The CMV-22B Comes to the Carrier: From COD to Fleet Con-Ops

01/22/2023

By Robbin Laird

The CMV-22B has been bought by the U.S. Navy as a replacement for the C-2A Greyhound aircraft to provide for the carrier on-board delivery mission for the large deck carrier fleet. The numbers of the aircraft ordered for this mission are 48 and are sized to provide for the mission projected for peacetime conditions and derived from the Defense Strategic Guidance 2012.

Currently, the CMV-22B is being used following the same concepts of operations which the C-2A Greyhound executed.

The C-2A is a fixed wing aircraft operating from runways and landing on a carrier in point-to-point operations. But the CMV-22B is an Osprey: it does not need runways to take-off from is not constrained to runway enabled point-to-point operations.

This reminds me of the impact of the Osprey on the USMC and its at sea operations. The legacy ARG-MEU operated within a 200-mile geographical box due to the range and speed of the helicopters operating from the amphibious ships. With the Osprey’s speed and range, the ARG-MEU over time became the amphibious task force. Something similar is very possible for the Navy as the fleet commanders consider a shift from thinking of the CMV-22B as a C-2A replacement and recognize it as a fleet asset.

Such a shift was suggested during my visit to the CMV-22B “reveal ceremony” in Amarillo, Texas held on February 6, 2020. There I met CAPT (ret.) Sean McDermott who currently  is a commercial airline pilot who served in the US Navy for 26 years. He was involved with the C-2 during the majority of his career, starting as a Greyhound pilot and eventually commanding one of the Navy’s two fleet logistics squadrons. In the final years of his service, McDermott was involved in working through options for the Navy as they considered C-2 replacements, with an eventual Osprey selection.

This is what McDermott projected: “With the C-2 we did one thing – Carrier On-board Delivery. With the Osprey, Combatant Commanders already know the multi-mission capability of the V-22 and will be tempted to utilize them for a variety of other missions. This is not something that would happen with a C-2. Carrier leadership will eventually struggle to fence off their logistics assets from outside tasking.”

In other words, there is an anticipated operational demand that fleet commanders will want to leverage fully the new versatile capabilities of the Osprey. McDermott noted that with the new platform being introduced to carrier aviation, it will be possible to leverage it to shape a greater range of capabilities for the COD asset. He noted that as the Marines began to get comfortable with the MV-22, they shaped the unique Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SP-MAGTF), which has become a highly demanded asset. He argued that such innovation was certainly possible for the Navy as it worked with its new COD aircraft.

Now the CMV-22B has come to the aircraft carrier.

The first two deployments have been to the USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) and to the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72). Clearly, with initial deployments the key focus is upon ensuring that the basic COD mission is executed and the CMV-22B is integrated into carrier deck operations. Any thought beyond that needs to be secondary to ensuring that the core mission is executed.

But when assured of that, leveraging the capabilities of the Osprey needs to be considered especially in light of the Navy itself changing the con-ops of the fleet and the role of the carrier in terms of those changing con-ops.

In my co-authored book with Ed Timperlake on the Navy and changing con-ops, we had one chapter which precisely addressed re-imaging the role of the large deck carrier. We noted in that chapter:

“A good sense of how the large-deck carrier and its operations are being reworked and reimagined was discussed with a senior U.S. Navy officer we talked to in 2020 about the way ahead for the large-deck carrier.  That officer underscored that “The carrier strike group battlespace has gone from being where the engagements occur to a situation in which the carrier strike group itself becomes a piece on the larger chessboard, which will, from a Navy perspective, be managed at the numbered fleet level. Because of the sensor and communications technologies and the weapons evolution, the chessboard is bigger, and the large deck carrier is feeding into the interactive kill webs through which we operate on that chessboard. The numbered fleet becomes the command-and-control node, which is why we are seeing the numbered fleets standing up in maritime operations centers that we did not have before. The size of the chessboard is enlarging significantly, with kill webs, that can stretch for thousands of miles, when you add in things like Triton or satellites.”

