The US and the UK Extend Their Carrier Cooperation Agreement

08/06/2021

In a July 13, 2021 article on the UK Ministry of Defence website, the extension of the carrier cooperation agreement was highlighted.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin have extended an agreement to enhance cooperation on aircraft carrier operations as they met in Washington.

The two met in Washington DC for a day of high-level talks on a range of shared security challenges, discussing the UK-US defence partnership, NATO, Afghanistan and the Carrier Strike Group.

UK-US defence cooperation is the broadest, deepest and most advanced of any two countries in the world, combining the biggest defence budget in the world with the biggest in Europe, and the pair discussed opportunities to further deepen that partnership.

Mr Wallace and Mr Austin extended an existing agreement covering Enhanced Cooperation on Carrier Operations and Maritime Power Projection, due to expire in January 2022, by an additional year.

It comes as UK and US forces make their way 26,000 nautical miles around the world as part of the UK-led Carrier Strike Group (CSG21), projecting reach and influence and reassuring allies with a series of over 70 engagements, joint exercises and operations.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

“It was great to meet up with Lloyd Austin again after our meetings in London and Brussels.

“The US continues to be the UK’s most important defence partner and we are working together, across all domains, to confront future threats. There is much to do but the extension we agreed will ensure that we can cooperate even more seamlessly with our forces across the globe.”

The extended agreement lays down guidelines to ensure the generation, training and operation of both nations’ carrier forces are harmonised and effective, maximising and maintaining interoperability as both forces evolve and modernise to meet the threats of the future.

The unique interoperability of the UK and US carrier forces is demonstrated by the key role US forces are playing in the UK’s current Carrier Strike Group deployment, CSG21. Nine ships, 32 aircraft and 3,700 personnel set sail in May, led by the UK’s new aircraft carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, on the Strike Group’s seven-month maiden operational deployment around the world.

The integration of US destroyer USS The Sullivans and ten Marine Corps F-35B jets into CSG21 shows our intent to further improve interoperability between NATO Allies as we jointly develop 5th generation carrier strike capability. The deployment is emblematic of how the US and UK work together to defend our shared values, uphold the rules-based international order and tackle the threats of the future.

VMFA-115 Trains with the Finnish Air Force

By Robbin Laird

During my visit to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in July 2021, I had a chance to talk with MAG-31, notably the VMFA-115 Operations Officer, about their squadron’s time in Finland training with the Finnish Air Force last month.

Because I was in MCAS Cherry Point, and not at MCAS Beaufort, we did the discussion from a conference room at MCAS Cherry Point. The MAG-31 operations officer, Lt. Col. Waller and the VMFA-115 Operations Officer, Maj. Simmermon discussed the training effort with me.

Originally, VMFA-115 was to participate in a multi-national exercise, Arctic Challenge 2021. But because of COVID-19 restrictions, their engagement became a bilateral exercise with the Finnish Air Force.

This provided an important window on how one might modify training going forward.

What VMFA-115 learned was how the Finns fight.

How they operate their air force in a truly distributed manner. How they use their roads for landing sites; distributed logistical support and work under the shadow of Russian long-range fires.

Clearly, Marines learning to fight as the Finns fight is a good thing, and part of the cross-learning process which is necessary for U.S. forces to be familiar with various concepts like distributed maritime operations, littoral operations in a contested environment, and expeditionary advanced base operations.

All concepts that provide an understanding of how to operate in the High North back to the Baltic Sea.

This is how Maj. Simmermon put the experience:

“A year ago, we were preparing for Arctic Challenge 21. If we had participated in an Arctic Challenge exercise, it would have been a big mission planning exercise and very scripted.

“We would have most likely used our own tactics and tried to incorporate into what the other countries were doing for their own tactics.”

“But it became a bilateral exercise called ILVES. We were able to train with them in their tactics. A great tactic VMFA-115 was able to observe was the Finns diverting and spreading out to reduce the effects from a potential strike on their location.  They showed us how they’re able to set up expeditionary arresting gear, where they put their support and how they taxi the aircraft.

“We then had one of their instructor pilots get in their simulator with us, where we practiced road landings which was a relatively benign mission, really; just taking off and landing on small, short expeditionary runways.

“The whole system relies largely on the logistics support and the infrastructure for their road runways, which are already in place.”

