require, or could conceiv- unit and is the equivalent of 240 rail cars or 1,050 ably require, capital investments in the next 20 years. tractor-trailer trucks, according to the Army Corps The IWTF collects a .20-cent-per-gallon fuel tax data. Annually, it would take 6 million rail cars or 24 from barge operators in order to pay for construction million trucks to carry the same load as barge tows, and major rehabilitation projects for locks and dams the data shows. on U.S. waterways. That revenue is matched dollar for “Our role is really to provide the navigation chan- dollar by the federal government in its annual appro- nels for the vessels to move, so we are the conduit of priation. In 2013, the IWTF realized $85 million in maritime commerce,” Walker said. revenue, thus providing $170 million to the construc- Central to the Army Corps’ work is dredging, and tion and rehabilitation program. because “sediment is always flowing,” the challenge Of the $4.7 billion included in the president’s Civil for its navigation branch is that the entire inland river Works budget for fiscal 2013, Walker said navigation system of the United States is based on 9-foot-deep has a large “market share” of the program budget, in navigation channels, which is ideally suited for barges, the area of $1.74 billion. At issue with industry stake- he explained. holders is the IWTF portion of the budget. Another component integral to inland river ship- Toohey and fellow industry supporters say the ping is its system of locks and keys, whose overbur- budget falls short, given the scope of long-term capital dened, antiquated condition served as a key driver in projects outlined in the IMTS report. the development of the IMTS business model delivered “The need is for an annual ap propriation of about by members of industry. Walker said maintenance of $380 million, but we are only obtaining about $150 [mil- the navigation locks are a critical element for the Army lion] to $160 million per year in annual appropriations,” Corps’ navigation team, adding, with regard to budget said Toohey, adding that the findings are based on projec- constraints, that “you can’t necessarily save your way tions in the IMTS report, and are not necessarily the out of the problems we’re facing right here.”

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Along the nation’s rivers, there are 192 lock sites and “The locks are fairly simple machinery,” he said. “It’s 236 operable lock chambers of varying sizes that provide really the material that kind of wears out, the concrete the essential mechanism allowing tows to “stair-step” and the steel that you have to work with. You’re just their way through the river systems to reach distant trying to make it last a little bit longer, kind of like an inland ports in places like Chicago, Minneapolis and old car. You’re having components that need to be Pittsburgh. The average age of a lock is about 58 years, replaced and, in some cases, they are no longer avail- Walker said, but some are upwards of 100 years old. able from the manufacturer.” “We’re really [riding] the blessings and the vision of The IMTS report’s “target total” of $380 million our forefathers, maybe even two generations ago,” he annually for a 20-year capital investment in new con- said. “The locks and keys do have kind of a fixed life. struction and major rehabilitation projects listed 11 There’s got to be some major rehabilitation work done, lock and dam projects for new construction, including or replacement, and we’ve got to be thinking about if the Chickamauga Lock on the Tennessee River, the we’re going to continue to have this kind of prosperity, Greenup Dam and Lock on the Ohio River in you’re going to have to be making those investments.” Kentucky and Ohio, the La Grange Lock and Dam on Ideally, if a lock was to be replaced, it would be the Illinois Waterway, and the Inner Harbor Navigation replaced with something larger, Walker said. However, Canal Lock in Louisiana, among others. Of the 20 only two locks in the system are being replaced, the major rehabilitation projects were the Emsworth Locks Olmsted Locks on the Ohio River and the locks and dams and Dam on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania, the on the lower Monongahela River in Pennsylvania, he said. Markland Locks and Dam in Kentucky and Indiana, “Hopefully, there are those who have a longer-term the Lower Monumental Lock and Dam in Washington vision, who say, Replacing two navigation locks in an and Joe Hardin Lock in Arkansas, among others. inventory of 236 is not a satisfactory disruption pro- “The real challenge that I would see is the nation has gram,’” Walker said of the stakeholders involved. “If to make a determination of where it is going to place its you’re going to keep this infrastructure up and keep it priorities. I understand constrained funding, I under- reliable for the next hundred years, you’ve got to be mak- stand tight budgets and having to make these tough ing these strategic investments in replacements, no differ- decisions,” Walker said. “We just hope that those that ent than [what] you have to do on interstate highways.” will be making the decisions are aware and understand Lock chambers range in size from less than 600 feet marine infrastructure and its role in an overall freight to 1,200 feet, with most from about 600 to 999 feet. movement strategy. It sounds trite, but being blessed The bigger the lock, the better for accommodating with an abundance of water enables you to do all of today’s larger barge configurations. But because so these things, and these things just can’t take place in many locks were built almost a century ago, most can- other parts of the globe.” I not even accommodate an average- sized tow with 12 or 15 barges. Instead, Walker noted, when a 15-barge tow that can move along the Ohio River comes to a lock that cannot accommodate it, it will be “cut” into smaller sections and queued up for a turn to pass through the lock. Queue delays at locks, accord- ing to Army Corps data, cost the towing industry millions of dollars annually. “Where the process could take 40 minutes, it takes four hours,” Walker said. “The constrained funding environment has left us with very little in replacement con-

struction under way.” U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

To that end, the challenge, he The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge Potter deepens a section of Upper said, is in trying to extend the life Mississippi River, south of St. Louis Harbor, Dec. 14. The Army Corps has of existing lock equipment. been dredging along the river since last summer.

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INTERVIEW In Sandy’s Aftermath Coast Guard continues storm recovery efforts as it assesses damage to its own facilities

Superstorm Sandy formed as a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on Oct. 22, grew to hurricane strength as it hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, and roared ashore in the Northeastern United States with hurricane-force winds and a massive storm surge. The storm was given the “Superstorm” tag due to its enormous size and devastating impact in the United States, where it killed more than 100 people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage before dissipating on Oct. 31. Recovery efforts continue today.

The Coast Guard, which saw its Northeastern U.S. facilities sustain at least $250 million in damage from the storm, is the lead federal agency in charge of response. The service’s Atlantic Area command- er, Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, is heading that effort.

Parker took command of the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area, which spans five Coast Guard districts and 40 states, in April 2010. He also serves as operational commander for Coast Guard missions from the

U.S. COAST GUARD Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf.

The 1979 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy concurrently serves as commander, Defense Force East, and provides Coast Guard mission support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.

Parker talked about Superstorm Sandy response and recovery efforts with Associate Editor John C. Marcario. Excerpts follow:

How destructive was this storm compared to vast array of damage was really striking when we did others you have been involved with? overflights after the first couple of days. When you get PARKER: The thing that really struck me was just how down on the ground, what you see from the air makes big it was. It also hit a major populated area and an your heart sick, you see how complete the devastation area that’s not as practiced as places in the south that is. When you tally the emotional scope and scale of this are more familiar with these storms. It was just an storm, it’s unlike anything I have ever seen. incredible area — size-wise — that it struck. The storm went on for a while [before] it came to shore, and What was going through your mind as you while we were responding it turned into a winter storm tracked the storm and subsequently saw the on the backside and damaged some of our stations up damage it caused? in the Great Lakes and had some impact on the navi- PARKER: The most striking thing for me was how gation in that area. much real estate had been changed, whether it was When you compare this to Hurricane Katrina, most sand pushed back into the community or new cuts of that damage was localized. But with this storm, the through the barrier islands of New Jersey. When you

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INTERVIEW U.S. COAST GUARD

Lt. Cmdr. Bill Walsh, commanding officer of Coast Guard Station New York, speaks with Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, com- mander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Nov. 6 about the damage his unit sustained from a storm surge during Hurricane Sandy. Parker met with Coast Guard members from Stations Sandy Hook and New York and Aids-to-Navigation Team New York.

are looking at things that you used to think were famil- Guard families have not been able to move back in and iar and you can’t quite figure out where you are that provides us with a unique challenge. because an entire boardwalk or a block is missing, And then there’s places like Bayonne, N.J., that’s a those were things I was not completely prepared for. big support base for us. [It] was under water by about It’s pretty sobering to overfly and then see that. four or five feet. We are trying to rebuild all the things there, including the electronics and infrastructure, and How are recovery efforts going? getting the docks and stations and fuel reset. Another PARKER: This was a huge event and the recovery con- unit, Station New York, which is actually out on Staten tinues, even today, but it’s going well. We are fairly Island, was impacted pretty hard. Those are just three practiced at these types of events and the preparation examples of stations whose capabilities have been work before it usually gives us a pretty good idea on reconstituted somewhere else because they are so how to handle it, but each one is unique and scaled severely impacted that we cannot operate from them. differently. We are in recovery mode right now, where we try to What is the Coast Guard’s specific role with return to our full operating capability. We are not near the recovery? that capability in about a third of the units that we had PARKER: The service has a unique authority to act and up in the most impacted area around the New coordinate in these types of responses. We also always York/New Jersey line. Anywhere that had the high work in support of the Federal Emergency Manage- storm surge in the coastal areas had a lot of damage. ment Agency. We took on the search-and-rescue coor- There were three areas that were particularly hard dinator function of this event. Our priorities are safety hit. Up by Sandy Hook, our military housing units of life and property first, and then we try to get the were actually flooded and we don’t think we are going maritime transportation system restored as quickly as to get sewage back out there for quite awhile. We have possible in affected areas. We also work to quickly reconstituted the mission from that area, but the Coast reconstitute our affected stations.

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INTERVIEW U.S. COAST GUARD

Parker, at right, and Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich, director of Operational Logistics, conducted an overflight of the New Jersey coastline, New York Harbor and Long Island Oct. 31 to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. The Coast Guard, which is the lead federal agency in charge of the response to the storm, saw its facilities along the East Coast sustain at least $250 million in damage.

This storm, for us, started down south of Cuba. It 144 Ocean Sentry and HC-130 Hercules aircraft out of impacted our operations down in the gap between North Carolina and points south. Also, the High- Haiti and Jamaica … our operations and facility at Endurance Cutter Gallatin and Medium-Endurance Guantanamo Bay, as we cannot move back into it. We Cutter Spencer were engaged at some point in the New are operating at a temporary facility down there, even York area. We also used our Maritime Safety and today, and through the Bahamas, where it impacted our Security Team down in Kings Bay, Ga., and have our units and stations. And, of course, it then [hit] all our National Strike Force that’s still responding to the haz- units from Central New Jersey up through just about ardous materials and chemical releases that are being Boston, where we are still trying to recover. contained up in New York. Our teams also oversaw the cleanup of hazardous We saved 35 lives and assisted five other [rescue materials. There were only three major oil spills, missions]. The most notable was from the HMS Bounty, which is pretty amazing considering the magnitude of where 14 of the 16 crew members were rescued. this storm. We are also responding to the 500-plus federal pollution cases, which include things like How many Coast Guard units were damaged boats being washed up on somebody’s yard that still as a result of the storm? have fuel onboard or batteries. When we lost our PARKER: Pretty much every unit between Montauk, capability to do [vessel] boardings in places like Sandy N.Y., and Cape May, N.J., had some level of damage if Hook, we received assistance from Navy assets to host they were on the coast, including the ones up by Long our teams in order to keep goods moving through and Island Sound all the way up to and including the Coast reopen the port. Guard Academy, which is pretty well tucked away in New London, Conn. There are some other bits and What types of assets did the Coast Guard use pieces along the coast that had minor damage. We real- and how many lives were saved? ly only have three units that are not partially mission PARKER: It’s been an all-hands-on-deck evolution. We capable. The total bill for the Coast Guard is some- can pull from all kinds of different places and pull from where around a quarter billion dollars, but we won’t different resources. We were able to bring up a few HC- know until a final estimate is done.

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INTERVIEW

What has been the hardest part about the recov- What is the biggest lesson you learned from ery effort thus far? Sandy recovery efforts? PARKER: In this case, our inability to manage our own PARKER: There were some things unique about this knowledge. Knowledge management, I think, is some- event. … From a federal executive standpoint, this thing every large organization struggles with and most event — from having all the agencies work together to don’t understand it very well. At the operational end, it’s also focusing on the event itself — went better than it really just the things we need to know, at least good ever has. I think we are more optimally organized. I enough, and fast, to make better informed decisions to think some things that are common to these types of divvy up scarce resources, to make an operational effect. events are the pre-need relationships. Have you The things we do every day administratively could reached out to these people before? Have you practiced take away from that if we are not aligned with the idea these things before? Do you even know who these peo- that all that stuff we collect over time needs to come ple are that you are working with? together in that one moment of great need from our cit- I would say 90 percent of the relationships that we izens, where we have to pull all that effort together. needed for this event were already known and well That’s one of the things we continue to struggle with. practiced by our leaders at the various places — be it Another piece of this is you’re doing this as a home in New York, New Jersey, Virginia or in Miami. The game. You’re not going overseas to fight a war some- federal, state and local governments were also better where or assisting with relief in Haiti or another neigh- prepared for this type of particular event, and there is boring country, but you are trying to respond to this no replacement for ground truth where you can go out event at home while also trying to take care of your own and see the event for yourself. I think that helped family. That just makes for a complex operation. I am so quicken some responses from these governments. proud of the way our folks responded. From us, I think it was a good response. I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Integrated Intel Marines focus on coordinated approach to provide ‘knowledge at the point of action’

By OTTO KREISHER, Special Correspondent

Forces (MEFs), to the deployed Building an Enterprise Ma rine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs). The Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance It seeks to tightly link all the ele- Enterprise construct consists of three “nodes,” explains Lt. Col. ments of intelligence collection, from William McClane, deputy director for Intelligence, Plans and Policy. reconnaissance Marines and Marine I The Fixed Site Node is the Corps’ “injection point to the nation- Special Operations Command al intelligence community” as well as the “data-sharing repository (MARSOC) teams prowling hostile for all of our intelligence resources.” terrain to the sophisticated spy satel- lites of the national agencies. I In the Garrison Node, at three Marine Expeditionary Force Directed by Brig. Gen. Vincent (MEF) Intelligence Centers, “we have intelligence Marines working Stewart, director of Marine Corps full time to support the MEF commanders’ intelligence priorities.” Intelligence, the new initiative was I The Expeditionary Node includes the Marine intelligence re- reflected in the Force Structure sources with deployed Marine Air-Ground Task Forces “that are Review released in 2011, that called supporting Navy-Marine Corps operations at sea and in the lit- for: “Reorganizing intelligence col- toral areas.” lection and exploitation capabilities to enhance readiness by directly link- ing deployed forces, garrison support and the intelligence community.” ith more than a decade of ground combat in And it was restated last spring when the Marine Corps Iraq and Afghanistan moving toward an commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, told Congress the W end, the Marine Corps is reshaping its intel- planned reduction in force structure “accounted for the ligence operations to prepare for the uncertain security addition of enabling assets” that included the intelligence challenges of the future, and the renewed focus on the Marines and special operators “necessary to meet the Asia-Pacific region and expeditionary operations. demands of the battlefields of today and tomorrow.” The drive to provide more tactically focused intelli- McClane said the changes in the intelligence enter- gence for the warfighters, and to better coordinate the prise resulted from “a lot of lessons learned” during the collection, analysis and dissemination of information years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. That impetus within the Corps and with its joint and coalition part- was strengthened by the strategic rebalancing to the ners, is being conducted under a comprehensive struc- Pacific and the “return to our maritime roots,” he said. ture called the Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance “As we return to our Navy roots, our expeditionary and Reconnaissance Enterprise (MCISRE). roots, in these new security environments, we’re going The ultimate objective of the effort is to provide to have to link closely with the Navy ISR enterprise as “knowledge at the point of action,” said Lt. Col. William well. That is one of our goals in the Marine Corps McClane, deputy director for Intelligence, Plans and Intelligence Department.” Policy at Marine Corps headquarters. With MCISRE, “we’ve created a framework for build- To reach that objective, the enterprise relies on three ing superior battlefield intelligence that provides knowl- levels of ISR operations that run from the intelligence edge at the point of action,” McClane said. “That is one headquarters, through the three Marine Expeditionary thing we’ve learned over the last 10 years — knowledge

