Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SPECIAL REPORT
2012 U.S.
DEFENSE
BUDGET
PROPOSAL
S P E C I A L O P S T R A I N I N G I N A F R I C A / I N T E R V I E W: S E A N J . S TA C K L E Y
SEAPOWER
Volume 54, Number 4, April 2011
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES
www.navyleague.org
DEPARTMENTS FEATURES
92 Navy League News 46 Incremental Upgrades Will Keep Aegis System Current
BY RICHARD R. BURGESS
94 Council Digest 52 Navy Improves Shipboard Electronic Warfare Capabilities
BY RICHARD R. BURGESS
SPECIAL REPORT:
2012 U.S. DEFENSE BUDGET PROPOSAL
24 Navy Budget Proposal Would Bring Shipbuilding Gains
BY RICHARD R. BURGESS
PHOTO OF HOSPITALMAN RASHAD COLLINS, ASSIGNED TO 1ST PLATOON, KILO COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 5TH MARINE REGIMENT, REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM 2, CONDUCTING
A SECURITY PATROL IN SANGIN, AFGHANISTAN, JAN. 13 BY U.S. MARINE CORPS LANCE CPL. JORGE A. ORTIZ. COVER DESIGN BY AMY BILLINGHAM, PENSARÉ DESIGN GROUP LTD.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
he Navy League has long held act. In addition, the Navy, Marine
T that as a maritime nation, the
strength of the United States’ mar-
Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant
Marine are being asked to partici-
itime forces is critical to national pate in humanitarian assistance,
security and economic prosperity. disaster response and counterter-
Our economy will be at risk if we rorism operations to a greater
cannot ensure freedom of naviga- extent than ever before.”
tion across the oceans. Failure to The document lays out in detail
maintain maritime superiority will the Navy League’s recommendations
put us in jeopardy in the war for maintaining the sea services’ pri-
against terrorism and in conflict mary strength — “presence with the
anywhere in the world. capability to engage.” The Maritime
The Navy League’s annual Policy Statement is produced by our
Maritime Policy Statement repre- Maritime Policy and Resolutions
sents the organization’s commit- Committee, and the analyses and
ment to ensuring that continued recommendations therein are de-
high priority is given to maintain- rived from many sources, including
ing a strong national maritime force. The 2011-2012 the expertise and decades of experience of our members,
statement, titled “Internationally Engaged — open-source materials, and conversations with sea serv-
Ensuring Freedom of the Seas,” underscores the ice leaders and industry executives.
importance of international cooperation and identifies Many of the topics addressed in the Maritime Policy
critical programs and policies influencing the opera- Statement will be discussed at the Navy League’s 2011
tional and materiel readiness of today’s U.S. Navy, Sea-Air-Space Exposition, to be held April 11-13 at the
Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at
Marine. The document also prescribes force-structure National Harbor, Md. The exposition will focus on the
levels necessary for the intermediate and long-term same theme and showcase more than 150 leading
readiness of each service in the execution of the defense companies exhibiting weapons and sea power
nation’s Maritime Strategy. technologies for the 21st century. A series of profes-
The document, to be officially rolled out at the 2011 sional seminars with military leaders and defense cor-
Sea-Air-Space Exposition, also outlines the need to porate partners will provide fresh insights into the
revitalize our maritime industrial base and strengthen needs, challenges and requirements of the sea services
the overburdened Marine Transportation System, in support of the war against terrorists and other
which consists of the waterways, ports and their inter- national security demands.
modal connections, vessels and vehicles that are criti- The Maritime Policy Statement is a critical tool in the
cal to the U.S. economy. Navy League’s efforts to educate lawmakers and the gen-
“Global engagement is critical to the U.S. economy, eral public about the importance of committing the
world trade and the protection of democratic freedoms resources necessary to reset our maritime forces. I
that so many take for granted,” the statement says. encourage you to pick up a copy of the Policy Statement
“The guarantors of these vital elements are hulls in the at Sea-Air-Space, or visit www.navyleague.org to down-
water, boots on the ground and aircraft overhead.” load your copy today.
It notes that “preventing war is the cornerstone to a
healthy global economy, on which the United States
depends. It is imperative that we maintain a strong
force that convinces potential adversaries that the
United States can win any future war. For that, we
need hulls in the water, globally deployed and ready to
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 3
EDITOR’S NOTE
Impacting Readiness
By AMY L. WITTMAN, Editor in Chief SEAPOWER
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES
Volume 54, Number 4, April 2011
respond, in the context of the fiscal Congress must pass a defense SEAPOWER
2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200
year 2012 budget submission, to budget now that enables our forces
Arlington, VA 22201-5424
the full spectrum of threats that are to begin resetting — in terms of TEL: 703-528-1775 — editorial
known and threats that are un- assets and people — and continue 703-528-2075 — advertising
FAX: 703-243-8251
known,” said Rep. Madeleine Z. with programs dependent on
E-MAIL: seapowermail@navyleague.org
Bordallo, D-Guam, ranking mem- economies of scale that will be lost WEBSITE: www.seapowermagazine.org
ber of the subcommittee. under current funding levels.
COMMUNICATIONS BOARD
Yet the lack of a 2011 spending Seapower’s coverage of the 2012
CHAIRMAN: Brandon R. “Randy” Belote III
bill puts even more stress on a mili- budget request begins on page 24.
NATIONAL OFFICER: Daniel B. Branch Jr.
tary already stretched thin in terms For daily sea service news updates,
of stress on assets and personnel. visit our new website — www. MEMBERS: Merritt Allen, Maureen Cragin,
Daniel Dayton, Robert Hamilton, Margaret
Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-Va., panel seapowermagazine.org. B. Holtz, Guy Shields
chairman, noted that committee EX-OFFICIO: Karen Crawford, Dale A.
members were told during the first Lumme, Tom Van Leunen, Amy L. Wittman
hearing in that series that “our
nation’s armed forces are ap-
proaching a geriatric state.”
4 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
WASHINGTON
REPORT
Amos Takes Role of ‘Player-Coach’
For Struggling F-35B Program
en. James F. Amos, Marine Corps commandant,
G has embarked on a public relations campaign in
support of the service’s troubled version of the F-35
Lightning II, or Joint Strike Fighter, seeking to assuage
concerns within Congress and skepticism within the
press about the program’s prospects.
Frustrated with the short-takeoff/vertical-landing
(STOVL) variant of the fifth-generation fighter, De-
fense Secretary Robert M. Gates has put the F-35B on
a two-year probation, during which defense officials
will weigh whether to continue the program or ax it.
“If we cannot fix this variant during this time frame
and get it back on track in terms of performance, cost and
schedule, then I believe it should be canceled,” Gates said
Jan. 6, when he first announced the aircraft’s probation.
The Marines’ F-35, which will replace older fighters
Amos told the Senate Armed regular mindset of production,” with it can be fixed within weight
Services Committee March 8 that Amos told the panel. limits and cost limits.”
he is “optimistic” about the state of As player-coach, Amos said he Mabus touted the number of
the program and is even working reviews any weight issues for the air- flight tests this year, saying the F-
with defense officials to fast-track craft, as well as how many test flights 35B already has surpassed goals by
the F-35B’s probation. have been flown and how those air- 40 percent. The aircraft also has
“It is my intent to, sometime craft have fared during the tests. achieved more vertical and takeoff
this spring, offer to the secretary of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus landings by early March than it did
defense a set of metrics that he struck a similarly positive chord, all last year.
might consider as the threshold for saying the probation “gives us an The entire F-35 program —
getting the airplane off of proba- opportunity to focus on it and to which includes variants for the Air
tion and getting it back into the make sure that the issues associated Force and Navy — has faced cost
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WASHINGTON REPORT
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WASHINGTON REPORT
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DAVID PUGLIESE
U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Corpsman “Doc” Lovvorne assesses the medical condition
of villagers in Senegal as part of Flintlock 11. The special forces exercise involved MARSOC and U.S. Navy SEALs
teaming up with other Western special forces units to train African troops.
Flintlock 11 either are engaged in battling al-Qaida in from Mali during Flintlock 10. SEALs also have pro-
the Islamic Maghreb, an al-Qaida “branch” operation vided training in Mali to special forces units there.
also known as AQIM, or combating drug or gun smug- Schmitt said that for this Flintlock, MARSOC worked
glers, who pose a transnational threat in the area. with a special forces unit from Mauritania, known as CSI,
Drug cartels have used the Sahara region as a route to or Compagnie Speciale d’Intervention, while SEALs
transport cocaine and other illegal drugs into Europe. assigned to SOC Africa helped advise special forces from
They also have reportedly provided money and weapons Chad and Nigeria. The Chadian unit is called PSI, while
to AQIM, which traces its roots back to the 1990s to Nigeria sent a special forces team called Counter Force.
Islamic insurgents fighting the Algerian government. “It’s more about assisting with their training,”
Those insurgents have since become associated with al- explained one U.S. Navy SEAL involved in Flintlock
Qaida and branched out to conduct attacks in other coun- 11. “It’s a ‘train the trainer’ situation so they can sus-
tries in the region, as well as kidnapping Westerners. tain training when they get home.”
In February, the Mauritanian military announced it had The African special forces units brought varied lev-
killed three members of AQIM who had planned to attack els of experience to the exercise. Senegal was selected
the French Embassy in that country. But AQIM released a as the host nation, with its special forces leading much
statement claiming that the team had a mission to assassi- of the training, since its noncommissioned officer
nate Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. corps is long established and well experienced.
In early January, the French government blamed AQIM The SEALs said the Nigerians were highly motivat-
for the deaths of two Frenchmen who had been kidnapped ed and disciplined.
by gunmen in Niamey, Niger. Troops from Niger and “As for the Chadians, they are by far a more combat
France had launched a rescue mission into Mali where the experienced, real-world organization,” said one Navy
men were being held, but that operation did not succeed. SEAL assigned to SOC Africa. “They have trained with
Both MARSOC and the SEALs have had previous SOF in the past. We’re here to reassess how far they’ve
engagements in Africa. MARSOC helped train forces come along.”
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 13
I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S
DAVID PUGLIESE
Marine Master Sgt. Peter Hart, right, confers with African military officers in the Multi-National Tactical Operations
Center at a Senegalese military base in Thies during Flintlock 11.
Part of the attraction of Flintlock, said various special with more immediately as opposed to those needing
forces operators taking part in the exercise, was the abili- long-term health care.
ty to interact with African and Western special opera- The African special forces units that received the
tions units. training had been preselected following U.S. State
”The Dutch have been with us in Chad,” said anoth- Department guidelines. The key factor in the approval
er SEAL. “So you get to see what other groups bring to process was that the units had to be involved in coun-
the table. You exchange experiences.” terterrorism operations or dealing with transnational
The SEALs will continue their training with the crimes such as countering drug smuggling.
Chadians and Nigerians in Chad in May. For their part, MARSOC operators were able to train
Each African special forces unit taking part in with the Mauritanians for several weeks before the
Flintlock 11 could select from a round-robin of various Flintlock exercise got under way.
skills to learn. Those ranged from urban raid to rural “It was a good way to build up trust and confidence
attack to vehicle checkpoint procedures. and get to know them,” added Sands, who is temporar-
Each of the African units also held a Medical Civic ily assigned to SOC Africa.
Action Program, or MEDCAP, where they conducted MARSOC operators will continue to train with the CSI
key leader engagements — liaising with local village to build on the skills learned at Flintlock 11, he added.
representatives — and provided medical aid to local Sands said CSI is an experienced unit, and U.S. spe-
populations. The idea behind the MEDCAPs is to get cial forces officers note that it led a successful attack on
African forces used to interacting and helping civilians, AQIM last year.
who, in turn, could provide information on unusual “They’re doing well,” said Sands, referring to the
activities in their area. Flintlock 11 training. “They have a lot of experience.
“In essence, what you’re trying to do is get in with They show a lot of enthusiasm, so it’s a pleasure to
the people, to build situational awareness,” said one train a force that shows that much enthusiasm.”
Navy SEAL. Working out the issues of interoperability among
The Mauritanians, along with their MARSOC advis- various forces for Flintlock 11 fell to U.S. Marine
ers, conducted their MEDCAP in the village of Tiba, Corps Master Sgt. Peter Hart, who helped oversee the
about 70 kilometers northeast of Thies. exercise’s Multi-National Tactical Operations Center
A MARSOC medical specialist, working through an (MTOC) at a Senegalese military base in Thies.
interpreter, conducted an initial assessment of the The 37-year-old from Camp Lejeune, N.C., said he
health needs for villagers, recommending various took his experience working in the Marine Corps’
treatments or prescriptions for their ailments. combat operations center and adapted that for the
Treatment was focused on ailments that could be dealt multinational units of Flintlock.
