By Robbin Laird

During my visit to 2^nd Marine Air Wing during the first week of December 2020, I had a chance to visit New River Marine Corps Air Station and meet with Lt. Col. Frank, VMX-1, to get an update on the coming of the CH-53K. Lt. Col. Frank showed me the simulator as well giving me a chance to experience the flying qualities and, notably, the ability to hover via using the automated systems to operate in difficult visual and operating conditions.

He joined the USMC in 2002 and has flown a wide variety of rotorcraft during his career and served as a pilot for the U.S. President under President Obama. He came to VMX-1 in 2018. He has stayed in large part to follow through the CH-53K to fruition, that is into operations.

As he put it: “It is crucial to have a CH-53 fleet that works effectively as it is a unique capability in the USMC crucial for our way ahead operationally. It is the only aircraft we have that can move an expeditionary brigade off of our amphibious ships.”

“We have about a hundred Marines here at the test detachment. We’ve been training our maintainers and our air crew on the 53K for two years now. The maintainers have been working on it since 2018, when we started the logistics demonstration, which is essentially the validation of maintenance procedures on the 53K. I have 10 pilots in the det including myself and I’m responsible for ensuring that everyone goes through the proper training syllabus.”

“All 10 of our pilots in addition to our crew chiefs and our maintainers will be the first unit to be allowed to operate a “safe aircraft for flight,” which is a term we use for the maintainers.

“Our job is to conduct initial operational test and evaluation training for six months, beginning this month and ending in May or June of 2021, where we will establish five aircraft commanders, myself being one of them, five co-pilots, that’ll be our 10 pilots.

“We’ll qualify 10 crew chiefs, and our maintainers will continue to advance in their maintenance quals. In June of 2021 is when we enter into IOC evaluations.”

“We’re going to evaluate the reliability and maintainability of the aircraft. We’re going to collect all our maintenance data, determine how long it takes to fix, how long it’s down before it’s fixed and how many flight hours it accomplishes per maintenance man hour to evaluate it.

“We will evaluate Its shipboard compatibility in June and July 2021. We are to evaluate its desert mountainous capabilities in Twentynine Palms, beginning of August and September 2021. And we also have a sorties generation rate demonstration where we will execute a surge capability of sorties from a ship in November 2021; we’ll do that for a period of about 72 hours straight, where we will fly every aircraft every day and see what they deliver.”

We discussed the importance of the fly by wire system in the aircraft, which he considers “very mature.” He did note that the USMC subjects its aircraft to some of the harshest environments in the DoD, “salt spray, open ocean, desert heat and freezing cold.”  Robustness is a crucial aspect of determining reliability. “We do not operate runway to runway. We do not store them inside; we use them in challenging conditions.”

He referred to his team as “the learning curve for the CH-53K,” similar to what happened with the Osprey or the F-35B.

He underscored that the aircraft is well along the path to IOC.

“We’ve had a lot of time with the aircraft. Our Marines have been working on it for two years now. During logistics demonstration, we took the publications, which were in their infancy, and we went through every work package.

“The bulk of the Marine Corps’ CH-53K personnel, equipment, aircraft, and support will be located at VMX-1 when the Marine Corps declares the CH-53K program is IOC.”

Lt. Col. Frank described the innovation cycle as follows: “When problems come up with the aircraft, we bring up to the program office, the program office sends it out to engineering and industry. They implement changes. They implement engineering fixes, and they incorporate them.”

While at New River, we visited the first of the CH-53Ks delivered to VMX-1, which I had seen earlier in the log demo program but now was on the tarmac.

LtCol. Frank indicated that VMX-1 is to receive six aircraft overall.

“We are to receive our next aircraft on January, February, June and September of 2021, and the last one on January of 2022. By January 22, when the sixth aircraft is delivered, we should be done with IOT and E and we should carve out a detachment size group of maintainers, pilots, and aircraft from VMX-1 to form the initial cadre of HMH-461.”