“The officer then added that “The Navy’s focus on distributed maritime operations is part of a broader joint coalition warfare approach built around a distributed but integrated force. It entails working with very flexible modular task forces, which can reachback to other combat capabilities to deliver strike and defense capabilities over much wider distances than where they are operating geographically. We see the large deck carrier and its partnered assets as moving beyond a focus simply on its proximate operating area to supporting a larger region, to be understood in terms of the size of the numbered fleet.”[1]

In other words, the very opportunity to leverage the unique capabilities of the Osprey suggested by McDermott are enablers for the shift in Navy con-ops underway and in which the carrier is not the center of the naval fleet but an enabler for maritime based joint and coalition operations,

How then should the CMV-22B’s role be envisaged in light of the dynamics of change in the re-craft of the maritime-based role in joint and coalition based multi-domain operations?

Recently, I have had a chance to meet with Captain Sam Bryant, Commander, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing in North Island. Just the name of the wing should give one an idea that creativity in thinking about the Osprey was envisaged. Captain Bryant’s mission statement for the Wing is: [to] “Man, Train, & Equip all USN VRM Squadrons to provide flexible and agile tilt-rotor options to Fleet Commanders wherever our nation requires us to operate.”

We started by focusing on the initial deployments and events during those deployments which already demonstrated the difference an Osprey makes expanding capabilities for the core mission from COD to providing enhanced logistical support.

According to Captain Bryant: “Our deployments to Vinson and Lincoln focused on our peacetime concepts of operations. We did a good job and produced good outcomes with the initial deployments. We already have demonstrated our ability to operate 1000 mile plus missions over water on a regular basis. This is certainly necessary given the distances the carriers need to operate in the Indo-PACOM AOR. And that fact that we can operate at night was a key factor in thinking about enhanced operations for these two carriers.”

He provided examples of missions performed during those two deployments that the CMV-22B could do and a C2-A could not.

The first was a medevac mission. Here a sailor had suffered a stroke, and a catapult launch could have proved fatal. Via the CMV-22B they flew the sailor directly to the medical support facility ashore long range at airplane speeds, but were able to land directly there in helicopter mode. The medical support facility was not served by a runway so a fixed wing aircraft would not be able to land directly there.

The second involved a repair to a non-functioning catapult aboard the Lincoln. The CMV-22B was able to get the support element needed directly ashore landing helicopter mode and quickly returning. The particular support facility was not served by a fixed wing airfield so it would have taken more time to obtain the support necessary for the repair if using a C2-A. Time is safety; time is lethality; time is survivability.  The CMV-2B is uniquely suited to meet the “golden mile” of shore-to-ship logistics support, and “golden hour” of medevac support.

Captain Bryant reported that the U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander, Admiral Paparo, was pleased with the initial deployments, but feels that the Osprey can do much more in its role in evolving fleet concepts of operations.

The aircraft provides an important support for, but more than that, stimulant for the shift in con-ops whereby the Navy focus on distributed operations which itself is in an experimental development and growth phase and intersects with the USAF’s approach to agile combat employment.

In other words, the reshaping of joint and coalition operations is underway which focuses upon distributed task forces which can deliver enhanced lethality and survivability.

Bryant highlighted that the CMV-22B compared to a legacy Osprey has much more capability. The Osprey is a path-breaking aircraft which breaks the rotorcraft’s limits on range and speed. But Bryant noted about the CMV-22B even when compared with the MV-22: “We have better range. We have much better avionics. We have better communications which allows to connect with the strike groups more securely. We are better suited for long-range navigation operations, and the flexibility required to support a high-end fight in the Pacific.

A con-ops to support the fleet approach instantly raises questions about the numbers of CMV-22Bs the Navy needs.

