Page 36 - F-35 and Transformation
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The F-35 and The Transformation of the Power Projection Forces
He described an event where the Commandant was going witness a Yuma to Nellis scenario in which F-35s
would be used to support Marines in the maneuver space.
He went to the Marines working the exercise and asked: “Was everything ready for the Commandant?”
The answer was: “Sir we are not going to do exactly what you asked for and are not ready to do it that
way?”
Davis commented: “The Commandant is just about here, what are you talking about?”
The Marine answered: “Frankly, the scenario you suggested was not tough enough for we wanted to take our
F-35s into a more advanced SAM belt to get through and then support the Marines on the ground.”
Davis was a bit taken aback, but the innovation already evident by the squadron pilots was rewarded with a
demonstrated success on the Nellis ranges.
The Commandant was impressed, and although a ground combat Marine, he argued “we need to get that
plane into the hands of Marines as fast as we can.”
The DCA noted throughout his presentation that the RAAF focus on bottom up innovation with the Plan Jericho
processes was what the Marines felt was central to real combat innovation.
And shaping the way ahead was really about leveraging the new platforms, shaping key enablers and then
ensures that whatever follow-on platforms are bought that they build upon but push the innovation envelope.
He saw the tiltrotar experience as a crucial baseline and saw the future of Marine Corps rotor wing as
tiltrotar.
He saw the Cobras, Hueys, and Yankees replaced over time by a new generation tiltrotar aircraft.
He favored developing one, which would be two seaters, and able to be either manned or unmanned to
provide for the kind of flexibility which the Marines would want to reshape the capabilities and approach of
the assault force.
His version of the Plan Jericho approach to building a more integrated assault force was as follows:
Every platform a SENSOR, every platform a SHOOTER, every platform a SHARE/CONNECTOR, and every
platform an EW NODE.
And throughout he highlighted that the Marines were preparing for the high end fight and enhanced
capabilities to operate throughout an expanded maneuver space, and able to operate from land, and sea
sequentially, concurrently or jointly as the mission demanded.
With regard to equipping that force, he saw the need to build on fifth generation capabilities, multi-mission
everything, spiral develop everything and leverage bottom up combat innovation.
He concluded that he saw a great opportunity to work with an ADF in transformation as the Marines went
down a similar path.
Second Line of Defense
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