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S
“It’s a challenge, at times, working together,” he ac- said each unit brought with them good ideas on the
knowledged. “Each nation has its own way of doing topic, none of which were wrong. From there he had
things. It’s taking all their opinions and advising on to negotiate a solution.
how they should proceed and come to some kind of “It’s to come up not with a U.S., Malian or Canadian
compromise.” SOP, but with a Flintlock SOP,” he said.
Hart said battle drills were designed for various Schmitt said the contributions by the Marines and
eventualities, such as medevacing an injured soldier or U.S. Navy helped Flintlock 11 significantly. He noted
searching for any troops who might get lost in the that Sands was in Mauritania for six months and had
inhospitable terrain of the Thies training area. participated in last year’s Flintlock.
At first, the use of different communications equip- “The fact that MARSOC is deploying one of their
ment among each of the nations participating also was rock stars for us for six months shows the importance
a large challenge, but personnel from various countries MARSOC places on SOC Africa’s mission,” Schmitt said.
quickly learned how to use each other’s communica- He also praised the training the SEALs have been
tions assets, said Hart. providing to Nigerian and Chadian special forces.
Participants in the MTOC also had a chance to get “The great leaps in capability in both the Counter
comfortable using various types of computer equipment Force and PSI can completely be traced to that train-
during Flintlock 11, but for jobs such as monitoring the ing,” Schmitt added. ■
movement of units on the battlefield or ammunition and
supply levels, manual methods involving writing such David Pugliese, a journalist with the Ottawa Citizen newspaper
information on display boards were used, Hart said. and freelance writer who has been writing about military affairs
The other challenge was to come up with one and the Canadian Armed Forces since 1982, covered Flintlock
Flintlock standard operating procedure, or SOP. Hart 11 from Senegal.
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REUTERS
20 might become operational,
Dorsett said “developing a stealth
capability with the prototype and
An aircraft that is reported to be China’s J-20 stealth fighter is seen in
Chengdu, Sichuan province, Jan. 7 in a photo released by the Kyodo news then integrating that into a combat
agency. China staged a first test flight of the jet Jan. 11 while U.S. Defense environment is going to take some
Secretary Robert M. Gates was in Beijing. time. The stealth fighter is not
something that is a near-term issue
improve the Navy’s ability to “fight and survive” in as far as the Navy is concerned. It’s more of a paper air-
contested waters. He had authorized both in his Jan. 6 plane at this point than a real one.”
fiscal 2012 budget preview. Dorsett accepted Willard’s assessment that the DF-
The secretary also cited his continued support for 21D had achieved IOC, as China tested it “over land a
the multiservice F-35, which would bring a new gen- sufficient number of times [proving] that the missile
eration of radar-evading stealth and greater range than system itself is truly competent and capable.”
current fighters. And he noted that many aviation The Chinese also had intelligence sensors that could
experts questioned just how stealthy the new Chinese feed targeting data to the missile, so they probably
fighter would be. could start to employ it operationally, he said.
In his Jan. 6 Pentagon briefing, Gates also cited But Dorsett said the entire missile system had never
increased funding for the Navy to develop what he la- been tested over water, which raised “some questions
beled “a new generation of seaborne strike and surveil- of how proficient they would be to fully employ that at
lance aircraft.” That program, which the Navy calls the this point.”
Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Still, the intelligence chief acknowledged that the
Strike System (UCLASS), would benefit from the ongo- technology demonstrated in the DF-21 system “has
ing work on the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System increased their probability of being able to employ a
Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. salvo of missiles to be able to hit a maneuvering tar-
The Northrop Grumman-developed X-47B, which get,” such as an aircraft carrier.
looks like a small B-2, had its first test flight Feb. 4, a key “How proficient they are, what that level of proba-
step toward planned carrier tests in 2013. A carrier- bility is, we don’t know. Frankly, I’m guessing that they
based, stealthy, unmanned strike aircraft with a range don’t know,” he said.
more than double that of the piloted F-35 could allow Although China has been rapidly expanding and mod-
the Navy to threaten an adversary despite the most ernizing its military capabilities, including its navy, Dorsett
advanced defenses, defense officials said. questioned its ability “to become operationally proficient
While Gates was stressing Pentagon responses to in a joint warfighting, sophisticated combat environment.
any new Chinese capability, Dorsett was putting the … I don’t see China with those capabilities right now.”
recent developments in perspective. But, he said, one of the things he is focusing on is “how
In a Jan. 5 session with defense writers in good are they at developing their operational proficiency
Washington, Dorsett said that, as an intelligence pro- to manage across the spectrum of warfare? And that’s one
fessional, he was “not alarmed” by China’s new sys- where I don’t want to get the assessment wrong.”
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
The Northrop Grumman-developed X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration aircraft makes its first test
flight Feb. 4 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. A carrier-based, stealthy, unmanned strike aircraft could allow the Navy
to threaten an adversary despite the most advanced defenses, according to U.S. defense officials.
And while Dorsett admitted he was “concerned” advancing capabilities. And relative to advanced mis-
about China’s possible anti-ship missile and stealth sile systems, we’re doing that as well.”
fighter capabilities, “the technology that I’m most con- News sources have reported that the People’s Liberation
cerned about is China’s focus and attention on trying Army Navy (PLAN) appears to be close to putting to sea
to develop capabilities to dominate in the electromag- its first aircraft carrier, the 50,000-ton, oil-burning ship
netic spectrum, to conduct counterspace capabilities previously named Varyag, which it bought as a partly built
and clearly to conduct cyber activities. shell from Ukraine after the Soviet Union collapsed.
“That’s a greater concern for me than some of the PLAN officials have said they plan to use the ship to
other hardware-driven or kinetic associated capabili- develop carrier operational capabilities while they
ties that they’re delivering,” said Dorsett, who is dual- build additional carriers similar to Varyag, and then
hatted as deputy chief of naval operations for informa- more modern, 60,000-ton nuclear-powered flattops.
tion dominance. Meanwhile, Chinese pilots flying Russian-made Su-
Dorsett declined to talk in detail about how the military 33 fighters are training at a landing field constructed to
should respond to China’s emerging capabilities, but said, simulate a carrier deck.
“Like any advanced technology that’s developed for mili- Dorsett said he expected the Chinese to begin con-
tary use around the globe, the U.S. Navy needs to develop ducting sea trials with the “used, very old Russian car-
counters. We need to be innovative in that approach.” rier” later this year and for the indigenous carriers to
And, he suggested, with the creation of the informa- become operational over the next decade.
tion dominance office, Navy Cyber Command and “But by 2020, their aircraft carrier proficiency and
Tenth Fleet, “we’ve been able to look at a variety of capability will be very limited,” because integrating new
kinetic and non-kinetic solution sets to counter aircraft into flight deck operations and then into battle
20 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S
group operations “takes a fair amount of time,” he said. The U.S. Navy’s proven and expanding Aegis-based
And, he noted, the U.S. Navy has had more than 80 missile defense capabilities and its advanced electronic
years of carrier experience. warfare systems also can help offset China’s growing
The 11 operational U.S. carriers are all bigger, cruise and ballistic missile threat. Those capabilities
nuclear powered and operate an integrated air wing of would be enhanced by the Next Generation Jammer,
strike, surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and sur- the system Gates said in his Jan. 6 announcements he
face attack aircraft. would accelerate.
The concerns over China’s A2/AD capabilities pre- Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Raytheon and a
date the DF-21 and J-20 developments as China has Boeing-ITT team are competing for the contract to pro-
turned its previously small, outdated, coastal-defense duce the advanced jammer, which would go on the
navy into a sizable, modern fleet that is beginning to Navy’s expanding force of EA-18G Growlers.
show some extended “blue-water” capabilities. That Another future Navy capability that could offset
fleet includes at least 62 submarines, the Office of A2/AD assets is the planned Long-Range Anti-Ship
Naval Intelligence reported recently. Missile (LRASM), which could allow Navy ships and
China also has considerable capability to employ aircraft to direct precision strikes against hostile ships
sea mines, at least 1,000 short-range ballistic missiles at ranges far beyond current missiles.
and is in the process of increasing their range, payload The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
and accuracy. Those capabilities can make naval oper- has awarded Lockheed Martin a $218 million contract
ations close to the Chinese mainland challenging. to develop and test the LRASM, which will use a sen-
But Dorsett observed that China has yet to demon- sor system from BAE Systems to find and hit targets
strate effective “out-of-area” operations by any sizable autonomously. The Navy hopes to field the missile
naval force. by 2013. ■
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Shipbuilding Gains
The Navy’s 2012 budget proposes
five additional ships over the next five years
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U.S. NAVY
In its fiscal 2012 budget request, the Navy is seeking $14.1 billion for 10 ships in the ship construction budget, up from eight
in earlier planning, including two Virginia-class attack submarines. Here, the Virginia-class sub USS Hawaii enters Apra Harbor,
Guam, for a scheduled port visit Sept. 24. It was the first deployment of a Virginia-class boat to the western Pacific region.
[After deliberations] we were able to bring that in as a new “With the permission of Congress, we’re going to
start on 2014 at a one-ship-per-year rate as well. have a multiyear [E-2D contract] starting out in ’13 —
“These are both cases of meeting an existing require- as we ramp into production of that important electron-
ment [and] looking for a more affordable construction ic aircraft,” Mulloy said.
pattern. They happen to fit a sector of our auxiliary ship- Following approval of low-rate production of the P-
building industrial base that is in a bit of valley,” he said. 8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in August, the
Mulloy said the Navy’s procurement accounts for Navy is increasing the number to purchase in 2012 by
2012, at $45.8 billion, are $800 million less than those two to 11, with the buy over the FYDP increasing by
requested for 2011 partially as a result of the service’s seven to 92 aircraft by 2016.
efficiency efforts and the rest from changes in the F-35 The Navy still plans for five C-40A Clipper trans-
Lightning II program. ports over the FYDP, but moved up the purchase of
In January, Gates put the Marine Corps’ F-35B pro- three from 2015 to 2014. The budget request also plans
gram on probation, giving it two years to solve the devel- for the start of KC-130J production for the Navy’s logis-
opment problems in the short-takeoff/vertical-landing tics squadrons one year earlier, in 2014, for a total of
version of the strike fighter. In 2012, the Navy budget three over the FYDP. Continued KC-130J production
requested six instead of 14 F-35Bs and only 50 over the for the Marine Corps will slow, with one in 2012 and a
FYDP instead of the 115 previously planned. total of nine over the FYDP, down from 15.
For the Navy’s carrier-capable F-35C, 12 instead of The Navy’s helicopter procurement remains strong as
13 are requested for 2012, and over the FYDP the total it modernizes its force with MH-60R and MH-60S
request drops from 74 to 72. Seahawks, with 24 and 18, respectively, slated for 2012.
The F-35’s slowdown is a boon to Boeing’s F/A- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were boosted sig-
18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter program, which is nificantly with the increase of MQ-8B Fire Scout
being increased as a hedge against delays in the F-35 unmanned helicopters from three to 18 in 2012, and a
program. The Navy is requesting 41 additional Super total increase over the FYDP from 31 to 57. The MQ-4C
Hornets, increasing from one in 2012 to 28, from 25 to Global Hawk UAV — the Broad-Area Maritime Sur-
28 the next year and finally 11 in 2014. This ramped- veillance system — begins procurement in 2013, with a
up production would be accommodated by Boeing total of 15 planned by 2016.
deferring half of the planned 2012 production of 24 The MQ-21 Integrator — the newly selected Small
EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to 2013. Tactical UAS (unmanned aerial system) — will be pro-
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program receives a cured in quantities of eight in 2012, with a total of 20
boost of one aircraft funded in the OCO budget, for a over the FYDP. The Medium-Range Maritime Unmanned
total of six in 2012. Aerial System, planned to operate from any air-capable
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U.S. NAVY
3,356 instead of the previously
planned 2,704, but all of the increase
is in short-range air-to-ground mis- An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20
siles such as the Hellfire, Viper Strike, makes its first carrier takeoff aboard USS Harry S. Truman in the Atlantic Feb.
Griffin and Advanced Precision-Kill 2. The Navy’s fiscal 2012 budget request includes funding for six of the aircraft.