One aspect is the question of how many aircraft the Navy needs to do even the COD mission. When the Marines were asked during the initial process of evaluating the Osprey for the COD mission, they recommended four aircraft and team of 100 to 110 people to operate and support the aircraft. The Navy is currently using three. So that is the first point at which to raise the numbers question.

A second aspect of the demand for increased numbers of aircraft is to look at distributed ops for the fleet and to realize that the aircraft is a web support asset not a point-to-point load carrying asset. The fleet demand could be high and demand will rapidly outstrip supply when it comes to these aircraft.

The Osprey is a very flexible aircraft which makes it a high demand aircraft. As more fleet elements want to tap into the asset, the aircraft could see pressure on its availability and readiness. This was what I saw already when working with MARFORCPAC Commander Lt. General Robling when the USMC Ospreys were placed in a high demand setting with the shortfall in KC-130s in theater in the 2014-15 time frame.

The need to move weapons around the kill web in a contested environment will make the Osprey a prioritized fleet weapons carrier. The ability of the Osprey through role on roll off capability to play the role of an ISR/C2 quarterback which can play a key role in information logistics could see demand spike along these lines. Notably with the coming of maritime autonomous systems generating task force ISR in key locations the ability of the Osprey to move that data to the point of attack or defense could prove to be a critical capability for the fleet as well.

The shift from simply being COD to becoming part of the dynamic development of maritime kill web con-ops can be seen in the growing relationship between the command with NAWDC. When I went to NAWDC in 2000, I asked where the CMV-22B fit in. The answer was not clear. But now the NAWDC team is working closely with the CMV-22B command to work answers to that question.

Captain Bryant concluded by emphasizing that there might be a need to build a 21st century version of the Cold War approach the Navy once used. They had intra-theater support squadrons with several types of aircraft to support the movement of maritime forces. Now with distributed forces over significant distances, how might the Navy and the joint force do a 21st century version of such a theater support capability?

Captain Samuel Bryant

Commander, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing

Captain Sam Bryant, a native of Ithaca, NY, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 1997, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in English.  CAPT Bryant completed his graduate education at The Naval Postgraduate School Monterrey, CA, where he earned an Executive Master’s in business administration (EMBA).  Following his initial carrier qualification aboard the USS HARRY S TRUMAN (CVN-75), He was designated a Naval Aviator in December of 1999.

Captain Bryant’s operational sea duty assignments included The Rawhides of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), The Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Det 5 (VRC-30 Det 5 FDNF).  He later returned to The Rawhides (VRC-40) for his department head tour, and to the Providers (VRC-30) for his Commanding Officer tour in San Diego, CA.

Captain Bryant’s shore assignments included T-45 advanced jet instructor duty with VT-22 in Kingsville, TX, Executive Assistant to Commander, NORTHCOM-Joint Task Force Civil Support (CJTF-CS), and Executive Officer of Fleet Replacement Squadron 120 (VAW-120 FRS).  For his post-command staff tour, he reported for Pentagon duty at OPNAV N98 “The Ranch”, as the CMV-22B/C-2A Requirements Officer.  Following Pentagon duty, CAPT Bryant returned to the cockpit to complete his MV-22B Osprey transition, and reported as the first Commanding Officer of the Naval Aviation Training Support Group New River, NC (NATSG).  He then reported to Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing (VRM WING), San Diego for his major command tour as the CMV-22B Osprey Type-Wing Commodore.

Captain Bryant’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4), and various campaign and service ribbons.  He has accumulated over 3,500 flight hours and 350 carrier arrested landings, in six different type-model-series (TMS) aircraft, including the C-2A, T-45, and the MV-22B Osprey.

Featured Photo: Captain Bryant the day of the interview at North Island, January 4, 2023.

[1] Robbin Laird, Robbin  and Edward Timperlake, Edward. A Maritime Kill Web Force in the Making: Deterrence and Warfighting in the 21st Century (pp. 181-182). Kindle Edition.