He added: “Doing the bilateral training that we did during ILVES, exposed us to smaller level tactics, techniques, and procedures, which I had never seen before.

“Those conversations and briefs would not have been available in a big exercise like “Arctic Challenge ,“ but it was as you mentioned, a whole logistics and infrastructure aspect of aviation, as well as a unique divert strategy, and changing the way your force is employed by consolidating in the air and understanding their TTPs.”

“It reminds you that even as a globally deployable force, it’s important to see that there are a lot of different ways and different geographical locations, specifically Finland and their neighbors that change the way an aviation unit fights or how a conflict in general is executed.”

“Seeing how other nations fight was very valuable.

“I would emphasize that going to any country that has a different defense strategy or offensive strategy for that matter is very eye opening, if they’re willing to share with you some of their considerations and how they employ their forces.”

When visiting Finland in 2018, I discussed with a senior Finnish defense officer, who was former head of the Finnish Air Force, the unique way the Finns use their air combat capabilities in the defense of Finland.

As Lt. General Kim Jäämeri put it: “It is becoming clear to our partners that you cannot run air operations in a legacy manner under the threat of missile barrages of long-range weapons.

“The legacy approach to operating from air bases just won’t work in these conditions. For many of our partners, this is a revelation; for us it has been a fact of life for a long time, and we have operated with this threat in the forefront of operations for a long time.”

I also discussed with Norwegian Air Force officers, their ramped up cooperation with the Finns and Swedes in airpower integration.

This is being done in part with their cross-border training,

As I noted in a 2018 interview: “From 2015 on, the three air forces have shaped a regular training approach, which is very flexible and driven at the wing and squadron level.

Major Ertsgaard added that “We meet each November, and set the schedule for the next year, but in execution it is very, very flexible. It is about a bottom-up approach and initiative to generate the training regime.”

“The impact on Sweden and Finland has been significant in terms of learning NATO standards and having an enhanced capability to cooperate with the air forces of NATO nations.

“And the air space being used is very significant as well. Europe as an operational military airspace training area is not loaded with good training ranges.

“The range being used for CBT is very large and is not a cluttered airspace, which allows for great training opportunities for the three nations, and those who fly to Arctic Challenge or other training events. And the range flies over land so there is an opportunity for multi-domain operational training as well.”

Since 2018, the Marines have ramped up their efforts to train in the Nordic region and to operate in cold weather.

With the Nordics ramping up their defense capabilities and working greater integration with each other and with their North Atlantic partners, there are enhanced opportunities for Marines to work in the region as well.

I discussed the importance of Nordic defense and its impact on U.S. forces learning with VADM Lewis in my interview with him on July 16th, the day after the ceremony launching the Allied Joint Forces Command Norfolk for full operational capability.

In the period in which 2nd Fleet was re-established, the Nordic nations have clearly ramped up their defense efforts and cooperation with each other and with the United States and NATO.

This learn from others approach is a key part of how VADM Lewis has led his command.

As he commented: “That has been my mantra from day one here: learning from our regional operations. As we work how best to operate in the region, we are learning from our regional partners some of the best ways to do so.”

And for the Carolina-based Marines, this means expanded opportunities to learn from our Nordic partners as well as they worked enhanced integration with the U.S. Navy.

For a detailed look at the role of Nordic defense modernization in meeting the challenge of direct defense in Europe, see our recent book on the subject:

Amphibiosity and Combined and Joint Battle Problem: August 2021

The United States, Australia and Japan are working a modular task force built around what amphibious ships can bring to the fight.

Amphibious ships can contribute significantly to sea control and sea denial.

Two recent articles, one American and one Australian highlight the current effort.

In an August 5, 2021 article by Lt. Cmdr. Sherrie A. Flippin, the engagement of the USS American Expeditionary Strike Group was highlighted.

CORAL SEA (Aug. 5, 2021) – USS America Expeditionary Strike Group (AMA ESG), along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), begin operations alongside Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Canberra (L 02) and HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155); and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force JS Makinami (DD 115) in support of the Combined and Joint Battle Problem (CJBP), 5-8 August.