Weapon System. Procurement of all
other types of missiles — except Tactical Tomahawk, squadrons, based in Guam, Diego Garcia and the
Trident and Evolved Sea Sparrow — and torpedoes will Mediterranean, will be restructured and one brought back
decline in 2012 from the previous plan. to the United States for its stand-down to a reduced oper-
Production of Raytheon’s Standard SM-2 surface-to- ating status. Three Bob Hope-class large, medium-speed,
air missile was zeroed for 2012, and that of the new SM- roll-on/roll-off ships will be modified at a total cost of $65
6 version was reduced. However, the move reflected a million to augment the prepositioning squadrons.
shift in priorities that will enhance development of the “We have made modifications over time to them and
SM-6, one of the pillars of the Naval Integrated Fire use them for some theater security cooperation, but we’d
Control-Counter-Air concept of operations. Full-rate never actually studied a true business case of what sup-
production of the SM-6 is scheduled to begin in 2012. ports our combatant commanders and what could actu-
“SM-2 was terminated as an efficiency; we had what ally go forward in supporting war,” Mulloy said.
we needed there,” Mulloy said. “We wanted to focus “That [reduced operating status] squadron will be
on the SM-6. There was a rephasing due to completing ready to be broken out for exercises or for wartime
where we stood in contracting, also as reviewed by needs. So we have demonstrated, working with [U.S.
Defense Acquisition Board and validated. We’re now Transportation Command] and the Joint Staff, that we
on a ramp to complete the SM-6.” can get all the equipment forward in the time neces-
The Navy Department’s $18 billion funding request for sary for all the time-phased deployments but we can
research and development (R&D) in 2012 is up slightly, still save over $300 million over the FYDP … by our
from $17.8 billion for 2011. Significant planned expendi- streamlining organizations and operations,” he said.
tures include $1.3 billion for the F-35 and $1.1 billion for The Navy Air Reserve, which operates most of the
the next-generation ballistic-missile submarine (SSBNX). service’s organic logistics aircraft, stands to lose three
R&D funding reflects a focus on the Unmanned of its 15 fleet logistics squadrons and 17 transport air-
Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike craft, including 10 C-9Bs, two C-20Gs and five UC-
(UCLASS) System, with $121 million to start develop- 12Bs, the latter of which are base flight aircraft at
ment in 2012. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval oper- reserve air stations. According to the 2012 budget doc-
ations, is pressing for the fielding of the UCLASS by 2018. ument, the “Navy can mitigate this risk until all C-40A
Gates’ emphasis on next-generation electronic war- aircraft are operational.”
fare systems is reflected in R&D funding increases in The Navy’s military personnel strength stood at
the Next-Generation Jammer program (up $69 million 328,129 as of Feb. 11. The 2012 budget aims to reduce
from the previous year, to $190 million) and Surface the number to an end strength of 325,700 by 2012. Ap-
Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (up $79 proximately 6,000 Sailors will be transferred from
million from the 2011 request, to $158 million). shore billets to the operating forces. The Navy Reserve
Some force-structure changes and reductions also are is scheduled for a reduction from 66,200 to 63,300 per-
planned in the 2012 budget. One of the most significant sonnel by 2014. The service plans to spend $46.6 bil-
is the plan to place one of the three maritime preposition- lion on personnel in 2012, up from $45.1 billion
ing squadrons into a reduced operating status. The requested in 2011. ■
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‘Frugal Roots’
Marine Corps request reflects anticipation of tighter future defense budgets
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Changing Course
Coast Guard budget plan provides ‘real substance’
arguments regarding replacing aging assets
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Easing Fears
Coast Guard technologies continue to enhance port security capabilities
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U.S. COAST GUARD
The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Seas enters Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., under the escort of
Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale boat crews Nov. 13, 2009. Crowded ports, the mix of cruise ship and commercial
ship traffic, and the difficulty in monitoring container vessel cargo have heightened port security and safety concerns.
“Cruise ships are an attractive target for any type of remains container traffic because it is the most diffi-
vulnerability that we look at from a port security safety cult to monitor.
perspective,” said Capt. Christopher P. Scraba, Coast “We are in better shape than most countries, but at
Guard Sector Miami commander. the same time there’s an awful lot of containers that
The port currently is ranked the safest in Florida due come in every day and an awful lot of ships that come
in large part to the Computer Based Assessment Tool in every week that we are relying on our intelligence
(CBAT) it uses. CBAT, according to the Department of services and shippers on the other side of the ocean
Homeland Security website, is a multiplatform software [attesting] that they are taking the proper steps to
tool that blends a 360-degree geospherical video with ensure the safety of the cargo,” Naccara said.
geospatial and hypermedia data of facilities, surround- Another homeland security expert believes there is
ing areas, travel routes and other areas of interest to cre- only so much help advanced port technology can provide.
ate an interactive video guide of a selected location. “The best way to make a port secure is to make the mar-
“In the post-9/11 environment, it’s no longer safety itime space as secure as possible. You can do reasonable
of the ports. Its safety, security and protection of the security things at the ports, but that’s about it,” said James
ports,” Scraba said. Carafano of the Washington-based Heritage Foundation.
A main concern for mariners continues to be main- “Situational awareness is always good. Credentialing
taining the flow of commerce and traffic while ensur- things are fine. Other than that, you spend a lot of money
ing safety, security and protection, both for ports and on technologies that I think have limited utility.”
vessels, said Rick Naccara, president of Los Angeles- He believes an attack on a foreign port that is a
based Patriot Maritime Compliance LLC, which pro- major shipper to the United States would do more
vides security requirement consulting services for ship harm than an attack on a U.S. port.
and facility owners. “Maritime is a thing where a system is only as strong
He said port fears have relaxed since extensive reg- as its weakest link and I think a lot of the time, if we
ulatory requirements, such as increased credentialing are actually going to invest in security and capacity
and more port security personnel, went into place building, we would be better off thinking about foreign
after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but the biggest threat parts than our own ports,” Carafano said. ■
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U.S. NAVY
A rigid hull inflatable boat from the guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley approaches the Japanese-owned oil tanker
M/V Guanabara, at left, March 6 off the coast of Oman after Bulkeley responded to the reported pirating of Guanabara
and detained four suspected pirates. Guanabara had 24 crew members aboard. The Turkish Navy frigate TCG Giresun,
assigned to NATO counterpiracy Task Force 508, is in the background.
“This is currently a business for the Somali pirate, Pirates rarely faced serious punishment if captured,
and going out and [capturing a ship or hostages] is but that is starting to change.
about money,” Mody said. In February, Abduwali Abukhadir Muse, a Somali
Maritime experts are paying close attention to how pirate involved in the 2009 hijacking of the MV Maersk
effective the pirates can be as they move further off the Alabama in which three other suspects were killed by
coast of Somalia. Navy snipers during the rescue of the ship’s captain
“The pirates are becoming victims of their own suc- Richard Phillips, was sentenced to 34 years in prison
cess in that they are moving away from the narrowly by a U.S. federal court judge.
confined areas of the Gulf of Aden and they are going On March 9, the 13 Somalis and one Yemeni detained
deep into the Indian Ocean,” said, Stephen Caldwell, after the killing of four Americans aboard the private
Government Accountability Office director of maritime yacht Quest in February off the coast of Oman were
security and Coast Guard issues. “This is also making it indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the
harder for the navies involved because, as with any Eastern District of Virginia in Norfolk. The suspected
navy, they are more effective in a narrow area but they pirates appeared at the federal courthouse in Norfolk
become less effective when the search area gets bigger.” before a U.S. magistrate to hear the charges, according to
He noted that widening the area poses difficulties a Reuters report. They were charged with piracy, con-
for the pirates as well, because it is not as easy to find spiracy to commit kidnapping and the use of firearms
ships to attack in the open sea. during a crime, according to the indictment.
There has been widespread public outcry to commit Reacting to that threat, pirates have declared pub-
more resources to the area, but that becomes difficult licly they will kill hostages before being captured by
because no one is tracking exact numbers on the cost U.S. forces and sent to trial.
of operations. In response to an interview request from Seapower,
“They don’t know, and until someone tries to get Norfolk, Va.-based Maersk Line Ltd. (MLL) issued the
some idea of what it costs, it’s hard to determine how following statement: “The safety and security of our
much money could be added to help the relief efforts,” mariners remains our top priority. We recognize that pira-
Caldwell said. cy is a persistent and evolving threat with no single solu-
He said there is little to deter the pirates today. tion. MLL continues to work with the Coast Guard, Navy,
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U.S. NAVY
ment is taking place on how to
thwart a pirate attack, with more
consideration being given to the use
of lethal force. Sailors assigned to the visit, board, search and seizure team and Coast Guardsmen
assigned to the Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment Team embarked
“We are looking at a more aggres-
aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain conduct a counterpiracy
sive approach to defending the ship operations brief Jan. 1 in the Arabian Sea. Lake Champlain is deployed with Com-
against piracy,” said George Quick, bined Task Force 151, supporting maritime security operations and theater securi-
vice president of the International ty cooperation efforts in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility.
Organization of Masters, Mates and
Pilots (IOMMP). “The rules of engagement these ships “Ship owners see very little else they can do to pro-
have been using are not working and there is a greater tect their vessel because of the inability of the navies,
emphasis to putting armed security forces on ships and due to a lack of resources, and sometimes rules of
actively defending them.” engagement, to take the punitive actions which are
The Linthicum Heights, Md.-based IOMMP works required for it to have the true deterrent effect,” said
to secure and protect the rights and working condi- Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB Commercial
tions of its members and those who work in the seago- Crime Services.
ing maritime industry. Ransom demands are rising because when a vessel is
Ships with security teams onboard have yet to be taken, ship owners have very little direct support from
hijacked, according to Coast Guard Commandant governments or the military to rescue the vessel and its
Adm. Robert J. Papp, Jr. crew from Somalia. They also have no help from the
“The pirates pretty much back down once they are Somali authorities.
confronted with people with weapons onboard the “There is no way to counter this trend easily. So in
ships. We believe security teams are beneficial to the these circumstances, the options to them are very lim-
security procedures over there,” Papp told Seapower. ited and the upward trend of the ransoms is going to
The U.S. Navy has led the international counterpiracy continue,” Mukundan said.
response, but the Coast Guard has provided assistance “Seafarers do not go to sea to constantly be placed
with law enforcement personnel and attorneys. The serv- under such circumstances,” he said.
ice has people trained in processing a crime scene and Mukundan offered two possible solutions to the
prosecuting suspected pirates who are captured. The problem.
Coast Guard also is responsible for the safety of U.S.-flag “What needs to be done is, on the one hand, deal
shipping in the area and is tasked with establishing rules with the pirates at sea very robustly, employing the
and safety protocols for those shippers. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1950 [that
Papp said security teams have a track record of suc- authorizes states to intervene in acts of piracy by Somali
cess, but their presence could increase the risk of pirates pirates] to its fullest extent, taking action against those
arming themselves with more than small arms. He also boats and persons suspected of being involved in piracy,
said speeding up a vessel, using evasive maneuvering and and at the same time to be seen to be taking action
putting barbed wire on ships has helped prevent attacks. ashore in Somalia to provide some help in building
“You are never going to be able to provide enough Navy infrastructure so that the people in this area do not have
forces to cover that entire area, so the shipping companies to go out to sea to commit these horrendous crimes [to
themselves have to take on best practices,” Papp said. make a living],” he said. ■
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MISSILE DEFENSE
Aegis Advances
Planned incremental upgrades keep the shipboard combat system current
46 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
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U.S. NAVY
ACB-12 computer program. Within
that computer program will be the
BMD 5.0 capability.”
The guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill departs Naval Station San Diego for a
scheduled deployment Nov. 30. The ship is the first to deploy with the Advanced
The BMD 5.0 capability is the
Capability Build (ACB) 08 upgrade to the Aegis Combat System. The Navy plans open-architecture follow-on software
to begin installing the next Aegis modernization, ACB12, beginning in fiscal 2012. to the BMD 4.01 program, the sec-
ond generation of Aegis BMD soft-
Signal Processor for the radar and integrated air and ware currently installed on the cruiser USS Lake Erie.
ballistic-missile defense capability,” Hill said. BMD 4.01 “introduced the ballistic-missile defense
The Multi-Mission Signal Processor will not initially signal processor, which is the precursor to the Multi-
be installed on the 14 cruisers receiving ACB12. Nine Mission Signal Processor” of BMD 5.0, said Steve
— CGs 65 through 73 — eventually will receive the Bucci, director of BMD programs for Lockheed Martin.
processor with its BMD capability beginning in 2014 The periodic ACB updates make it easier for Aegis
with ACB14, Hill said. to be modified to keep up with potential threats.
