Aircrew, aircraft, and carriers take center stage this month. Admiral Sam Paparo, who recently took the helm of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, offers two pieces: “Naval Aviation: Our Ethos Defines Us” and “Aircraft Carriers: Still Indispensable.” Admiral Paparo has spoken at several Naval Institute events. He writes like he speaks—with passion. And he is passionate about naval aviation.
From the Red Sea, the commander of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (CSG), Rear Admiral Marc Miguez, sent us “IKE Carrier Strike Group and the Red Sea Crisis.” As of early June, the CSG had been deployed for seven months, flown more than 13,000 sorties, steamed 65,000 miles, and expended more than 80 air-to-air missiles, 350 air-to-surface weapons, and 100 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles. We have been following the Ike through the noteworthy Twitter feeds of Captain “Chowda” Hill, the carrier’s commanding officer, and the ship’s executive officer, Captain “Farva” Price. Hill and Price have been conducting a brilliant public affairs effort, featuring the hard work and dedication of Ike sailors and thousands of chocolate chip cookies every day. Operating day after day inside the weapon engagement zone of the Houthis must be stressful, but the crew has made it look easy. We are glad the carrier is now on her way home.
Interest in amphibious aircraft is returning—at least in other countries’ militaries. In “Amphibiosity Is Up in the Air” Lieutenant Commander Michael Ackman, U.S. Navy, reminds us that naval aviation got its start with seaplanes and had combat success with aircraft such as the PBY-5A Catalina before the Navy retired its last amphibian in 1967—and the Coast Guard in the 1980s. Today, Japan, Russia, and China all have seaplanes—and Ackman argues the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps should, too. Flying boats can fill a variety of logistics, expeditionary, scouting, antisurface, and antisubmarine warfare missions. The “carrier mafia” is strong in the Navy, but it seems that flying boats are again worthy of serious consideration.
From time to time, Air Force and Army authors write for Proceedings. They are always welcome. The latest is Air Force Captain Michael Blaser, who identifies “Problems for Agile Combat Employment”—the Air Force’s new scheme of manuever. China and Russia have extensive networks of imagery satellites, which can provide targeting solutions for long-range missiles. To avoid detection and destruction of its aircraft, Blaser says, the Air Force must use decoys, frequent movement, and dispersal.
This month, the Where We Were department is a little different. Where typically we have shared excerpts from oral histories, this month a former Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation, retired Lieutenant General Jon Davis, takes an atypical approach. In “Lessons from the Harrier” (pp. 94–95), the general recalls past AV-8B Harrier review panels and then suggests how to apply their successes to solve today’s MV-22 Osprey safety problems.
Asked & Answered asked readers: “Excluding fighter/attack aircraft, what was the most reliable and effective U.S. naval aircraft and why?” My favorite answer came from retired Navy Commander Larry Grant who chose “Consolidated’s Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina flying boat.” I would have loved to have a ride in one of those beautiful machines!