Pitch Black 2024

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04/25/2025

Airmen participating in Exercise Pitch Black 2024 in Australia concluded operations Aug. 2, 2024, marking the end of the largest iteration of the Royal Australian Air Force’s biennial capstone exercise. With more than 140 aircraft and 4,000 members from multiple continents and geographic regions, Pitch Black 24 provided participants an ideal opportunity to share their expertise and learn from each other. The exercised aimed to enhance interoperability between the air forces of 19 nations – United States; Australia; Singapore; Italy; Indonesia; India; Japan; United Kingdom; France; Germany; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Thailand; Philippines; Spain; Brunei; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Fiji; and Canada.

TINDAL, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA

08.02.2024

Video by Staff Sgt. Spencer Tobler

Pacific Air Forces

The Paradigm Shift in Maritime Operations: What Potential Role for Future Tiltrotor Systems?

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on The Paradigm Shift in Maritime Operations: What Potential Role for Future Tiltrotor Systems?
04/24/2025

By Robbin Laird

In my forthcoming book on the paradigm shift in maritime operations, I focus on the importance of pairing distributed capital ship operations with the capabilities that air vehicles and autonomous systems can provide to deliver maritime effects in a contested environment.

To achieve competitive overmatch in the air, performance characteristics like range, speed, and payload capacity is paramount. However, unlike land-based military services, the future platforms of Naval Aviation must also be sized to fit the restrictive confines of surface ship flight decks and hangar bays. Herein lies the delicate balance between the capability to support concepts like Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) while also developing a cost-effective solution that fits the physical footprint available onboard.

With the Navy clearly focused on DMO and working ways to more effectively operate a distributed fleet, the speed and range of tiltrotor technology is an obvious advantage. This is why the Navy is already procuring the CMV-22B, initially purchased for large deck carrier replenishment duties, but users of the aircraft and several Admirals I have spoken to have already embraced the idea that intra-ship support needs to be part of the CMV-22B future.

And as the DoD looks towards the future regarding vertical lift, it is clear that any new crewed air asset must be capable of working with air, sea and land-launched autonomous systems. This is a key consideration for the U.S. Army in acquiring its new tiltrotor aircraft, Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), which is being developed with a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) architecture to work with launched effects and other autonomous technologies.

I had a chance to talk with Tyler Harrell during the 2025 Navy League meetings held the first week of April 2025. Harrell is an experienced Naval aviator with the MH-60S “KnightHawk” helicopter with multiple carrier deployments in his time on active duty. He is now a manager of Naval Sales and Strategy at Bell.

We discussed the Navy and its way ahead regarding vertical lift and the role which tiltrotor technology might play in that future. He underscored that the Army approach of working a crewed tiltrotor platform with autonomous systems was a key enabler in Bell’s approach to working with the Navy regarding their future vertical lift technology. Leveraging the Army’s innovations with tiltrotor provides commonality among the services and a cost-effective path for the Navy to shape its own fleet of aircraft.

According to Harrell, Bell has been developing a comprehensive solution from the ground up with their focus on bringing future vertical lift to the Navy. Here he highlighted the V-247 Vigilant, which is a fully autonomous tiltrotor designed to team with manned assets while operating from the smaller disbursed surface ships. He noted that Bell has invested more than 300,000 engineering design hours to mature the technology.

He underscored: “it is a tiltrotor platform with a common open architecture that provides the range, speed, and dynamic payload capacity that ship commanders need to win the future fight.”

Harrell indicated that the Navy was reviewing how to meet the extensive mission requirements which the MH-60’s currently perform, and how to prioritize them across a crewed-uncrewed teaming operating concept. Which missions can an autonomous air vehicle be held solely responsible for? What tactics, techniques, and procedures can evolve to utilize both manned and unmanned teaming? And which missions should be reserved for a pilot in the cockpit?

According to Harrell, Bell remains committed to providing the right solutions to these answers and brings over 750,000 tiltrotor flight hours to back it up.

Another key enabler that he highlighted revolved around the Army’s MOSA architecture that is being developed in collaboration with Bell for FLRAA. This not only cuts down on overall lifecycle sustainment costs, as obsolescence of federated systems can be quickly replaced, but also enables rapid response to emerging threats and flight requirements through software updates. Updates that can be accomplished in hours vice years.