How does he compare the Es to the Ks?

“I’ve started in the Ch-53D in 2004, they’re my first love. I’ll always love them.

“They were much harder to fly. And the ease of flying this, the flight control system is probably the biggest game changer for the 53 community.

“We’re not used to anything like this. It’s very intuitive. It can be as hands off as you know, a brand-new Tesla, you can close your eyes, set the autopilot and fly across country.

“Obviously, you wouldn’t do that in a tactical environment, but it does reduce your workload, reduces your stress.

“And in precision hover areas, whether it’s night under low light conditions, under NVGs, in the confines of a tight landing zone, we have the ability to hit position hold in the 53 K and have the aircraft maintain pretty much within one foot of its intended hover point, one foot forward, lateral and AFT, and then one foot of vertical elevation change.

“It will maintain that hover until the end of the time if required. that’s very, very stress relieving for us when landing in degraded visual environments. Our goal at VMX-1 is to create tactics that employ that system effectively.

“Some communities struggle with how they use the automation, do they let the automation do everything? Do they let the pilots do everything? How to work the balance?

“We’re working on a hybrid where the pilots can most effectively leverage automation.

“If you know you’re coming into a brownout situation or degraded visual environment, you engage the automation at a point right before the dust envelops you. And then in the 53-K, you can continue flying with the automation engaged.

“You continue flying with the automation engaged, and you can override it, but as soon as you stop moving the controls, it will take your inputs, estimate what you wanted and keep the aircraft in its position.

“It’s a very intuitive flight control system, and it blends very well with the pilot and the computers. It allows you to override the computer.

“And then the second that you stop overriding it, the computer takes back over without any further pilot input.

“That’s probably the biggest game changer for our community.”

Also, see the following:

Flying the CH-53K: Visiting Marine Corps Air Station New River

By Robbin Laird

During my visit to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and to New River Marine Corps Air Station, I had a chance to visit Marine Aircraft Group 26. Over the years, I have had a chance to come often to MAG-26 and to discuss the MV-22B Osprey, its introduction, its evolution and its progress. Each time I have come, I have had a chance to meet with the MAG and its commanding officer, who have been without exception, experienced, very competent leaders.

This visit proved no exception.

Col. John Spaid’s biography can be read below, but he has been with the Osprey since 2005. Indeed, he was part of the first Osprey deployment to Iraq in 2007, under Lt. Col. Rock (now Maj. Gen. Rock) and then with the first MEU deployment in 2009.

And we went back in history to discuss his initial experiences with the introduction and initial maturation of the Osprey.

Indeed, my first exposure to the Osprey was in a 2007 visit to MAG-26. In that discussion, we focused on how what was referred to me early on, as the Osprey Nation, was stood up and shaped a core group of combat warriors who brought such an innovative plane into combat and reshaped really how the Marines have operated since then.

In a discussion earlier this year with Lt. Gen. (Retired) George Trautman, the Deputy Commandant of Aviation when the Osprey was introduced into combat, he underscored that the approach was to introduce the Osprey into Iraq through an 18-month period with three groups of Marines each operating in Iraq for a six-month period. The first was head by now Maj. Gen. Rock, the second was by the current head of I MEF, and by Col. (Retired) “Mongo” Seymour.

Col. Spaid was part of that first squadron and indeed, with his co-pilot were the first to enter Iraq flying from the Middle East. His CH-46 squadron transitioned to Ospreys and he flew with that squadron to Iraq. He had flown with the HMM-263 in Iraq and was aware of its limitations and vulnerabilities, and saw the Osprey as providing capabilities for a different operational approach in Iraq.

“We could now operate at altitude with speed and range and able to circumnavigate the battlespace and then insert in a favorable point into that battlespace. We also had a more survivable aircraft with the new materials used for the air frame as well.”

