By Robbin Laird

Recently, LtGen Heckl retired from the USMC after 37 years of service.  He has held several command positions and has a wealth of combat experience. In a series of interviews with him, we will be discussing both his experience and his judgement with regard to the way ahead for the joint force as it addresses the challenges of the evolving strategic environment.

In this first interview, we focused on his experience with the Osprey and how he views its role and impact on USMC operations. We discussed this from the standpoint of his own experience with the aircraft beginning with his initial engagement with the program, his deployment to Iraq and then his experience with the aircraft as it has evolved over time within the context of USMC operations.

We started with his initial involvement with the aircraft. He came to the Osprey from a CH-46 background and operations with that aircraft in a variety of combat situations. Heckl noted that when he left as at MAWTS-1 instructor in 1999, he had been selected as one of the initial members of the new VMMT-204 squadron to replace HMT-204. There were two accidents involving the aircraft in 2000 which slowed down the process of launching VMMT-204 so Heckl left to deploy with HMM-263 which formed the Aviation Combat Element for the 24^th Marine Expeditionary Unit and participated in the initial combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Heckl then came back to Washington where he was attached to the office of the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps, where he worked as the requirements officer for the Osprey. He first flew the aircraft in May 2000 and by the time he was back in Washington he had accumulated 160 hours on the aircraft.

Heckl was now a Major working for the Deputy Commandant for Aviation. And during that time Col Glen Walters, who later became the 34th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2016 to 2019, was the Commanding Officer of VMX-22 and putting the Osprey through Operational Evaluation, specifically Operational Test-IIG, testing the platforms operational effectiveness and suitability.

I dealt often with VMX-22 in the past, but it has now become VMX-1.

As one source described VMX-22:

“Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty-Two (VMX-22) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The squadron, known as the “Argonauts”, is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. VMX-22 stood up in August 2003 and reports to the Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR), who in turn reports test data and results to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Director, Operational Test and Evaluation.”

Heckl then got selected for command of an Osprey squadron which deployed as the second squadron into Iraq in 2008. It was a seven-month deployment to Al Assad Airbase in Iraq and the deployment spanned the brutal summer months and the aircraft according to Heckl “performed spectacularly” primarily a function of hard work by the maintenance Marines.

I asked him to take us back to that initial period to remember what were the expectations at the time with regard to the initial Osprey deployments.

“We knew that the aircraft had unique speed, range, payload flexibility, unique survivability capabilities.

“But our awareness of what it could do came with the use of the aircraft in real world situations.

“For example, Senator Barack Obama came over with Sec Def Hagel and Senator Jack Reed. We had to support Senator Obama moving around. I launched five airplanes. I was in one of them. But we only needed three of them but we launched backups to be ready.

“We had to land at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) just east of the Baghdad International Airport. We had to do a vertical landing in sequence with three aircraft to carry all of the people involved.

“We flew all the way across the country of Iraq, into Jordan, and went to Marka International Airport to drop off Senator Obama. We landed. We didn’t shut down, didn’t get gas, and we were on the deck for probably 20-30 minutes after dropping him off and we took off again, flew back into Iraq and had enough gas to service two assault support requests before we got gas.

“If we were using CH-46s that would have taken us two days and several landings for gas.

“That was an eye opener for me, and I thought back to when we invaded Iraq back in 2003. Flying the frog, I launched off the USS Nassau. I barely made it to Jabala airfield, before we had to get gas. And here, the V 22 was traversing almost the entire width of Iraq, and covering a third of the country of Jordan, and then back into Iraq on one bag of fuel. Just amazing.

“The other part about the airplane that we realized was survivability. So back then, the zones were designated a color code. Green is obviously good. Black was the worst. So if you had a black zone, you could go only go in at night. The Osprey operated in the black zones comfortably.

“We would ingress to the objective while we wore night vision goggles. And then at the pre brief point, we would pull the thrust control lever, the TCL or the gas pedal, essentially to flight idle and then we would just start the slow, gradual spiral.

“We had very minimal infrared (IR) signature. The most significant contributor to IR signature is hot gas impingement. Hot gas comes out of the 46 or a 53 and heats up the surface of the aircraft.

“With the V-22 its two big heat generators are the engines. Those two powerful engines are located on the wing tips, sitting at the dead center of a 38-foot proprotor that’s blowing hurricane force air around it. And both engines have full time infrared suppressors. And not to mention that while you’re doing that, your acoustical signature is virtually eliminated, you’re just basically gliding on the wing. You got down to a certain altitude, and you’d level off, maintaining at or below 200 feet AGL above ground level.

“So we stay out of the small arms fire and RPG envelope, and reduced our signature to MANPADS. So the heat signature is low, the acoustical signatures is low, and then less than a mile from the landing zone is when you actually have to start putting in power to do a vertical landing.