“Ultimately, the Navy plans to upgrade all Aegis “From an Aegis BMD perspective, because of the
destroyers and nine Aegis cruisers to have a BMD capa- proliferation and upgrades going on in the ballistic
bility,” he said. missile world, we have a process in place to [update
“ACB12 [also] initiates a common computer pro- the capability] on a periodic basis, depending on how
gram library for Aegis and brings in the first third-party complex the changes required,” Bucci said. “We work
developed software element — Track Manager/Track with the Missile Defense Agency and the Navy on
Server” — according to the Navy Program Guide 2011. where they would like us to go from a capability per-
“Future ACBs will continue to bring new capabilities to spective, and we keep a forward-looking approach so
existing ships in a single package [as opposed to] the that we’re pacing ahead of the threat.”
legacy method of installing capability improvements ACB12 also will be the basis for the first shore-based
through multiple, individualized deliveries.” operational Aegis sites, to be built under the order of
“ACB12 is a very significant program,” said Jim Sheri- President Barack Obama to establish BMD sites in
dan, director of U.S. Navy Aegis programs for Lockheed Europe, called the Phased Adaptive Approach, or Aegis
Martin Mission Systems and Sensors. “It’s the first time Ashore. Two sites will be built, one in Romania and the
we’re going to be introducing an integrated air- and mis- other in Poland.
sile-defense capability onboard the Aegis fleet. Aegis, obvi- Aegis Ashore will have the same BMD capability as
ously, has BMD capability as well as an [anti-air warfare] DDG 113, Hill said, and will have a communications
capability, but ACB12 balances those capabilities and max- capability, including tactical data links, similar to those
imizes the radar resources available to those ships.” of an Aegis ship.
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“There will be some modifications that we make to Aegis systems of Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyers,
the ACB-12 core to adapt it for the land-based applica- Hill said.
tion for Aegis Ashore,” Bucci said. Sheridan noted that that would begin with DDG
He added that the Aegis Ashore installations could 122, giving the destroyers both an S-band and X-band
be redeployed to other locations if necessary. capability. S-band radars are optimized for volume
“If something got hot in another area, one of the search; X-band radars provide more precise track infor-
tenets within Aegis Ashore is that it can be relocated mation for targeting.
within a certain amount of time, the idea being that if Aegis has been designed, built and modified by
the threat changes in the future, perhaps one of the Lockheed Martin since the program began in De-
sites in Europe could be relocated to another area of cember 1969, with the first deployment onboard the
the world or another country within Europe as the cruiser USS Ticonderoga in 1983.
threat evolves,” Bucci said. However, when addressing an audience at the
The shore sites, scheduled to reach initial opera- Surface Navy Association in Arlington, Va., Jan. 11,
tional capability in 2015, will control Standard SM-3 Rear Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe, director of surface war-
Blocks IB, IIA and IIB missiles. The watch stations will fare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, said
be manned by U.S. Navy personnel. that Aegis is one of the programs being considered for
The Navy and three industry teams led by Lockheed opening to competition in order to achieve the highest
Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are in the quality and efficiencies. That would mean Lockheed
technology demonstration phase of developing the Martin would have to compete to remain the Aegis
follow-on to the S-band SPY-1 radar, the primary sensor prime contractor.
system of Aegis. The Air and Missile Defense Radar When asked to comment on the potential competi-
(AMDR) program is working on a new S-band radar to tion, Hill said, “The Aegis PSEA [Platform System
replace the SPY-1 and a radar suite controller to integrate Engineering Agent] competition is purposely geared
an X-band radar that will be selected at a later date. toward identifying highest quality, cost savings, effi-
Each contractor will produce a small-scale S-band ciencies and process improvements in order to provide
radar prototype. The AMDR will be integrated into the the best value to the Navy.” ■
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THE FLEET
A Leap Forward
Navy upgrades surface ship electronic defense against future threats
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THE FLEET
As Block 2 — which is a passive sensor upgrade — EO/IR countermeasures out there, but this one will take
matures, the Navy is planning for the next two SEWIP it to the next level in distraction and deception type
upgrades to the SLQ-32. capabilities.”
“SEWIP Block 3 is envisioned to provide electronic One of the goals of Block 4 will be to defeat missiles
attack [jamming] upgrades to SLQ-32 systems, with de- with tri-mode seeker heads, which can switch back
velopment beginning in approximately 2012,” Zobel said. and forth between modes — electro-optical, infrared
“SEWIP Block 4 is a placeholder for additional SLQ-32 up- and millimeter microwave — to avoid jamming and
grades, for example in [electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR)].” lock on the targeted ship.
“Block 4 [involves] electro-optical/infrared distractions, “This is about fighting and winning the electromag-
a countermeasures approach,” Ottaviano said. “There are netic spectrum, ultimately,” Filipowski said. “We want
to have systems that are upgrade-
able from a technology perspective
— tech refresh — and capabilities
that allow us to provide for tech
insertion should an urgent capabil-
ity be needed, something that we
can do very quickly, not just grad-
ually over time. We have to have
the ability to change our capabili-
ties on the fly to meet the mission
demands that are placed upon us.
“Integration is certainly a very
big obstacle we have to overcome
as we integrate new technology
with older technology and ensure
that it’s compliant and can be
worked in both worlds,” he said.
“Even beyond that, the growth, the
explosion of the technology, has
meant that we are quickly outpac-
ing ourselves with technology at a
very iterative rate.”
“The tough part will be keeping
up with the technology explosion,
because as technology continues to
mature and advance, potential
threats will similarly advance in all
the same ways. For us to be able to
pace that, keeping up with the
technology is going to be essential
to our overall success,” he said.
“We need to be able to operate
at a time and place of our choos-
ing, but not necessarily under the
circumstances of our choosing,”
Filipowski added. “If we have
ships or airplanes that have to be
able to move very quickly from one
theater to the next, we also need to
be able to change the parameters
by which they operate on the fly so
they could be just as successful in
one environment, in one theater, as
they were in the other.” ■
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U.S. NAVY
or schedule delays.
Although EMALS will be
launching a variety of different
An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares to launch during a test of the Electro-
magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) at Naval Air Engineering Station, platforms, Forney said the fact that
Lakehurst, N.J., Dec. 18. EMALS was a carrier-based launch system designed the system has been developing the
for Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. envelope for all of the aircraft
means that it will not matter which
EMALS will replace legacy steam-powered catapults aircraft is being launched.
in use aboard carriers today. While the mission and func- “We have done dead-loads for airplanes that don’t
tion of EMALS remains the same, Donnelly said, the exist today,” he said. “[EMALS is] designed for opera-
EMALS uses entirely different technology: stored kinetic tions 50 years into the future.”
energy and solid-state electrical power conversion. EMALS would account for different aircraft auto-
“This technology permits a high degree of computer matically. Operators would only need to enter the size
control, monitoring and automation,” he said. “In addi- of the plane, the weight and the speed they want to
tion, EMALS uses feedback control to provide accurate have the system account for all those factors.
end-speed control and compensate for any errors in air- “We don’t have to make any mechanical adjust-
craft launch weight or loss of aircraft thrust.” ments,” Forney said. “It’s all done in a computer.”
An electromagnetic field propels the catapult shuttle A major benefit of EMALS is cost reduction due to
attached to a metal plate on rollers down the track at the lower manning and maintenance required. Forney said
necessary speed for takeoff. It is a modular system sup- the Navy expects to save many millions of dollars per
ported by four independent power trains, which means carrier due to the design.
that if a power train fails, the three remaining can provide Addressing the early problems the company faced
enough energy to complete the catapult launch cycle, with the system, Forney said EMALS had a unique and
improving the system’s reliability over steam catapults. ambitious schedule, and there were some growing
An installed ship set will have four catapult launch- pains as a result.
ing systems. “This is a significant new system,” he said. “I don’t
“The Navy expects the system to take up only half of think that anybody thought this was going to be easy
the space of a steam catapult and also offer a reduction in getting through the test phase.”
total ownership costs by requiring only about half the He said the mechanical malfunction last year looked
maintenance of the legacy system,” according to Donnelly. worse than it actually was, noting that “since then,
“The system provides better control of the launch we’ve actually had very good success.”
forces, as well as wear and tear on carrier-based aircraft,” As far as lessons learned, Forney said it would have
he said. “It will provide the capability for launching all been nice if EMALS had gotten into the test program
current and future carrier wing platforms — lightweight earlier so there was not so much concurrency with the
unmanned to heavy strike fighters.” ship production schedule.
Scott Forney, San Diego-based General Atomics’ elec- “We were just challenged because of the new hard-
tromagnetic systems division vice president, said the com- ware,” he said. “The bottom line is we had to make
pany is working on updating software and preparing to get production decisions before we fully tested the system.
back into testing. The company also will deliver a “signif- … Most programs wouldn’t be this far along and
icant amount” of EMALS hardware to Gerald R. Ford, the already be building production hardware.
first carrier that will use the system around 2015. “We were just challenged early on,” he added. “A lot
“The challenge, of course, has been building hardware of folks focus on the visible test program, [but] the pro-
while qualifying the system,” Forney said. “But there duction program has been going on very well the last
have been very few modifications to the hardware.” few years. There is nothing behind schedule.” ■
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then informs the service life exten-
sion program, or SLEP, which is
when the program actually seeks to
take measures to extend the air- A U.S. Marine waits for the family of former President George W. Bush to
board a Marine Corps VH-3 helicopter from the presidential helicopter fleet for
craft’s service life.
their departure at the U.S. Capitol east front in Washington Jan. 20, 2009, fol-
The program will be able to lowing the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Marine Helicopter
keep the helicopters flying for so Squadron One maintains a fleet of 19 VH-3 and VH-60 platforms to transport
long because they have been “me- the president and vice president, heads of state and other official parties.
ticulously maintained and contin-
uously upgraded via the special progressive aircraft VH-60N [will not] continue to execute the mission
rework (SPAR) process over their entire service lives,” safely until the replacement presidential helicopter
Wooten said. fleet achieves FOC.”
“The SPAR process addresses the refinishing and Sikorsky was unable to respond to a request for
refurbishing of the aircraft at specific flight hour inter- comment by press time March 15.
vals,” he said. “This work ensures aircraft structural Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the
integrity and repairs, as well as overhauls of major Teal Group who specializes in commercial and military
components, incorporates NAVAIR-approved technical aircraft, said it is perfectly reasonable to expect that the
directives, and applies paint and interior upholstery program can keep the aircraft flying safely and meeting
items that comply with White House Military Office mission requirements.
appearance standards.” “You have to do more frequent checks of systems
He said this “detailed, extensive attention,” along with and the airplane,” he said. “It’s not a question of
the SLAP, will enable the helicopters to stick around until impossible, it’s a question of sustainment.”
the replacement presidential helicopter arrives. However, he said that lost in the discussion of VXX
About two or three VH-3D and VH-60N aircraft from and complaints about VH-71 is how much it will cost
the fleet of 19 go through the SPAR process every year. to keep the legacy presidential helicopter fleet flying.
“All aircraft are inducted at a not-to-exceed specific “No one was at all focused on the mounting costs of
flight hour interval, which is balanced by the presiden- sustaining a legacy system,” he said. “There are a cou-
tial requirements as well as other factors,” Wooten said. ple of issues. One deals with an aging system. Then
Sikorsky received a $17.7 million contract in October there is the parts manufacturing base, which is inher-
for the VH-3D and VH-60N aircraft rework effort. ently very expensive producing legacy parts for a plat-
“Sikorsky is currently performing the VH-3D/VH- form with a very small user group. Then, of course,
60N SLAP study,” Wooten said. “At this time, we you have to have a very secure supply chain, so that’s
expect contract award for the VH-3D/VH-60N service expensive, too.”
life extension program at the end of [fiscal 2011].” Not knowing when a follow-on platform will mate-
As to whether it is a major problem for the program rialize does not help the cost issue, Aboulafia added.
to not know when VXX will arrive, and thus not know “We don’t have a firm sunset,” he said. “When you
how long the current fleet will have to be extended, don’t have a firm sunset, you have to keep things going
Wooten said there is “no concern that the VH-3D and and going.” ■
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INTERVIEW
A Watchful Eye
The Navy Department’s acquisition chief squeezes ships out of savings
Stackley’s career path has well prepared him for his current responsi-
bilities of equipping the Navy and Marine Corps with what they need to
carry out their roles in national defense and foreign policy. After service
aboard a destroyer as a surface warfare officer, he became an engi-
neering duty officer and served in a series of industrial, fleet, program
office and headquarters assignments in ship design and construction,
maintenance, logistics and acquisition policy. These assignments includ-
ed production officer for the destroyer USS Arleigh Burke and naval
architect for the Canadian patrol frigate HMCS Halifax, both first-of-
LISA NIPP
class projects, which led to his role as program manager for the San
Antonio-class dock landing ships from 2001-2005.