The airplane was so different from legacy aircraft, that he jokingly compared his transition to the Osprey as equivalent for him of being inconceivably selected for the space program, with new technologies, new capabilities, and very different operational possibilities.

The tiltrotor capabilities were certainly and still are revolutionary, but the maneuverability side of the aircraft was also a challenging part of the Osprey revolution.

“The fly by wire capability and unique flight control system of the aircraft was new for the legacy rotary-wing community. And learning to fly it and get used to what it could do was exciting and a challenge to transition from the old ways of doing things. When I started working precision landings, it took a couple of days to adjust. It was not a normal aircraft and doing precision landings was different as well.

“Indeed, when I was first learning how to fly the aircraft in the simulator and even first flights in the aircraft, I believed that it was going to be an area weapon. There’s no way I’d be able to land precisely where I wanted to, but soon learned to do so with ease.

Then there was the tactical adjustment.

“Being able to operate high and fast while minimizing our time in the climb and dive then coming in unexpected, that was a tactical advantage that no one else had or seen.”

As the Marines were learning to use the aircraft in combat, my own observation was that Inside the Beltway, the aircraft started to get support from top leaders because it could take them around all of Iraq for inspections in a day, rather than having to operate over longer time within the limitations of how far a helicopter could fly.

Col. Spaid noted that indeed he had that experience of flying senior military around Iraq and doing so as I described it. For example, “On Christmas Day in 2007, we flew General Petraeus around to three or four different FOBs in a single day, and he loved the plane.”

Col. Spaid described the operational difference from a CH-46 in these terms: “A year and half earlier, I would fly a CH-46 from al-Assad out to al-Qa’im once a week. For rotary wing assets, you are going out West and the weather could be bad, and it was just a long-legged journey. With the Osprey, we did it daily.”

The Osprey started small in terms of deployment numbers for sure, but there was an esprit de corps to the team that would lead them to call themselves the Osprey Nation. It started by bringing back lessons learned from operations to then shape the TTPs for the follow-on squadrons.

As Col. Spaid put it: “In Iraq we spent a lot of time in the dust doing reduced visibility landings. We worked some initial tactics and procedures and brought those back to the squadrons. And that started an earnest process of refining tactics.

“We were a small community, but we came from a variety of aviation settings and platforms. And that mix of different experiences informed our approach on how best to operate the Osprey. We had a very good mix of healthy work ethics which drove innovative thinking.

“It was a melting pot of Marine Corps aviation. We all brought our best professional military aviator qualities into this effort, which means we had a unique opportunity to filter out bad habits that may have been lingering in our previous communities. We were working objective area mechanics and tactics for the aircraft and learning to fly the aircraft in those settings.”

But as the community grew, standardization needed to be shaped. “In the period from 2010-2012, we focused heavily on standardization as West Coast squadrons were standing up.”

Then in 2009, he deployed with the first MEU for the Osprey. Col. Paul “Pup” Ryan was their squadron commander. They operated in the CENTCOM area with Fifth Fleet. They were in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq during the first MEU tour for the Osprey. This was the first time the aircraft operated from the sea base to project power from the sea.

Col. Spaid served as the Aviation Maintenance Officer for that deployment. Among the 29 aircraft assigned to the composite squadron, 12 Ospreys were deployed with eight on the LHD and four on the LPD.

This was a learning challenge for the Navy as they had to adjust to Osprey operations and learn how it could operate from the ship, just as the Marines were learning how to maintain the new aircraft afloat. Eventually, the Navy officers onboard learned, in Spaid’s words, that “we could fix it faster, we could launch it faster, we could fold it faster than originally expected. In the end, the confidence of the Navy officers and crew grew.”

This experience clearly impacted CENTCOM leadership for it set in motion what would become known as Special Purpose MAGTFs, and in EUCOM and AFRICOM is now called the North Africa Response Force, the NARF. Combatant Commanders learned, in Spaid’s words: “that we could offload in Kuwait but operate all throughout Iraq. That was an eye opener for them.”