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE

processing, exploitation, analysis and collaboration capability for the Corps and share it with the Navy and other services; and Intelligence Dissemination and Utilization. That last pillar controls what is done with the collected information. “It has to be tailored to support the MAGTF commander’s, the afloat commander’s, intelligence priorities, get them the information they need to provide knowledge at the point of action,” McClane said. Tailoring the intelligence to be collected is a key step in avoiding a growing problem in ISR — a flood of imagery and information that can overwhelm the analysts and delay dissemination of crucial data to the warfighters. U.S. MARINE CORPS McClane said MCISRE aims to A Marine with Production and Analysis Support Company, 2nd Intelligence Battalion, avoid that by requiring the intelli- II Marine Expeditionary Force, calls over the radio after sighting a possible home- gence elements “to closely inte- made explosives lab during the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Lane at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 8. The training was intended to provide grate” their collection efforts with intelligence analysts with a better sense of perspective and understanding while the planned operations. interpreting raw intelligence information in preparation for an upcoming deployment. “We have to be embedded with our operational counterparts to at the point of action is critical. Not just information, understand what the priorities are so you’re not just but knowledge. collecting everything, but you’re collecting based on “We want to incorporate that as we go forward into the operational priorities,” he said. “So that Ops-Intel the rebalance efforts to the Pacific and also in collabo- integration is a critical facet of the MCISRE, and one ration with our Navy partners,” he said. which we train to, that we resource for.” The MCISRE construct consists of three “nodes” To aid that, intelligence personnel attend the Marine that are supported by three “pillars,” McClane said. Corps Tactics and Operations Group at Twentynine There is a Fixed Site Node, at Marine Corps Palms, Calif., to give them the same training as future Intelligence Activity, Quantico, Va., which is the Corps’ battalion operations officers. “injection point to the national intelligence communi- Another initiative to improve the flow of actionable ty.” It also is the “data-sharing repository for all of our information to the operational units is the addition of intelligence resources,” he said. intelligence cells for infantry companies. Next is the Garrison Node, “which is a recent develop- “That’s a new capability,” said Edward Warford, ment,” McClane said. At those three MEF Intelligence McClane’s operations officer. “The company com- Centers, “we have intelligence Marines working full time manders have identified the need for that capability, at to support the MEF commanders’ intelligence priorities.” the company level.” They also provide an intelligence reach-back mecha- One of the MCISRE objectives “is to embed intelli- nism for the deployed MAGTFs, whether in Afghanistan gence right down to the company level, that is where or aboard Navy amphibious shipping, he said. the point of action is going to be,” said Warford, a The third level is the Expeditionary Node, which is retired Navy officer. the Marine intelligence resources with deployed Those intelligence cells are part of the “Enhanced MAGTFs “that are supporting Navy-Marine Corps Company Operations” initiative that has been tested operations at sea and in the littoral areas,” he said. by the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. The three pillars, which McClane said were “critical to To enhance the collection of intelligence, MCISRE the MCISRE,” are: Persistent ISR, from Marine, Navy and officials are working with Lt. Gen. Robert Schmidle, national resources; the Distributed Common Ground the deputy commandant for aviation, on prioritizing System Marine Corps (DCGS MC), which will provide the development of airborne ISR capabilities, McClane

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“We have a draft ISR plan that goes up to 2018,” McClane said. The effort requires additional training and new systems. “DCGS MC, for example, is a concept that we had to procure, to provide training for and resources for, that are going to be interoperable with DCGS Navy,” McClane said. It currently is undergoing a field users’ evaluation with III MEF that “we’re following very closely,” he said. As for equipment and systems, “it’s synergistic. So you’re talking computers, information technolo- gy, intel software, intel communi- cations — we have to get that data from point A to point B,” he added. U.S. MARINE CORPS A Marine Corps study in 2012 Staff Sgt. Gerhard Tauss launches an unmanned aerial vehicle prior to conduct- found that the communications ing operations in the scouted area in Nahr-e Saraj, Afghanistan, June 20. Tauss is the platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Mobility Assault Company, 1st Combat equipment for amphibious opera- Engineer Battalion, and operated in support of Operation Jaws as part of a tions on the Navy amphibs is outdat- route-clearance effort. ed and restricts command and con- trol at long range and on the move. said. That includes unmanned air systems and the “That’s certainly being looked at our level,” includ- nontraditional ISR that strike-fighter pilots collect ing through “a number of groups working with the with their targeting pods, he noted. Navy N2N6,” McClane said, referring to the Navy They also are drawing on all forms of ground ISR Information Dominance and Intelligence office. capabilities, including the scout-sniper teams, reconnais- “One of Gen. Stewart’s priorities for MCISRE is the sance Marines, MARSOC units — which include special development of a Navy-Marine Corps combined mar- intelligence as one of their core capabilities — and the itime communications plan” to address some of those tactical signals intelligence (SIGINT) support teams. issues, he said. SIGINT units have had to “dramatically transform The goal, Warford said, is to “have better interoper- the way we conduct intelligence operations because of ability with the Navy,” so the systems can easily talk to the new threat,” McClane said. That threat includes each other and the Marine Corps systems can “plug irregular forces that may communicate with cell and play” with Navy systems when they come aboard phones instead of sophisticated radios, and “non-state ships, “so they can obtain situational awareness.” actors that have state-like capabilities, with a ready The Marines who operate in MCISRE are trained at access to technology. facilities such as the Navy-Marine Corps Intelligence “As a learning organization, we’ve had to adapt our Training Center, Dam Neck, Va.; the Defense Language own training, our resourcing, to meet that challenge. Institute at Monterey, Calif.; Corey Station at So we are attacking enemy capabilities with new tech- Pensacola, Fla.; and Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. nologies and new methods of employment,” he said. McClane said the ISR enterprise has about 10,000 MCISRE relies extensively on the capabilities of the Marines and civilians, which include support person- national ISR systems, through a process called National nel in addition to the intelligence operators. Tactical Intelligence Integration, that puts Marine intel- Despite the Corps’ requirement to cut at least ligence analysts and operators at the national agencies, 20,000 Marines, McClane said, MCISRE “remains McClane said. largely intact, from every indication I’ve seen. That enables the deployed MAGTFs to reach back “We will need that in an increasing era of uncertain- to the national agencies “and receive tailored support ty in security challenges,” he said. “You’re going to based on their priorities,” he said. need those intelligence resources to provide that infor- The enterprise initiative has been under way for at mation to our deployed commanders for knowledge at least three years, but still is evolving. the point of action.” I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Drone Shift Marines believe years spent in Iraq, Afghanistan have prepared unmanned aircraft squadrons for Asia-Pacific challenges

By DANIEL P. TAYLOR, Special Correspondent

dreds of thousands of ISR [intelli- Family of Systems gence, surveillance and reconnais- sance] support hours, and, with The Marine Corps has a family of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) at those lessons learned, we were able its disposal for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance purposes. to craft a solution, a program of I First are the small UASs, a role primarily filled by the hand- record that is uniquely suited to launched RQ-11 Raven, along with the Wasp and PUMA. the needs of the Marine Corps, and that is the RQ-21A.” I The ScanEagle fills the small tactical UAS role. It eventually will The RQ-21A, or Small Tactical be replaced by the RQ-21A. UAS (STUAS), is a version of the I Finally, there is the RQ-7B Shadow, which fills the Marine Corps Insitu Integrator drone that eventu- Tactical UAS role. ally will replace the Insitu ScanEagle. The Marines have been contracting with Insitu to provide ISR services, and the service has been pushing for ost would be hard pressed to find similari- a UAS to call its own — hence STUAS, which will have a ties between the arid climate of Iraq and heavy presence with Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) M Afghanistan and the salty seas of the western in the near future [see story on page 24]. Pacific, but the Marine Corps sees the former as a The RQ-21A will provide Marines with options due training ground for the latter — particularly in the area to its ability to host many payloads. of unmanned systems. “One of the lessons that we’ve learned is we like to Although the Marine Corps’ return to its amphibi- provide as many options as possible,” Shand said. “We ous roots represents a marked departure from the ser- don’t want to be limited by platform, by the distribu- vice’s role on the ground for more than a decade as tion system or by the available payloads.” what some had termed a second land force, one Marine But that does not mean other types of UASs will fall official argues those years have actually prepared the by the wayside. The Marine Corps has a family of sys- service for the shift to the Pacific, at least in terms of tems ranging from small UASs to larger ones. First are unmanned aircraft. the small UASs, a role filled by the RQ-11 Raven, a Maj. Michael Shand, Marine Corps requirements hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle, providing officer for unmanned aerial systems, said the service troops on the ground with a bit of short-range ISR abil- has been fine-tuning its skill with unmanned aircraft as ity. The service also uses Wasp and PUMA small UASs, the years have passed, whether it be the RQ-7 Shadow, but the Raven is the primary vehicle. the ScanEagle or a host of other smaller unmanned aer- The ScanEagle UAS — and eventually the RQ-21A ial systems (UASs) used for a variety of missions. STUAS — fills the small tactical UAS role. As Marines return to the decks of amphibious ships Finally, there is the Marine Corps Tactical UAS role, and begin to operate more in the maritime domain, which is filled by the RQ-7B Shadow. The Marines plan they will be ready for a rapidly changing UAS world, to develop a new platform to replace the Shadow in the Shand said. future. “We gleaned a lot of experience from our efforts in One thing the Marines have gotten better at over the Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said. “We’ve logged hun- years is connecting the UASs together so they act like

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Emory Wanger, far right, an Insitu Group contractor, launches a ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle from the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall Oct. 25. Gunston Hall and the embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group that was deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility.

a family of systems rather than individual tools. The those ships, learning lessons along the way that can be Marines continue to work at better connecting with applied to future unmanned programs, Shand said. other services as well, Shand said. But the move will not be without its challenges. “We try to integrate with other services as best we Even though the service has the necessary assets, it can,” he said. “Across the portfolio of systems, we do must correctly digest and disseminate the information the best we can to leverage investments other services those assets collect, Shand noted. have made in order to find efficiency moving forward.” “We’re trying to focus our efforts on ensuring that the Philip Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at platforms we have meet our unique and specific needs the Teal Group, Fairfax, Va., said the Marines will seek here in the Marine Corps, and so that means ensuring we more robust systems due to the change in environment understand what information requirements we have in from Afghanistan to the vastly different maritime the Marine Corps, what systems we need to use to dis- domain of the Pacific. tribute that information around and how we can best “Generally, as the military shifts more toward a plug into the Marine Corps ISR Enterprise,” he said. Pacific strategy, they need to look at more survivable One difficulty is figuring out how to sort through systems,” he said. the reams of data unmanned systems collect each day Even though the Corps’ unmanned systems have to find the tiny bit of relevant information or few sec- spent much of their time in Afghanistan, that does not onds of critical video that troops need to counter mean the service is ill-prepared to use those assets in enemy threats. Southeast Asia, Finnegan said. “Within the ISR enterprise there are a lot of different “Obviously, they have applicability,” he said. lessons that we learned,” Shand said. “One of the “STUAS makes a lot of sense. It’s the next generation of things we’re looking at is a tactical operations center ScanEagle. It obviously provides better payloads, so it that will allow the VMU [Marine UAV squadron] to act makes sense.” appropriately, not only as a PED [processing exploita- It’s not as if the Marines have been operating solely in tion and dissemination] solution, but also to fill the Afghanistan and Iraq. There have been plenty of Marine appropriate command and control functions as neces- Expeditionary Unit deployments since then, and the sary and be digitally interoperable with the rest of the service has been able to test its UAS abilities aboard MAGTF [Marine Air-Ground Task Force].” I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Unmanned & Expeditionary As Marines return to amphibs, the service hopes to bring STUAS aboard

By DANIEL P. TAYLOR, Special Correspondent

A key attribute of the RQ-21A, a A System of Its Own modified version of the Insitu Integrator drone, will be its flexibility, With the RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System said Col. Jim Rector, program man- (STUAS), the Marine Corps is looking forward to not having to ager for the Navy and Marine Corps rely on contracting out intelligence, surveillance and reconnais- STUAS program office. The aircraft sance (ISR) services to companies. will be able to take on all sorts of dif- I Contractor-owned and contractor-operated UASs can only be ferent payloads, from signals intelli- taken into certain areas, thus limiting troops. gence to small radars to whatever else a Marine might want to put on it. I STUAS will be expeditionary, allowing the Marines to tow a sys- “The No. 1 attribute of this UAS, tem behind a Humvee for land-based missions. and why we’re getting it, is the pay- I The focus will be on Marine Expeditionary Units, so the Marines load bay,” Rector said. “That payload plan to begin phasing out ISR services contracts aboard amphibi- bay allows us to take other sensors ous ships. and seamlessly and very quickly inte- grate them into this UAS because of the open architecture that exists. There are probably about 100 pay- s the Marines look to put more boots on loads that we’re tracking that [companies] are targeting for amphib decks in the coming years after more our system that we’re not having to develop ourselves.” A than a decade spent on the ground in The primary user of STUAS will be Marine Afghanistan, perhaps nothing better exemplifies what Expeditionary Units (MEUs), which will play a big role in the service aspires to be as it looks toward the future the Defense Department’s shift to the Asia-Pacific region. than the unmanned aircraft it now is developing. The program just finished up developmental testing Marine Corps leaders often viewed the wars in Iraq as well as a land-based operational assessment at Naval and Afghanistan as a distraction — albeit a necessary Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif. The next step one — from the service’s primary role as the nation’s is to get the system aboard a ship and finalize develop- amphibious force. And as the Marines return to the mental testing. maritime domain, the service is in the midst of a full- The program plans to do that work aboard the San fledged effort for an unmanned aircraft built just for Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS them and well suited for such an environment: the Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and already has made a perma- RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System nent installation on the ship. If all goes well, STUAS (STUAS). will be aboard the vessel in February, just before a In the years since heading to Iraq and Afghanistan, Milestone C production decision. the Marines have had to rely on intelligence, surveil- “It’s going aboard an LPD, so that is the primary L- lance and reconnaissance (ISR) services contracts with class ship that we targeted for ship installs,” Rector said. Boeing subsidiary Insitu to operate ScanEagle UASs, a “That doesn’t take up a whole lot of space to do that.” less-than-ideal situation. Soon, however, the Marines Basically, the ground system includes the ground will have a true ISR platform to call their own, and just control station, monitors for the crew and not much in time for its move to the Pacific. else, Rector said.

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE INSITU

The RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System is designed to provide mission flexibility to its primary users — Marine Expedi tionary Units — at a time when the Marine Corps’ focus is shifting from land operations back to the maritime domain.