The way Harrell characterized the way ahead for the Navy regarding future vertical lift is the need to build three pillars of interactive and integrated capability. The first being the speed, range, and dynamic payload capacity necessary for distributed maritime operations. The second pillar is the capability to work manned-unmanned teaming as the payloads of the future are integrated into the fleet. The third is an open system architecture that allows for rapid payload innovation and integration.

And for Harrell, the challenge and the opportunity for Bell is to demonstrate that the tiltrotor enterprise could provide a comprehensive approach for building those three pillars of future vertical lift for the Navy.

Featured image: Artist’s rendering of V-247. Credit: Bell

I Marine Expeditionary Force

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on I Marine Expeditionary Force
04/23/2025

U.S. Marines with I Marine Expeditionary Force have conducted a multitude of exercises and operations across the Indo-Pacific throughout 2024. I MEF provides the Marine Corps a globally responsive, expeditionary, and fully scalable Marine Air-Ground Task Force, capable of generating, deploying, and employing ready forces and formations across the Pacific.

CAMP HM SMITH, HAWAI

01.08.2025

Video by Lance Cpl. Blake Gonter 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

The Textron Aviation Defense Offering for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on The Textron Aviation Defense Offering for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System
04/22/2025

By Robbin Laird

At the recent Sea-Air-Space Conference held in National Harbor, Maryland, Textron Aviation Defense was featuring its offering for the Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System. The Navy seeks to replace the aging T-45 Goshawk — with the candidates being the multi-engine Textron Aviation Defense-Leonardo-M-346N, the single-engine Boeing-Saab T-7 and the single-engine Lockheed Martin-KAI T-50.

I am familiar with all three aircraft, but really the focus from my point of view is upon the end-to-end training system. In all three cases, a “foreign” aircraft is being offered but the inclusion of the aircraft will be in an end-to-end training system.

When I came to the Textron booth, I had an advantage over many other visitors given my experience in working with the Italian Air Force and my familiarity with their training facility in Sardina, which the Textron offering leverages. In this sense, the M-346N is already a globally proven training system and the speed to Initial Operational Capability (IOC) is unparalleled in this competition.

As Lt. General Goretti, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, told me in his office in Rome in November 2924:

“The attitude of a modern air force is to look around, see the change in of the geopolitical situation, consider what you have in your inventory, and then try to think and reconsider the way of training to maximize your mission success. To follow this path, we saw the necessity of building a new kind of training facility.

“We decided upon working with our Italian company, Leonardo, to establish a new international flight training school. After only 16 months from concept to execution, we held our first class at the new training facility. We have more than 13 allied air forces already engaged in our program. This is a significant achievement which we have been able to do in only two years since the flight school opened in 2022.”

I want to underscore a key point, namely that 1 allied air forces are already engaged in the end-to-end training system. In total, 19 air forces are producing 4th and 5th generation fighter pilots in the M-346.

BGen Edi Turco, Chief of Staff of the Air Education Training Command / 3rd Air Region, and Head of the International Flight Training School (IFTS) Program Office, told me during the visit that the syllabus is modular so can be updated rapidly as threats change. He underscored that fifth-generation training was really about getting pilots of whatever aircraft being flown to understand the comprehensive and extended battlespace and to find their place within that battlespace. It is crucial to understand what platforms and payloads are available to deal with the threat envelope.

Textron Aviation Defense has partnered with Leonardo, which built and operates the facility. And Leonardo members were attending the Navy League event as well.

I spoke with Steve Helmer about the Textron Aviation Defense offering and approach. Helmer is an experienced Hornet and Super Hornet pilot in the U.S. Navy and is a 2014 graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

He noted that the U.S. Navy has decided not to take their initial student pilots to train off of the carrier deck. This has been aided by the advent of precision landing modes and standardization across the fleet of these modes. The focus is upon initial training in the simulator and leveraging advances in live virtual constructive training as well.

Helmer noted: “The Navy has signaled to us that they want to train junior aviators in the precision landing modes in the advanced jet trainer aircraft, as well as with carrier operational procedures using LVC training.”

He then highlighted the key point that Textron Aviation Defense, with its teaming with Leonardo and the existence of the Sardinia training facility, is able to leverage a proven end-to-end system — validated by more than 130,000 flight hours across the global fleet of 100 aircraft and more than 200,000 simulator hours across an installed base of 22 simulators —  and adapt it for the U.S. Navy training solution.

The Italian M-346N will be the airplane used in the flying part of LVC training, but after initial Italian deliveries of the aircraft, the plane would be built in the United States.