“In other words, the survivability is just phenomenal. Of course, the systems on the aircraft since then have been upgraded. The automation has progressed by leaps and bounds. There is virtually no LZ the aircraft can not land in regardless of dust condition.”

I pointed out that the discussion of Osprey safety – which is about the same level as most rotorcraft – has completely ignored the impact of the aircraft on survivability. How many lives have been saved by the tiltrotor aircraft and how it operates is not a common subject.

Heckl agreed completely and argued that safety is a factor in survivability, but the focus has to be on survivability.

“As a former MAWTS-1 instructor and then as CO, our focus was very much on the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for enhanced survivability. And with regard to rotorcraft, a key survivability challenge comes with regard to ingress and egress from a LZ. With the Osprey, we can approach or leave the LZ from a variety of points differently from rotorcraft and with speed they simply do not have. In Iraq, we would go through the small arms and RPG envelope in seconds.”

In 2010, Heckl became the CO of MAWTS-1 where the first class of Ospreys were integrated into the TTPs being worked at this unique warfighting center.

My colleague Ed Timperlake and I have recently published a book on MAWTS-1 and as LtGen (retired) George Trautman, former DCA, commented about MAWTS-1: “How did MAWTS-1 evolve to become such an indispensable pillar within the Marine Corps? Its significance lies in its role as the premier training unit for Weapons and Tactics instruction, where it refines and disseminates cutting-edge concepts of employment – often with new weapons that have potential capabilities never previously imagined.

“By continually adapting to emerging threats and technological advancements, MAWTS-1 ensures that Marine aviators are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare. The squadron’s contributions extend beyond training, influencing the development of new doctrines and fostering a culture of innovation within the Marine Corps aviation community.

“In essence, MAWTS-1 serves as a linchpin in maintaining the Marine Corps’ tactical edge, preparing its aviators for the challenges of today and the uncertainties of tomorrow.”

Heckl argued that the coming of the Osprey to MAWTS-1 in 2010 was part of honing the warfighting edge of the USMC going ahead. “Professionally, sound, and tactically planned missions are inherently safe. That is what we focused on in MAWTS-1. Safety is part of survivability.

“For a combat pilot, safety is part of the survivability issue. And that’s why I love MAWTS-1.

“We now had the V-22 collaborating with all the other rotorcraft and for me V 22 needs to be discussed in terms of operating with the KC-130Js. I would express caution for anybody to discuss V 22 without every other sentence talking about KC-130J. It is a phenomenal workhorse and when paired with the V-22 creates an incredible operational envelope for the Marines.”

His next assignments after leaving MAWTS-1 in 2011 and until his becoming the commander of 2^nd Marine Air Wing in 2018 included the following: J3 Director of Operations, United States Forces- Afghanistan (USFOR-A), Kabul, Afghanistan, Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, HQMC Aviation Department, Washington DC, and Chief of Staff, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), Lisbon, Portugal.

For the purposes of this interview, we next focused on his time serving as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy. Heckl related his experience in working with the Sec Nav and introducing him to the Osprey and its impact. And this experience would lead the Navy to start seriously its journey to acquire the aircraft for the replacement of the C-2 in the support role for the large deck carriers.

This is a story I have never heard before and frankly of great interest to the question of building out what would become a tiltrotor enterprise. At the time during this tour in the Pentagon, the Sec Nav was Ray Mabus and the CNO was Admiral Greenert.

According to Heckl: “I am now a Colonel, and the Sec Nav wants to go out on the Bush to see the X-47 unmanned platform operating off of the large deck carrier. The staff is organizing the visit whereby he flies by aircraft to Norfolk and then take the C-2 aircraft onto the carrier. I observe that the Secretary is not pleased with how much time this going to take. I suggested to the Secretary that there was a way to go from the Pentagon helo pad directly to the Bush. I went to meet LtGen Schmidle, DCA, and he offered an Osprey. The Secretary used the aircraft and when he returned to the Pentagon, he turned to the CNO and asked: “Why are we not buying this?”

Heckl went on to work with LtGen Davis as assistant DCA, Commander of 2^nd MAW, CG of 1 MEF and retired as Commanding General Marine Corps Combat Development Command. In those positions, he saw the Osprey evolved into a multi-mission aircraft with an ability to perform very flexible roles with its roll on and roll off capabilities. I talked with Heckl when he held all of those positions about aviation and combat development issues and have published these interviews throughout the years.

But we concluded by discussing the growing relevance of the Osprey to the joint force and the USMC with the focus increasingly being upon distributed operations.

According to Heckl: “Logistics, C2 and maneuver are three key warfighting functions. The Osprey can deliver all three to a distributed force in unique ways. We have only scratched the surface of what this aircraft can deliver for the distributed force. But to get full value our of our fleet, we need to invest in and provide mid-life upgrades.”