“The larger footprint … is the logistics and mainte- tional capability (IOC) later this year, the service will nance spaces,” he said. “We’ve got that identified. It’s not have a full complement of them for a few years. not an issue on LPD. Five air vehicles come with the “I think it’s going to be a little while until we can get system, and then we’ve got the launcher.” to an IOC and get to full-rate production and get these Unlike the ScanEagle launcher systems that come STUAS systems out there for the land-based services before it, this launcher is moveable and can be stowed that we do,” Rector said. when not in use. Ryan Hartman, Insitu’s senior vice But the focus will be on MEUs rather than land- president of Integrator programs, said the launcher is based systems, and the Marines plan to phase out ISR only slightly larger than that of a ScanEagle, as is the services contracts soon aboard amphibious ships. Skyhook system that catches the unmanned aircraft In the meantime, Insitu continues to develop the when it returns. Integrator as the international market begins to open “Both were designed to be integrated onto an LPD up for these types of assets, Hartman said. platform or ship, and that integration activity has “We’ll continue to maintain the Integrator platform taken place,” Hartman said. for some of our other customers, mostly on the inter- Insitu beat out three other companies for the STUAS national market — those non-FMS [Foreign Military contract with its Integrator drone in summer 2010. Sales] customers — and for potential commercial The company received a $43.7 million award for engi- applications as well,” he said. neering and manufacturing development. He declined to list the names of potential interna- The Marines are looking forward to not having tional customers, saying only that there is a customer to rely on contracting out ISR services to companies. in the Middle East. He added that Insitu’s primary Because such systems are contractor owned and focus remains on the development of RQ-21A. contractor operated, troops can only take the aircraft However, the company hopes for an expansion in into certain areas. interest worldwide once STUAS proves its worth. Also, STUAS will be expeditionary, allowing the Marines “We absolutely do [see potential demand],” he said. to tow a system behind a Humvee for land-based missions, “We’re starting to see some increase demand in the Pacific. and with a MEU it can be deployed to land quickly. We’re responding to that demand, but I believe a lot of the However, it may be a little while before the service customers are waiting for the completion of the STUAS can divest itself fully of such services contracts. program where we’ll be partnering with PMA-263 [the Although STUAS is scheduled to reach initial opera- STUAS program office] to increase the FMS pipeline.” I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Mission Critical Unmanned platforms prove their ISR worth at sea and ashore

By NICK ADDE, Special Correspondent

point where they are cheaper to Domain Awareness deploy and operate. Shortly after Klakring complet- Warfighters today increasingly rely on unmanned aerial vehicles ed the record-setting Fire Scout (UAVs) for information critical to situational awareness and, ulti- deployment, the officers responsi- mately, mission success. ble for overseeing the mission dis- I The MQ-8B unmanned helicopter on Dec. 1 finished a success- cussed accomplishments and les- ful five-month deployment aboard USS Klakring. sons learned at a Dec. 4 telephone media roundtable. I With four Fire Scouts onboard, Klakring’s crew was able to sus- “This was the first platform to tain 12-hour, half-orbit ISR coverage almost indefinitely. ever exercise dual air vehicles in an I In Afghanistan, ISR-capable UAVs have been providing ground operational environment, not land- surveillance to forward operating bases steadily since 2009. based or during training,” said Cmdr. Darrell Canady, Klakring’s commanding officer. With four Fire Scouts onboard, round troops are increasingly asking for and Klakring’s crew was able to sustain 12-hour, half-orbit reaping the benefits of good intelligence, sur- ISR coverage almost indefinitely, Canady said. One G veillance and reconnaissance (ISR). The abil- day, they demonstrated a 24-hour surge capability ity to know what adversaries and obstacles may lie without incident. ahead, with little risk, is producing tangible results in The mission presented its share of challenges. Air mission success and lives saved. and ground crews familiar with the manned H-60 Given those results, officials at Naval Air Systems Seahawk helicopters had little or no experience with Command (NAVAIR) are continuing to pursue Fire Scout, and had to learn quickly. enhancements of the airborne ISR systems that have “It was gratifying,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jay Lambert, the become so critical to mission success. helicopter detachment’s officer in charge. “With the H- At sea, the Naval Station Mayport, Fla.-based frigate 60, we had a significant amount of corporate knowl- USS Klakring recently completed a record-setting deploy- edge. We didn’t have that with Fire Scout.” ment to provide ISR support to U.S. combatant com- Technicians from Northrop Grumman Corp., which manders in Africa. During a five-month cruise that began introduced Fire Scout in 2006, assisted greatly, June 29 and ended Dec. 1, Klakring and its tenant unit, Lambert said. Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (Light) 42, logged “For the actual Navy guys on deck, the workups … more than 500 uninterrupted flight hours of ISR presence for the first few days were really painful,” Lambert said. with four MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopters. Within three or four months, however, the crews Under a program operated by the Naval Air Warfare were able to provide the 12-hour station coverage. A Center, Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) in Patuxent River, typical day involved spending 17 hours on each air- Md., ISR-capable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have craft. Teamwork got to the point where it was very been providing ground surveillance to forward operating fluid, Lambert said. During one 38-hour stretch, crews bases (FOBs) in Afghanistan steadily since 2009. The use conducted 20 different operations that involved land- of these land-based systems has evolved steadily to the ing and taking off in a surge capacity.

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE

normally assigned to H-60 mis- sions. “If you did have a crash on the flight deck, you don’t need … peo- ple to rescue the pilot,” Lambert said. The lessons-learned aspects of the mission came down to what Lambert called “the art of managing the flight deck, and maintenance of the four aircraft you have onboard.” A key difficulty that arose — one that ultimately may not have a reso- lution — centered upon providing uninterrupted service to units. “When do you hold and when do you fold, in terms of clearing the deck of one aircraft to recover another and refuel it?” Lambert said. “Or, pulling one of them off station if things get delayed. That’s the hard part that never goes away. You have to get used to it. You can’t U.S. NAVY really practice it.” MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles have logged more than 2,500 The milestone deployment was hours of providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to troops, including more than 500 hours during a recent five-month cruise aboard HSL-42’s third of its kind since the frigate USS Klakring. The Fire Scout shown here successfully completed 2008. Fire Scouts to date have the first unmanned biofuel flight at Webster Field, Md., in September 2011. logged more than 2,500 hours of providing ISR support to troops, Besides end-users who requested the ISR support, the according to NAVAIR, which now is assessing lessons Fire Scouts’ raw feeds were transmitted simultaneously to learned from the mission. Klakring’s combat information center bridge and the com- “The intent is to continue to deploy [Fire Scouts] on manding officer’s cabin. Because Klakring’s mission did frigates with configurations of up to four vehicles,” not involve response to an urgent need, the data was not said Capt. Patrick Smith, the Fire Scout program man- linked to the ship’s weapons systems. Rather, decisions ager. “We’re also looking at DDGs [guided-missile relating to combat response were left up to end-users. destroyers] as an option for Fire Scout deployment, “It was interesting to see that happen so quickly,” most likely after 2014.” Lambert said. The aircraft could someday be deployed from A typical day involved spending 12-hour days on Littoral Combat Ships, depending upon mission station, operating two of the four aircraft. While one requirements and vessel configurations, Smith said. flew, the other served as a ready spare. Even though Meanwhile, NAWC-AD continues to develop persistent Fire Scouts are considerably smaller than the H-60, ground surveillance systems (PGSSs) to support requests Lambert and his charges found that their workload did from FOBs in Afghanistan, in support of Operation not diminish accordingly. Assuming otherwise, he Enduring Freedom. said, is comparable to believing that “a newborn baby The mission began in earnest in 2009, when NAVAIR requires less care and feeding than a 7-year-old.” received special urgent requests from the combat theater “We actually ended up ‘plussing up’ our deck by to provide surveillance and force protection to medium several maintainers,” Lambert said. “It was a lot harder and small FOBs, said Chyau Shen, aircraft division’s work for the electronics technicians than some other deputy director of special surveillance programs. ratings in the Navy.” Deployable via ground tether by land or water, these In terms of the total number of people needed on unmanned aerostats operate at altitudes ranging from the flight deck, however, Fire Scout proved more effi- 2,000 feet to between 7,000 and 8,000 feet, depending cient. Because there were no pilots involved, flight- upon the level of the ground from which they are deck operations crews were about half the size of those launched and the payloads they carry. Two contractors

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE U.S. NAVY

A Persistent Ground Surveillance System (PGSS) aerostat undergoes predeployment testing at a U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) training facility in Yuma, Ariz., May 25, 2011. Developed by NAVAIR’s special surveillance program, the PGSS deploys in theater with Reserve component and contractor personnel to provide force protection for forward operating bases in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.

build many of the aircraft — Tcom Corp., Elizabeth Whenever combat patrols walk past a PGSS opera- City, N.C., and Raven Aerostar, a division of Aerostar tor, Shen said, “They come in and thank them for International of Rapid City, S.D., Shen said. Once aloft, detecting IEDs [improvised explosive devices] before they provide surveillance sensors that include full- convoys get there. They’ve saved lives. It’s very appar- motion video and sensing imagery, connected to ent they need these systems.” ground stations by fiber optic tethers. Shen credits Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. “Before the PGSSs were there, small to medium Carter for backing the program when the urgent FOBs had to depend upon UAVs, which they had to request first reached the Pentagon nearly four years request from assets in theater,” Shen said. ago. It was Carter, Shen said, who played a key role in Fixed-wing UAVs proved to be expensive, limited by starting the joint concept technology demonstration, the amount of fuel they can carry, and complex to oper- with NAVAIR and Army G2 (intelligence). ate and control, Shen said. Aerostats are cheaper, simpler As U.S. forces begin withdrawing from Afghanistan to use, can stay on station for longer periods of time, and under policy outlined by President Barack Obama, are relatively resilient. When they are taken down for Shen said, the Army will take over the aerostat pro- repairs, it is not uncommon to see the aerostats riddled gram sometime next year. with bullet holes. But because the differential pressure While fixed-wing UAVs have their limitations, Shen between an aerostat and its surrounding atmosphere is so said the Navy still continues forward with programs low, Shen said, they tend to remain aloft anyway and are that use the Tiger Shark tactical UAV, built by General hard to shoot down. Contractors operate them in theater Dynamics Corp. The aircraft can be configured to con- under formal business arrangements with NAVAIR. duct surveillance missions or carry weapons payloads, “At this point, we are in 59 operational sites in the- and have served in Operation Enduring Freedom ater, and have logged more than 600,000 combat flight since 2006. hours,” Shen said. Tiger Shark completed tests last April at Yuma This is a considerable leap, Shen said, from the initial Proving Ground, Ariz., which involved a joint payload order to deliver four systems in theater. That order quick- of surveillance gear and weapons systems. The future ly grew to 14, then doubled to 31 and now sits at 59. of the project, Shen said, hinges upon funding. I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Year of the Triton High-altitude, high-endurance UAV for the Navy will begin flight tests this year

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

The installation of full missions Envelope Expansion systems will be balanced between the demands of the flight test pro- The first flights of the first of two developmental high-altitude, gram, the system integration labs high-endurance MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and planned maintenance. To are expected early this year. enable this flexibility, the program I Fabrication of the first production MQ-4C is under way. possesses appropriate mass simula- tors for various missions systems. I One squadron on each coast will support orbits for the num- Integration of the full mission sys- bered fleet commanders. tems suite will be tested prior to I Northrop Grumman is building its own at-sea surveillance UAV completion of the test program. for Triton system development. “The MQ-4C Triton will conduct initial envelope expansion testing in Palmdale, Calif., and utilize Edwards [Air Force Base] airspace,” Hoke his is slated to be a momentous year for the said. “As with all dynamic test programs, test data, pro- U.S. Navy’s maritime patrol community with gram resources and other external factors like weather T the first deployment of the P-8A Poseidon air- and ranges will drive the transition time from Palmdale to craft and the first flight of the MQ-4C Triton high- [Naval Air Station] Patuxent River, [Md.].” altitude, high-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle “The current plan is to fly the initial five-to-eight (UAV). The two aircraft are designed to complement envelope expansion flights before ferrying to Pax each other to give the Navy a high degree of maritime River,” Enewold said. domain awareness. Some of the mission systems for the Triton already The Northrop Grumman Triton is expected to make are flying. Northrop Grumman is using a Gulfstream II its first flight early in 2013. The first of two System aircraft to carry the sensors for their testing and inte- Development and Demonstration (SDD) aircraft has gration. As of early January, 16 surrogate flights had been going through system checks on the ground since been conducted on the Gulfstream II for the ZPY-3 its roll-out last summer. Multifunction Active System, the Triton’s radar. The The two developmental aircraft are not identical and sensor systems, including electro-optical/infrared cam- are planned for different tests, according to Capt. Jim eras, electronic surveillance measures and the Hoke, the Navy’s Triton program manager. The first Automatic Identification System, will be flown on aircraft, SDD-1, is highly instrumented with “orange SDD-2, which will fly following the initial envelope wire” and will be used for airworthiness testing. The expansion flights of SDD-1. second aircraft, SDD-2, primarily will be used for sen- Northrop Grumman has started building its first sor testing. production-representative aircraft at its facilities in “Both aircraft are capable of carrying full mission sys- Moss Point, Miss. The UAV is scheduled to be deliv- tems,” said Steve Enewold, vice president and program ered next year to support Initial Operation Test and manager for the Northrop Grumman Triton UAS Program. Evaluation. “The Navy procured two sets of mission systems The MQ-4C and the Air Force’s RQ-4B Global Hawk [and spares],” Hoke said. “share 367 common parts, and we’ve created an inte-

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE

grated production and operations team to work closely together through build, test and delivery,” Enewold said. “The result allows us to develop more efficient sched- ules while driving costs lower for all of our customers.” Northrop Grumman works to keep costs down by managing the Global Hawk, Triton and NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance pro- grams “as a single enterprise that allows us to use the expertise we have across all of these programs to deliver products more efficiently,” Enewold said. “Since developing Global Hawk in the 1990s, we’ve been able to improve processes and identify ways to increase perform-

ance that not only increases capa- NORTHROP GRUMMAN bilities for systems like Triton, but The Navy’s first MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, high-endurance unmanned aerial also ensures that they have longer vehicle was unveiled in June in Palmdale, Calif., where it has been going through service life and require less people system checks on the ground. It will begin flight testing early this year. to maintain.” Enewold said a number of countries are interested in Fla., and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., Triton’s capabilities. He mentioned Australia, noting its with each site a homeport for an unmanned patrol need to “conduct surveillance operations of the 8 mil- squadron (VUP). lion square kilometers of ocean around their borders.” “Jacksonville’s squadron, VUP-19, will be responsi- According to Hoke, the major challenges to the ble for Fourth, Fifth Fleet and Sixth Fleet orbits,” Hoke Triton program include execution of the test and eval- said. “Whidbey Island’s squadron, VUP-11, will be uation phase; demonstration of system maturity to responsible for Third Fleet and Seventh Fleet orbits. support entry into the production phase; and demon- “[Forward Operating Bases (FOBs)] will be forward stration that the system performance and the support located with the air vehicles in the Fifth, Sixth and posture meet fleet needs. Seventh fleets,” he said. “The FOBs will be responsible “We share a similar perspective with the Navy in for launch and recovery of the air vehicles, while the this regard,” Enewold said. “Our focus remains on sys- MOBs will control the aircraft when on station.” tem performance from first flight through operational In another development, Northrop Grumman has test and evaluation.” announced that it is building a company-funded and Hoke said the current total estimate for the Triton -owned UAV for use as a “development and demon- SDD phase of the program is $3.2 billion. The cost of stration platform for at-sea surveillance under the U.S. the production of 68 aircraft is estimated at $10.1 bil- Navy’s MQ-4C Triton program,” spokesman Warren lion. Although less than 30 MQ-4Cs will be in service Comer said in a Jan. 8 release. at any one time when the system reaches full opera- The UAV, being built at Palmdale, “will be outfitted tional capability, the production run will be able to sus- with the same intelligence-gathering sensors and commu- tain the orbits as the service lives of the aircraft expire nications suite as the Navy’s Triton program,” Comer said. over time. “The aircraft will initially be used to further testing The Navy has settled on a basing plan for the efforts for the Navy as we prepare Triton to be operational Triton. One orbit — defined as one continuously air- in late 2015,” Enewold said in the release. “Eventually, we borne presence of a Triton — will be allocated to each will use the aircraft as a test bed to improve system per- of the Navy’s five numbered fleet commands, with the formance, incorporate new intelligence-gathering capa- exception of U.S. Tenth Fleet, Fleet Cyber Command. bilities and conduct demonstrations. Five MQ-4Cs will be required to sustain each orbit. “We’ve proven that company-owned systems allow Main Operating Bases (MOBs) will be established at us to reduce risk in testing efforts and deliver capabil- maritime patrol sites at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, ities faster to our customers,” he said. I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Flexible Response Unmanned system’s water landing capability expands operational utility