In particular, Helmer stressed that the M-346N is a low risk, multi-engine, advanced ITS and a robust, ready now option for U.S. Naval Aviation Pilot and Naval Flight Officer/Weapons Systems Officer production.

The result according to Helmer: “We are able to start training pilots on a complete training system from day one.”

In other words, the LVC ecosystem is not an aftermarket add on, but it is built in from the outset.

And added to this is Textron Aviation Defense’s own long-standing work with the U.S. Navy.

As Helmer put it: “We have more than 70 years of in-house trainer experience just as Leonardo has more than 70 years of in-house trainer experience.

“There’s not a single naval aviator alive who has not flown one of our products, in training, if not beyond training.

“All of that DNA in-house and the pre-existing relationship with the Navy and the Marine Corps are really what enable us to be the U.S. provider for this aircraft.

“We will build it here in the U.S. and deliver it to the customer to their specifications.”

Featured imag: A rendering showing the M-346N (Image credit: Dylan Lumpkins/Textron Aviation Defense)

Space-Enabled Distributed Forces: Orbit’s Contribution

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Space-Enabled Distributed Forces: Orbit’s Contribution
04/21/2025

I met with Asaf Punis, VP of Marketing and Business Development of Orbit at during the 2025 Navy League meetings held the first week of April 2025.

I was especially interested in talking with him because of my interest in C2 enabling a distributed kill web force. With the coming of maritime autonomous systems which can deliver mesh fleets to provide ISR and C for a distributed force, such capability dovetails in interesting ways as the LEO satellite networks evolve. This provides an incredible connectivity paradigm like to halves of clam shell providing ways to connect a distributed kill web force.

The company has developed a very small satellite terminal which can fit onto USVs, and as Punis informed me that there sat antennas offerings are built for a variety of platforms, but entail multi-domain, multi-mission operations.

He noted that their focus at the Navy league meetings was on their small and medium sized antennas for smaller maritime platforms.

He discussed their Multi-Purpose Terminal or MPT and this antenna can be installed on ground vehicles, on submarines, on small patrol vessels, USVs, autonomous ships, and can used for airborne ISR applications as well.

He underscored: “We use the same terminal in the different configurations but essentially the same terminal for each and every one of the platform segments.”

This obvious enhances sustainability of a force in terms of having commonality across the force, and for the manufacturer it provides for supply chain efficiencies as well. The two reinforce each other when considering a deployed force and its sustainment needs.

Their systems operate multi-band and very flexibly. As he noted: “In the past, a technician would have to go up the mast to change the band setting. Now you change bands automatically. You just push a button. The same antenna can operate both in GEO and MEO modes. This system is installed on ships of various sizes.”

As I mentioned at the Navy League event, they were focused on their smaller form factor. And this is how they described in the press release which they provided for the event.

April 2, 2025 – Tel Aviv, Israel – Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. (TASE: ORBI), a leading global provider of ground, airborne, and maritime SATCOM terminals, tracking ground station solutions, and mission-critical communication systems, will highlight its MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka SATCOM Systems at Sea Air Space 2025. Specially designed for space-constrained platforms such as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) and small naval craft and special forces operatrion, the MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka offer powerful, secure, and reliable satellite communication in a compact and lightweight form.

Based on Orbit’s battle-proven Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT), the MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka deliver broadband SATCOM connectivity in minutes, thanks to their rapid roll-on/roll-off capability. With plug-and-play functionality and single-button activation, they are ideal for missions requiring rapid deployment and immediate operational readiness—even in GPS-denied or hostile environments.

The systems support GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO satellite constellations, ensuring comprehensive global coverage. With high EIRP and G/T values and efficient EIRP Spectral Density (EIRPsd), they provide optimal performance with reduced bandwidth consumption—making them especially suitable for defense forces operating large SATCOM fleets.

Their ruggedized, MIL-STD-compliant construction enables reliable operation in extreme maritime conditions, while their compact footprint makes them a perfect fit for small vessels, where every inch of space matters.

“Modern naval operations increasingly rely on unmanned and small platforms that still require robust connectivity,” said Daniel Eshchar, CEO of Orbit. “The MPT30Ka and MPT46Ka rapid deployable systems bring advanced SATCOM capabilities to even the most compact maritime systems, ensuring operational effectiveness and mission continuity.”