We then discussed a subject which is not often the focus of defense modernization discussions, which is really the question of paying for the stretched service lives of equipment and in this case aircraft. The Marines used their aircraft extensively in the Middle Eastern land wars, and the investments in repairing and modernizing those aircraft was never really made. The Marine Corps and its air capabilities has been stretched and needs near term investments.

The Osprey is a clear case of such an aircraft, one which needs mid-life upgrades to extend its service life.

The B-52 is still relevant because of regular investments in upgrades; the Osprey needs to have such a funding path as well.

By Robbin Laird

The F-35 has finally come to Cherry Point.

VMFA-542 is the first of eight operational 2nd MAW F-35 squadrons, with six to be F-35B squadrons and two to be F-35C squadrons.

As 2nd Lt. John Graham, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, wrote in an article published on February 8, 2024:

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), became the first East Coast F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter squadron in the Fleet Marine Force to achieve initial operational capability, Feb. 5.

Initial operational capability means that VMFA-542 has enough operational F-35B Lightning II aircraft, trained pilots, maintainers, and support equipment to self-sustain its mission essential tasks (METs). These METs include conducting close-air support, offensive anti-air warfare, strike coordination and reconnaissance, and electronic attacks.

“VMFA-542 is the first operational fifth-generation squadron in II Marine Expeditionary Force, giving the aviation combat element the most lethal, survivable, and interoperable strike fighter in the U.S. inventory,” said Lt. Col. Brian Hansell, commanding officer of VMFA-542. “The F-35B is unmatched in its capability to support Marines against the advanced threats that we can expect in the future.”

The F-35 is a fifth-generation fighter jet with advanced stealth, agility and maneuverability, sensor and information fusion, and provides the pilot with real-time access to battlespace information. It is designed to meet an advanced threat while improving lethality, survivability, and supportability. The F-35B Lightning II is the short-takeoff and vertical-landing F-35 variant. This capability allows the aircraft to operate from amphibious assault ships and expeditionary airstrips less than 2,000 feet long.

“I am extremely proud of the Marines and Sailors of VMFA-542,” said Col. James T. Bardo, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 14, the parent command of VMFA-542. “Achieving initial operational capability at the pace and precision of which they did truly demonstrates what an exceptional unit this is. This milestone demonstrates their hard work, ingenuity, and perseverance.”

Achieving initial operational capability also means that VMFA-542 is one step closer to achieving full operational capability and completing its F-35B Lightning II transition, a process that began in December 2022.

The F-35s at Cherry Point will be able to support USMC/US Navy expeditionary operations in support of North Atlantic or Mediterranean operations (including the Middle East), can be embedded in the Nordic nations and support fleet operations from the shore to the fleet,  and can integrate on the fly with the expansive fleet of F-35s flying in Europe and in Israel. These aircraft can fight as a wolfpack with seamless data integration at a level never achieved before by an airfleet and given that this aircraft is a multi-domain operating force this level of ISR and C2 integration can be available to the overall combat force.

I interviewed the VMFA-542 squadron commander, Lt. Col. Brian C. Hansell, when he was at MAWTS-1 in Yuma two times and this is I highlighted during one of those interviews

The F-35 is not just another combat asset, but at the heart of empowering an expeditionary kill web-enabled and enabling force.

As Major Hansell put it: “During every course, we are lucky to have one of the lead software design engineers for the F-35 come out as a guest lecturer to teach our students the intricacies of data fusion. During one of these lectures, a student asked the engineer to compare the design methodology of the F-35 Lightning II to that of the F-22 Raptor. I like this anecdote because it is really insightful into how the F-35 fights. To paraphrase, this engineer explained that “the F-22 was designed to be the most lethal single-ship air dominance fighter ever designed. Period. The F-35, however, was able to leverage that experience to create a multi-role fighter designed from its very inception to hunt as a pack.”

Simply put, the F-35 does not tactically operate as a single aircraft. It hunts as a network-enabled, cooperative four-ship fighting a fused picture, and was designed to do so from the very beginning.

As Major Hansell put it: “We hunt as a pack. Future upgrades may look to expand the size of the pack. The hunt concept and the configuration of the wolfpack is important not just in terms of understanding how the wolfpack can empower the ground insertion force with a mobile kill web capability but also in terms of configuration of aircraft on the sea base working both sea control and support to what then becomes a land base insertion force.[1]

Operating from the East Coast, not only can the F-35 squadrons enhance USMC/Navy integrated operations, European and Middle Eastern defense, but they can be part of a beefed-up capability to defend U.S. territory as well.

As my colleague Ed Timperlake put in an article published in March 2019 which highlighted how the F-35 can be part of an effort to deal with the Russian hypersonic missile threat to North America:

If a hypersonic missile is in the hands of an enemy it is a ship killer and now a direct strategic threat to the U.S. 