Also, see the following:

Shaping a Way Ahead for Airpower for Integrated Fleet Operations: The Perspective of the Navy Air Boss

 

Exercise Active Shield 2022

01/20/2023

U.S. Navy Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Nathan Cobb, technical services manager, Hidenori Uchiyama, lead technician, with Armed Forces Network Iwakuni, and U.S. Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal technicians assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni react to a simulated missile strike event during Exercise Active Shield at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 15, 2022.

Exercise Active Shield is a bilateral exercise conducted annually with the Japan Self-Defense Force to better prepare the air station’s incident response procedures during base defense operations.

YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN

11.15.2022

Video by Sgt. Devin Andrews Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

Shaping a Way Ahead for Airpower for Integrated Fleet Operations: The Perspective of the Navy Air Boss

01/18/2023

By Robbin Laird

Recently I visited San Diego and had chance to discuss with Vice Admiral Whitesell the work the Navy is doing in terms of introducing new capabilities and training for high-end operations. The Navy is introducing new capabilities onboard the large deck carriers, focusing on new concepts of operations captured in part by the notion of distributed operations and are working new ways to train for high-end operations.

We discussed all of these themes during our meeting in his office on January 4, 2023.  I had last visited that office when Vice Admiral Miller was the Air Boss and we discussed during my meetings with him the process of change as the air wing of the future or as I prefer to call it the shaping of the integratable air wing comes to the large deck carrier and does so as the Navy is working new ways to integrate fleet, joint and coalition operations.

When I was last there, Vice Admiral Miller discussed the coming of the first package of capabilities associated with the new air wing coming to the USS Carl Vinson. Now it has done so along with the USS Abraham Lincoln. This is where we started the conversation.

Whitesell underscored that when he came aboard, they were preparing to deploy the F-35C, the CMV-22B and the Advanced Hawkeye as a new package on board the Vinson and then the Lincoln. This meant that the first steps towards integration of the new capabilities onboard the carrier and then working with the fleet was the first task.

These initial operations are always a learning process, but it was one where the early findings were significant with regard to ramping up the operational capabilities for the carrier and the fleet. The advanced sensing and targeting capabilities of the F-35 (along with its ability to work across a joint F-35 force), the advanced C2 capabilities of advanced Hawkeye (which can seamlessly connect with other naval, joint and coalition assets to have an enhanced ability for the carrier force to work in an extended battlespace) and the CMV-22 (with its ability to operate beyond simple point to point logistics and to support contested logistics ops) are significant expanders of fleet operations.

And has been noted by a number of F-35 operators, the aircraft makes the other strike aircraft more lethal and survivable. This is true not just for the evolving Super Hornets, but the Growlers as well. He noted that “the Growler when operating with the F-35 creates some incredible synergistic capabilities.”

With the deployment of the new “module” of air wing capability comes a new approach to training as well. The capabilities unleashed by fifth generation aircraft lead to the need to train in a way that the blue side needs to understand how to master advanced tactics without letting the adversary see this capability. The introduction of live virtual constructive (LVC) training is a keyway to do so.

Vice Admiral Whitesell noted that a LVC terminal was onboard the Lincoln which allowed for such training at sea. Of course, Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) with its enhanced training facilities is leading the way in terms of LVC training for the Navy. He described his own experience at Navy Air Station Whidbey, where he flew a Growler in a LVC training event.

“I was up in Growler about six months ago, flying a high-end event with another aircraft. We were just two aircraft, but on the display and with the weapons we had simulated on the aircraft, we simulated flying in a high-end fight. The sweat pumps get running. You’re running a high-end scenario with multiple Red and Blue assets engaged.”

He underscored that at NAWDC, the training along these lines have added a week to the basic training scenario which enables enhanced high-end training. The USAF is now fully engaged with NAWDC in the last week module of what used to be a four-week syllabus but now is a five-week module.