“It should come as no surprise that our blue-green team will continue to operate with like-minded nations in order to promote stability and the international rules-based order,” said Rear Adm. Chris Engdahl, commander Expeditionary Strike Group 7. “Operations such as these ensure our forces can come together, if called upon, to defend shared interest in the region and respond to conventional or non-conventional threats.”

CJBP is one of many operations nested under the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Large Scale Global Exercise (LSGE) 21. LSGE 21 is global command and control exercise, with a regional focus, to enhance integration of the U.S., allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.  

The U.S. in conjunction with like-minded partners and allies will operate across several bases in the region and project sustained combat power. During CJBP, surface units will conduct complex maneuvering, refueling at sea, and integrate aviation assets through helicopter cross- deck opportunities. 

Royal Australian Navy, Commodore Flotillas, Commodore Mick Harris highlighted the opportunities that LSGE 21 presents for Australia.  

“Australia always looks forward to working and training with our like-minded partners and friends to address shared security challenges in our region,” Commodore Harris said. “This exercise with the USS America Expeditionary Strike Group and JS Makinami represents an opportunity to enhance our ability to seamlessly integrate anywhere in the world.”

Each training evolution was planned and coordinated among units and will be executed as multi-domain operations in order to provide commanders with numerous options for executing processes and maneuvers. Events are based on a continuum of scenarios and designed to test operational concepts. 

Together, the forward-deployed ships of ESG 7 and elements of the 31st MEU are operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force in support of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

And in an August 6, 2021 story published by the Australian Department of Defence, the Australian engagement in the exercise was highlighted.

HMA Ships Canberra and Ballarat have arrived in the Western Pacific Ocean for the opening phase of the US-led Large Scale Global Exercise 21. 

Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said Australia’s participation in the first phase of the activity followed the success of Exercises Talisman Sabre and Pacific Vanguard. 

“We have just completed some extraordinary training in and around Australia and now we have this exciting new opportunity to consolidate those gains,” Lieutenant General Bilton said. 

“We’ve got amphibious forces, including United States marines, embarked in Canberra, and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft involved at various stages as well.

“Activities like this build strong operational relationships, which are the foundation for responding to shared security challenges.” 

Commanding Officer Canberra Captain Jace Hutchison said the exercise would prove invaluable for the crews of Canberra and Ballarat.

“Any opportunity for us to test our skills and processes with partner nations enhances our readiness and ability to respond as required,” Captain Hutchison said. 

The United States Air Force’s 26th Special Tactics Squadron

The United States Air Force’s 26th Special Tactics Squadron out of Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico train at Fort McCoy, Wis., on the installation’s different drop zones June 23-24, 2021.

Airmen participate in free-fall jumps out of C-130s from the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 133rd Airlift Wing out of Minneapolis, Minn.

This U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard joint training is another great example of Fort McCoy’s value as a Total Force Training Center.

FORT MCCOY, WI.

06.23.2021

Video by Cedar Wolf Fort McCoy Multimedia Visual Information Branch

The Future Combat Air System: An Overview

08/05/2021

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is a core initiative of the Macron Administration for both defense modernization and building out defense cooperation with its core Airbus allies, Germany and Spain. The Administration is committed to the modernization of their core combat fighter aircraft, the Rafale, for the next thirty years. But FCAS is designed to deliver a next generation fighter aircraft.

This project is designed to replace both the Rafale and the Eurofighter with a “combat cloud” ready aircraft, that is one designed to work interactively with other air assets in delivering the desired combat effects.

It is a clear response to what the Macron Administration views as the F-35 challenge to European sovereignty. And indeed, European sovereignty is a key part of the Macron version of Gaullism, much like the General launched the independent nuclear deterrent.

At its core, the goal is for Germany and France to work closely together in shaping this new collaborative venture. But the significant disconnect between defense inn Germany and France poses a core challenge to the project. And different approaches to arms exports also affects the program and its future.

Even more significant is the pressure of time. Europe is being challenged by Putin significantly. Does Europe have time to wait for enhanced sovereignty in exchange for enhanced defense capabilities in the near to mid-term?

The F-35 is already a significant player in European defense and will steadily enhance its role in the mutli-domain defense being shaped by NATO. The interoperability efforts of NATO are a key part of the Macron Administration’s approach to defense as well, so FCAS will be designed to work with core allies as the program evolves.