In effect, with the Osprey the Marines were finally demonstrating what a long range shipboard assault support asset could do while the entire concept of an ARG-MEU was transforming.

Then in 2010, the squadron took the Osprey to Afghanistan, where Lt. Col. “Buddy” Bianca was the commander, and I interviewed him prior to Afghanistan and after the first operations of the Osprey in Afghanistan as well.

This initial experience clearly has made Col. Spaid a plank holder in Osprey nation.

As Spaid put it: “Being a plank owner and setting up a squadron is one thing but taking that aircraft with the first squadron and doing the first MEU, doing the first combat deployment in Iraq, you’re not just the plank owner, you’re driving the ship that you built the plank on. It is liking being a plank owner for a revolutionary military advantage.”

But he noted that at the time you really did not focus on that.

“We were just doing our jobs. You focus on mission accomplishment; you don’t really understand the historical significance of the event at the time. There were some really significant contributions there from the whole team, but I don’t think you really appreciate it until later.”

When I first visited the flight line at New River in 2007, there were four aircraft on the tarmac. When looking at the tarmac, now there are a large number of Ospreys at rest, at least for a brief period of time between flights and operations. 13 years has brought significant change both to the Marine Corps and to the airplane and now will do so for the Navy as they introduce their variant of the Osprey.

As Col. Spaid put it: “All our Marines are smarter.  You still have hard working maintainers fixing the planes, but they are better armed with experience. Baseline pilot intellect is now through the roof. We’ve normalized what we thought was creative thinking and training.

“And now we’re asking them to be even more creative and train for the next strategic challenge.”

I asked him, what was a primary focus during his time as CO of MAG-26 with regard to the aircraft itself?

For Col. Spaid the answer to that question is sustainment, sustainment, sustainment. “a good number of the software upgrades we are making are with regard to reliability and benefit the maintainer and the maintenance process.   We are working hand in hand with the program office and with industry to find the best way to keep this aircraft reliable.”

We then discussed the decision by the Navy to buy the Osprey for its resupply role.

Col. Spaid highlighted several advantages.

First, there was enhanced prioritization to sustainment of the aircraft throughout the entire Naval Aviation Enterprise.

Second, was the benefit of training, as the Navy pilots are trained at New River and as the West Coast squadrons are stood up, there will be refresher training opportunities for Marines on the West Coast as well.

Third, with the Osprey deployed to both the carrier and amphibious fleets, there will be greater opportunity for parts availability across the fleet.

Fourth, there will be shared opportunities for upgrading the aircraft as well.

One area where I think this is clearly the case will be with regard to passive sensing on the aircraft and having the new MISR officers involved will bring benefits to both Marine Corps and Naval operators.

The initial training for USAF Osprey pilots and maintainers is at New River as well, but because the specialized mission and equipment on the USAF variant, there is less impact from commonality than will occur with regard to the Marines and the U.S. Navy working together, notably with the new emphasis on ways to shape enhanced Navy-Marine Corps integration as well.

But one area of partner training has occurred as the Japanese have acquired the Osprey and their pilots and maintainers trained at New River.

For Col. Spaid, the Japanese maturation at New River has been very significant and prepares the future for new FMS partners.

“As new FMS opportunities arise, we’ll be able to leverage off the great success we have had with our Japanese allies. We’ll change some things up a little bit, but it was a really good experience.”

In short, Col. Spaid was on the ground floor with the birth of Osprey nation.

And he is driving change as the next phases of Osprey operations unfold.

Colonel John Wesley Spaid, CO of MAG-26

Colonel John Wesley Spaid VI is a native of Louisiana and Texas.  He attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 1994. Colonel Spaid subsequently reported to Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia for initial officer training at the Basic School. Following graduation in June 1995, he reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida for initial flight training. Colonel Spaid was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1997 and reported to Marine Corps Air Station New River for initial training in the CH-46E in December, 1997.