Vice Admiral Whitesell added that the F-35 pilots through their basic training are already understanding training for the high-end threat. As he commented: “The level of training and the skill of the kids nowadays means they can handle high end training early on. We’re just taking it to another level.”

He underscored as well that during his time at U.S. Pacific Fleet, just prior to taking his current job, there has been a major shift in USAF and U.S. Navy joint operational cooperation and integration.

“We train now with the Air Force at NAWDC, and we run long range maritime strike missions together. That’s why that extra week was added on to the NAWDC syllabus. They are working on joint long range maritime strikes against the priority targets that an Indo-PACOM has assigned us.”

We then discussed the coming of the CMV-22 to the carrier air wing. When I was last at NAWDC, I asked about where the new aircraft fit into the curriculum. The answer was: they were not sure for the C2A Greyhound was a point-to-point logistical delivery system. The CMV-22B is not – it can operate with significant flexibility and as a kill web support capability and thereby can expand the Navy’s development of distributed operations.

I asked the Vice Admiral about how the Navy was now addressing the arrival of this new aircraft to the fleet. He emphasized that the baptism of the CMV-22B in its first two deployments, the first aboard Vinson and the second aboard Lincoln, allowed the Navy to certify that it was “going to be a successful maritime aircraft and to execute the COD mission.”

But now the kid gloves were off.  “What is our concept of employment for this aircraft? To answer this question will require a mindset change within naval aviation and the COD community. The expeditionary nature of the CMV-22B expands the possibilities for successful distributed maritime operations and we are determined to get full value out of the aircraft in terms of its synergy with con-ops evolutions for the fleet.”

He added: “Under distributed operations, the carrier strike group is deployed differently. We are shaping a completely different way of thinking about that and the CMV-22B can be used is part of that mindset change.”

Vice Admiral Whitesell assured me that when I would go back to NAWDC, I would get a very different response to my question of where the CMV-22B fit into the syllabus. “They are looking at how you would use the CMV-22B, notably in the Western Pacific. The CMV-22B is an all-weather, day and night aircraft that doesn’t need a runway. How can we best utilize such an aircraft as we work contested logistics? And does how does it empower the way ahead for distributed maritime operations?”

My own sense is that the fighting Navy is focused on distributed operations as an operational experiment and are working to shape different ways to work the problem of prevailing in the expanded battlespace with both enhanced lethality and survivability.

Vice Admiral Whitesell concluded: “We are in an experimentation phase. We are working force distribution and integration. We are experimenting like Nimitz did in the inter-war years. We are working from seabed to space with regard to force integration. It is a work in progress. But being successful in operating in an environment where logistics are contested, where getting weapons to the fleet in conflict, is not just a nice to have capability but a necessary one.”

Vice Admiral Kenneth Whitesell

Commander, Naval Air Forces/Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell is a native of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, and a 1983 graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in February 1985 and earned his naval aviation wings in October 1986. He is a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College and the Naval War College with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Whitesell’s operational assignments include Fighter Squadron (VF) 142, USS Eisenhower (CVN 69); Top Gun training officer and assistant operations officer with VF-74, USS Saratoga (CV 60); and VF-32, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). He transitioned from the F-14 Tomcat into the F/A-18F Super Hornet and commanded Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, USS Nimitz (CVN 68). His major command tour included commander, Carrier Air Wing 1, USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Most recently, he served as commander, Carrier Strike Group 2 aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

Whitesell’s shore assignments include tactics phase leader with VF-101, F-14 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS); assistant readiness officer, Commander, Fighter Wing Atlantic; a joint tour as strategic action officer, National Military Command Center, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.; executive officer, VFA-122 during the fleet transition to the FA-18 E/F Super Hornet; and as the tactical air (TACAIR) commander detailer and head assignments officer, Navy Personnel Command; and most recently deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in July 2019.