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

below zero Fahrenheit and in rain of Portable Surveillance one-quarter inch per hour. The UAV is hand-launched and recovered The AeroVironment PUMA AE gives operating forces an all- either autonomously or manually via weather, water-recoverable unmanned aerial system for rapid- a deep stall, Rector said. response surveillance. “All of our small unmanned air- I The RQ-20 recently was deployed by the Marine Corps and is craft systems are designed to land used by Navy Riverine forces. on the ground,” said Steve Gitlin, a spokesman for AeroVironment. I The hand-launched, waterproof UAV can land on water and be “They’re modular aircraft designed quickly sent aloft again. to absorb the energy of impact by I No heavy launch and recovery systems are needed. disassembling themselves. They’re transported unassembled, they’re assembled on the ground and launched by hand. They land using ot being a program of record, the RQ-20A a vertical landing technique that allows them to be surveillance unmanned aerial system (UAS) operated from a very small area, like a rooftop or a N has not attracted the attention garnered by clearing or even on a vehicle or boat. That vertical other UASs in naval service, but its capabilities have landing provides a great deal of flexibility with respect made it a staple of the Navy’s coastal Riverine forces, to where they can operate the system.” the Marine Corps and other armed services. After water landings, the PUMA AE “can float for The RQ-20’s ability to be recovered on the surface of quite some time and be picked up and rinsed off,” the water makes it operationally desirable in environ- Gitlin said. “We can change the battery out and send ments where other small unmanned aerial vehicles them right back out again.” (UAVs) would be unusable or expendable. For maritime operations, including riverine, the The RQ-20A, built by AeroVironment of Monrovia, PUMA AE can be used to observe “craft approaching a Calif., and also known as the PUMA AE (Pointer Up- naval vessel when [the ship wants] to get a bird’s-eye graded Mission Ability — All Environment), is a ma- view of who’s on [it], what are they doing, friend or foe rinized development of the Pointer UAV that was first type of a thing,” Gitlin said. flown in 1986. “The PUMA can be unpacked and in the air in five “The PUMA AE is a lightweight, hand-launched, fully minutes or less. In addition to being able to land in sea waterproof UAS which provides over 120 minutes of water or fresh water, the PUMA’s operation does not autonomous airborne intelligence, surveillance and require any modification to the naval vessel. No reconnaissance (ISR) capability at line-of-sight ranges up launching devices [or] catching devices need to be to 15 kilometers,” said Marine Col. Jim Rector, the Navy attached. A user or operator simply launches it by and Marine Corps’ Small Tactical UAS program manager. hand and it can land either next to the ship or on a rel- The RQ-20A is carried aloft by a battery-powered push- atively small, flat area of the ship,” he said. er propeller. The UAV has a wing span of 9.2 feet and The PUMA AE carries an electro-optical (EO) cam- weighs 18 pounds. It can operate at a maximum altitude era and an infrared (IR) camera, as well as an IR illu- of 10,000 feet. It can operate in temperatures of 20 degrees minator. The sensors are modular and mechanically

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE

“The PUMA AE UAV is lightweight, portable and works very well in the marine environment, making it ideal for use in the Coastal Riverine Force,” said Cmdr. Pete Berning, branch head for Coastal Riverine and Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command Warfare Requirements at Navy Expeditionary Combat Com - mand (NECC) in Virginia Beach, Va. “The primary benefits of the PUMA AE UAV are its ability to land and be recovered from the water, and ability to be launched by hand. These features provide a significant amount of operational flexibility for Coastal Riverine Force small boat operators.” The PUMA AE first entered service in 2008 with U.S. Special Operations Command, satisfying the need for one small UAV suitable for all environments. The Army placed orders worth $20.4 million in March 2012, fol- lowed by a $2.4 million Air Force order and a $5.6 mil- lion Marine Corps the same month. A follow-on order for contractor logistics support for the Marine Corps U.K. ROYAL NAVY valued at $2.2 million was awarded in September. Senior Chief Engineman Bradley Williamson, left, and Engineman 1st Class Michael Lamb, both assigned to Delivery of all 13 systems for the Marine Corps took Riverine Squadron 2, Detachment 3, conduct preflight place in May, with all systems fielded operationally by checks on the PUMA AE (Pointer Upgraded Mission Ability June, including in support of Operation Enduring — All Environment) aircraft aboard the U.K. Royal Fleet Freedom in Afghanistan with combat engineer battal- Auxiliary amphibious landing dock vessel RFA Cardigan ions and combat logistics battalions. Bay Sept. 25 in the U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility as U.K. Royal Navy mine hunter HMS Shoreham operates Three air vehicles are fielded with each PUMA AE nearby. The U.S. Navy is testing PUMA AE for land and system, Rector said. The Marines use the PUMA AE shipboard operations. primarily for surveillance in support of route clearance and combat logistics patrols. and digitally stabilized gimbaled payloads. PUMA AE “PUMA supports these patrols by providing a rela- can be recovered in very tight areas using the tively long endurance airborne surveillance capability autonomous or manual deep-stall landing capability. to aid in the detection of improvised explosive devices “PUMA AE brings some unique capabilities to our (IEDs), IED materials and IED emplacement teams, operating forces,” Rector said. “As the largest Group 1 [and] monitor cleared areas to detect IED reseeding,’’ UAS, PUMA not only has the longest endurance of any he said. small UAS in our current portfolio, but it also possess- The RQ-20As operated by the Marines use a digital es adequate payload capacity to support future integra- data link. The PUMA AEs flown by the Navy’s expedi- tion of advanced payloads. tionary forces have operated an older analog system “The modular payload design enables alternative pay- “for a number of years,” Rector said. “However, the load development for specific applications,” Rector said. Navy will begin upgrading its systems to [digital] in The PUMA AE is controlled by the same ground the latter half of 2013.” control station (GCS) used to control the Marine “The PUMA AE UAV provides situational awareness Corps’ RQ-11B Raven and Wasp UAVs. for Coastal Riverine forces,” Berning said, noting that The GCS, which requires only one operator, “looks the system is used in the Persian Gulf. NECC operates like a large hand-held video game with a large color 12 PUMA AE systems. monitor in the middle of it and buttons on the side and AeroVironment declined to reveal the total number on the back,” Gitlin said. “You could set up GPS [Global of PUMA AE UAVs it has delivered, though more than Positioning System] way points either on the ground 1,000 had been delivered as of April, according to control system or the laptop computer that comes with Aviation International News’ AIN Online. it, or you can fly it manually or you can go back and Gitlin declined to reveal the unit cost of a PUMA forth between those modes. The operator doesn’t fly the AE, but noted that the smaller Raven “typically sells aircraft, [but] steers the camera and the onboard com- for between $100,000 and $200,000 to the govern- puter controls the aircraft to ensure that whatever you ment, [depending on] volume and payload. PUMA is a want to see is kept in the field of view.” bit more expensive than that.” I

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SPECIAL REPORT / INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISANCE Mission Possible Coast Guard works to save money by repurposing existing, emerging technologies for broader applications

By JOHN C. MARCARIO, Associate Editor

ers, intelligence, surveillance and Adapting Technology reconnaissance (C4ISR) branch. “Our work looks at actually trying The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) is to find and adapt existing capability looking to enhance and adapt current technologies that will have to enhance and significantly improve multipurpose, cost-effective uses with the service. operational effect,” he said, “at the I The RDC is working on technology that would provide the ser- same time we delve down into vice with highly accurate images of the subsurface areas around emerging and evolving technology so ports. that we can stay ahead of both the commercial and any DoD [Depart - I It also is working on an Optimizing Radar Electro-Optic Sensor ment of Defense] missions or intelli- that would create a sensor-based modeling and simulation capability. gence missions or law-enforcement I An imaging tool developed by the RDC was used last year to missions the Coast Guard has.” locate more than 7 tons of contraband inside a semi-submersible Part of that adaptation comes that was scuttled during an interdiction off of Honduras. with bringing technologies that are currently mature, and often used, and making them specific for Coast Guard use. An example is a project he Coast Guard Research and Development to put a miniature commercial, off-the-shelf closed-circuit Center (RDC) is working on a variety projects television camera on a Coast Guard small boat to record T — from complex, underwater imaging soft- missions and provide video or digital stills of drug or ware to the unique, polar-bear-proof sensor boxes migrant interdictions that could be used as a training tool along the Northern Slope in Alaska — to enhance and or during the criminal prosecution process. adapt technologies for multipurpose, cost-effective use McCready said the technology is not new, but its use by the service. by the Coast Guard is. The New London, Conn.-based RDC is tasked with To aid in the drug interdiction process, the RDC is developing more capable, interoperable assets and sys- working on a tracking project that would make spot- tems that support the service’s mission execution. As the ting contraband suspected smugglers try to dump off Coast Guard is nearly halfway through its $30-billion, vessels easier to locate. The portable, throwaway track- 25-year fleet modernization program, it will be looking er would use different types of technology and tracking to save money in the years ahead, especially as methods to allow the Coast Guard to continue pursu- Washington tries to rein in defense and homeland secu- ing a suspected smuggler instead of having to stay with rity budgets in an effort to trim the nation’s debt. the contraband. The technologies range from the That means the RDC will be looking at improving cur- Automatic Identification System (AIS) to a simple rent technologies, rather than developing new ones, and strobe light or a specific color dye that floats and stays making sure asset such as sensors have multiple uses. with the contraband, even if it sinks. “We are looking at how to adapt some emerging “It’s not new, it’s adapting and combining,” technologies to Coast Guard use and across all mis- McCready said. sions of the service,” said Jack McCready, chief of the One of the Coast Guard’s 11 core missions is pro- RDC’s command, control, communications, comput- tecting the U.S. maritime domain and the Marine

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Transportation System. The Washington-based Office of Counterterrorism & Defense Operations Policy is tasked with making sure — among other things — ports are not disrupted by terrorist attacks, sabotage, espionage or subversive acts. The RDC is working on a project to provide the service with highly accurate images of the subsurface areas around ports. The goal is to make it easier to detect potential bombs under the water in port areas or contraband dumped near a port that smugglers intend to return to later to pick up. McCready said his team is developing a tool that U.S. COAST GUARD combines high-frequency sonar systems with secondary Coast Guard personnel test a Research and Development Center prototype underwater imaging system aboard a small processing coupled with precise geo-locating capabili- boat on May 12. The system was placed with different ties to provide those images. The tool was used last year opera ting units in 2011 to assess its capability and perform- for a drug interdiction mission off the coast of Honduras ance under actual operational and environmental conditions. and allowed the service to locate more than 7 tons of contraband inside a scuttled semi-submersible. The RDC also is working on ways to strengthen cyber Underwater imaging also was used in 2011 to direct security by working with the intelligence community a fleet of vessels to where oil needed to be skimmed and Department of Defense (DoD). Although McCready during the massive cleanup effort that followed the said he could not comment on specific work that is being Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The done, he noted that, “We have major concerns about the Coast Guard hopes the tool can be used to monitor potential for cyber attack and our concern is in the mar- ports during major events that are held near water, itime critical infrastructure — we are looking at preven- such as Super Bowls or the Republican National tion, detection, awareness and counter exploration.” Convention that was held in Tampa, Fla., last fall. Another pressing issue for the Coast Guard is deter- The RDC also is working with imaging technologies mining what type of infrastructure is needed in the to provide the Coast Guard with precise — and timely Arctic. The service has spent the past five summers — images of suspected vessels of interest in real-time conducting operations in the region to determine just situations. The goal — as with the underwater tool — what is needed along the Northern Slope of Alaska. is to have something that is multipurpose and not just The Coast Guard does not have a year-round station used for law enforcement scenarios. in the Arctic. However, its five-year Arctic plan Elsewhere, the RDC is working on the Optimizing includes advancing the national discussion, strength- Radar Electro-Optic Sensor (OREOS) that would create ening and leveraging partnerships, enhancing Arctic a modeling and simulation capability as a cost-effective domain awareness and continuing to address the methodology to provide results for sensor performance, resources challenges and limitations. according to Judith Connelly, project manager with the The RDC is working to address the communication RDC’s C4ISR and special missions branch. issues that are associated with having sensors in the “This capability is new to the Coast Guard. We have region, where the climate is harsh, by considering leveraged some of the previous work from the Air everything from making equipment that will be able to Force and Navy. In particular, their sensor system relay accurate and timely information no matter the modeling works in the Advanced Refractive Effects weather to building a polar-bear-proof box to protect Prediction System and Target Acquisition Weapons those sensors. [Software],” Connelly said. “If it gets broken all the time, it won’t be cost-effective While building this technology, the service has to have something up there. These are the types of peeled away from the Air Force and Navy models any- things we are evaluating,” McCready said. thing that does not have to do with Coast Guard- Another cost-saving measure the RDC is looking at specific or -unique needs. is an alternate way for the service to track icebergs. The service used OREOS in June during an airborne- Currently, the service has an HC-130 Long Range and-surface performance test with multiple boats, sur- Surveillance Aircraft fly over and track them. face targets and aircraft in the vicinity of Dauphin Island, “We are seeing if it’s possible to use national or Ala. The goal of the test was to work with NATO scien- international satellites that can provide the same kind tific teams to gather weather and sensor data that would of accuracy at a much more cost-effective approach,” be used to enhance search-and-rescue procedures. McCready said. I

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THE FLEET The Simulated Approach For shipboard synthetic training, the opportunities are VAST

By EDWARD LUNDQUIST, Special Correspondent

the buoys triangulate the fall of From Necessity shot to determine accuracy. We then created a synthetic environ- Virtual At Sea Training (VAST), a simulated environment for naval gun- ment so it would appear to the fire support training and qualification, was developed in the absence crew on the ship that they were fir- of suitable sites for Navy ships to conduct live-fire exercises. ing at a land target, with a super- I VAST uses sonobuoys to create a field at sea that can locate imposed representation of the tar- the fall of live rounds fired from a ship and triangulate it to deter- get space, with structures, vehi- mine accuracy. A synthetic environment makes it appear to the cles,” Hawkins said. crew on the ship that they are firing at a land target. Like in an actual fires event, a spotter tells the gunnery team to I Because the buoy field is mobile, it can be deployed anywhere come 500 yards to the left, or that there is a safe operating area near the Eastern Seaboard. they’re 200 yards short, and they I The technologies developed for VAST have been modified and ad just. When they’ve moved in on improved with newer advanced technologies to provide training the target, they can then fire for capabilities for maritime helicopters, surface combatants and effect. maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft, among others. “For the ship, it’s basically the same experience as Vieques,” Hawkins said. Following extensive testing, hen the Vieques training area in Puerto Rico VAST was deployed early in 2004. Wclosed in 2001, the U.S. Navy was forced to find “VAST allows Navy ships to train and certify surface a facility for live-fire exercises. In the absence of other combatant guns and gunnery crews when a live gunnery suitable sites for the real thing at Vieques, the goal was range is not available or the vessel is unable to be on range to find a virtual solution to substitute for live naval due to scheduling conflicts,” said Glenn White, a mar- gunfire support (NGFS) training for deploying Atlantic itime synthetic training specialist for ONR supporting Fleet ships. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) was U.S. Pacific Fleet, where he has developed the live virtual asked to examine the problem. constructive training capability. Most science and technology (S&T) efforts cost mil- “It serves a dual purpose,” White said. “We can do lions of dollars and take years. But there was a limited both training and assessment.” budget and a sense of urgency since the next battle As live training faces more restrictions and limita- group to deploy would need to be certified for NGFS. tions, it also is becoming more expensive, White said. “We had less than six months and under $300,000,” “You don’t need everyone on the ship to get underway said Harold Hawkins, VAST program manager at ONR. to train the gunnery team,” he said. “Synthetic training is Out of that necessity came Virtual At Sea Training a supplement to actually getting underway or flying in (VAST), a simulated environment to support NGFS order to achieve and maintain readiness. … Synthetic training and qualification. training can be a substitute or supplement for many “We used sonobuoys placed in a circle pattern to kinds of live training, especially repeatable tasks for basic create a buoy field at sea that could locate the fall of and intermediate training. Advanced training is used to shot, of live rounds. The ship fires into the circle and validate readiness and should be done live.”

