Director Air Warfare: HowGozit

I recently had the great privilege of relieving now Vice Admiral Mike "Wizard" McCabe as Director, Air Warfare, after serving as deputy since September. I intend to continue in Wizard's footsteps championing our Naval Aviation Plan here in Washington.

In my few brief months in the Pentagon, it has become clear to me that my timing could not have been better. So many positive things are happening right now. Thanks to the incredible performance of our Sailors and Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is a new level of support for our Sailors and our programs on Capitol Hill and around the country. The challenge is to capitalize on that support. We must continue to refine, and successfully implement a coherent, effective plan for sustaining and building Naval Aviation through the 21st Century.

Based on the lessons learned in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), we are on the right track. As we continue to develop and implement the Sea Power 21 operational initiative, we can apply our recent experience to ensure that Naval Aviation will remain the "go to" force through the 21st Century. Our overarching goal is to keep Naval Aviation at the forefront of Sea Strike, Sea Shield and Sea Basing, the three key operational components of Sea Power 21. Thanks to the hard work and vision of previous Naval Aviation leadership, we are well positioned to lead the transformation in all three areas with FORCEnet as the enabler. As the Sea Strike warfare sponsor lead, I wanted to share some brief insights into Naval Aviation's role in Sea Strike - what we are doing now, and our vision for the future.

Sea Strike is all about effectively projecting precise and persistent offensive power against critical enemy targets, even when those targets are mobile and/or far inland. To accomplish this, we must employ persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (Persistent ISR) to identify and track targets and provide accurate and real-time targeting information; Time-Sensitive Strike (TSS) to strike the enemy with lethal force in his moment of vulnerability; Electronic Warfare (EW) and Information Operations (IO) to disrupt the enemy's communications, create confusion and thereby increase his vulnerability; and Ship to Objective Maneuver (STOM) to rapidly deploy ground forces when required. In each of these areas, Naval Aviation has made transformational changes already, and we also have transformational technology in the pipeline.

For Persistent ISR, one key area of development is the UAV. Having demonstrated its usefulness in combat operations, the UAV is becoming an increasingly important part of our Concept of Operations. UAVs such as our Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV, a carrier based Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (JCAS) and Tactical UAVs will give us Persistent ISR. As our force becomes more network-centric, the Joint Force Commander will be provided an increasingly clear picture of the battlespace, and Naval Aviation will be in a better position to tactically strike vital targets with lethal force.

Our TSS capabilities will be closely linked to Persistent ISR success. Through the use of effective network communication, multi-mission aircraft and high-speed precision weaponry, we will be able to strike with incredible quickness and accuracy. We are already making great strides in this area. During OEF, up to 80% of strike aircrews launched from the flight deck without knowing their exact target or targets. As we continue to develop our Persistent ISR capabilities, not only will that number continue to increase, but also the numbers of targets per sortie will increase just as quickly. With the continued development of precision-guided weaponry such as JDAM, JSOW, Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and Joint Common Missile (JCM) as well as next-generation high-speed weaponry, we will be equipped to destroy even the most elusive and protected targets.

In the EW/IO area, we continue to depend on the venerable EA-6B Prowler and have begun development of its replacement, the EA-18G. Fleet introduction of the EA-18G is scheduled for 2009. We will pace the threat in the meantime with a new electronic attack suite called ICAP III for the EA-6B. We anticipate the ICAP III aircraft will continue to serve the fleet 'til at least 2012.

Developing our Ship to Objective Maneuver (STOM) capabilities will mean full-scale introduction of the V-22 Osprey. The Osprey is a truly transformational aircraft that will enable the Marine Corps to deliver troops, supplies or equipment with the kind of speed and precision that can be decisive in future warfare. Past developmental problems have been overcome and a recent DOD acquisition decision found the program sound. The revolutionary capabilities of V-22 are the real story providing a true transformation of Expeditionary Warfare for the Marine Corps.

Finally, no discussion of "transformation" would be complete without acknowledging the one key unchanging component of Naval Aviation's success. That component, of course, is our people. Working with renewed dedication in the wake of the September 11th attacks, our people have endured significant hardships in this continuing war on terrorism, and continue to stand ready to answer the call. I am honored to serve with them, and I look forward to the opportunity to provide them with the best possible tools.

RADM Mark Fitzgerald

Copyright Association of Naval Aviation Summer 2003
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