He completed overseas tours as Combined Air and Space Operations Center battle director, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; and chief of staff and director, Maritime Operations Center, Commander, U.S. Navy Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet. He also served as the director, Aviation Officer Distribution Division, PERS-43, Navy Personnel Command. As a flag officer, he served as the assistant commander, Navy Personnel Command for Career Management (PERS-4).

Whitesell became Naval Aviation’s ninth “Air Boss” on October 2, 2020.

Whitesell has participated in Operations Desert Shield, Southern Watch, Deliberate Guard/Allied Force, Iraqi Freedom and Inherent Resolve. He has accumulated over 4,000 flight hours and 1,005 carrier arrested landings.

His personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (five awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Air Medal, and various campaign, unit and individual awards.

Featured Photo: NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (May 4, 2022)

Vice Admiral Kenneth Whitesell, Commander, Naval Air Forces, shakes hands with Tom Cruise prior to the start of the advance premiere of Top Gun: Maverick on Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), May 4. Top Gun: Maverick, set to release worldwide on May 27, features U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps pilots and was shot on multiple ships and facilities including NASNI, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Allayah Carr)

For my earlier discussions with NAWDC and the VADM Miller, the previous Navy Air Boss, see the following:

Japan’s Defence Modernization Accelerates

01/16/2023

In our 2013 book on Pacific defense., we argued that Japan would expand its defense perimeter in response to Chinese and Russian evolving defense and foreign policies.

We argued that they would take advantage of U.S. defense modernization programs, notably the Osprey and the F-35 programs, to do so.

We also argued that longer range strike and defense maneuver capabilities would be necessary and would be expressed in the evolution of Japanese defense mobilization.

This is how we conceptualized the projected way ahead in the book:

Japan is in the first island chain and the augmentation of the reach of Chinese defense forces through the first and second island has led Japan and the United States to enhance their force interoperability and as Australia has modernized its forces it is expanding its relationship as well with Japan.

There may be a Quad, but is the working relationship among the United States, Japan and Australia will be at the heart of effective deterrence and warfighting interoperability and interchangeability.

Prime Minister Abe has been the architect of the re-working of Japanese defense. His assignation raised questions about the current government and what it would do with regard to defense modernization.

Those questions have been answered by the recently released Japanese defense policy documents.

The new strategy identifies a number of key foci of enhanced Japanese defense capabilities:

Longer range strike (something Australia is focused upon which may be a focus of cooperation between the two states in terms of defense industry);

Further investments in integrated air and missile defense capabilities:

A long-term commitment to developing and operating longer-range unmanned assets:

Emphasis on integratability in terms of cross-domain operations; enhanced capabilities for decision superiority;

And building strategic depth in terms of sustainability and resilience (again this is a major emphasis in Australia as well.

The Japanese National Defense Strategy can be read below:


Featured Image: The graphic shows how we expressed our sense of the evolution of Japanese defense policy in our 2013 book.

 

Autonomast System

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Science and Technology Office hosted the Singapore Ministry of Defense, Future Systems and Technology Directorate sponsored demonstration of an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) featuring the AUTONOMAST system at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), Oct. 19-26, 2022.

The AUTONOMAST system developed by ST Engineering, a global technology, defense and engineering group headquartered in Singapore, is designed to convert any manned vessel into an USV, with all-round situational awareness capabilities for tracking stationary or moving surface obstacles for safe autonomous navigation.

The demonstration, with support from MCBH Waterfront Operations, focused on autonomous navigation in congested waters and force protection maneuvers.

10.26.2022

Video by Gunnery Sgt. Orlando Perez

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Amphibiosity Within the Pacific Reset

01/15/2023

We will publish interviews from San Diego and Hawaii this year along with interviews in Australia looking at the recalibration, reset, and re-thinking of Pacific defense.

One aspect is the question of the role of amphibiosity in that effort.

We will return this in those discussions.

But for now, here are some looks at RIMPAC 2022 and the amphibious raid exercise.