Since assuming office in July 2008, Stackley has grappled with daunting acquisition issues made all the
more challenging by a constrained fiscal environment. He discussed these issues with Managing Editor
Richard R. Burgess. Excerpts follow:
What concerns do you have about the health bered with added costs, and elements of our shipbuild-
of the U.S. shipbuilding industry? ing industrial base have been in jeopardy of financial
STACKLEY: We have to keep a mindful eye on our survival or viability. That has been a factor as we build
shipbuilding industrial base constantly. Our ship- our shipbuilding plan, to keep an eye on the industrial
builders are a unique and strategic national asset, base and watch for critical signs where we’re at risk or
[with] unique capacities, unique capabilities, a unique at jeopardy of losing critical elements.
skilled work force both in terms of design and produc- As you look at [Program Objective Memorandum
tion. The same holds true for many of the vendors who (POM) 12], we have increased our shipbuilding rates
support shipbuilding in terms of combat systems and on the nuclear side. We’re at one to two submarines
hull, mechanical and electrical systems. per year. Our carrier plan is very stable. For major
The reality is that for the last 20 years, our rate of [surface] combatants, it gets more challenging.
ship construction has been below an efficient level for As we restart the DDG 51 program, for example, we’ve
our industrial base. As a result, we have been encum- added a DDG 51 in the FYDP [Future Years Defense
66 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
INTERVIEW
Plan], which provides a specific benefit to our surface What was the rationale of accelerating the pur-
combatant builders. And we’ve developed the auxiliaries chase of the T-AO(X) and the MLP in the 2012
with the Mobile Landing Platform [MLP] and the T- budget proposal and FYDP?
AO(X) [new fleet oiler] as examples of where our ability STACKLEY : First, shipbuilding is a priority within our
to invest in those ship classes has an additional benefit to budget. When all the puts and takes were taking place
a critical part of our industrial base. throughout the budget process, we kept it foremost in
So it’s a constant effort to balance our workload with terms of where we wanted to invest. Whereas there is
our requirements with our budget and keep our indus- a lot of discussion about budget cuts, we were able to
trial base healthy to meet our near-term and long-term identify opportunities through efficiency initiatives to
requirements. increase our investments in shipbuilding.
We took a look at where we needed to increase our
What can the shipbuilding industry do to help investments. First, the MLP was structured in [2011]
the Navy with its procurement issues? as one ship every other year — ’11, ’13 and ’15 —
STACKLEY : One of our objectives in structuring a ship- which is not an ideal construction pattern. For the
building program is to provide stability to the industry. sake of efficiency, we tucked those up into one ship in
We recognize that the volume industry would like is not ’11, ’12 and ’13, so we can improve our leverage align-
the volume they’re seeing in the shipbuilding program. ing on the program and also improve the business
Step one is to understand that our shipbuilding plan base, in this case, for [General Dynamics NASSCO, San
is our shipbuilding plan and we collectively need to Diego,] where that ship is contracted.
ensure that we’re sized and shaped — we being the In the case of T-AO(X), we need to modernize our fleet
industrial base with the Navy — appropriately so that oilers and get the double-hulled ships. We discussed this
those ships and that plan can be built most efficiently. in our budget process last year that we simply did not have
We’re spending a lot of time studying the causes for the room inside of our top line to bring that future fleet
cost growth in shipbuilding. Much of that derives from oiler consigned to FYDP and carry it forward as a priority
the fact that we are in a relatively low-rate production in POM 12 deliberations. We were able to bring that in as
environment compared to a couple of decades ago a new start in 2014 at a one-ship-per-year rate as well.
when our major shipyards were sized. These are both cases of meeting an existing require-
What we had to work [out] together is how to man- ment [and] looking for a more affordable construction
age through such considerations as [the] overhead, pattern. They happen to fit a sector of our auxiliary
capital investments and indirect labor that supports shipbuilding industrial base that is in a bit of valley.
the production labor in order to reduce unnecessary
costs. The other key aspect is the supply chain. The What are the issues governing the next-generation
shipyards manage a very expensive supply chain in the ballistic-missile submarine (SSBNX)? Why only 12
production of our ships. As we look at controlling boats to replace 14?
costs, half that cost comes through material and mate- STACKLEY: [With] the SSBNX, we have to be uncom-
rial management. So it’s not a simple matter of just promising in terms of the boat’s performance and the
improving production and performance, but looking at boat’s schedule. The Ohio-class [SSBN] commences
all costs and determining how we can attack the costs retirement in the late 2020s, so the first of the Ohio
across the board so that we can build more ships. replacement program ships needs to be on patrol in
2029. That drives a very tight and hard timeline for
What concerns does the department have with development, design, production and testing.
Northrop Grumman spinning off its shipbuilding The bottom line is that we have pressure on the per-
sector? formance side, pressure on the schedule side and then
STACKLEY : We are very closely engaged with we have cost considerations. So [we have to be] uncom-
Northrop Grumman evaluating their proposed spinout promising on schedule, uncompromising on perform-
of their shipbuilding sector. There is not a future Navy ance [and] uncompromising in terms of cost. Otherwise,
that does not involve those shipyards, so it’s extremely that program will dominate our ship construction budget
important to us that, if they get spun out, they are in a for 10 to 12 years while it’s under construction. We’ve
strong financial position to be able to execute our cur- brought cost in as a requirement to leverage it against the
rent contracts as well as our future shipbuilding con- other requirements associated with the platform.
tracts, both in terms of the nuclear work that is Twelve boats meet our requirements. We’ve done a lot
uniquely performed at Newport News [Va.,] and the of analysis to determine the force structure for recapital-
surface combatant and amphibious shipbuilding pro- izing the Ohio class. It turns out that when you consider
grams on the Gulf Coast. the fact that the [SSBNX] will be designed with a “life of
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 67
INTERVIEW
LISA NIPP
program. The reality is inside of the 55-ship [LCS pro-
gram] you have are two fairly large-size classes [with] a
fair amount of commonality. You still have the basic con-
cept of modularity and the mission packages are common requires a higher-order degree of program management
across LCS 1 and LCS 2. We’re looking to drive common- than what we’ve exercised in the past.
ality at the component level, and we’re starting to look In certain cases, it’s across programs. In certain
ahead toward things like C4I [command, control, com- cases, it’s across systems commands. In certain cases,
munications, computers and intelligence] and combat it’s across services and across agencies. There’s a gener-
systems to see where we can drive further commonality. al rule of thumb that you will fight the way you’re
organized, and if we leave seams and gaps across pro-
The Navy has been pushing open architecture grams that add up to a capability, then we leave seams
as a requirement in combat systems. Is indus- and gaps in the capability itself.
try onboard with the Navy on that? A good example is sea-based ballistic-missile
STACKLEY: These are efforts not simply to break down defense. Each of the systems commands — plus the
barriers when it comes to competition, but they serve to Missile Defense Agency — working across multiple
reduce the cost of sustaining the systems that we install [program executive offices (PEOs)] all need to come
on our ships. There’s a win-win to the extent that we together to provide sea-based missile defense. When
can drive open systems and we’re finding that, across you think about managing across those PEOs, you
the board, industry has been receptive and supportive. have to approach it differently than managing the
development and delivery of a single platform.
You have recently talked about moving toward
capabilities-based acquisition, rather than The 2012 budget proposal includes several
platform-based. multiyear procurements. Is Congress more
STACKLEY : The capabilities we are developing to meet favorably disposed to them?
the future threat are increasingly complex and have STACKLEY : The objective of the multiyear is to bring
evolved such that they’re no longer system-centric or home savings, so Congress has tightened up its expec-
platform-centric, they rely on system-of-systems type of tations as has the department in terms of the savings
capability. We have to have multiple programs that that we’re going to be able to achieve through the mul-
come together to deliver a single capability and that tiyear. Before we propose to Congress that a program
68 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
INTERVIEW
be entered in a multiyear, we have to have established Does the Navy’s proposal to extend the lives
that stable programs are on hand and we have to be of 150 older F/A-18s make more sense than to
able to certify the 10 percent savings target we project, buy new Super Hornets?
as opposed to simply estimating the savings. STACKLEY: We’re taking a very balanced approach
That’s imposing greater discipline on the system and toward managing our TacAir [tactical air] inventory. First,
establishing a threshold that, in the past, we had not it’s keeping the [F-35] program whole so all options ulti-
achieved. We’re providing a return on investment and mately go through the [F-35] program. We’ve added 41
the commitment associated with the multiyear that F/A-18 aircraft [in the 2012 budget] which have a signif-
justifies the commitment by both the department and icant positive impact of mitigating any potential TacAir
Congress. And, we’re establishing savings that, in this shortfall toward the back end of the decade. The other
environment, are ever more critical so those can then element is managing the legacy F/A-18s — the A through
be reinvested back into the program. Ds and the Es and Fs that are currently on hand.
We’ve had a three-phased approach. First, service
How will the F-35B “probation” and the slow life management: managing tail by tail to minimize the
down of F-35 procurement affect the initial opera- wear and tear on the aircraft as they continue through
ting capabilities (IOC) timelines for the aircraft? their service life.
STACKLEY: I need to defer that question to the service Second, the service life assessment program: to see
chiefs; they own the IOC. What we’re doing today is pro- what we need to do in order to extend their service life
viding them the information they need to establish the without going into major upgrades or modifications to
IOCs for both the F-35B and F-35C. We’re doing this the airframe and systems. Through the service life assess-
through the results of the Tactical Baseline Review that ment program we’ve been able to increase the [life]
was briefed out this past fall. We’re marching basically expectancy from 6,000 flight hours up to 8,000 and then,
through the balance of the program — software, baseline, through high flying hours inspections, now we project
scheduling, training considerations — the other factors that the A through Ds will last for 8,600 hours prior to
that add up to being able to define and meet their IOC. going into a service life extension [program].
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 69
INTERVIEW
70 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
THE FLEET
TechSolutions Priority
ONR initiative seeks to solve problems with ‘speed to the fleet’
72 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
THE FLEET
U.S. NAVY
Landings Logged
The Landing Signal Officer (LSO)
School trains aviators at NAS
Office of Naval Research (ONR) Command Master Chief Charles Ziervogel demon-
Oceana, Va., to serve as LSOs on air-
strates the capabilities of the ONR- Atlas Power Ascender in the atrium of the Hyatt
Hotel in Arlington, Va., Nov. 8 during the 2010 Naval Science and Technology
craft carriers. Each LSO in the fleet
Partnership Conference. The power ascender is a multipurpose device that can keeps log books of all the landings
haul combat rescue loads, extend warfighter stamina and reduce mission exposure. they observe, with data on the con-
ditions of each, such as day or night,
“Because we are an S&T sponsoring organization, weather, aircraft status and the pilot’s score. This is briefed
we’re always out there looking for ideas. We hope more to the pilots after each mission, and then forwarded to the
Sailors and Marines will call us,” said ONR Director of school house where the data is transferred to a Microsoft
Innovation Larry Schuette. “We want low-cost Access database to help the staff train new LSOs.
answers, with a high return on investment. We want to Working with the Naval Postgraduate School in
solve problems, not symptoms.” Monterey, Calif., TechSolutions is creating a personal dig-
Some of the problems TechSolutions has attempted ital assistant that not only could record the same informa-
to solve include: tion previously written into the pages of the log book, but
then transmit that data online to the LSO School where it
Finding the Right Tool is automatically captured by the database.
