Greetings from the Pentagon. I want to start by thanking my predecessor, RADM Tom “Killer” Kilcline. As Tailhookers, we are extremely fortunate that the leadership and vast experience he brought to bear as Director, Air Warfare Division (OpNav N88) will continue to benefit us as he takes over as air boss. His enthusiasm and bold vision for carrier aviation guarantee the continued success and effectiveness of our naval air forces.
Achieving our single fleet driven metric — aircraft and carriers ready for tasking at cost — begins in the “Puzzle Palace” where your Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) representatives on CNO’s staff continue to refine the Navy TacAir flight plan that will sustain our legacy aircraft as a bridge to our future capabilities. As we move forward, our desire is to provide you with the warfighting capability and capacity you need, on time and on budget. Together, we will keep Navy TacAir at the forefront of air dominance.
Over the last year, the shift from legacy platforms to future capabilities has become increasingly visible. In September, we bid a fond farewell to the mighty F-14 Tomcat after 32 years of service to our Navy and our nation. RADM “Bad Fred” Lewis, USN(Ret), did a marvelous job chairing the Tomcat Sunset Committee and provided an appropriate send-off for the iconic aircraft. In like manner, we are continuing the S-3 Viking sundown that will culminate with the deactivation of the last squadron in 2009.
As these aircraft pass into the history books, new aircraft are taking to the skies for the first time as the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) conducted its first test flight on 8 December 2006. As you would expect, navigating the right path to JSF is at the forefront of our efforts here in D.C. We are carefully analyzing future threat scenarios to make sure we have what it takes to win in any major contingency operation. Drawing on this analysis, we are developing the right strike fighter capabilities and capacity for our future air wings. In doing so, we are committed to fielding F/A-18E/F and JSF aircraft that are properly equipped — not just “shadows” on the ramp. This means Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) and Digital RF Memory (DRFM) on the Super Hornets and ensuring the right enhancements are spiraled into the JSF to pace the threat.
Joining JSF in reaching its first flight milestone, the EA-18G Growler took to the skies on 14 August 2006. Winner of the 2006 David Packard Award for acquisition excellence, the Growler has successfully leveraged the F/A-18E/F program to sustain the Navy’s position as DoD’s leader in airborne electronic attack (AEA). The Growler is the next important step in our transition from aging legacy EA-6B aircraft to the next generation of capabilities required to generate the effects expected of our carrier air wings.
Rounding out future tailhook aircraft, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye continues to track toward a first flight in the summer of 2007. There is a real need to field an integrated solution to meet the technological advances of potential adversaries. With five aircraft per squadron and an inflight refueling capability, the VAW community is the cornerstone of a solution that involves nearly every Naval Aviation platform.
In the weapons world, we recognize the need to increase inventories while delivering transformational sensor-to-shooter capabilities. The AIM-120C7 will reach initial operational capability (IOC) this summer and the AIM-120D should go into production before the end of the year. These weapons are capable in electronic protection, kinematics and lethality. Additionally, we have had very good feedback that the AIM-9X Blk I is exceeding the expectations of fleet users, and we remain on track to deliver Blk II in FY 2011.
Research continues into Link-16-enabled Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1, SLAM-ER and Harpoon Blk III. This will permit tactical strike fighters and Joint “big wing” aircraft to control these weapons in flight, further enhancing our ability to strike moving targets and take full advantage of the weapons’ standoff capability. In addition, separating the sensor and the shooter is a great example of making netcentric warfare relevant in a tactical environment.
Of course, transformation of naval tactical aviation wouldn’t be complete without CVN-21. Earlier this year, CVN-78 officially became USS Gerald R. Ford in a naming ceremony attended by President Ford’s family here in the Pentagon not long after his passing. Embodying numerous refinements to the successful Nimitz-class carriers, CVN-78 will introduce several new systems to the fleet, including Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS). These systems replace “steam and grease” with “capacitors and electromagnets.” Our carrier fleet will continue to provide Joint commanders unsurpassed TacAir capability when and where it is needed.
The requirements of warfare — regular or irregular, today or in the future — highlight the strengths of Navy TacAir as the nation’s first response for decisive effects in anti-access environments. Over the past year, we have been extremely successful in articulating and defending our requirements, and your efforts are critical to our continued success. Keep doing what you’re doing, forwarding your warfighting requirements up the chain through operational advisory groups (OAGs) and integrated priorities lists. Creating a warfighting legacy second to none is a team sport!.