36 SEAPOWER / FEBRUARY 2013 WWW.SEAPOWERMAGAZINE.ORG SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:16 PM Page 37 U.S. NAVY

A 5-inch/54-caliber Mk45 lightweight gun is fired during a live-fire exercise aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Tr u x t u n Aug. 21, 2011, in the Arabian Gulf. As live training faces more restrictions and limitations, the Virtual At Sea Training system allows Navy ships to train and certify surface combatant guns and gunnery crews.

In a real fire-support mission, it is not uncommon “With VAST, we were able to employ spiral develop- for the target to be beyond the line of sight, on the ment, making it better, using it on another platform other side of terrain or obstructed from view. So the and even another warfare area,” said White. crew is firing at coordinates provided by a spotter. This same technology provided a virtual environ- With VAST, those coordinates are on virtual terrain. ment for ground forces to practice artillery fire in an But while it may be a simulation, there are real shells area where they might be expected to fight, or to try flying out of the barrel to the target. The operators still new or improved weapon systems. plot the target, talk with the spotter over the tactical “We extended VAST to Air ASW [anti-submarine war- circuit, and the gunners load and fire the guns in a very fare] VAST and then to ASW VAST,” Glass said. “We were real way. focusing on ASW training. Air ASW VAST allowed us to “We took an existing tool — the Joint Semi- do virtual ASW training with SH-60B and SH-60F helicop- Automated Forces [JSAF] — and integrated it into the ters. We then added a surface hull sonar model to enable ship’s live command and control onboard. It worked surface combatants to participate in the simulations.” well, and we’ve been using it ever since,” said Jonathan Once the model of the different underwater threats Glass, a project manager at the Naval Air Warfare was created, it was only natural to extend that to other Center Training Systems Division in Orlando, Fla. platforms. “Because the buoy field is mobile, it can be deployed According to White, the technologies developed for anywhere there is a safe operating area near the VAST have been modified and improved with newer Eastern Seaboard. We can set up exercise boxes, put advanced technologies to provide training capabilities out a set of buoys, make sure the range is clear and do for maritime helicopters (Multi-Mission Rehearsal our firing exercises. Then we recover the buoys to be Tactical Team Trainer), surface combatants (Effective used for the next exercise,” he said. Active Acoustic Simulation/Stimulation), maritime According to Glass, there is only one VAST system for patrol reconnaissance aircraft (P-3 Aircrew Tactical NGFS, and the buoys are not inexpensive. There has Team Trainer), and Sea Combat Commander Training been some investigation into disposable buoys that sink Capability (Virtual Carrier Platform and Bravo/Romeo after use, but that is not in the present program. Acoustics and Sensors Simulation).

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THE FLEET

White said this technology will be matured and advanced even further to develop additional synthetic train- ing capabilities in more warfare areas, to include Fast Attack Craft and Fast Inshore Attack Craft, ballis- tic missile defense and mine warfare. “We want to develop a fully capable live virtual/constructive training and mission rehearsal capability, as well as the ability to conduct training, assessment and certification,” he said. The model expanded from deep- water ASW to littoral threats like quiet diesel submarines on batteries. “We’re updating the model. As U.S. NAVY the threat changes we end up in dif- An SH-60F Seahawk helicopter assigned to the Nightdippers of Helicopter Anti- ferent environments,” Glass said. submarine Squadron 5 conducts flight operations in the U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of “We’re migrating to quieter targets.” Responsibility on Sept. 8. Virtual At Sea Training has been extended to allow for He said the improved model virtual anti-submarine warfare training with SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters. helps warfighters gain skills that are very hard to obtain in real conditions. exercise with any kind of weapon and any location, “A lot of our guys out there don’t have any contact without shooting or political ramifications. We can time. There is a need for that for proficiency and confi- simulate any environmental condition.” dence,” Glass said. Surface ships already were networked together with Underway time for ships and flight time for aircrews Battle Force Tactical Training, which is connected to is necessary to maintain proficiency, but costs money. the NCTE, for training together in port, so VAST was a “In a fiscally constrained environment, we have to plan natural fit. our steaming days and flying hours carefully,” Glass said. They can train with crews they will actually deploy In a distributed network, a helicopter crew based in with before they actually go to sea, and settle into a Mayport, Fla., can conduct workups with the ship it realistic battle rhythm. will be deploying with before they even come aboard, “Everything is in real time,” Glass said. and even if that ship still is in Norfolk, Va. The feedback is that the participants feel better pre- “We use the same JSAF and synthetic environment, pared when they finally operate at sea because they and can do ASW training while the aircraft is partici- have been training together with them ashore. pating in a bigger scenario,” Glass said. Although VAST was developed for the surface com- As part of the Navy Continuous Training Environment munity, it now is being used with SH-60 helicopter and (NCTE), entire battle groups can train together before P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft communities. they ever get underway. High-physical-fidelity simulators are necessary to learn “We’re training with scenarios based on the real- how to fly the aircraft and maintain proficiency. These sim- world operations wherever they will be expected to ulators cost millions of dollars, not to mention the build- operate,” Glass said. ing to house them. But lower-physical-fidelity simulations Scenarios are developed and scripted at planning such as VAST, which have a high degree of mission fidelity, conferences, to ensure certain events will happen in cost about $500,000 and require no dedicated building. order to achieve training goals. But, Glass said, there The Naval Warfare Development Command had been also is room for free play. conducting Fleet Battle Experiments for some time. Fleet Synthetic Training starts with individual ships; These focused on stimulating command and control at then all the units under the warfare commander (such the staff level. VAST added these other players into the as anti-air or anti-submarine); and, finally, the strike game, which increases the realism of the exercise. group commander with all of the assets working “The importance of VAST is to allow more realistic together. training than is available through live training,” Glass “Each level works its way up,” Glass said. “We can said. “By leveraging the investment in S&T we’re able simulate any adversary or target of interest. We can to do more for the Navy.” I

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PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

M27 IAR Enhances Marine Fire Teams

BACKGROUND Heckler & Koch (HK) Defense-USA, a small arms company that supplies NATO forces as well as law enforce- ment agencies, responded to a 2007 Marine Corps request for proposals for an Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) program to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) as a true automatic rifle for the automatic rifleman in each of the four-man fire teams of each infantry squad. HK’s submission was a commercial, off- the-shelf variant of the HK416,

which was later designated the M27 U.S. MARINE CORPS IAR by the Marine Corps. Marines with 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, verify the battle sight zero on their M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. SCOPE The total estimated value of the The M27 IAR was desired by the Marine Corps to be a nondevelop- IAR contract for production and mental 5.56mm, magazine-fed, automatic-capable firing weapon delivery of systems, parts and ini- that was fired from the open and/or closed bolt. The rifle had to be much tial training-related items is $23.6 lighter, more durable and more reliable than the M249 SAW, with the million. The weapon manufactur- weapon significantly enhancing the automatic rifleman’s maneuverability ing is completed in HK’s produc- and displacement speed, while providing the ability to suppress or destroy tion facility in Ger many and then targets of the most immediate concern to the advancing fire team. equipped with U.S.-based ancillary The IAR has reduced the weight load of the automatic rifle, which equipment prior to being delivered reduces operator fatigue and increases the portability of the system. The to the Marine Corps. M27 works significantly more reliably, as compared to the SAW in the automatic rifle role, [and] is simpler and safer to operate. It uses the same TIMELINE 30-round fielded magazine. After testing and competitive down- The IAR has increased lethality by increasing the ratio of hits on a key selects, HK was awarded and deliv- threat to the advancing fire team, with regard to number of shots fired, by ered a low-rate initial production increasing the precision of the system in both semi-automatic and auto- order for approximately 500 IARs in matic fires. Increasing precision and effects of those fires delivered addi- 2010. The service entry led to full- tionally saves ammunition from being wasted in a firefight. rate production and deliveries in Due to the simplicity of the system, training and maintenance time is 2011-2012 of up to 6,500 IAR sys- reduced and previously learned M4/M16 operator “muscle memory” is tems based on the five-year indefinite applied to the IAR. Reloading and clearing a stoppage (should one occur) delivery/indefinite quantity competi- are accomplished much faster than a belt-fed system with a feed tray — tive contract. IAR system deliveries especially when maneuvering toward the threat, [which becomes] even will be completed early this year. more critical at night. The profile of the M27 system reduces the presence of a high-volume fire system making the automatic rifleman less likely as WHO’S WHO a targeted threat be enemy forces. Robbie Reidsma is HK Defense- Ultimately, the lethality and tempo of the team and squad in the attack USA’s M27 IAR program/project can be increased with the use of the M27 IAR, which adds a level of manager in Ashburn, Va. safety to the unit as a whole.

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SEAPOWER INTERNATIONAL

Peru To Build 13 New Naval Vessels

By AMI INTERNATIONAL INC.

he Peruvian Ministry of De - T fense has signed a $300 million contract with Peru’s government shipyard SIMA for the construction of 13 naval vessels. The vessels will be built at SIMA’s main shipyard in Callao and small vessel facility at SIMA Iquitos. South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineer - ing (DSME) and Samsung Thales are providing technical support. The 13 ships include two 7,000- ton logistic support ships, one sail

training ship, four offshore patrol AMI INTERNATIONAL INC. vessels (OPVs) and six coastal patrol The Venezuelan Coast Guard has ordered two Damen 4207 patrol boats, pic- boats. All of these vessels are believed tured here, along with five Damen 2606 patrol craft to bolster its coastal and to be of South Korean designs as riverine patrol capabilities. DSME signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the patrol boats and five Damen 2606 Azerbaijan Orders Peruvian government in April to patrol craft. The all-aluminum New Submarines build and modernize its naval vessels. Damen 2606 is 26.05 meters (85.5 The Azerbaijan (Azeri) Navy (AN) The big question for Peru is if it feet) in length and displaces 35 tons. had ordered new submarines for op - can actually build all 13 vessels with- It is armed with three 12.7mm erations in the Caspian Sea. Although in the $300 million contract. While machine guns, three 7.62mm the types and numbers of sub marines construction costs are relatively machine guns and one automatic were not disclosed, the boats are be - cheap in Peru when compared with grenade launcher. It is capable of a lieved to be mini-submarines in order Korea, a second cash infusion of up top speed of 25 knots with a range of to counter the Iranian conventional to $300 million may be needed to 1,500 nautical miles at 12 knots. and unconven tional threat in the complete all 13 units as planned. The The steel-hull-with-aluminum- Caspian Sea in addition to providing new patrol boats could begin deliver- superstructure Damen 4207 is 42.8 a platform to transport its own spe- ing by 2014, the OPVs by 2016 and meters (140.4 feet) in length and dis- cial forces teams. the first logistic support ship in 2018. places 238 tons. It is armed with one In the past, the AN utilized the Although new submarines were 20mm cannon, and two 12.7mm Russian-built Triton 2 mini- part of the original MoU, they were machine guns and two 7.62mm submarines for special forces not part of this agreement as the machine guns. It is capable of a top operations. However, those vessels submarines will have to be built in speed of 26 knots with a range of were built in the 1960s and no South Korea. SIMA Peru has never 1,750 nautical miles at 12 knots. longer are operational. Although built submarines. Currently, the Venezuelan Coast the builder and number of units Guard operates one Damen 2606 have not been disclosed, the Italian Venezuela To Gain alongside numerous other patrol COSMOS MG110 would be the Seven Coast Guard Craft boats and craft in order to patrol most likely candidate with a maxi- The Venezuelan Coast Guard has the coastal and riverine areas of the mum of four hulls ordered. contracted with UCOCAR shipyard nation. With the contract for The COSMOS MG110 is 28 in Puerto Cabello for the construc- construction now in place with meters (91.8 feet) in length with a tion and technology transfer of seven UCOCAR, all seven vessels likely displacement of 110 tons. It can patrol vessels: two Damen 4207 will be commissioned by 2015. carry two torpedoes and two to

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SEAPOWER INTERNATIONAL

four mines, and can deploy up to grenade launcher, and possibly missiles and associated equipment. eight special forces personnel. The with nonlethal systems. The estimated $60 million sale, if new submarines are expected to The USV also is capable of car- approved, will include 180 Javelin enter service in 2015. rying electro-optical/infrared sen- Block I missiles, 25 command sors and a surface search radar, as launch units, missile simulation Poland Develops well as chemical, biological, radio- rounds, battery coolant units, an Unmanned Surface Vessel logical and conventional explosive enhanced basic skills trainer and Researchers from the Polish Naval detection equipment. It is operated weapon effects simulator, batteries, Academy and Gdansk University by a two-man crew ashore in a con- battery chargers, support equipment, of Technology have developed the tainerized control station. An un - spare and repair parts, and training Edredon unmanned surface vessel manned underwater vehicle is equipment and publications. (USV), a 5.7-meter (18.6-foot) being tested on board the Edredon The Javelin Block I missile is a craft with a modular design to USV to perform mine warfare, bot- Raytheon-Lockheed Martin joint employ various weapons and sen- tom survey and port and harbor venture. The anti-tank missile has a sors to perform surveillance, security missions. range of up to 2,500 meters (1.55 reconnaissance and port and har- The project was funded by the miles), utilizes a tandem shaped bor security missions for the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher charge of 8.4 kilograms (18.5 Navy and Border Guard. The hull Education. pounds) and is powered by a solid- is based on the Sportis S 5700 fuel rocket motor with a fire-and- rigid-hull inflatable boat with a Indonesia Seeks forget imaging infrared seeker. I Yanmar ZT350 stern-drive engine Javelin Missiles providing an endurance of 30 The U.S. Defense Security Coopera- AMI International Inc., Bremerton, Wash., hours at 35 knots (depending on tion Agency has notified Congress of is an international consulting and naval sea state). Edredon can be armed a possible Foreign Military Sale to intelligence services company located on with a light machine gun or a Indonesia for 180 Javelin Block I the web at www.amiinter.com.