A petty officer with a helicopter squadron at Naval Air “We wanted to reduce potential errors, incomplete
Station (NAS) North Island in San Diego had observed data and workload,” said Ziervogel.
inefficiencies in the way the squadron managed its tool In response to this TechSolutions inquiry, the Navy
room. The paper records and log books were hard to main- made an investment of about $1 million. The result is
tain and it was difficult to ensure custody and accountabil- a management tool that permits comparisons of indi-
ity of the tools. Shift changes were difficult and time con- vidual pilots for an entire carrier during a deployment,
suming. So the Sailor contacted TechSolutions to see if between squadrons, between carriers, or from one
there was a better way to manage the inventory and locate deployment to the next, and is easier to use and more
tools that had been checked out but not returned. accurate than paper log books.
“Working with that Sailor and the Naval Air
Systems Command science adviser, TechSolutions paid New Lights, Solid Improvement
to develop a solution and developed and evaluated a Bunk lights for shipboard berthing spaces have fluores-
software solution/system,” Ziervogel said. cent bulbs that make an annoying buzzing hum.
The solution — resulting from an investment of less Replacing them with very quiet solid-state Light
than $50,000 — was an automated barcode tool room Emitting Diode (LED) bunk lights is a quality-of-life
software package and tracking system for all tools and improvement that most Sailors can identify with.
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 73
THE FLEET
U.S. NAVY
same 60,000 hours, and together
they require 3,600 KWh.
“The replacement lights fit stan- Shooters aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman test a catapult capac-
dard fixtures, so it’s plug-and- ity selector valve (CSV) calculator provided by the Office of Naval Research dur-
replace,” said Ziervogel. ing flight operations Jan. 27 in the Atlantic Ocean. The CSV calculator is a per-
sonal digital assistant that would replace paper lookup tables and allow flight deck
Conventional navigational
personnel to compute the proper settings for an aircraft carrier steam catapult.
lights and high bay lighting in The device is being provided through the TechSolutions program, a rapid-
hangar decks are critical for safe response technology development program that funds government laboratories
operations, but replacing them to produce prototype solutions for problems identified by Sailors and Marines.
while underway, especially in bad
weather or heavy seas, is difficult and dangerous. So borne in a few seconds. But there is careful thinking
the LED navigational lights and bay lighting are a big and planning going on in the seconds before launch, as
improvement on many levels. the catapult operator determines the proper settings of
Thanks to TechSolutions, form-fit-function LED the catapult capacity selector valve (CSV) for that par-
replacements for the 8WT5 fluorescent fixtures used ticular aircraft in its present configuration.
throughout the Navy. They also have replaced all the If they set the CSV wrong, and the steam pressure is
8WT5 fluorescent fixtures in the forward section (habit- too high or too low, the aircraft either can get pulled
ability module) aboard the Virginia-class attack sub- apart by excessive force or not generate enough speed
marines USS New Hampshire and are in the process of to get off the deck and roll into the ocean.
being installed on USS New Mexico. Thick launch bulletin binders — containing tables,
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) also has charts, graphs and lists of every permutation of every
ordered approximately 2,000 LED fixtures for installa- configuration, from type of aircraft to relative wind
tion on the dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor, and the speed to weapons load to fuel state to barometric pres-
guided-missile destroyers USS Preble and USS Lassen. sure — are consulted. To ensure accuracy, two binders
These fixtures are a mix of 8WT5 replacements (berth are maintained, and separate individuals check each
lights and general lights), plus LED globe lighting. book at the same time to make sure they agree on the
“The submarine community is pushing to adopt proper CSV selection for launch.
LEDs because fluorescents contain mercury,” said An officer at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., made a
Edward Markey, NAVSEA Philadelphia Electrical request to TechSolutions to replace those paper tables
Powergroup and TechSolutions technical point of con- with a better solution.
tact on the solid state lighting project. “Hazardous “We’re developing a ruggedized hand-held unit that
materials require special disposal procedures, costing contains the variable data and accurately computes the
the Navy time, money and space.” proper setting. We’re interested in accuracy. It can be
updated much faster and more accurately than pen-and-
Solution Selected ink changes in the binders. It saves time, and you can be
Launching an aircraft from a catapult is a complex and sure everyone has the latest changes,” Ziervogel said.
carefully calibrated action. High pressure steam accel- This Tech Solution effort will now be used on all air-
erates a large combat aircraft from a standstill to air- craft carriers.
74 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
THE FLEET
76 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
THE FLEET
Recruiting Evolves
Navy works to hone its message to a more diverse population
78 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
THE FLEET
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 79
U. S. C O A S T G U A R D
Safety Net
Coast Guard surface cutter rescue swimmers
can jump into action if lifesaving situations arise
80 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
U. S. C O A S T G U A R D
Qualification involves a standard physical and writ- ter approaches the vessel, everyone will move to one
ten test and being able to swim 500 yards in less than side and the vessel will capsize,” said Barrett.
12 minutes. Swimmers also are tested semi-annually, Cutter surface swimmers will then be dispatched to
Barrett said. Each swimmer goes through the same pull people from the water.
training and certification process whether they are on a The swimmers are equipped with hypothermia pro-
cutter that patrols near Alaska or in the Caribbean Sea. tective clothing, a swimmer mask, rescue fins, life vest,
A certified line tender also is assigned to each swimmer knife, tending line and reel, one signal whistle and a
to assist them during life-saving missions, Barrett said. chemical light or strobe light.
The nomination process for someone to join the The policy manual “Commandant Instruction
surface cutter rescue swimmer program depends on 16134.2c” outlines the requirements and regulations a
how many qualified swimmers there are on the cutter. surface cutter rescue swimmer must follow.
“Some have a lot of qualified people whereas others The manual is updated every five years — standard
may only have one,” Barrett said. for Coast Guard policy — and its last revision was done
Once someone is selected and qualified as a member in August 2007. The original policy was signed in 1984.
of the program, they serve a minimum of three years Master Chief Petty Officer Scott Pugh, deck and cut-
on the same cutter. ter board subject matter expert for the office of Cutter
Cutter rescue swimmers typically take part in Forces at Coast Guard headquarters, is in charge of
migrant interdiction missions during which they stand making revisions for the fifth edition.
by in case any migrants fall into the water “This next revision, we will make the changes that we
They do not get involved with drug interdiction know need to be made and then send it out to subject
operations unless search and rescue is involved. The matter experts around the country and various other
decision to deploy a swimmer rests with the com- offices that have an interest in the manual,” Pugh said.
manding officer or the officer in charge. Previous changes have involved using a different set
Rescue cases are infrequent. of hand signals and newer equipment. Swimmers are
“[Occasionally] there will be an 80- or 90-foot sail- not tested on the manual, but they are expected to
boat with 150 people onboard. As the Coast Guard cut- know its contents. ■
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 81
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
BACKGROUND
The Nano Hummingbird is a Nano
Air Vehicle (NAV) developed by
Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroViron-
ment (AV) Inc. under a Defense Ad-
vanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) contract. Shaped to have
the appearance of a real humming-
bird, the prototype aircraft has a
wingspan of 6.5 inches and a total
flying weight that includes all the
systems required for flight, as well as
communications systems and a
video camera, of less than an ounce.
The NAV can climb and descend ver-
tically, fly sideways left and right, fly
ASSOCIATED PRESS
forward and backward, and rotate via
remote control and while carrying a
video camera payload. It can fly at
speeds up to 11 mph.
SCOPE Matt Keennon, program manager at AeroVironment Inc., demonstrates the Nano
On Feb. 17, AV announced that the Hummingbird, during a briefing at the company’s facility in Simi Valley, Calif., Feb. 25.
Nano Hummingbird had accom-
plished a first-time technical mile- The logo for the original DARPA MAV [Micro Air Vehicle] program
stone: controlled precision hovering was a hummingbird. ... It’s kind of iconic: maneuverable, small,
and fast-forward flight of a two- stealthy, if you’re not looking for it it kind of blurs into the background.
wing, flapping-wing aircraft that car- So that’s always been an iconic goal.
ries its own energy source, and uses We worked on the MAV program with the Black Widow, which was a
only its wings for propulsion and little flying wing with a propeller on the front. That was back in 1996. But
control. The NAV was designed, in when the Nano Air Vehicle program came around, with DARPA again,
part, to provide reconnaissance ca- they wanted to do biomimicry, they wanted to push the envelope. They
pabilities in urban environments. didn’t want a conventional airplane or a conventional helicopter.
They wanted around a 3-inch wingspan, so a dragonfly, small insects were
TIMELINE the basis. But as we got into it, we could generate lift at the size, but we could-
AV began work on the NAV project n’t put together a working system that would fly free-flight, so the size had to
in 2006 and received an extension of grow. To pull it all together and make it free flying and useful and demonstra-
the Phase II contract to complete the tion endurable, and have a video camera that had useable video, the size had
prototype from DARPA in June 2009. to grow to about a 5-1/2-inch wingspan. At the very end, to make it look bird-
The total value of the NAV project like, we shaped the wings a little different and it grew another half inch.
work for AV was $4 million. What we were going for was something that was somewhat covert,
looked like a natural organism. … The hummingbird was always some-
WHO’S WHO thing we were looking at. It was the icon of the original program; it was still
Matt Keennon is AV program man- in peoples’ minds now with the Nano [Air Vehicle]; and the flight qualities
ager and principal investigator on that we started refining with the propulsion control, it looked very much
the NAV project. like a hummingbird. It could spin on its own axis, move sideways and
82 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
backwards. The speed with which it flew and changed inspired to do the best that we could, demonstrate the
direction was mostly like a hummingbird. outdoor flight, indoor flight, fly through a doorway.
It’s extremely challenging, because we have all of A lot of things make it very difficult to put this thing
the basic systems that you’d expect to find on a larger into production. There’s a huge amount of work that
UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]. You’ve got the battery, still needs to be done. But what we did do is show that
the main motor, the propulsion system, the avionics, it is feasible to get a propulsion system and control sys-
the central processor, all the flight-critical sensors, all tem that work well enough and integrate it all into a
the power conditioning, power stabilization, the con- self-contained, self-propelled, internally stabilized air-
trol actuators. … Then we also have the basic payload craft, which is significant. We’ve come a huge way. We
of the video camera, transmitter, everything has to be had about 11 fundamentally different prototype mod-
optimized for the lowest power consumption and the els, and each time we made huge improvements. So
lightest weight. we’re very satisfied that it turned out well.
Integrating that into something that will fly is hard Right now, we’re catching our breath. It’s been four and
enough, but then factor in the flapping wings and inte- a half years of heads down, grinding hard work. The work
grating that into something that has the shape of a is complete, we’re doing the things that we do as we wrap
bird, that was extremely difficult and quite time con- up the contract and we’re marketing a follow-on effort to
suming. It was all very daunting and not really practi- any agencies in the U.S. government, DARPA, any agency
cal for the current state of technology, but that’s that might be interested in either continuing with the
DARPA’s thing. development of the aircraft as a whole or supporting
They want you to do the best you can. Don’t just development of the pieces of technology. There’s all kinds
take something that’s already there and evolve it a lit- of budget issues with the government and the mili-
tle bit, they want it to be revolutionary. So we were tary, so we’ll wait and see.
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 83
S E A P O W E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L
84 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
S E A P O W E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Indonesia Launches requirement will be for at least 12 beach. In lieu of vehicles, it could
New Fast-Attack Craft units. The actual number, however, carry assault troops, equipment
The Indonesian Navy has launched will be determined by budgetary and materiel in an amphibious-
its first KCR-40-class fast-attack constraints. assault, search-and-rescue or
craft (FAC). The 43-meter FAC was humanitarian-relief operation. It
launched with just its basic equip- Indian Army will be propelled by two diesel
ment, such as radar and navigation Seeks New LCUs engines with a cruising speed of 15
systems, installed from Indonesia‘s The Indian Army has released a re- knots. Armament will include two
PT Palindo Marine Shipyard. quest for information (RFI) concern- heavy machines guns encased in a
The fire-control system, surface- ing the procurement of up to 10 new protective steel plate.
to-surface missiles, medium-caliber utility landing craft (LCUs). The LCU could operate from the
gun and small-caliber guns will be The RFIs were released to global ex-U.S. Navy amphibious transport
installed when the system require- shipbuilders in order to evaluate dock ship INS Jalashwa or from
ments are finalized. the market for landing craft in the shore bases in the region. In the
The new FAC will be powered 23-meter range. Like most other future, the LCUs also could be used
by three MAN V12 diesel engines Indian programs, this one is ex- when the Indian Navy procures its
for a maximum speed of 27 knots. pected to be a split build with the new amphibious assault ships.
The first unit will probably be selected foreign designer/builder of The Indian Army is expected to
completed by the end of the year. the craft partnering with a domes- begin evaluating its LCU options
The Indonesian Navy is plan- tic shipyard. by the end of the year. ■
ning for a substantial number of The Indian Army is looking for
the 200-ton FACs. If the sea service a craft that will be able to carry one AMI International Inc., Bremerton, Wash.,
intends to replace its aging FAC T-72/T-90 main battle tank, two in- is an international consulting and naval
force of eight Sibaru- and four fantry combat vehicles, two 2.5-ton intelligence services company located on
Dagger-class vessels, the minimum trucks or four light vehicles to the the Web at www.amiinter.com.
86 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
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S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 89
NAVY LEAGUE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
JUNE 23 – 25, 2011
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
National Harbor, MD
SATURDAY, JUNE 25
DISCOUNT RATE: $199
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Complimentary Continental Breakfast
7:30 AM – 1:00 PM Registration
The Navy League’s room rate
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Investment Committee Meeting
includes:
8:30 AM – 10:20 AM Public Affairs and Public Education Committee
■ local phone calls 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Awards Committee Meeting
■ toll-free and credit calls 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Merchant Marine Affairs Committee Meeting
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Recruiting and Community Affiliates Workshop
■ high-speed Internet access in 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Youth Programs Committee Meeting
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N AV Y L E A G U E N E W S
TOM RUDDEN
with Iran, has sent naval units to
the scene of the sinking, where the
convoy remains stopped under
Israeli guns in the open ocean.
A team of students confers on a map of the Middle East before proposing a strat-
Further complicating matters is the
egy for settling a hypothetical crisis scenario involving Iran and Israel during the
fact that a British politician is 22nd Annual New England College Maritime Symposium Feb. 26 at the Boston
aboard the relief convoy, which University College of Communication. Students from 12 Boston area colleges and
originated in London. universities were divided into eight teams during the day-long exercise.
Iran is vowing to seal off the Strait
of Hormuz. Oil prices have soared to more than $120 a “The goal is to broaden their outlook into things
barrel. Gas prices in the United States are at $4.32 per gal- heretofore in school that they’ve never even encoun-
lon and with the crisis threatening to move well beyond a tered,” added council member Harold Learson, a for-
regional conflict, President Barack Obama is looking for mer Navy League national vice president for youth. “To
answers as to how the United States should respond. get them thinking, ‘What can you do?’ Up to that point,
In an exercise that proved especially timely, given most kids think we can do anything we want, and some
the tumult that has rocked North Africa and the Middle things are just not going to happen. The rest of the
East since the beginning of the year, students from a world just is not going to buy it.”
dozen New England colleges and universities worked Twelve schools participated in this year’s sympo-
to hammer out suggested responses to the developing sium, among them the University of New Hampshire,
crisis scenario at the 22nd Annual New England Daniel Webster College, Worcester Polytechnic
College Maritime Symposium. The day-long geopoliti- Institute, College of the Holy Cross, Boston College,
cal symposium, held Feb. 26 at the Boston University Harvard University, Northeastern University, the
College of Communication, was conducted and coordi- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of
nated by the Navy League’s Massachusetts Bay Council. Lowell and Boston University. Students from the
“It is our objective to broaden their perspective,” onboard college on USS Constitution also participated.
said council member George Ripsom, one of the sym- The students were divided into eight teams and
posium organizers and a Navy League national director asked to address the crisis scenario, which is modeled
emeritus. “We try to give them a perspective of what after those developed by the Naval War College in
global interactions and challenges are going to be and Newport, R.I. The hypothetical scenarios — be it their
try to reinforce that.” locales or the situation to be addressed — change each
92 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
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TOM RUDDEN
After a round of individual
group-to-group presentations, one
team is selected to present and
defend its final plan for critique and
Of the teams taking part in the New England College Maritime Symposium, one
comment by the remaining partici- is chosen to present and defend its final plan for critique and comment by the
pants who are assembled as the U.N. remaining participants who are assembled as the U.N. General Assembly
General Assembly under the guid- under the guidance of the “Secretary General.”
ance of the “Secretary General.”
“Their sole purpose is to look for the team that gels Although symposium organizers try to downplay the
well together and presents things together,” said military aspect of the exercise when contacting to
Learson of the observers, who typically are Navy schools to invite them to take part — and ask that par-
League members, along with service and education ticipants attend in civilian attire — the bulk of the stu-
representatives. “We avoid the term ‘winner.’ It’s not a dents who attend are from Reserve Officers Training
winner, it’s somebody who has logic behind what they Corps (ROTC) programs.
say and defends themselves well [when giving the final “We even encourage leaders and retired people not
presentation], because they are going to be questioned to come in uniform as well,” John Learson said. “We’re
by other people in front of the whole group.” running it as a civilian thing. We would like to have
“You really need to appreciate the hours that the more non-ROTC students. But in some of the other dis-
kids put in,” said John Learson, another symposium ciplines, their professors just don’t have the interest.”
organizer. “They take a Saturday, no one forces them to As the symposium, with its 22-year track record,
show up, they have to be registered by 8 in the morn- provides not only an excellent educational opportuni-
ing. Some of these schools have more than an hour’s ty, but the chance to involve area youth, the local com-
drive to get here. We try to end it by 4:30, but it never munity and service officials in a Navy League activity,
does because when we get into the U.N. part of it, Massachusetts Bay Council organizers have been hop-
everyone really gets into it and people are bombing ing to drum up interest in the program with other
teams with questions. councils, but thus far have had no takers. But if any
“They have a real long day, a 12-hour day for some, councils are interested, they would be happy to help.
so these kids come motivated, they want to learn “Once we run the game, we have done 90 percent of
something. They are into it,” he said. the work that any council would have to do,” Harold
“We have had a pleasant number of persons who Learson said. “We could furnish all of the paperwork
have come back from another year,” added Ripson, from that year’s game to anyone who would like try
who noted one student participated in five sessions. and run it.” ■
Participants over the years have run the gamut from
members of the senior officer school from Submarine For information on the College Maritime Symposium, contact
Group 2 at Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn., George Ripsom at gripsom@comcast.net or Harold Learson at
to, on two occasions, groups of high school students. learson@att.net.
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 93
N AV Y L E A G U E N E W S / C O U N C I L D I G E S T
he Tampa, Fla., Council helped nity leaders to discuss the current shared the historical events of John
T contribute to the success of the
first Navy Week of the year, Jan. 22-
state of Navy medicine; Rear Adm.
Troy M. Shoemaker, assistant com-
Paul Jones, gave autographed prints
to a local military school and was
29 in Tampa. The council worked mander, Navy Personnel Command speaker at the dinner. Also attending
with U.S. Navy Outreach on the for Career Management, who spoke were the crew of Constitution, the
event, raising $6,000 to help coordi- with University of South Florida stu- Leap Frog Navy Parachute Team,
nate and fund events through its dents during a graduate research the Navy Dive Team, Navy recruiters
Community Affiliates, according to seminar in Industrial and Manage- and the Navy Outreach command,
Skip Witunski, Central Florida Area ment Systems Engineering; Vice along with 90 guests.
president. Adm. Carol M. Pottenger, deputy As part of Navy Week, the Tampa
Held during the city’s annual chief of staff for Capability and Council bought a table for the Sailors
Gasparilla Pirate Festival that typical- Development at NATO headquarters and Marines to attend the “Salute to
ly draws nearly a half-million people, and supreme allied commander, the Coast Guard,” the 20th annual
the Tampa Navy Week gave area res- Transformation, who spoke at the dinner Jan. 27 co-sponsored by the
idents an opportunity to meet Sailors Greater Tampa Women of Influence council and the Tampa Propeller
and learn about the Navy’s critical Series Luncheon; and divers from Club. It was a first for the Sailors and
missions and broad-ranging capabili- Trident Refit Facility, Naval Sub- Marines to attend, Witunski said.
ties. Participants included the three- marine Base Kings Bay, Ga., who gave Area Sea Cadets provided the Parade
masted frigate USS Constitution, the demonstrations in the dive tank at Honor Guard as well as performing
Navy’s oldest commissioned warship; the Florida Aquarium. the Salute to the Coast Guard during
the Navy Band Southeast; medical The Tampa Council hosted its the event.
professionals from around the service Navy League Installation Dinner More than 20 Navy Weeks will
who met with local health-care Jan. 25 at the Wyndham Tampa be held across the country through
providers, civic groups and commu- Westshore. Artist Dean Mosher the end of October.
94 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
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Lombardi that was donated by the The Navy League Letter of Ap-
Fox Valley Council. It displays preciation was presented to Jim
brass plates inscribed with the year Mabry and Kerry Clark. Mabry
and winning team. served as the council chaplain for
Five Lombardi Middle School many years, during which time he
students and one alternate squared always was available to provide
off via video teleconference in the comforting and spiritual support to
Student Center at Northwest Wis- council members in times of need,
NANCY CROY
consin Technical College against a according to Pat Pumphrey, the
team of Green Bay Sailors in the council’s public relations chairman.
ship’s homeport of San Diego. Clark served as the Jacksonville
Members of the Lombardi Middle Magnus hosted from San Diego. Salutes the Sea Services (JSTSS) event
School Spartans Geography Bowl The Lombardi students earned the planner and was the glue that held
team get ready to take on a team of privilege of competing by being the the JSTSS committee together, Pum-
Sailors from the amphibious trans-
top scorers in the school-wide phrey said. She was the main point of
port dock ship USS Green Bay in the
fifth annual Geography Bowl Jan. 28
National Geographic Geography Bee. contact between the city and the
at the Student Center at Northwest The Green Bay team members hailed council for all coordination efforts for
Wisconsin Technical College. from Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota, the static and vendor displays, ship
with Ensign Tim Mahoney, a 2005 visits and support services that were
Green Bay Preble High School gradu- needed to make the event, which was
ate, representing his hometown. held in conjunction with the Navy
During the past five years, the League National Convention in
event has grown from a “school- November, successful. Her herculean
ship” partnership activity to a efforts were singularly responsible for
“community-ship” event, said Croy. bringing all the moving parts togeth-
The Student Center was packed er, Pumphrey said.
NANCY CROY
with more than 300 people, includ- The Navy League Scroll of Honor
ing more than 200 Lombardi stu- was presented to Francis Floyd for
dents, she said. Cheering sections his work as the council’s vice presi-
were rounded out by local Navy dent of Youth Programs and as the
The Green Bay Geography Bowl Club members, Navy League mem- face of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet
team is shown on a video teleconfer-
bers, local officials, Sea Cadets from Corps program. Under Floyd’s lead-
ence screen from San Diego, where
the ship is homeported, with host Green Bay’s Flatley Division, and
Rose May Magnus, the ship’s spon- Sailors and Marines from Green Bay’s
sor, in the foreground. Naval Operational Support Center.
This year’s Geography Bowl was
With the Green Bay Sailors up moved up to late January because
by just 100 points, both teams got Green Bay began its maiden deploy-
the “Final Jeopardy”question — ment in February. The 2009
“Lake Athabasca is located on the Geography Bowl was held aboard
border of Alberta and which other ship when more than 50 Lombardi
Canadian Province?” — correct. students, staff and chaperones trav-
Than answer: “Saskatchewan.” eled to Long Beach, Calif., for Green
But the Green Bay team risked Bay’s Jan. 24, 2009, commissioning.
more points on the question and
won by a final score of 12,900- Mayport Council
PAT PUMPHREY
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 95
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JAY LOTT
Year” awards in December to recog-
nize military spouses from the
three sea services. Julie Kehley, From the left, San Diego Council President Dave Grundies; Todd Eden, West
ombudsman at the Naval Medical Coast manager, Readiness and Sustainment, U.S. Combat Systems; Jennifer
Smit, Marine Corps Spouse of the Year; Julie Kehley, Navy Spouse of the Year;
Center San Diego; Jennifer Smit, I
Bob Kilpatrick, president and general manager of San Diego Ship Repair; Amy
Marine Expeditionary Force Goodpaster Strebe, Coast Guard Spouse of the Year; and Jordan Becker dur-
Family Readiness volunteer; and ing “2010 Sea Services Spouse of the Year” presentations at the Poinsettia
Amy Goodpaster Strebe, ombuds- Bowl in San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.
man with U.S. Coast Guard Sector
San Diego; were the 2010 honorees. Nominations for the awards were mentee (IA) honors program that
In addition to flowers and a gift submitted by local flag officers and was inaugurated by the St. Augus-
basket, prepared by Navy League selected by an evaluation commit- tine Council in 2008 and first held
members Michelle Langmaid and tee that took into consideration the at NAS Jacksonville. The IA pro-
Patty Manako, each winner received applicant’s personal achievements, gram, which has been embraced by
a check for $1,000 from the Navy education, career pursuits, volun- the Northeast Florida councils, has
League that was presented Dec. 23 in teerism, community involvement welcomed home 691 service per-
front of more than 45,000 people at and an assortment of other charac- sonnel from combat assignments
the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl in San Die- teristics. Each applicant also was abroad and 291 spouses at appreci-
go’s Qualcomm Stadium. BAE Sys- required to write an essay as part of ation luncheons and other events.
tems was the title sponsor and repre- their application. Maclay continues to include the
sentatives of BAE Systems’ San Diego St. Augustine Council in the NAS
operations presented the checks. St. Augustine Presents Jacksonville salute to fallen heroes.