In April 1998, he reported to Marine Aircraft Group 16, Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California and was subsequently assigned to HMM-164 then re-assigned to HMM-161. From August 2000 to February 2001, Colonel Spaid deployed with HMM-161(Rein) and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Colonel Spaid attended the Tactical Air Control Party course at EWTGPAC and was designated as a Forward Air Controller in May 2001. He then reported to Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, Camp Pendleton, California to serve as the Battalion Landing Team (BLT) Air Officer.

From December 2001 to June 2002 Colonel Spaid deployed with BLT 3/5 and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Following his tour with 3/5, Colonel Spaid reported to Quantico, Virginia to attend the newly designated Expeditionary Warfare School from August 2002 to February 2003.

Prior to completing the academic year, Colonel Spaid was re-assigned to 3/5 to serve as the Battalion Air Officer during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM I from February to May 2003.

In June 2003, Colonel Spaid reported to HMM-263 at Marine Corps Air Station New River. From June 2004 to February 2005, Colonel Spaid deployed with HMM-263(Rein) and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II and served as the Aviation Combat Element Administration Officer.

He subsequently served as the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing Deputy A/CS G-1 and MV-22 Liaison Officer from May to October 2005, while HMM-263 stood down for the MV-22B transition.

In October 2005, Colonel Spaid reported to VMMT-204 at Marine Corps Air Station New River and designated an MV-22B pilot in April 2006. As a VMM-263 “plankowner”, he served as the Intelligence Officer and Assistant Operations Officer.

From September 2007 to April 2008, Colonel Spaid deployed with VMM-263 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 06-08.2.  He then served as the Marine Corps’ first Aviation Maintenance Officer for a composite Osprey squadron from April 2008 to February 2010, while deploying with VMM-263(Rein) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

During the summer of 2010, Colonel Spaid executed orders back to Marine Aircraft Group 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and assumed the duties as the Tiltrotor Training Unit Officer in Charge and was responsible for all initial MV-22 pilot transition training for the West Coast.

He then assumed the duties of Executive Officer for VMM-165 from March 2011 to March 2012.  Colonel Spaid then deployed on a Joint Individual Augmentation billet to Kabul, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEEDOM to serve as the Deputy Director for Operations for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.

In June 2013, he returned to Marine Corps Air Station New River and assumed the duties of Marine Aircraft Group 26 Operations Officer.  From April 2014 to April 2016, Colonel Spaid served as Commander of VMM-365, quickly went composite, and deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from which the squadron was recognized as the Tiltrotor Squadron of the Year.

Post command, Colonel Spaid served as Marine Aircraft Group 41 Executive Officer stationed at NAS-JRB Fort Worth, Texas from July 2016 to July 2017. In July 2017, Colonel Spaid reported to Naval Striking and Support Forces, NATO in Lisbon, Portugal and served as the ACOS J7 for Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation.

In July 2018, Colonel Spaid graduated from the United States Army War College Distance Education Program with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies. In July 2019, Colonel Spaid served as Commanding Officer, Marine Aircraft Group-26 at MCAS New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Colonel Spaid has logged over 2,700 total mishap-free hours. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, Strike/Flight Air Medal with numeral “10”, Navy Commendation Medal with combat “V” and 3 gold stars, Navy Achievement Medal with one gold star.

Featured Image: 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)

By Robbin Laird

Last July, North Carolina-based Marines organized an exercise in which they called Deep Water.

In a press release from November 5, 2020, this is how II Marine Expeditionary Force described the exercise:

“Marines with 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing are conducting Exercise Deep Water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., 29 July 2020.

“II MEF conducts these training events on a consistent basis. This year, Exercise Deep Water will see two battalions conduct an air assault in order to command and control many of the various capabilities organic to II MEF in preparation for major combat operations.