But there is a major challenge facing networking in defense, as several initiatives are underway to shape secure communications for the combat force, and some of those clearly are designed to leverage new civilian technologies like 5G.

In this report, we provide our assessments of the standup and evolution of the program over the past three and half years.

 

RAAF Wedgetails: Command Centre in the Sky

According to the Australian Department of Defence:

“RAAF’s six E-7A Wedgetails are best described as a command centre in the sky. Each is equipped with multiple radars and tech that allows it to scan and communicate with up to 80 aircraft and ground and sea units over an eye-popping distance of 4 million square kilometres during a single 10-hour mission. It’s an extraordinary ability for an aircraft modified from a simple Boeing 737-700, with a ‘hump’ on top.

“Operated by No. 2 Squadron and based out of RAAF Base Williamtown, the Wedgetails’ varied contribution includes fighting Daesh in Iraq, securing the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games as part of Operation Atlas and protecting world leaders at the APEC forum. Last year, the aircraft celebrated 10 years of RAAF service.”

The Wedgetail story is still a largely untold one, which we will highlight in later articles.

 

II MIG Tests New Sensor

08/04/2021

U.S. Marines with Ground Sensor Platoon (GSP), Battlefield Surveillance Company, 2nd Intelligence Battalion (Intel Bn), II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Information Group, test a new sensor system to enhance battlefield awareness during a training exercise at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 15, 2021.

The exercise was held to test the capability of a new sensor system intended to enhance Marines’ awareness and ability to fight and win on the modern battlefield.

U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Mason Roy

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC.

07.15.2021

Shaping a Way Ahead for the Assault Support Community: Visiting MAG-26

08/03/2021

By Robbin Laird

I first visited Marine Aircraft Group 26 (MAG-26) in 2007 when they were beginning the MV-22B Osprey transition.

Now, the Osprey is the backbone of the Marine Corps combat assault support community.

And with both heavy-lift and light-attack helicopter squadrons, the Second Marine Aircraft Wing (2D MAW) is the cornerstone of all rotorcraft support for North Carolina-based Marines.

During my recent visit, I had a chance to discuss the way ahead for combat assault support with three members of MAG-26. Maj. Mazzola is MAG-26 Operations Officer.  Maj. Kevin O’Malley is assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263), an operational MV-22 squadron, and Maj. Tom Gruber is a member of VMM-365. We focused on the challenges of transition from the Middle East land wars as well as the work on shaping a new way ahead for the assault force.

Up front, the shift was described by one participant as, “A total paradigm change.”

MAW Marines will perhaps lessen expeditionary operations in Mesopotamia and increase engagements in the North Atlantic area operations.

In fact, the Marine Corps has already made gains towards this goal.

Since 2018, focus on specific challenges such as cold weather training and exercises have increased at a pace not witnessed since the Cold War.

Case in point, one interviewee noted that in March 2022, they would once again train with the Norwegians in the Cold Response—one of the largest Norwegian and Coalition exercise since the Cold War.

This is how that exercise is described by one source:

“About 40,000 soldiers will participate in Norway’s Cold Response 2022 exercise next year, planned to take place in the Ofoten area with the country’s navy and air force as the main players in the war game. “There is a significantly increased interest among our allies for the north and the Arctic,” said General Eirik Kristoffersen, head of the Norwegian Armed Forces in a phone interview with the Barents Observer. In times of growing distrust between Russia and Europe, Norway seeks to build its security in partnership with NATO allies and Nordic neighbors.

“That includes more joint military training up north. Now, the Armed Forces are revealing more details about next year’s planned large-scale winter exercise.

“As it seems today, we will have about 40,000 soldiers in exercise Cold Response,” Kristoffersen said. “It will be the largest military exercise inside the Arctic Circle in Norway since the 1980s,” the general added.

“Cold Response 2022 will train reinforcement of northern Norway, and the main action will be by navy and air force capacities in the Ofoten area. The region is near to the Army’s northern brigade and training areas where U.S., British and Dutch soldiers frequently drill in Arctic warfare.