One aspect of the change is working not just interoperability but interchangeability which is highlighted by the operations of the CH-53E onboard the Canberra.

As one U.S. Admiral put it: “When operating in a coalition, it is not simply a question of whether the forces can work together but of where and with what authorities to do so in a crisis.My definition of interoperability begins with our ability for systems to talk to each other, and our TTPs to be synchronized. Interchangeability is where we understand where our national objectives overlap, and we drive into that space, and then we operate in that space.

“For example, with regards to Australia and the United States, our objectives, have a have a large overlap in a Venn diagram. Maybe Indonesia and the United States don’t overlap as much. I’m not asking them for support. I’m understanding what their objectives are, and I’m finding where our objectives overlap, then I will let the policymakers understand how in the warfighting perspective it’d be great if we can help reshape the Venn diagram of intersecting objectives. But that’s not my job. My job is to understand, what’s an ally’s objective.? What’s your objective in the South China Sea? What’s your objective as far as freedom of navigation? Are we on the same page? Let’s just start there. And then work together.”

An article published July 28, 2022 by FLGOFF Lily Lancaster highlights such an operation:

You know who has got your back on real-life operations when you have practiced it in training. That’s why Landing Forces for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 are putting their training to the test in a multi-national reconnaissance mission.

In a simulated scenario, Australian Army soldiers and United States Marines lift off from the Landing Helicopter Dock HMAS Canberra (L02), in U.S Marine Corps CH-53 Super Stallions. Before their mission even begins, they are challenged with the insertion method called helicopter casting (helo-casting), jumping from a low flying helicopter into the ocean.

“Helo-casting for the first time was an experience, it was very exciting. It was a fresh way of looking at how we can apply ourselves. Yes, it was fun, but most importantly it exposed to everyone different methods of inserting into an environment,” said Lt. Joel Scarramella, 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment’s newest platoon commander.

Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, Lt. Col. Mark Tutton knows this is an important opportunity for the Australian Army.

“Inserting onto a beach from a United States aircraft is something that we must practice. Developing our interoperability makes us stronger and more adaptive as a force,” said Tutton.

What makes this helo-casting exercise more unique is the Zodiac F470 bundle that they dispatch from the helicopter then has to be inflated in the ocean. Responsible for carefully packaging the zodiacs is Australian Army Air Dispatcher Cpl. Jesse Ablett’s team.

“How it works is we put all the equipment is put inside the deflated boat and into a bundle,” said Ablett. “Once it is dispatched from the rotary wing aircraft, it uses a gas bottle to inflate so the boat crew can set it up once they are in the water.”

Having jumped into the deep end, soldiers boarded their Inflated Small Craft F470 Zodiac to push onto the beach.

Together, with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Marines, the teams make their way to land where they will spend the next few days conducting reconnaissance on a fictional village at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows. They have the task of silently capturing intelligence and planning pathways to remain unnoticed by the enemy before calling in a company of infantry soldiers to secure the site.

Ensuring European Sovereignty in Producing High-Performance IR Sensors

01/13/2023

By Pierre Tran

Paris – A 10-strong European consortium is launching a four-year, €18 million ($19.8 million) project to select a common chip foundry to build next generation infrared sensors for military applications, said David Billon-Lanfrey, chief strategy officer of Lynred, which leads the group.

The European Defence Fund is backing the project, dubbed High Efficiency Read-Out Integrated Circuit (Heroic), providing €18 million ($19.8 million) in a total project budget of €19 million, Lynred said in a Jan. 10 statement.

“One overall aim is to enable Europe to gain technological sovereignty in producing high-performance IR sensors,” Lynred said in the statement.

The project consortium comprises three infrared component makers, industrial partners and research institutes, with the project starting this month. The defense fund is part of the European Union’s bid to boost military capabilities of the 27 member states by investing in upstream technology.