“Exercise Deep Water 20 is a great opportunity for the Division to work with aviation units from Marine Corps Air Station New River and the Logistics Combat Element, as well. 2nd Marine Regiment will be the provide command and control over the 2nd battalion, 2nd regiment, and 3rd battalion, 6th regiment, the logistics and aviation units.”

Additionally, 2nd Marine Division provided further details about the exercise in a press release dated November 5, 2020:

“A Regimental Combat Team (RCT) commanded by 2d Marine Division’s 2d Marine Regiment undertook a two-battalion air assault to commence Exercise Deep Water today on Camp Lejeune (CLNC). At nearly double the size of last year’s Exercise Steel Pike, Exercise Deep Water is the largest exercise of its type conducted on Camp Lejeune in decades.

“Exercise Deep Water is a 2d Marine Regiment-planned and led event that incorporates elements from across the II Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The participating Marines and Sailors will be engaged in a dynamic force-on-force scenario against a “peer-level adversary,” as simulated by 2d Marine Division’s Adversary Force Company.

“Exercise Deep Water, a regimental air assault that utilizes the whole of CLNC and the outlying training areas, will allow us to sharpen our spear and help make us more lethal,” said Col. Brian P. Coyne, commanding officer, 2d Marine Regiment.

“With Marine air (2d Marine Aircraft Wing) serving as part of a robust team that incorporates every element of the MAGTF, this exercise provides an opportunity to display the unparalleled lethality of a well-orchestrated Marine fighting force. As ‘RCT-2’ takes on an independent-thinking adversary, the ability of our squads to shoot, move, communicate, evacuate and employ effective combined arms with excellence will be put to the test.”

“In addition to the air assault, 2d Marine Regiment will be conducting offensive, defensive, and stability operations in multiple urban training settings where both conventional and hybrid adversary forces will be acting against them.

“Exercise Deep Water continues to build upon 2d Marine Division’s priority to build readiness against peer threats, in accordance with both the National Defense Strategy and the Commandant’s Planning Guidance.

“Accepting and embracing the challenge of such a highly-complex event in these trying times is a reflection of our unit’s commitment to remaining prepared for major combat operations or unexpected contingency operations, Coyne said, adding, “Along with the rest of the world, our adversaries are watching to see if we drop our guard; the visible enhancement of 2d Regiment’s combat readiness during Deep Water will help assure our enemies that they should not test our Corps.

“This training event will improve our warfighting proficiency and prepare us for tomorrow’s battles. ‘Tarawa’ (2d Marines call sign) Marines will fight and win if called,” he concluded.”

During my visit to 2nd MAW in the first week of December 2020, I had a chance to discuss the exercise and its focus and importance with Major Rew, the exercise’s air mission commander.

I learned from Major Rew that this exercise combined forces from pickup zones in North Carolina and Virginia.

The exercise consisted of a force insertion into a contested environment, meaning they used air assets to clear areas for the Assault Force, which included both USMC (AH-1Z, UH-1Y, F/A-18A/C/D, and AV-8B) and USAF aircraft (F-15E and JSTARS). Once air superiority was established, the assault force was inserted by USMC MV-22Bs and CH-53Es.

The exercise also included support aircraft such as the KC-130J and RQ-21.

The planning and execution focused on bringing a disaggregated force into an objective area that required integrated C2 with Ground, Aviation, and Logistics Combat Elements.

This C2 functionality was delivered in part by an Osprey operating as an airborne command post with a capability delivered by a “roll-on/roll-off” C2 suite, which provided a chat capability and can be found at a mobile or static command post or even in an airborne C2 aircraft.

The use of MAGTF Tablets (MAGTAB) provided a key means of digital interoperability that allowed for real time information sharing to ground elements and aviators. The MAGTAB provided the visual representation of the integrated effects and outcomes to the command element.

ISR was provided by USMC assets and by a USAF JSTARS aircraft. They used their Network-On-The-Move Airborne (NOTM-A) system to provide interoperability for the commander and assault force.