“Ofoten is also home to Evenes airport where Norway’s new fleet of P8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes will be based together with NATO’s two northernmost Quick Reaction Alert F-35s fighter jets on standby to meet Russian military planes flying near Norwegian air space. For NATO and the Nordic countries’ defense partnership, Ofoten is of core strategic importance in case of a larger global conflict involving Russia in the North-Atlantic. The area is about 600 kilometers from the Kola Peninsula where the Northern Fleet’s nuclear submarines are based.”

As the Marine Corps conducts force design, they must figure out how to supply that force.

For example, when operating in the Mediterranean, the Ospreys can fly to several support facilities.

This will not be the case when operating in an environment like the North Atlantic.

This means working the logistical support challenge with the Navy to provide for afloat support and to work on pre-positioning of supplies and work the arc from North America to the Baltics.

How will the supply chain to support North Atlantic operations be shaped going forward? 

Clearly, the renewed focus on naval integration is part of the answer.

This will be a function of how the Navy reworks its own logistical support; this will be a function of how ashore support is built out in the region (the arc from North Carolina to the Baltics) and how the amphibious fleet is reshaped.

Clearly, the coming of maritime autonomous systems can be part of evolving support solution sets.

As one participant put it: “Perhaps the supply shortfall can be mitigated by logistical movers. Having unmanned aircraft or unmanned surface vessels will undoubtedly be able to contribute going forward.”

There is clearly a shortage of amphibious shipping both in terms of combat ships and connectors for the North Atlantic mission against a peer competitor.

We did not discuss the broader challenge which can be referred as shaping a new family of systems to deliver the amphibious warfare capability to the extended littoral engagement in the North Atlantic, but this is a key challenge which must be met going forward.

Another aspect being worked is how to integrate the ARG-MEU in wider fleet operations.

The Marines and the Navy are working exercises in the North Atlantic to find ways to do so, and the recent BALTOPS-50 did provide some insight with regard to this.

And the evolving relationship between 2nd Expeditionary Strike Group and II MEB will clearly focus on this challenge.

An aspect of the way ahead for the ARG-MEU is its participation in fleet defense and shaping ways the amphibious force can better defend itself afloat.

The F-35 has already demonstrated in the Pacific that it can contribute significantly in this role and with the F-35 coming to 2nd MAW’s operational force, it can play a similar role in the Atlantic.

But given the nature of the arc from North Carolina to the Baltics, allied F-35s will play a key role in all of this, as has already been demonstrated in BALTOPS-50 with the role of Norwegian F-35s.

The participants indicate that indeed they are engaged in discussions with the Navy about how to better integrate capabilities for the extended littoral operational fight.

As one participant highlighted: “As the Navy focuses on integration of their fleet operations, they want to be able to use all of the assets available to them.

“And that is why the MEU is now part of the discussion.”

One key question which is a shaping function moving ahead was posed by one participant this way: “How does the Air Combat Element (ACE) participate effectively in defense of the amphibious force?”

Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Lt. Gen. Mark Wise, is noted as saying that “the Marine Corps as an expeditionary force must be agile, mobile, and survivable.  That means looking to, and building upon, current warfighting philosophy and our way of doing business.

“This vision is built around distributed maritime operations, littoral operations in a contested environment, and expeditionary advanced based operations: DMO, LOCE, and EABO.

“The Marine Corps will not abandon, but rather will refine and improve upon, these concepts for operational design for a littoral fight.”

A final aspect of the potential evolution of assault support which we discussed briefly, is the potential contribution of roll-on roll-off systems onboard the Osprey.

This was demonstrated at last year’s Deep Water exercise where MV-22 onboard capabilities allowed it to play a key role in providing C2 to a distributed force.

The Marines further contended that several pertinent future capabilities are being shaped for the Osprey.

I will focus on some of those paths of development in a future article.

All in all, this is a good news story.

Something that back in 2007, I did not even think was possible.

The MV-22 Osprey is not only leading the way in combat assault support, but is a center piece as the Marine Corps and 2d MAW trains for operations in any clime or place.

Featured Photo: Camp Lejeune, North Carolina – An MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365, Marine Air Group 26, flies behind the lead aircraft after conducting a confined landing area exercise aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 4, 2015. Marines with VMM-365 rehearsed different drop off and extraction scenarios at Landing Zone Bluebird and Landing Zone Bat aboard Camp Lejeune to maintain skills and standards within the squadron. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexander Mitchell/released). Oct 22, 2020