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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Incidents at Sea Agreement Served Far Greater Purpose

By DAVID F. WINKLER

n Oct. 25, at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Wa sh- considered the American action a “military provocation.” O ing ton, U.S. and Russian naval officers marked the At the end of February, the State Department directed 40th anniversary of the In cidents at Sea Agreement (INC- the American ambassador to deliver a drafted text reiter- SEA). Since 1972, representatives from the two navies ating international statutes concerning innocent passage have met annually to review any incidents that occurred and reserving the right to seek appropriate compensation on the high seas during the previous 12 months. for any damage. Signed in Moscow as part of the Richard Nixon-Leonid In retrospect, the incident merely was a hiccup in the Brezhnev Summit by Navy Secretary John Warner and Ad - relationship between the two sides. In early June 1988, miral of the Soviet Fleet Sergei Gorshkov, the accord has President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev happi- served as a model for other confidence-building measures. ly embraced each other at a Moscow summit. The 1988 review was especially noteworthy. Earlier that However, arriving in Moscow a week after the sum- year, on the morning of Feb. 25, a Krivak-class frigate and mit, American INCSEA delegation head Vice Adm. Mirka-class patrol frigate intercepted the cruiser USS Henry C. Mustin would find out that the Soviets had not Yorktown and destroyer USS Caron operating off the forgotten about the Black Sea incident. Because the colli- Crimean Peninsula near the Soviet Black Sea Fleet home- sions occurred in Soviet territorial waters, they were not port of Sevastopol. Anticipating that the Americans would technically covered under INCSEA, which had been cross into Soviet territorial waters, the Krivak’s command- designed to oversee behavior on the high seas. However, ing officer, Vladimir I. Bogdashin, recalled: “I contacted the Soviets added the incidents to the agenda. the cruiser … and warned it. They replied that they under- During the annual review, Mustin called on First stood; however, they didn’t change course or speed.” Deputy Commander in Chief of the Soviet Navy Adm. Bogdashin placed his ship between Yorktown and Konstantin Makarov, who spoke frankly to the American the coastline and the Mirka’s commander did likewise flag officer. Mustin recalled the 40-minute discussion. alongside Caron. As the ships entered Soviet territorial Makarov said, “These things are unnecessarily provoca- waters, Bogdashin repeatedly warned Yorktown, “Your tive. We would very much appreciate it if you could stop.” course is heading for danger.” On Sept. 23, 1989, at the Jackson Hole, Wyo., meet- Yorktown’s commanding officer, Capt. Phillip Dur, ing between Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze re sponded: “We are exercising our right of innocent and U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, the Soviets passage.” signed a statement acknowledging international laws Bogdashin closed to 12 meters and again issued his regarding the right of other nations’ vessels to conduct warning, with no effect. He then ordered his helmsman innocent passage through Soviet territorial waters, and to turn the frigate toward the American cruiser. As his the United States declared there no longer was the ship rubbed along the port side of Yorktown, the Mirka need to conduct Free dom of Navigation cruises nudged into the port quarter of Caron. Damage to all through those waters to assert that right. four ships was relatively minor. Speaking at the 40th anniversary annual review, Warner The American ships’ attempt to cut across waters off cited the INCSEA accord as one of his proudest achieve- the tip of the Crimean peninsula as allowed by interna- ments in public services. During the Cold War, the reviews tional law had been a Freedom of Navigation exercise maintained a constructive dialog between the two navies approved “at the highest level.” Only hours after the and, since the fall of the Soviet Union, provided opportu- collision, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs nities for both navies to discuss cooperative ventures. I Michael H. Armacost called in Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dubinin to deliver a strong protest. Source: David F. Winkler, Cold War at Sea: High Seas The following day in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Minister Alex ander Bessmertnykh summoned U.S. Union, Naval Institute Press, (2000). Ambassador Jack F. Matlock to protest the American vio- lation of Soviet borders. Later that day, Soviet Foreign Dr. David F. Winkler is a historian with the Naval Historical Ministry spokesman Gennadi Gerasimov stated that he Foundation.

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SHIP’S LIBRARY

Books Highlight 1812 Naval War, Band of Brothers in Iraq, Guadalcanal

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

SHIPS OF OAK, GUNS OF OPERATION KE: The Cactus IRON: The War of 1812 and the Air Force and the Japanese Forging of the American Navy Withdrawal From Guadalcanal By Ronald D. Utt. Washington: By Roger and Dennis Letourneau. Regnery History, 2012. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute 572 pp. $29.95 Press, 2012. 416 pp. $42.95 ISBN: 978-1-62157-002-8 ISBN: 978-1-59114-446-5 In celebration of the bicentennial Operation KE was the Japanese of the War of 1812, the author operation to rescue a force of joins the effort to reinforce a 10,600 soldiers by ship from national remembrance of the “Second War for Guadalcanal in February 1943 as Japan abandoned the Independence,” in which the United States cemented island after six months of intense land, naval, and air its nationhood amid the ongoing Napoleonic wars. Key battles. It succeeded despite the efforts of the Cactus to this success was the fledgling U.S. Navy, which took Air Force, the ad hoc joint assemblage of Navy, Marine on Britain’s far-flung Royal Navy with only 17 war- Corps and Army Air Forces squadrons. The authors re- ships. The dramatic sea battles made the war’s heroes searched U.S. and newly available Japanese records and 19th-century versions of the “Greatest Generation.” conclude that the Cactus Air Force and U.S. naval The author affirms the century-old judgment of histo- units did their best to hamper the operation with the rian Charles Francis Adams that the United States ragged resources available. The narrative is rich in became a world power on Aug. 19, 1812, when USS detail of the aerial action, giving comprehensive, blow- Constitution sank HMS Guerriere. The names of U.S. by-blow accounts that accentuate the heroism and naval heroes and warships of the period grace many of resourcefulness of the Cactus Air Force crews. today’s warships and continue the heritage that largely was defined in the War of 1812. SANTA CRUZ 1942: Carrier Duel in the South Pacific THE SNAKE EATERS: An By Mark Stille. Oxford, U.K. Osprey Unlikely Band of Brothers and Publishing, 2012. 96 pp. $21.95 the Battle for the Soul of Iraq ISBN: 978-1-84908-605-9 By Owen West. New York: Free This lavishly illustrated monograph Press, 2012. 352 pp. $26 covers the Battle of Santa Cruz, the ISBN: 978-1-4516-5593-3 second of two carrier-vs.-carrier bat- The author, a former Marine major tles near the Solomon Islands dur- who served two combat tours in Iraq ing the Guadalcanal campaign of late 1942. The first, the and is the son of author Bing West, Battle of the Eastern Solomons, was a U.S. victory that was a member of a band of advisers included the sinking of a Japanese carrier. At Santa Cruz, cobbled together from Army Reservists, Marines and the Japanese eked out a tactical victory by sinking the National Guardsmen who mentored the Snake Eaters, an carrier USS Hornet and damaging the carrier USS Iraqi Army battalion protecting the town of Khalidya Enterprise, but at the cost of two carriers being severely along the Euphrates River. This is an account of combat in damaged and heavy aircraft losses. The battle became a Iraq at the human level, laying out the complexities of strategic victory for the U.S. Navy in that Enterprise lived counterinsurgent warfare in an environment where friend to fight again, and the Japanese carrier force was too is visually indistinguishable from foe and the war becomes wounded to fight for another 20 months, thus ensuring intensely personal. In two years, the advisers were able to an American victory in Guadalcanal and the beginning of shape the Snake Eaters into the first Iraqi battalion to be the conquest of the Japanese empire in the Pacific. I able to conduct independent operations. The author also dispels the notion that advisers are not combatants. Seapower does not review works of fiction or self-published books.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS

Councils Honor Sacrifice, Service On Pearl Harbor Day

By PETER ATKINSON, Deputy Editor

hose serving at Pearl Harbor, T Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, and those serving today were remem- bered and saluted in Navy League events on the 71st anniversary of the attack on U.S. naval forces there by the Japanese. Two Pearl Harbor survivors joined Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell during the annual Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, hosted by the Richmond Council. More than 100 people attended the event, which pays tribute to the 44 Virginia service members who COURTESY OF ED GIBBONS were killed during the attack. As the From the left, Bagpiper Maj. Tim Lewis Batten, Robin Beres, Tom Thornton, name of each service member was Virginia Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Terrie L. Suit, Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, Pearl Harbor survivor Max Green, Wes Pruitt, called, the bell from the retired Navy Bill Akers, C.W. Enos and Jay Baumgardner take part in the wreath-laying cer- guided-missile cruiser Virginia was emony during the annual Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony at the tolled by an active-duty Sailor, while Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, hosted by the Richmond Council. a second Sailor rendered a hand salute in their memory, according to a report compiled the respect they deserve, sets an example and is an inspi- for the Richmond Council newsletter, The Lucky Bag. ration to those who might consider serving in the future. McDonnell helped lay wreaths honoring the dead “George Washington said it best. He said the will- at the War Memorial’s Shrine of Memory and gave the ingness with which our young people are likely to ceremony’s keynote address. The governor acknowl- serve in any way, no matter how justified, shall be edged the Pearl Harbor survivors in attendance — 92- directly proportional as to how they perceive the veter- year-old Bill Thornton of Richmond and 94-year-old ans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by the Max Green of Highland Springs — during his nation,” McDonnell said. “If you do not honor the peo- remarks, noting, “It’s always important, on days like ple that serve, we will not raise up the next generation this, to remember why we’re here. It’s to honor Max of Americans to be able to serve in the wars of the and Bill and the others who went through that horrific future which will certainly come, and therefore will day in Hawaii. … not preserve the cause of liberty.” “It’s critically important we take time every Pearl Following the ceremony, the Richmond Council Harbor Day to reflect and remember the significance of hosted a luncheon. Guest speaker at the event was the day and the men and women who served and gave retired Rear Adm. John E. Roberti, former command- their lives.” ing officer of USS Nassua, one of the council’s adopted This was the second consecutive year that the gov- ships, and former deputy director for Strategy and ernor, whose father and father-in-law served in World Policy at the Joint Staff. War II, took part in the commemoration. Prior to In Texas, Cmdr. Andrew Hertel, commanding offi- McDonnell’s attendance last year, it had been decades cer of the attack submarine USS Texas, made a special since a Virginia governor had participated in the event, effort to join members of the Greater Austin Council at according to Council Past President Ed Gibbons. the Texas State Capitol via Skype from the boat at its During his remarks, McDonnell also noted that homeport in Pearl Harbor for a ceremony Dec. 7 that remembering those who have served, and paying them was both solemn and celebratory.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS

The council members gathered at the capitol with leadership and midshipmen of the University of Texas Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (UT NROTC) unit to present a set of authentic, 7-foot-spread Texas long- horns to Hertel and Texas, a Virginia-class submarine. Skype was working well and Hertel, whose feed was projected from a laptop computer onto a large screen so everyone in the gathering could see, and the Austin group conversed easily, according to R. Glenn Looney, the council’s vice president for communication. Hertel commemorated the day by reading a solemn passage from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Pearl Harbor” speech, which was given a day after the attack before a joint session of Congress. It was during COURTESY OF R. GLENN LOONEY the speech, in which Roosevelt famously described Cmdr. Andrew Hertel, commanding officer of the attack sub- Dec. 7, 1941, as “a date which will live in infamy,” that marine USS Texas, joined members of the Greater Austin he asked Congress to declare war on Japan. Congress Council at the Texas State Capitol for a Dec. 7 ceremony via passed a formal declaration of war later that day. Skype from the boat at its homeport in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Following his remarks, Council President Kathy Pillmore, with the assistance of four midshipmen from UT NROTC, then made the formal presentation of the longhorns to Hertel on behalf of Texas. National Director Jeanie Coffey, National Director Mary Virginia Pittman-Waller, Central Texas Area President Max Miller, Greater Austin Council Vice President Bruce Byron and Looney also were in attendance. Hertel seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the coun- cil’s gesture and certainly by the spread of the long- horns, Looney said. Capt. John Eden, professor of Naval Science and commanding officer of UT NROTC; Lt. Chris Hoover, assistant professor of Naval Science, UT NROTC; and

a select detail of submarine option midshipmen physi- COURTESY OF R. GLENN LOONEY cally accepted the longhorns at the capitol and com- Along with marking the anniversary of the attack on Pearl mitted to ensuring their safe passage to Pearl Harbor. Harbor, the Greater Austin Council and leaders and mid- Although Texas has been formally adopted by the shipmen of the University of Texas Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps presented the Pearl Harbor- Greater Houston Council, the Greater Austin Council, based USS Texas with a 7-foot set of genuine Texas long- from its base in the capital of Texas, maintains an emo- horns. Texas displays a set of longhorns on its bridge tional tie to the boat, Looney said. Austin lost its name- when entering and leaving port. sake ship in 2004 with the decommissioning of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Austin. During the course of his remarks, he told of how “It was a privilege to do this for the Texas,” Pillmore USS Texas displayed a set of longhorns on its bridge said. “We respect and honor the men and women of when entering and leaving port. When asked if the the Navy and especially those serving on any ship boat had a proper set of longhorns, he indicated it did, named after our state. Texans are a proud lot.” and with his arms spread about 3 feet stated that they A month earlier, the council hosted Hertel, Chief of were about “that long.” the Boat Master Chief Machinists Mate Matt Harris and “Those are not a proper set of longhorns,” Pillmore Lt. j.g. Mike Von Bargen at one of its distinguished replied. “A real set of Texas longhorns measure between 6 speaker dinner programs. They were on a recruiting and 7 feet in length. We’ll have to see what we can do to trip through Texas at the time, Looney said. get you a set that more fully represents our great state!” Hertel is an accomplished speaker and motivated She was able to locate an appropriate set of Texas the 80 council members and guests as he spoke of the longhorns and a plaque commemorating the presenta- dedication of his ship and crew to the mission of the tion was mounted on them for the ceremony on Pearl U.S. Navy, Looney said. Harbor Day [see related story on page 56]. I

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

Colorado Councils Help Commemorate Cuban Missile Crisis 50th Anniversary

By PETER ATKINSON, Deputy Editor

o mark the 50th anniversary T of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Navy League members took part in a commemorative event on Oct. 13 at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver. The event was a combined effort by the Navy League’s Denver and Colorado Springs Councils, the Colorado Aviation Historical Society and the Air and Space Museum. STEVE KELLY A background presentation, From the left, retired Navy Capts. Bill Marshall, from the Colorado Springs, Colo., Council, and Peter Van Soest and Fred McLaren, from the Denver which developed the story of the Council, shared their Cuban Missile Crisis experiences during a veterans’ panel Cold War and set the stage for the that was part of an event in Denver on Oct. 13 to mark the 50th anniversary dramatic confrontation that oc- of the Cold War confrontation. curred in October 1962, was given by Rocky Mountain Region taining the quarantine of the island of the coastal minehunter USS President Steve Kelly. This was or tracking Soviet ships and sub- Raven, the dock landing ship USS followed by a discussion panel that marines, these veterans have com- Ashland and the amphibious brought together members of the pelling stories which convey a assault ship USS Bataan. He took community who had a direct sense of the tension felt through- command of Ashland with just 90 involvement in America’s defense out the country in October 1962,” minutes’ notice and, subsequently, during the crisis, including veter- Kelly said of the motivation for sailed for the Persian Gulf and ans who were on active duty in the conducting this seminar. combat. And he brought the Battle Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. “Through these personal narra- “E” back to Bataan when it was Three Navy Leaguers were tives, we hope our audience [gained] flagship of naval units that took members of the veterans’ panel. an appreciation for the pride, profes- part in the rescue and recovery Retired Capt. Bill Marshall, the sionalism and commitment dis- operation following the earthquake duty officer at Guantanamo Bay played by members of our armed that devastated Haiti in 2010. Naval Air Station; retired Capt. forces in the support of national pol- Howard spoke of the historic Fred McLaren, diving officer icy during this historic episode.” relationship between the sea serv- aboard the attack submarine USS ices and Navy League and empha- Skipjack; and retired Capt. Peter Baltimore Council Hosts sized how important the support of Van Soest, naval flight officer Gala Meeting, Banquet the NLUS is to the men and aboard the aircraft carrier USS The Baltimore Council held its annu- women who wear the uniform. Randolph, related their experiences al meeting and banquet on Dec. 5 at “Our ships,” he said, “are your during what became known as the the Towson Country Club, where ships” as he talked of the Baltimore most dangerous confrontation of members and their guests were treat- Council’s sponsorship of commis- the Cold War. ed to a rousing speech from one of sionings (Gettysburg, Oriole, Raven, “Our goal was to bring together the most prolific and accomplished Sterett, et al) and the visits made by students, educators and the public, “ship drivers” in the Navy. countless units of the fleet to the with the people who participated Capt. Sam Howard, executive Inner Harbor. Howard was Raven’s in the significant events of the officer of Tactical Training Group first commanding officer when it Cuban Missile Crisis. Whether on Atlantic, has been, at various times was commissioned in Baltimore on duty in Titan missile silos, main- in his career, commanding officer Sept. 5, 1998.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