As Major Rew put it, “I think having the NOTM-A kit on the Osprey is a big win because it provides so much situational awareness. With the Osprey as a C2 aircraft, there is added flexibility to land the aircraft close to whatever operational area the commander requires. There are many capable C2 platforms across the DoD but not all of them also have the ability to immediately land adjacent to the battlefield like the Osprey does.”

One aspect of mission rehearsals the Marines are developing is to leverage Joint assets in support of an assault mission and be able to provide information to that mission force as well.

To be clear, the Marines did not march to the objective area; they flew to their objectives in various USMC lift assets accompanied by USMC rotary wing and fixed wing combat aircraft.

They were moving a significant number of Marines from two different locations, hundreds of miles apart, to nine different landing zones.

As Major Rew explained it, “We were working with a lot of different types of aircraft, and one of the challenges is trying to successfully integrate them to meet mission requirements.”

He added, “As the air mission commander, I was co-located with an infantry colonel who was the overall mission commander. We were in an Osprey for a significant period of time leading the operation from a C2 perspective.”

“In the exercise we sometimes had to solve problems during execution that required rapidly sending information to an asset so that they could complete a crucial battlefield task. We work with commander’s intent from the outset of an operation and this is especially critical during distributed operations.”

The coming of the F-35 to both Air Assaults and Distributed Operations is crucial as well.

According to Major Rew, “They’re an incredible sensor and they have the capability to be able to see what’s happening on the battlefield, assess things real time, and then send that information to the individual who needs to make a decision. Incorporating them into future exercises of this magnitude will be value-added to the entire Marine Corps.”

In effect, the Marines are working on an ecosystem for integrated and distributed force insertion.

As they build out that ecosystem, new ISR, C2 and, strike capabilities that enter the force can be plugged into the ecosystem that will allow for a continued evolution of that system. In that sense, the future is now.

MCSC: NETWORKING ON THE MOVE (NOTM) FAMILY OF SYSTEMS (FOS)

By Concepts and Programs | Marine Corps Systems Command | December 13, 2018

Description

NOTM FoS is a Satellite Communications (SATCOM)-based on-the-move command and control (C2) combat capability for all elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF).

Initially fielded in 2013 in response to urgent Marine Corps Forces Central Command (CENTCOM) requirements, NOTM is an Acquisition Category (ACAT) IV(M) program with a budget of $509 million across the Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP) and a total life cycle cost of $1.7 billion.

NOTM provides robust C2 wideband SATCOM capability, three external network enclaves (Secret Internet Protocol Router (SIPR), Non-secure Internet Protocol Router (NIPR) and Coalition) with access to the Global Information Grid (GIG), Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN), full motion video, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and Voice over Secure Internet Protocol (VoSIP) integrated onto United States Marine Corps (USMC) tactical vehicles.

Ruggedized laptops with a full suite of Combat Operations Center (COC) tactical software (Joint Tactical Common Operational Picture (COP) Workstation (JTCW)/Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC), Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) Effects Management Tool (EMT)) and chat are connected between NOTM Point of Presence (PoP) vehicles to Staff Vehicles via Type 1 encrypted wireless local area networks.

A force multiplier on the battlefield, NOTM provides forward and main integrated C2 capabilities for bounding assaults to the edge of the battlespace; commanders are no longer geographically tethered to the COC. The NOTM capability is currently employed both in ground and air platforms.

Operational Impact

A force multiplier on the battlefield, NOTM provides forward and main integrated C2 capabilities for bounding assaults to the edge of the battlespace; commanders are no longer geographically tethered to the COC. The NOTM capability is currently employed both in ground and air platforms.

Deepwater Assault Insertion Exercise, July 2020 from SldInfo.com on Vimeo.