The Cold War USN Carrier Battle Group protection mantra against Russian Bombers with anti-ship cruise missiles was to try and first kill the archer not the arrows. Top Gun in the late eighties briefed “Chainsaw” tactics, and the F-14 was very well designed for long-range interception of threats against the Fleet. “Chainsaw” was a focus on reaching out as far a possible against any threats.

Now if Russian and/or PLAAF successfully air launch HSCMs or their missiles are launched from ground batteries or surface ships or subs (USN fast attack subs are of utmost importance in that battle) they will be engaging in their version of the S-3  formula.[2] 

Just like the USN and USAF they first need sensors to make it all work.  The order of the “S” words in the priority of formula is very important. If they develop a HSCM to empower their fighting force the F-35 does not have to fight in the stealth mode against HSCMs.  Even if HSCMs move at Mach 10 an F-35 sensor platform moves “trons” at the speed of light and this can make all the difference.

In other words, F-35s at Cherry Point can play a direct defense, or expeditionary engagement, or deployment within a European defense integrated capability, or to work in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

The Marines will also be beneficiaries of the innovation driven by the Israelis and European F-35 partners and industry as well. They are uniquely positioned to be a major force in the structural redesign of American military operations integrated with allies.

That is why when one sees a single squadron now at Cherry Point one needs to look beyond into the not-too-distant future. Even though the Marine Corps F-35s have had almost a decade of operational experience in the Pacific, the East Coast F-35s are coming when a new chapter in U.S. and European defense can be written.

Reach of the F-35 integrated fleet is very significant and not the same as looking at the operational range of the individual F-35 aircraft. This aspect was highlighted in the interview I did during my July visit to Cherry point with Maj. Carlo Bonci, the executive officer for VMFA-542.

Maj. Carlo Bonci underscored that when operating in the Nordic region as part of Nordic Response 24, the reach aspect of the F-35s as a fleet was highlighted.

When operating in the region, his Marine Corps formation was able to hook up seamlessly with the British F-35s operating from the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Norwegian F-35s and of course U.S. F-35s. As he underscored that the immediate integratability of F-35s facilitated by the MADL data link was very different from the challenges of working interoperability via Link 16 with coalition partners. When arriving in an allied or partner nation, it would take some time to work the data links to get interoperability.

With the F-35s integratability was built in with the MADL data links. This meant that his own formation of F-35s was integrated then several other coalition aircraft which expanded the reach of their own F-35s and they in turn contributed to the other F-35s in operation in the theater.

This obviously is a major advantage when thinking of the European theater of operations where Norwegians, Finns, Danes, Brits, Canadians, Belgians, Dutch, German, Polish, Italian, Swiss and Romanian F-35s will be able to provide a common operating picture over the European theater. The remains the challenge of how to best distribute and use the data collected by the F-35 considered as a fleet, but this is a question of finding ways to exploit your combat advantage but one which needs to be addressed.

And the USAF European command certainly gets this as they are building a common mission planning system which can be plugged into US and coalition F-35s as well to provide for common operational focus as well.

The F-35C model has advantages over the B model in terms of being able to carry more fuel and weapons, but the short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities of the B provide clear advantages to be able to work where traditional airfields are not available. But he told me of another advantage. In the Norwegian Air Force they have a large drag shoot to slow them down for landing on icy runways. In contrast, the F-35B can slow itself down and land vertically which allows them to operate in icy conditions.

But the engagement with the Nordics allows the Marines to operate in two very different ways in distributing their force. Force, the Nordic Air Forces operate from protected shelters and the Marines can tap into this structure. Second, they can operate from various locations with distributed fuel support (KC-130J or CH-53K, for example) and land, fuel and fly away.

Maj. Bonci has been a long time Harrier operator including MEU operations as well. The Harrier is being phased out of the Marine Corps, but now he is a member of the first operational F-35 squadron on the East Coast and in a position to be part of making Marine Corps aviation history engaged in the standup and operation of F-35 squadrons in the reworking of American and allied defense capabilities going forward.

[1] Robbin Laird and Edward Timperlake. MAWTS-1: An Incubator for Military Transformation (p. 140). Kindle Edition.

[2] S-cubed=sensors-stealth-speed of weapons can provide a new paradigm for shaping a combat force necessary for the U.S. military to fight and win in 21st century engagements.

Featured Photo: U.S. Marine Corps pilots with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, stage in formation at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, Feb. 13, 2024. VMFA-542 is scheduled to deploy to Norway for Exercise Nordic Response 24. Exercise Nordic Response, formerly known as Cold Response, is a NATO training event conducted every two years to promote military competency in arctic environments and to foster interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and allied nations.

02.13.2024

Photo by Lance Cpl. Madison Blackstock 

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing