I had the privilege of visiting Norfolk in the recent past and discussing the coming of the USS Gerald R. Ford with the first commander of Ford and then the commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic, Rear Admiral “Oscar” Meier.
Last month, I had the chance to visit Norfolk once again and to meet with Meier’s successor, Rear Admiral Doug “V8” Verissimo and discuss with him the coming of the first squadron of CMV-22Bs to Norfolk and the evolution of the fleet in the Atlantic, which now includes the Ford carrier.
Naval Air Force Atlantic is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
Both the CMV-22B and the Ford carrier bring new capabilities to naval operations in the Atlantic region, and we discussed both during our time together on Oct. 29, 2024.
We started by discussing the challenge of contested logistics and how the coming of the CMV-22B provides significant capabilities to meet this challenge. Not only does the Navy need to deal with contested logistics, but consider this challenge in an environment where the Navy is focused on distributed operations.
There are benefits when the CMV-22 is combined with the Ford. The island on the Ford has been moved towards the end of the deck, freeing up space to which an Osprey can move when it lands for offloading of weapons or supplies, not blocking the EMALS catapults. And there is a fuel capability in that area of the deck which can refuel the Osprey for its departure from the deck as well.
Verissimo also correlated the coming of the Osprey with changes the Navy is working with in regard to its carriers. For example, he underscored that “the future will likely bring smaller more agile weapons to complement the heavier more difficult weapons to transport like TLAMs.” He then argued that this shift to a different weapons stockpile would augment the utility of the CMV-22 supporting weapons re-supply in a contested combat environment.
He argued that there are specific capabilities of the CMV-22B which have a significant impact beyond logistics, namely, personnel support, notably in a medical emergency.
He put it this way: “If I have a medical emergency, I’m not trapping and catapulting the human body that’s already injured. I can softly land and softly take off so I can take care of my people in a medical emergency.”
Throughout much of our discussion, the Admiral emphasized the evolution of the carrier for the new strategic situation and the flexibility it brings to the fight. The assets assigned to the Ford carrier, that contribute to the fight, will change as future payloads and platforms emerge.
He also underscored the unique features of the Ford design, notably the significant enhanced power generation capabilities which enable the ability to use future payloads, weapons and platforms which leverage that enhanced electrical power generation capacity.
The Admiral emphasized that the carrier brings unique capability to a blue water navy, and that the flexibility demonstrated through the life cycle of the Nimitz-class carrier and built into the Ford class is crucial for the fleet to adapt to evolving warfighting operations.
He argued: “The carrier and the carrier strike group is one of the only integrated forces which brings the core seven joint warfighting functions to the fight wherever it is operating. And with the Ford class, and its ability to generate electric power, it enhances those capabilities as well.”
Rear Admiral Douglas Verissimo
Rear Adm. Doug “V8” Verissimo, is a native of Falmouth, Massachusetts. He is a 1987 graduate of Cape Cod Community College with an Associates in Arts and Science. Immediately following graduation, he enlisted with the Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD) Program.
Upon completion of flight training, he earned both his commission and designation as a naval aviator in July 1989. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from California State University, Fresno, California and a Master of Science in Campaign Planning and Strategy from the Joint Forces Staff College. He is also a graduate of the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program.
His operational assignments include Fist of the Fleet, Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 25, catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74); department head for the Blue Blasters of VFA-34, command of the Gunslingers of VFA-105; executive officer aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and commanding officer of USS New Orleans (LPD 18) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).
Verissimo’s shore duty assignments include instructor duty at VFA-125, a demonstration pilot for U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, Blue Angels; executive assistant to Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic and Joint Staff J3, where he served as joint force coordination/strategic plans division chief.
Verissimo’s flag tours include deputy director for operations, Operations Team 2 (J3), Commander Carrier Strike Group 9, Director Assessment Division (N81), and Director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
He assumed his duties as Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic on Aug. 17, 2023.