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 (HMLA-269) is currently commanded by Lt. Col. Short and is a squadron consisting of the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter and the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter. They are known as the Gunrunners, and next door within the same hangar are the Warriors of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167 (HMLA-167), commanded by Lt. Col. Hemming.

They are part of Marine Aircraft Group 29 within the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The “Gunrunners” operate what they refer to as “attack utility teams.”

What that means is that they operate the Viper (AH-1Z) and the Venom (UH-1Y) as an insertion and support package. They share 80% commonality of parts, operate from a small logistical footprint and are extremely maintainable in the field which make them a significant expeditionary warfare asset.

Recently, both squadrons retired their last AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter in favor of the AH-1Z Viper.

Lt. Col. Hemming noted in the interview, “The hydraulics, the engines, and some of the systems on the aircraft and the air frame, are significantly more durable and reliable than the old AH-1 Whiskey in terms of the amount of hours you can put on before you have to conduct maintenance on it. These significant upgrades result in your ability to operate the aircraft for an extended periods of time compared to the legacy Cobra and Huey.”

The Viper brings significant firepower to an expeditionary unit with the Venom providing lift and support to that unit as well.

The helicopters have evolved from their legacy ancestors to be more capable as well.

As Lt. Col. Short put it, “We are the most expeditionary and resilient attack helicopter platform there is in terms of the scale and the ability to survive in the field or operate forward.

“Our hydraulics, our control systems, our powertrain systems are the most expeditionary maintainable as an attack utility team in operation today.”

Lt. Col. Short added, “we are the, as somebody described it, ‘The punchy little friend in the overhead that’s there when no one else is.’”

In the counter-insurgency environment, the attack utility team could operate in a distributed environment to support Marines fighting toe-to-toe against insurgents.

Lt. Col. Short argued that their attack utility team was very “risk worthy” in terms of the “logistical, the manpower, the cost investment for the capability gain, you would give a ground force, or you would give a supported force by putting them forward, putting them into a position to offer support.”

The Viper is adding Link-16 and full motion video so that it can be even more supportable for or supported by an integratable insertion force.

It is also very capable because of its relatively small footprint able to land in a variety of ground or ship settings and get refueled. If one focuses on the ability to operate virtually in any expeditionary setting, at sea or on land, the Viper is extremely capable of refuelability for an insertion force. They can do this onboard virtually any fleet asset at sea or at a Forward Air Refueling Point or FARP.

From a concept of operations perspective, notably with regard to an ability to operate from multiple bases, the attack utility package certainly can keep pace with the “pacing threats” facing the Marines.

The Commandant has asked the Marines to rethink how to do expeditionary operations, and to promote tactical innovations to do so.

HMLA-269 has been focused on this effort.

Notably, they have been exercising with the Ground Combat Element (GCE) at Camp Lejeune to work small packages of force able to be inserted into the combat space and able to operate in austere locations for a few days to get the desired combat effect and then move with the GCE to new locations rapidly.

HMLA-269 has been working closely with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines to shape innovative ways to deploy expeditionary force packages.

“We are working ways to work distributed force operations with the battalion.” They have a security mission currently with regard to II MEF in reinforcing Norway.  The question being worked is: how, in a multi-basing environment, can one provide the kind of firepower that the maneuver force would need?

The Gunrunners took a section of aircraft to work with a ground combat unit and to live together in the field for a period of time and sort out how best to operate as an integrated force package. They operated in the field without a prepared operating base and worked through the challenges of doing so. They worked with an unmanned aircraft ISR feed as part of the approach.

Obviously, this is a work in progress, but the strategic direction is clear.

And there are various ways to enhance the capability of the force to be masked as well. Movement of small force packages, operating for a limited period of time, moving and using various masking technologies can allow the attack utility team which is operational now to be a key player in shaping a way ahead for Marine Corps expeditionary operations.

In short, the attack/utility team of 2nd MAW are taking the force they have, and their significant operational experience and adapting to the new way ahead with the next phase of change for expeditionary warfare.