About Orbit Communication Systems:

Orbit Communication Systems, a global leader in ground, airborne and maritime communications, satellite tracking, and ground-station technology, revolutionizes global connectivity with cutting-edge solutions for the new space era. Our state-of-the-art systems are utilized on a wide range of platforms, including mission aircraft, trainers, rotary-wing aircraft, transport vessels, tankers, jet fighters and unmanned platforms. Our reach extends to naval vessels, armored land platforms, cruise ships, ground stations, and offshore platforms, ensuring comprehensive coverage across maritime and terrestrial domains.

Orbit provides innovative, cost-effective, and reliable solutions to commercial operators, major air forces, navies, space agencies, and emerging New Space companies. Orbit is publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and is under the control of the FIMI Investment Fund. The company maintains a subsidiary in Florida, USA, which provides production, integration, and support capabilities for the North American market. Its global operations, encompassing marketing, sales, and customer service, extend across Europe, and the Far East.

Featured image: Orbit’s MPT30Ka Deployable SATCOM System

The H-1s at MAWTS-1: Participating in Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 2-25

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on The H-1s at MAWTS-1: Participating in Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 2-25
04/20/2025

U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper pilots assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), are seen in the photo slide show below at the Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025.

WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces.

The H-1s are being modernized to enhance their contribution to the force. Recently, I published an article which discussed this upgrade path with William Hendricks who now works at Bell but has extensive experience in the USMC as a Cobra pilot, and extensive experience in deployments in the Middle East and in the Pacific.

Hendricks highlighted on-going efforts that will improve H-1 digital interoperability, add advanced survivability equipment, and expand the scope of weapons available to the Viper and Venom. He underscored that with the addition of both Link 16 and an advanced data bus that facilitates net-enabled weapons, AH-1Zs and UH-1Ys will provide the U.S. Joint Force with an asymmetric advantage that our adversaries will be hard pressed to counter.

As Hendricks underscored: “In the very near future, USMC AH-1Zs and UH-1Ys will carry net-enabled weapons with engagement ranges up to 15 times greater than weapons they currently carry while receiving targeting information from USMC, joint, or allied fighter aircraft. As a result, H-1 aircrew will not be required to Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA) enemy weapons systems with sensors that require movement to locations well within the adversaries Weapons Engagement Zones. In other words, the Viper and Venom will no longer need to stick its head into the hornet’s nest to get its targeting data.”

As Hendricks noted: “Our Vipers and Venoms, equipped with more robust defensive systems, an advanced data bus, Link 16, and long-range net-enabled weapons, will operate at altitudes and in environments exclusive to Rotary Wing platforms. Hidden at low altitude from enemy radar systems, the AH-1Z and UH-1Y will team with Fixed Wing fighters in such a way that our adversaries are placed in a dilemma: The Viper and Venom will be undetectable to enemy radar while Joint Force Fixed Wing assets pass enemy target locations while remaining outside of the enemy’s missile range. Put another way, the enemy might see our Fixed Wing assets but cannot range them, and they cannot detect the Vipers and Venoms that are targeting them with long-range precision weapons.”

As Hendricks underscored: “This combined arms approach will leverage the strengths of both our Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing platforms allowing USMC H-1s to contribute to the maritime fight and Joint Force in ways previously unavailable to Combatant Commanders. Investments in the AH-1Z and UH-1Y will allow USMC Rotary Aircraft to make significant contributions to Combatant Commanders during the high-end of operational contests.”

U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper pilots assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), take off from a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), refuel a UH-1Y Venom at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
A U.S. Marine assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), prepares to refuel an AH-1Z Viper at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Harrison Flores, a native of California and an aircraft ordnance line chief assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, checks the turret of an AH-1Z Viper at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark Saeger, a native of Pennsylvania and an aircraft ordnance officer assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, observes an UH-1Y Venom at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), rearm a UH-1Y Venom at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April. 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom pilots assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), take off from a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), rearm an UH-1Y Venom at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April. 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Sarah Veenhuizen, a native of California and an aircraft ordnance officer assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, rearms an UH-1Y Venom at a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)
U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper pilots assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), prepare for takeoff from a forward arming and refueling point as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-25 at Mesquite, California, April 14, 2025. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam Scalin)

USS Gerald R. Ford and JMSDF

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on USS Gerald R. Ford and JMSDF
04/18/2025

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), sails in formation with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Kashima-class training ship, JS Kashima (TV-3508), front and Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyer JS Shimakaze (TV-3521) while conducting routine operations in the Atlantic Ocean, September 23, 2024.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

09.21.2024

Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly 

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)