The Sea Service Spouse of the Year Scroll of Honor The program accords full-base, curb-
awards saluted military spouses for To NAS Jacksonville CO side honors when the remains of
their efforts on the homefront while The St. Augustine, Fla., Council deceased combat members are flown
their “other half” performs their presented Capt. Jeffrey D. Maclay, to the base for transfer to their final
assigned duties away from home, commanding officer of Naval Air resting place. Maclay also has facili-
ensuring family development and Station (NAS) Jacksonville, with tated the council’s recruiting program
helping others in the community. the Navy League Scroll of Honor with distinctive events at the base.
San Diego County has the largest during an awards ceremony at the Among those attending the cere-
military community in the world, Marsh Creek Country Club Dec. mony were Capt. Joseph Baker,
with more than 124,000 active-duty 16. The scroll is the highest award commanding officer of U.S. Coast
men and women. bestowed by a Navy League coun- Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tacti-
“We owe a great deal to the cil and the second highest Navy cal Squadron and Fleet Logistics
efforts of all of the military spouses League award at any level. Support Squadron Five Eight; Master
around the globe,” said Council Maclay received his honor from Chief Don Carr, who was honored at
President Dave Grundies at the outgoing Council President Bill Maclay’s most recent IA celebration at
recognition event. “Their spouses Korach. William E. Dudley, the NAS Jacksonville; Marine 1st Sgt.
might be deployed for many Navy League’s Florida regional Dan Jonas, Blount Island Support
months at a time but they manage president, assisted. Facility; Command Master Chief
their family with patience, com- Maclay was recognized for his Matt Boyd, Coast Guard Helicopter
mitment and fortitude.” expansion of the Individual Aug- Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jack-
96 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
N AV Y L E A G U E N E W S / C O U N C I L D I G E S T
sonville; and Command Master Guard, Science Applications Inter- Palm Beach Division
Chief Ken Morris, U.S. Coast Guard national Corp. and Outrigger Enter- Sponsors SWCC Training
Sector Jacksonville, Mayport. prises received Mildred Courtney For Female Cadets
The council also installed its new Special Recognition Awards. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps’
slate of officers during the event. Highlighting the award ceremo- (NSCC) Palm Beach, Fla. Division
Kevin Gregory is the new presi- ny was the presentation of the Coast sponsored a winter Special Warfare
dent. A retired Navy senior chief Guard Distinguished Public Service Combat Craft (SWCC) Training pro-
who served as a rescue swimmer in Award by Nora Ruebrook, Pacific gram for female cadets Dec. 26-Jan. 2
the carrier-based helicopter warfare Region President, to retired Adm. at U.S. Coast Guard Station Lake
community, he received his presi- Richard Macke, a former Navy Worth Inlet in West Palm Beach, Fla.
dent’s pin from his wife, Lynn. League national vice president. Ten cadets from Florida, Texas,
The evening’s keynote speaker, Colorado and Georgia took part in
Honolulu Council Rear Adm. Timothy M. Giardina, the first-time training that was coor-
Recognizes Supporters deputy commander and chief of staff, dinated by Lt. Cmdr. Dave Boucher,
The Honolulu Council kicked off the U.S. Pacific Fleet, offered a presenta- NSCC, commanding officer of the
new year with its Annual Member- tion and comments concerning Palm Beach Division, which is spon-
ship Dinner at the Waialae Country Pacific Fleet’s area of responsibility sored by the Palm Beach Council.
Club during which it recognized sev- and its ongoing challenges. Assisted by Palm Beach Division
eral individuals for their work and The event’s business segment staff, the cadets gained experience in
efforts in support of the Navy League. included the nomination and elec- all facets of SWCC training, from
Awardees included Hawaii Army tion of Melvin H.W. Ing for a sec- morning physical training; class-
National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert ond term as council president. room sessions on basic seamanship,
G.F. Lee, former adjutant general,
State of Hawaii, who received the
Hawaii Area President’s Award, pre-
sented by Jim Hickerson; Bruce
Smith, received the Chief Harold Es-
tes award as Navy Leaguer of the
Year; Ken DeHoff, Agnes Tauyan
and Kerry Gerschanek were given
Certificates of Appreciation; Jane
Ferreira and Louie Pinho were
given the Carole Hickerson Volun-
teer of the Year Award; and Navy
Rear Adm. Dixon Smith, Dave
Livingston, Carl Devoe, Tim
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 97
N AV Y L E A G U E N E W S / C O U N C I L D I G E S T
first aid and safety; assembly and tested its navigation skills with a female Sea Cadets to experience
transport of Combat Rubber Raiding Plan of Intended Movement exer- SWCC training, according to Krause.
Craft; a boating safety course; and cise on New Year’s Eve that culmi-
plenty of time aboard various water- nated with them seeing the West Short Bursts
craft often contending with rough Palm Beach fireworks display. ■ The Colorado Springs, Colo.,
seas and colder-than-normal tem- A day later, the cadets took part in Council membership was treated to
peratures, according to Capt. the river component of the SWCC an after-dinner presentation Jan. 20
Deirdre Krause, NSCC, the coun- training, traveling through the locks by author David Philipps on the
cil’s vice president of programs. on the St. Lucie River to Lake topic of post-traumatic stress disor-
The boating safety class was Okeechobee. The program conclud- der and the returning soldier. His
conducted with the assistance of ed with a graduation ceremony dur- book, “Lethal Warriors: When The
the Coast Guard Auxiliary and ing with the cadets received Certi- New Band of Brothers Came Home,”
each cadet earned a licensed boat ficates of Completion and Plank addresses the struggles with the
handling certificate. The group Owners Certificates as the first physical and mental traumas of
98 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
N AV Y L E A G U E N E W S / C O U N C I L D I G E S T
NAVY
2010-2011 NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
J. Michael McGrath
CHAIRMAN
Albert J. Baciocco Jr.
protocol ceremony at the City Hall. Cecil L. Blackwell ■We oppose any usurpation of the
Congress’s constitutional authority over the
EUROPEAN UNION
Thanks to the Cmdr. Juan Orozco, Eva García
Armed Services.
the ship’s commanding officer, the SPAIN ■ We urge that our country maintain world lead-
ership in scientific research and development.
T.B. McClelland
Navy League received a special UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ■ We support industrial preparedness, plan-
invitation to visit the ship following NATIONAL CHAPLAIN
ning, production.
The following day, a tour of the James M. Semerad ■We advocate a foreign policy which will
avoid wars — if possible; if not, win them!
vineyards near La Motte was NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIAN
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 99
C O R P O R AT E M E M B E R S
100 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
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ARLINGTON, VA 22201-5424
Bill Cosby
Honorary Chief Petty Officer
ctor/comedian/educator and
A former Navy hospital corps-
man William H. “Bill” Cosby Jr. was
recognized as an Honorary Chief
Petty Officer during a Feb. 17 cere-
mony at the U.S. Navy Memorial
and Naval Heritage Center in
Washington. Navy Secretary Ray
Mabus, himself an honorary chief,
and Master Chief Petty Officer of the
Navy Rick D. West were on hand to
“pin” Cosby, present him with his
chief’s uniform and, as Mabus
noted, “welcome you to the ranks of
the people who run the Navy, who
make the ships sail on time, the air-
craft fly, the hospitals work.”
LISA NIPP
Cosby joined the Navy in 1956,
after quitting high school and
working a series of odd jobs in Bill Cosby is “pinned” as an Honorary Chief Petty Officer Feb. 17 by Master Chief
North Philadelphia. He trained as a Petty Officer of the Navy Rick D. West, left, and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.
hospital corpsman and served at
the U.S. Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va.; Bethesda the recruiter as I signed up. He said, “Ah, you join the
Naval Hospital, Md.; aboard the dock landing ship USS Navy and you’ll see the world.” See the world? I’d been
Fort Mandan; and at Philadelphia Naval Hospital. He as far as Baltimore. But walking around knowing that I
also played a number of sports and earned his high had to leave that house and that I had no credentials to
school diploma during his service. enter college, I tried to figure out what I wanted to join.
Cosby received his honorary discharge in 1961 and It’s quite interesting, because I based it on how I want-
accepted a scholarship to Temple University in ed to die. I said “Well, I don’t want to go in the Army
Philadelphia, where his show-business career got start- because I’ll die in a foxhole in the dirt and you have to
ed. Prior to and following the ceremony, Cosby — who eat out of cans. … And I don’t want to be in the Air Force
was given the Lone Sailor Award in 2010 — offered the because you’re up in the air and these people are shoot-
following observations on his Navy service. ing at you … you blow up in the middle of the sky.
“And I don’t want to be in the Marine Corps be-
I wasn’t a bad boy, I was sort of left to wander around. cause you die before you even get out of there. I want
That didn’t happen in the Navy. to be in the Navy, because when you die, no matter
I knew I had to get off my block. That’s what I told how you die, you’re in the middle of the ocean and it
“This 19-year-old, who had not graduated from high school and had no GED
— because of the rules and regulations of the Navy — began to see things
offered, began to accept things and that changed my life because I began
to feel better.”
102 S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1
IN MY OWN WORDS
LISA NIPP
first time she had seen me graduate from something,
other than junior high school.
$42 every two weeks. And I was eating for free. And, damage, strokes, arthritis, and I found that those people
as they say, “a place to lay your head.” It was wonder- were very depressed for about two, maybe three weeks,
ful. Lights out, lights on. Urinate in one urinal and and then that human spirit kicked in and they were sent
continue to do so in the same one. Discipline. to us and we began to work with them. And even when
Obedience is very, very important. The fact that at the [prognosis read that the chance] for recovery is zero,
age 73, receiving a sentence in boot camp which said we still worked, the patient and I.
“I am not your mother” and still remembering that. … And I remember at the end of a work day, as a physical
It’s very important that my life, as a 19-year-old, very therapist, being very, very tired. But I also learned that
quickly began to change because there were no games. there is a good exhaustion and a bad one. The good one
And I think that is the thing that also pushed me to is when you’re winning, you’re doing well, you’re serving.
realize the mistakes I had made guiding my life and
what I could do with myself. Whether I’m a celebrity, an educator with a doctorate, I
Also, this Navy allowed, at the time, young men and think it’s important that this gives me a chance to go back
women, because of the testing they were given in a in my life to my Navy days and pretend that I stayed in. …
short amount of time, to achieve medic and in another I don’t know where this man is today, I don’t remem-
six or seven weeks to go to physical medicine school, ber his name, but I think I was at Quantico and I was
which I graduated from, and be a physical therapist. So within 18 months of getting out after four years. And
this 19-year-old, who had not graduated from high money was very, very important because I had none.
school and had no GED — because of the rules and And word came that if you re-upped you’d get another
regulations of the Navy — began to see things offered, $200, which was a lot of money.
began to accept things and that changed my life After thinking it over, I went in and talked to a Navy
because I began to feel better. man and the man listened when I said “I’d like to re-
I had imagined that I would commit suicide if I ever up.” I made sense. It wasn’t, “Hey, man, give me $200
lost movement in my legs or arms. This is before the I’ll sign my life away.” But I remember him saying, “I
Navy, a sort of throwaway kind of thinking — “if I ever think you need to think about it.You go away and you
became this, I think I would just die.” When I became a think about it.”
physical therapist, I met people who had one leg ampu- That fellow will forever be a friend of mine. It was
tated, paralyzed from the neck down, trauma, nerve like divine intervention, maybe. ■
S E A P O W E R / A P R I L 2 0 1 1 103
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