Council President Joe Nattans was invited to provide the color past Navy League national vice presi- presented Howard with an elabo- guard for the annual meeting. The dent; and Lisa Macklin Gallinat, rately framed print of Dale Gallon’s unit was accompanied by its senior Navy League Pacific Southwest iconic painting, “The Flag Is Full Of instructor, Cmdr. Edward E. Mills. Region president. Stars,” which depicts the moment The new slate of council board the “Star-Spangled Banner” was San Diego Installs members was installed by Joan raised over Fort McHenry on Sept. New President, Marks Mitchell, area president. 14, 1814, an event that inspired 70th Anniversary “With the magnitude of present Francis Scott Key to write the poem The San Diego Council installed wartime and humanitarian activi- that became the National Anthem retired U.S. Navy Reserve Lt. Ed ties, our military needs the support of the United States. Langmaid as its new president for of the community,” Langmaid said. Among the notable guests at the the coming year at its monthly He served in the Navy and the event was Ellen Sauerbrey, former breakfast meeting at the Admiral Navy Reserve as an enlisted avia- assistant secretary of state for Baker Clubhouse Dec. 7. tion technician and naval intelli- Population, Refugees and Migra tion Outgoing president Dave Grun - gence officer. Langmaid’s civilian and minority leader of the Maryland dies introduced the distinguished career includes safety management House of Delegates. Also in atten- guests, Rear Adm. Dixon R. Smith, and disaster preparedness. He cur- dance was retired Vice Adm. James commander, Navy Region Southwest; rently serves on the Terrasanta A. Sagerholm, former chief of Naval Rear Adm. Clinton F. Faison III, Community Emergency Response Education and Training. Sagerholm commander, Naval Medical Center, Team where he lives. is a member of the Baltimore San Diego; Rear Adm. Jerry K. The council also celebrated its Council and a member-emeritus of Burroughs, program executive officer 70th anniversary with the cutting the board. for command, control, communica- of the cake by the longest-standing Randallstown High School in tions, computers and intelligence, and the newest members of the Baltimore County, one of six schools Space and Naval Warfare Systems council. where Junior Reserve Officers Command (SPAWAR); Rear Adm. Training Corps (JROTC) units are James H. Rodman Jr., chief engineer, Central Kentucky sponsored by the Baltimore Council, SPAWAR; Pamela K. Ammerman, a Holds Annual Dinner The Central Kentucky Council held its annual dinner Nov. 16 at Spindletop Hall, the stately Bluegrass mansion of the Swim & Tennis Club for the University of Kentucky. Distinguished guest speaker was retired Rear Adm. William VanMeter Alford Jr. A University of Kentucky graduate, he chronicled his career in rising through the ranks to chief of staff of U.S. Pacific Command at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 2004-2007. He also highlight- ed some of his concerns for the Navy in the near future. Memorial tributes also were made by Council President Curtis Barrett to those who had passed away during 2012, among them Past President Wayne Smiley. A From the left, Capt. Sam Howard, Randallstown High School Navy Junior Navy Academy graduate in 1957, Reserve Officers Training Corps Cadet Kai Mosby, Cadet Thomas Anora, Smiley retired from the Air Force Baltimore Council Senior Vice President Alan Walden, Baltimore Council President Joe Nattans, Cadet Jonathan Arias, Cadet Michael Thomas Goode in 1966 and commercial aviation and Cmdr. Edward Mills stand during the Baltimore Council’s annual meeting in the 1970s with more than 6,500 and banquet Dec. 5. Howard was guest speaker for the event. hours of flying time.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

sub’s functions, describing the var- ious activities onboard. All mem- bers and cadets also visited the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton and boarded Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine which is on display at the museum. The NJROTC unit was from the High School of Graphic, Communi- cation Arts in New York and is under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Evan Dash, senior science instructor. The cadets will be returning for a more comprehensive tour on the base and experience some of the classroom disciplines as well as eat in the base galley. They also will visit the muse- um and various subs. According to Simpson, “This is From the left, Steve Smiley, Diane Smiley and Joyce Smiley gather with new Central Kentucky Council Treasurer Jim Wyrick and President Dave Carter during an excellent opportunity for mem- the council’s annual dinner Nov. 16. Steve Smiley holds a photograph of his father, bers and cadets to interact. We like Wayne Smiley, a past president of the council, who passed away in February 2012. to schedule various tours for our members and invite Naval Sea Brast Thomas was remembered as continuing support of the Navy Cadet Corps and NJROTC cadets a Seabee in World War II and for his League, especially for its sponsorship when appropriate.” leadership in the 1980s and 1990s in of its youth programs throughout the putting together Navy air shows for city. Kelly, a retired Marine colonel, Atlanta Council, NSCC local area parents and students. together with guest speaker Rear Cadets Take Part In Barrett also recognized National Adm. Sean S. Buck, commander, Veterans Day Parades Director Ike Lawrence for his Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, The Atlanta Metropolitan Council years of service to the Navy League rendered great tribute to members of and its sponsored U.S. Naval Sea and the nonprofit community in the Navy and NYPD who have given Cadet Corps (NSCC) units took Central Kentucky with an Order to their lives in the line of duty and to part in several Veterans Day events be a Kentucky Colonel. Lawrence’s those who have served and continue in and around Atlanta. seventh great-grandfather, Isaac to serve in the defense of the country. During the 30th Annual Georgia Shelby, the first governor of The ceremony concluded with Veterans Day Parade Nov. 10, Kentucky, founded the Order of various awards and the traditional Council President Harley T. Jones, Kentucky Colonels for distin- Navy cutting of the birthday cake, a retired Navy captain, rode with guished Kentuckians. backed with a fine performance by the parade in a convertible driven the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes by his daughter, Jennifer, as it N.Y. Council Members and Drums Band, according to wound through downtown. The Attend NYPD Ceremony, George Simpson, the council’s NSCC’s 233rd Seabee Battalion Visit Submarine Base executive secretary. from Loganville, Ga., also marched By special invitation of the New York A week later, a busload of New in the parade. City Police Department (NYPD), a York Council members and NJROTC For the second year in a row, the group of New York Council members cadets traveled to Naval Submarine NSCC’s Warrior Division Color participated in the annual Asso- Base New London, Conn., for a tour Guard was asked to lead the ciation of the U.S. Navy/NYPD Navy of the Los Angeles-class nuclear- Douglasville, Ga., Veterans Day Birthday and Remembrance ceremo- powered attack submarine USS Lighted Parade — the only one in ny at NYPD headquarters Oct. 19. Dallas, the sub that was used in the the country. The city also asked Council President J. Robert film “Hunt for Red October.” Warrior Division to carry the parade Lunney was thanked by Police Com- The crew onboard gave a com- banner, a great honor, as well as a missioner Raymond Kelly for the prehensive tour and talk about the giant American flag during the event.

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The color guard was led by Color Guard Captain Petty Officer 3rd Class Riley Baughman (Cadet of the Year 2012), who carried the National Ensign. Assisting on color guard and carrying the American Legion Flag was Seaman Recruit Isaiah Wilkins. The rifle bearers were Seaman John Thomas Davis and Petty Officer 3rd Class Elizabeth Parr. The rest of the unit carried the giant American flag. The council also participated in the Marietta Veterans Day Parade, with Don Giles, vice president of Legislative Affairs, and NSCC Cadet Catherine Seippel riding in council member Jim Sarrate’s con-

MAGGIE CULVER vertible. The NSCC’s 2745th Sea- Cadets from the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps’ Warrior Division carry a giant bee Battalion marched behind the American flag during the Douglasville, Ga., Veterans Day Lighted Parade Nov. 11. vehicle.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

Short Bursts I On behalf of the Tampa, Fla., 2012-2013 NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Albert J. Herberger Council, Florida Region President NAVY CHAIRMAN Skip Witunski presented a Navy Albert J. Baciocco Jr. Sword to Ensign Sarah Wood Dec. Evan S. Baker Bernard Bennett 15 at the CW Young Auditorium LEAGUE of the United States Daniel B. Branch Jr. on the campus of University of Calvin H. Cobb Jr. FOUNDED 1902 Joanne S. Crown 2300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 200 South Florida (USF), where she Arlington, VA 22201-5424 John H. Dalton Richard J. Danzig was a member of the university’s NATIONAL PRESIDENT Fred Davidson III Philip L. Dunmire ROTC program. Wood, who hails Timothy O. Fanning from Kokomo, Ind., graduated NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Morgan L. Fitch Jr. summa cum laude from USF with a Karen Crawford Albert H. Friedrich PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION James S. Gracey bachelor’s degree in secondary sci- Robert Reilly Alfred M. Gray Jr. STRATEGIC PLANNING Thomas B. Hayward ence education with a concentra- Gordon Holder James L. Holloway III REGIONS AND GOVERNANCE tion in biology. She now will report Paul R. Ignatius William Keller to the amphibious transport dock MEMBERSHIP AND RETENTION Hansford T. Johnson Richard Kennedy Paul X. Kelley ship USS New Orleans in San Diego CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT William C. Kelley Jr. as a surface warfare officer. This is Joseph Lissenden Jack M. Kennedy FINANCE Robert E. Kramek the 10th year the Tampa Council James Offutt Charles R. Larson has presented a sword to the top YOUTH PROGRAMS Sanford W. McDonnell Jack Ritter J. Michael McGrath commissioned ROTC graduate. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Sheila M. McNeill John Sides I J. William Middendorf II The Oak Harbor, Wash., Area INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Carl E. Mundy Jr. Council honored the Whidbey Robert Sutton SEA SERVICES LIAISON John A. Panneton Island Naval Air Station Sailors and John M. Rau Marine of 2012 at an awards lunch- NATIONAL TREASURER J. Paul Reason Stewart Reuter Leighton W. Smith Jr. eon in their honor Dec. 14. The John J. Spittler NATIONAL ASSISTANT TREASURERS James D. Watkins 39th annual lunch, co-sponsored William Braund Michael Hottel R. James Woolsey James Young

STATEMENT OF POLICY NATIONAL JUDGE ADVOCATE David Nadler I We of the Navy League of the United States stand for a strong America — a nation NATIONAL DEPUTY JUDGE ADVOCATES morally, economically, and internally strong. Robert Haemer I We believe that the security of our nation Rockwell O’Sheill and of the people of the world demands a Brian Smith Ward Shanahan well-balanced, integrated, mobile American defense team, of which a strong Navy, Marine NATIONAL CORPORATE SECRETARY Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine are Nancy F. Gorell indispensable parts. I We support all Armed Services to the end NATIONAL ASSISTANT CORPORATE SECRETARY that each may make its appropriate contribu- Bruce Butler tion to the national security.

CHAIRMAN, U.S. NAVAL SEA CADET CORPS I We know that in a free nation an informed Randy W. Hollstein public is indispensable to national security and, therefore, we will strive to keep the PRESIDENT’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES nation alert to dangers which threaten — both Cecil L. Blackwell from without and within. EUROPEAN UNION I We favor appropriations for each of the J. Douglas Crawford Armed Services, adequate for national securi- VIDEO COMMUNICATION ty, economically administered. Eva Garcia I We oppose any usurpation of the SPAIN Congress’s constitutional authority over the Betty Reese Armed Services. ITALY John J. Spittler I We urge that our country maintain world lead- EUROPE ership in scientific research and development.

I We support industrial preparedness, plan- NATIONAL CHAPLAINS ning, production. Reverend Herbert Goetz Rabbi William Kloner I We support efforts of our government to achieve worldwide peace through international Florida Region President Skip Witunski NATIONAL HISTORIAN cooperation. presents a Navy Sword to Ensign Fred LaTrash I We advocate a foreign policy which will

Sarah Wood Dec. 15 at the University NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIAN avoid wars — if possible; if not, win them! of South Florida to honor Wood as the James H. Waller university Navy ROTC program’s top commissioned graduate.

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

by Oak Harbor Rotary, was held at the NAS Whidbey Island Officers Club. Capt. Jay Johnston, NAS Whidbey Island commanding offi- cer, welcomed and introduced the awardees and the finalists. He commended them for their profes- sional knowledge, dedication, patriotism, leadership and the many hours they spent volunteer- ing help to the civilian community Shore Sailor of the Year was Cryptologic Technician Technical 1st Class Stephanie J. Henning KATHY REED from Patrol and Reconnaissance Staff Sgt. Albert Goodson, Marine of the Year; Aircrewman Mechanical 1st Class Wing 10. Sea Sailor of the Year was David A. Smith, Sea Sailor of the Year; and Cryptologic Technician Technical Air crewman Mechanical 1st Class 1st Class Stephanie J. Henning, Shore Sailor of the Year stand during the Oak David A. Smith from Patrol Squad- Harbor, Wash., Area Council’s award luncheon Dec. 14.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT David Burch Camden-Kings Bay, GA 24 Lisa Gallinat Imperial Valley, CA 24

TOP INDIVIDUAL RECRUITERS FOR NOVEMBER 2012 Denny Behr Madison, WI 20 Anne Huot Newport County, RI 20 RECRUITER COUNCIL POINTS Diane Jaffa Seattle, WA 20 Carlyle Devoe Honolulu, HI 23 William Kuypers Metropolitan Detroit, MI 20 Mark Rosenthal Tampa, FL 10 Kevin MacFarland Metropolitan Detroit, MI 19 Jay Lott San Diego, CA 7 Samuel Sorenson Fleet Admiral Nimitz, TX 18 Rick Carver New Mexico, NM 4 Maryellen Baldwin Hampton Roads, VA 17 Dick Messbarger Kingsville, TX 4 Jackson Stevens St. Maarten 17 Jeanne Sharkey Contra Costa, CA 4 Bonnie Potter Placer County, CA 16 Jackson Stevens St Maarten 4 Hans-Peter Thorand Thailand Eastern Seaboard 15 Skip Witunski Tampa, FL 4 Douglas Crawford Santa Barbara, CA 14 Phelps Hobart Pacific Merchant Marine, CA 14 TOP INDIVIDUAL RECRUITERS FOR DECEMBER 2012 George Wardwell Newport County, RI 14

RECRUITER COUNCIL POINTS Logan Johnson Tallahassee, FL (chartering) 13 Roycealee Wood Lake County, IL 13 Dale Lumme Northern Virginia, VA 40 Daniel Branch Denver, CO 12 Thomas Jaffa Seattle, WA 17 Mark Rosenthal Tampa, FL 12 Jay Lott San Diego, CA 7 Larry Salter Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula, WA 12 Suzy Williams Corpus Christi, TX 6 John Sides Korea 12 Denny Behr Madison, WI 4 David Livingston Honolulu, HI 11 Anne Huot Newport County, RI 4 Michael Slein Newport County, RI 11 Diane Jaffa Seattle, WA 4 Richard Brown New Mexico, NM 10 Frederick Orton Coronado, CA 4 Daniel Kloeppel St. Louis, MO 10 James Sketchley Everett, WA 4 Thomas Wright Savannah, GA 10 Brit Coupens Coronado, CA 9 TOP INDIVIDUAL RECRUITERS FOR 2012 Richard Devlin Oak Harbor, WA 9 RECRUITER COUNCIL POINTS Gaylla Finnell Imperial Valley, CA 9 Dick Messbarger Kingsville, TX 107 Francis C. Murphy La Crosse, WI 9 Carlyle Devoe Honolulu, HI 99 Thomas Pruter Pensacola, FL 9 Frederick Orton Coronado, CA 96 Craig Chapman Lake Washington, WA 8 Jay Lott San Diego, CA 70 Karen Crawford Santa Barbara, CA 8 Suzy Williams Corpus Christi, TX 63 Robert Kidd Jacksonville, FL 8 Dale Lumme Northern Virginia, VA 63 Walter Reese Santa Rosa County, FL 8 Skip Witunski Tampa, FL 32 Charles Tamblyn Jacksonville, FL 8 Charles Baumbach Tri-City, CA 26 James Young Milwaukee, WI 8 Thomas Jaffa Seattle, WA 26 Joe Gilchrist Pensacola, FL 7

