SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:14 PM Page COV1 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 BY PHILIP L. DUNMIRE 4 Editor’s Note 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 Top ic 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 in dustry 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- WWW.SEAPOWERMAGAZINE.ORG SEAPOWER / FEBRUARY 2013 3 SeaPower February2013.QXD_Seapower February2013 1/17/13 12:15 PM Page 4 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 nag ing 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.