The project is a cooperative approach which brings together three IR component manufacturers, namely AIM from Germany, Lynred from France, and Xenics from Belgium. These companies, which compete with each other in components for electro-optical military kit, have formed the project partnership to boost competitiveness of the European IR industry.

“The main goal of the Heroic project is to validate for our specific infrared use a common advanced CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductors) foundry. That foundry could come from players such as STMicroelectronics and X Fab,” Lynred said.

STMicroelectronics is a Franco-Italian company, while X-Fab is a Belgian company.

The project consortium includes four system integrators, namely Indra of Spain, Miltech Hellas of Greece, Kongsberg of Norway, and PCO of Poland.

There is a component provider, namely Ideas – a Norwegian integrated circuit developer, and two research institutes – CEA-Leti of France and University of Seville of Spain.

A New Generation of IR sensors

The European project seeks to deliver a new generation of IR components packed with  smaller pixels, to allow the detection and identification of targets at greater range, Billon-Lanfrey said.

A key aim is to reduce the size of pixels to five to eight microns from the present range of 10 to 15 microns.

The EU-backed project allows the three manufacturing companies to share a foundry – essentially a chip factory – based on advanced CMOS, to design and build components for more powerful IR sensors.

The manufacturers will each build a prototype IR sensor using the project’s foundry, once it has been selected and certified. That shared access is intended to allow building small numbers and meet specific needs, while seeking to secure a European supply chain.

European clients for IR components include Leonardo, Safran, and Thales, while U.S. contractors Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and L3 order infrared sensors.

There is early discussion on open access to IR components in the European supply chain, in the next stage for cooperation, Billon-Lanfrey said.

“The project’s main objectives are to increase access to, and dexterity in, using a new European-derived advanced CMOS technology that offers key capabilities in developing the next generations of high-performance infrared sensors – these will feature smaller pixels and advanced functions for defense applications,” Lynred said.

“Its commonly specified platform will allow each consortium partner to pursue its respective technological roadmap and more effectively meet the higher performance expectations of post-2030 defense systems,” the company said.

The present project marks the start of a European cooperative effort long sought by Sofradir, the predecessor to Lynred, formed in 2019 from the merger of Sofradir, which specialized in military IR components and its ULIS unit, which supplied civil applications.

Many years ago, there had been hopes of European cooperation between Sofradir,  IS2 – the then U.K. unit of the Italian company Selex, and AIM. Selex has since rebranded as Leonardo.

But the Brexit departure of Britain appears to have made it complicated for a U.K. company to take part in a project backed by the E.U.

“The Heroic project will provide new advanced electrical components for the next generation IR sensors,” the European Defence Fund said on its website.

“The project ‘High Efficiency Read Out Circuits’ (HEROIC) will enable European IR sensor suppliers to sustainably design the next generation of EU Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) for IR sensors for defence applications,” the fund said.

Rainer Breiter, AIM vice president of IR-Module programs, said, “We are looking forward to working together with our partners in this common approach to access the latest advanced CMOS technology.”

“Xenics sees the Heroic project as a cornerstone for its strategy of SWIR (short-wave infrared) development for defense applications,” Paul Ryckaert, Xenics chief executive, said,

The European IR sector has attracted attention in mergers and acquisition.

Photonis, a French manufacturer of IR components, said Dec. 15 it had agreed the acquisition of Xenics for an undisclosed amount.

A French private equity company, HLD, acquired Photonis in 2021, after the latter had attracted M&A attention from Teledyne, based in Thousand Oaks, CA.

The U.S. company had been ready to pay €425 million for Photonis, after an initial valuation of €510 million, sparking French political concern over acquisition of sensitive French military technology by a U.S. company.

Lynred is a joint venture held equally by electronics company Thales and aero-engine manufacturer Safran.

More generally, the EU is seeking to promote common industrial standards, as can be seen in European legislation on the adoption of a standard USB plug for charging smartphones. That forces Apple to drop its iPhone Lightning connectors in the EU market in two years’ time.