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NAVY LEAGUE NEWS / COUNCIL DIGEST

ron 69. Marine of the Year was Staff Marine of the Quarter, also from guest speaker for the event. Sea Sgt. Albert Goodson from Marine headquarters. Cadets from the Arkansas Division, Air Training Support Group 53. Special guests included Navy a unit with a Merchant Marine ori- I The Northern Virginia (NOVA) League Past National President entation that the council sponsors, Council presented quarterly Timothy Fanning and his wife, assisted with and took part in the awards at its holiday reception at Michelle, National President anniversary. Navy League Headquarters in Philip L. Dunmire and National Based in San Francisco, the Arlington, Va., Dec. 6. Receiving President-elect James H. Offutt. council was founded with a special checks of $100 each and a NOVA I The Pacific Merchant Marine emphasis on support for the U.S.- Council challenge coin from Council marked its sixth anniver- flag Merchant Marine, the nation’s Council President Michael sary Dec. 11 with a luncheon maritime industry and maritime Schlitzer were Fireman Sara Cole, aboard the National Liberty Ship trade organizations. I Coast Guard Sailor of the Quarter, Memorial SS Jeremiah O’Brien Dec. from Coast Guard Station Wash- 11 at San Francisco’s Pier 45, Send items for “Council Digest” to: ington; Cpl. Dayan Rodriguez , which also hosted the council’s Peter Atkinson, Deputy Editor Marine Corps Noncom missioned chartering ceremony in 2006. Vice Seapower/Navy League News Officer of the Quarter, from Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, commander 2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200 Marine Corps Headquarters; and of the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area, Arlington, VA 22201-5424 Lance Cpl. Amilcar Salinas, based in nearby Alameda, was E-mail: [email protected]

Donald Hale Santa Clara Valley, CA 7 Oregon’s Rogue Valley, OR 26 Michael Hewlett Portland, OR 7 La Crosse, WI 25 Hugh Howton Jacksonville, FL 7 Milwaukee, WI 25 William Keller Cleveland, OH 7 Placer County, CA 24 R. Glenn Looney Greater Austin, TX 7 New Mexico, NM 23 Bob McDermott Honolulu, HI 7 New York, NY 23 Gerald Moskwa Metropolitan Detroit, MI 7 Denver, CO 22 Roger Olsen Tacoma, WA 7 Fleet Admiral Nimitz, TX 21 John Payne Malibu, CA 7 Key West, FL 21 James Sketchley Everett, WA 7 Palm Beach, FL 20 John Spittler Greater Chattanooga- St. Augustine, FL 20 John J. Spittler, TN 7 Greater Chattanooga-John J. Spittler, TN 19 Oakland, CA 19 TOP COUNCIL RECRUITER POINTS FOR 2012 Oak Harbor, WA 18

COUNCILS POINTS Treasure Coast, FL 18 Meridian Area, MI 16 Honolulu, HI 157 Philadelphia, PA 16 Kingsville, TX 109 Sarasota-Manatee, FL 16 Coronado, CA 107 St. Maarten 16 San Diego, CA 107 Dallas, TX 15 Corpus Christi, TX 67 Greater Austin, TX 15 Seattle, WA 61 Lakehurst, NJ 15 Tampa, FL 58 Pacific Merchant Marine, CA 15 Newport County, RI 56 Thailand Eastern Seaboard 15 Camden-Kings Bay, GA 54 Lake County, IL 14 Metropolitan Detroit, MI 53 Lake Washington, WI 14 Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula, WA 49 Santa Clara Valley, CA 14 Jacksonville, FL 46 Massachusetts Bay, MA 13 Northern Virginia, VA 42 Richmond, VA 13 Imperial Valley, CA 36 Korea 12 Pensacola, FL 36 Portland, OR 12 Santa Barbara, CA 34 Orange County, CA 11 Madison, WI 33 Palm Springs, CA 11 National Capital, DC 32

Savannah, GA 31 WELCOME ABOARD TO THE FOLLOWING NEW COMMUNITY Mayport, FL 28 AFFILIATE MEMBERS St. Louis, MO 28 COMMUNITY AFFILIATE COUNCIL Tri-City, CA 28 Hampton Roads, VA 26 Lang Seafood Inc. Camden-Kings Bay, GA Avidian Technologies Seattle, WA

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CORPORATE MEMBERS

The Navy League of the United States wishes to thank its Corporate Members for their generous support

Austal USA LLC Kilgore Flares Company LLC Brunswick Commercial and CORPORATE GOLD Aydin Displays Inc. Kongsberg Defence and Government Products MEMBERS Azonix Corporation Aerospace Burdeshaw Associates Ltd. L-3 Fuzing & Ordnance Systems CALIBRE Accenture Babcock International Group, Marine Division-Integrated Matson Navigation Company Inc. Campbell Ewald Company ATK, Alliant Techsystems Technology MBDA Inc. Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. BAE Systems Ball Aerospace & Technologies McAllister & Quinn LLC Cornet Technology Inc. Corporation MTU Cortron Inc. The Boeing Company Barco Federal Systems LLC Navy Federal Credit Union Crestwood Technology Group Booz Allen Hamilton Barry Controls NISH Crystal Group Inc. Clarion Events Ltd. Battelle Memorial Institute Oceaneering Advanced DAC International Inc. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Curtiss Wright Flow Technologies Daisy Data Displays Inc. CACI International Inc. Control Company Orbit International Corporation Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Caterpillar Inc. DRS Technologies Inc. Orbital Sciences Corporation Corporation CFM International Inc. Ernst and Young Parvus Corporation Delta Resources Inc. Cincinnati Financial Corporation Physical Optics Corporation DonRay Petroleum Fluor Corporation Cobham PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Drytech Inc. GE Marine Computer Sciences Corporation QinetiQ North America Emerson Connectivity Solutions General Atomics Connected WorkPlace Solutions Retlif Testing Laboratories FEI-Zyfer Inc. (CWPS) Rocky Research Franklin Covey Government General Dynamics Converteam Inc. Rolls-Royce North America and Commercial Services Corporation Crowley Maritime Corporation Saab International USA GET Engineering Corporation Honeywell Cubic Defense Applications SabTech Industries Herdt Consulting Inc. HP Enterprise Services Deloitte Federal SAFE Boats International Hontek Corporation Dell Inc. Huntington Ingalls SAIC Horizon Lines LLC DHL Express (USA) Inc. Industries Selex Sistemi Integrati SpA IntelliPower Inc. Dresser Rand L-3 Communications Serco Inc. Johnson Controls Federal EADS North America Systems Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Earl Industries LLC Kippertool Company Corporation Software Engineering Institute- Eaton Corporation Kvichak Marine Industries Inc. Maersk Line Limited Carnegie Mellon University Elbit Systems of America LLC Sparta Promotions L-3 MariPro Northrop Grumman The Embassy of Canada Spincraft Marine Engineers Beneficial Corporation Association District No. 1 EPS Corporation Sprint Nextel Meggitt Defense Systems Pentagon Federal Credit ESRI TAPE LLC Union Fairbanks Morse Engine National Shipbuilding Research TE Connectivity Program Raytheon Company First Command Financial Telephonics Corporation Services National Defense Industrial Rockwell Collins Thales USA Inc. Association FLIR Systems Inc. Themis Computer Net IQ Siemens Government Foss Marine Holdings Inc. Thrustmaster of Texas Inc. NORDAM Technologies Inc. The Freeman Companies Tods Defence Limited Oldenburg Group Inc. Textron Marine and Land Frontier Electronic Systems Tu l s a We l d i n g S c h o o l O’Neil and Associates Systems Gannett Government Media Corporation United Technologies Corporation Parker Aerospace General Digital Corporation URS Pelatron Inc. CORPORATE MEMBERS General Dynamics Bath Iron USAA The Potomac Advocates 901 D Shock Tech Works Vericor Power Systems Recon Robotics AAI Corporation General Dynamics C4 Systems Vigor Industries Shipbuilders Council of America ABS General Dynamics Electric Boat VSE Corporation SMT Corporation Access Intelligence LLC/ General Dynamics Information VT Halter Marine Inc. Technology SSR Engineering Defense Daily Wyle Agility Defense and Government Gibbs & Cox Inc. The Steelman Group Inc. Services Goodrich Corporation EPP STS Operating dba Sun Source BUSINESS ASSOCIATE Alcoa Defense Gryphon Technologies LC Ta b e r E x t r u s i o n s L L C MEMBERS American Maritime Partnership Gulfstream Teledyne D.G. O’Brien American Rheinmetall Munitions Harris Corporation Ashford University Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Inc. Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Agusta Westland North America Totem Ocean Trailer Express Ampex Data Systems Atlas North America LLC Corporation IBM Avaya Government Solutions Transportation Institute Applied Research Laboratory, Intergraph Government Solutions Pennsylvania State University Isolation Dynamics Corporation Av-DEC (Aviation Devices & Welin Lambie Ltd. Electrical Components) A.T. Kearney Public Sector and ITT Defense Electronics and WBB Defense Services LLC Services Aviall Services Inc. WSC Federal LLC ATI Defense KATO Engineering BecTech Inc. Z Microsystems

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ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES SPECIAL FOCUS: MAINTENANCE, REPAIR & OVERHAUL I EAST / EASTERN CANADA/MIDWEST Charles A. Hull I Multi-Ship Multi-Option: Stabilizing the ship repair workload at the Business Sales Solutions shipyards. 6406 Brass Bucket Court, Suite 1 Laytonsville, MD 20882 I Good-bye ‘Big E:’ Inactivating USS Enterprise. TEL: 301-987-0632 FAX: 301-987-0403 I Sustaining LCS: USS Freedom prepares for first deployment to E-MAIL: [email protected] the Asia-Pacific. I WEST / WESTERN CANADA I Keeping the Fleet Afloat: Hi op tempo vs. maintenance availability Diane Obright Blackrock Media in times of fiscal uncertainty. P. O . B o x 3 6 6 I Drawdown: Getting Marine Corps gear out of Afghanistan and Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 TEL: 858-759-3557 resetting the force. FAX: 866-263-2527 E-MAIL: [email protected] ALSO IN MARCH I EUROPE Tony Kingham I Helo Control: Improving operations in poor visibility. TEL: +44 (0) 20 8144 5934 CELL: +44 (0) 7827 297465 I Know Your Environment: Increasing knowledge for operational E-MAIL: tony.kingham@worldsecurity- effectiveness. index.com

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SEAPOWER (ISSN-0199-1337) is published monthly by the Navy League of the United States, 2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-5424. Subscription rates $58.00 per year; reduced to $25.00 for active-duty military personnel, schools and libraries; single copy $5.00; single copy Almanac issue $22.50. Foreign rates $145.00 air mail; single copy $14.00 (includes air mail postage); single copy Almanac issue $45.00. Annual $50.00 membership in the Navy League includes one year’s subscription to SEAPOWER. Periodical class postage paid at Arlington, Va., and additional mailing offices. Microfilm copies of SEAPOWER may be obtained from University Microfilms Inc., 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5 E-mail: [email protected] POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SEAPOWER Magazine, 2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22201-5424. SEAPOWER (ISSN-0199-1337). The Navy League of the United States is an independent, nonprofit, civilian educational organization. Statements contained herein have no official sanction or approval by the U.S. government. Classified by Library of Congress call number VA-49-N28. Copyright Navy League of the United States 2013. Reprinted by permission. Matter printed herein does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher. Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. SEAPOWER invites letters to the editor, but cannot guarantee reply to same. Editors reserve the right to edit letters for style, accuracy and brevity. Letters must be signed to be considered for publication, but the writer’s name may be withheld upon request.

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IN MY OWN WORDS

Retired Navy Lt. Jim Downing

Senior Pearl Harbor Survivor Colorado Springs, Colo.

was born in Oak Grove, Mo., in August 1913. Do the Imath — I will turn 100 next August. In 1932, my dad took me to the Navy recruiter in Hannibal, Mo. It was on to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center from there. After graduation, and a welcome Christmas home leave, I re- ported to my first duty station, USS West Virginia (BB 48). The morning of Dec. 7, 1941, eight of us servicemen were finishing breakfast provided by my new bride of six months, Morena. We had all spent the night ashore at a friend’s house. We felt some unexplained explo- sions and turned on the radio to hear these words: “The island of Oahu is under enemy attack.” We loaded into our car.We looked in disbelief at the devastation the Japanese aviators were inflicting on the U.S. NAVY ships in the harbor. I arrived at the ship about 20 min- Pearl Harbor survivor and retired Navy Lt. Jim Downing, left, utes after the attack began to find that my battle station cuts the cake at the Oldest/Youngest Sailor Ceremony during the Colorado Springs, Colo., Navy Ball Oct. 5, along with Rear had taken a direct hit. If I had been on the ship Adm. Brett Heimbigner, director of intelligence at U.S. overnight, I would be dead. Northern Command, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Anique My ship was on the bottom in 40 feet of water, having Abitia and Dick Cooper, Colorado Springs Council president. been hit by nine aerial torpedoes and two 1,800-pound bombs, and was on fire above the waterline. Without elec- I have authored two books, “Meditation, The Bible tric power, all I could do was fight fires with a hose from Tells You How,” which has been translated into more the ship we were moored to, tend the wounded and help than a dozen languages, and “Living Legacy,” the story remove the bodies of some of the 105 who lost their lives. of my 40-year relationship with Navigator presidents During my time on West Virginia, I experienced a spir- Dawson Trotman and Lorne Sanny. itual awakening to Christianity and became an original The Navy in which I served made revolutionary member of The Navigators Ministry. It was an honor to advances after the age of computers, radar and satellites. lead divine services aboard the USS Patapsco (AOG 1) In the early ’30s, when we went to sea we lost contact while I was the commanding officer. Many interesting with the world around us. All we knew was what we saw turns of events happened while skipper of that ship. with our own eyes or from the three observation aircraft While we were making a routine delivery of liquid we carried and which could only be launched and recov- cargo to the Army at Eniwetok, I had expected to go ered when the weather permitted. there, spend a few hours unloading the cargo, and then Before radar, in surface warfare we never knew the head back to Pearl Harbor. I routinely called on the exact distance of a threatening target but only knew if Senior Naval Of ficer Present, and was advised: our shots were over or short from the splashes — and “Captain, I am sworn to se crecy, but if I were in your visually corrected our range. place I would get your ship under way and head East at As for satellites, they can “tell” us much of what we top speed.” It turns out I had been ordered away from need to know about the world around us. For the Navy, a 1954 H-bomb [hydrogen bomb] test site, but did not it is like causing the blind to see. escape serious contamination with radioactivity. If a man serving aboard a ship in the 1930s could be I was blessed with other varied duty stations during my transplanted aboard a ship today, he would find that career, including: Adviser to the Brazilian Fleet Gunnery technology has changed the U.S. Navy more than Officer, Rio De Janeiro; involvement with disaster relief for when the captain of a Navy sailing ship determined the the 1946 Haiti/Dominican earthquake; and assistant pro- proximity of a hurricane by periodically wetting his fessor of Naval Science, U.S. Merchant Ma rine Academy. I finger and holding it aloft to determine the changing retired in 1956, with 24 years of service. direction from which the wind was blowing. I

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