Page 100 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

“There are clear limitations on a Group 3 system like Blackjack, for example, it is a line of sight system.

“But we have a number of payloads for the Blackjack which give us operational flexibility, and Blackjack is
evolving and will remain in the force even after we add MUX.”

Question: There is a challenge clearly with how to handle data onboard current Navy amphibious task
force ships.

How will you deal with this?

Col. Barranco: “There is no question that the LPDs and LHAs are going to have to see significant expansion of
their ability to manage data.

“The coming of the F-35 alone would require that but as well augment UAS capabilities this demand will
grow.”

Question: So in effect as you are designing MUX you are building on the Blackjack experience and
shaping inputs into Navy ship design as the LPD-17 morphs into LXR, for example?

Col. Barranco: “That is a good way to put it.

“The evolution of the ACE, including UASs, is driving significant change in how we need to design our ships to
manage the MEU afloat and work with the MAGTF ashore.

“Marine Corps Aviation is focused on integration; not just inside the air wing, but on the MAGTF and its
evolution.

“And that is how we look at the evolution of UASs in the force.”

In short, the current operation of Blackjacks at sea and on land is a key part of the learning curve with regard
to the operation of the systems and their integration within evolving Marin Corps operations.

As is Marine Corps practice, the Blackjack is in the force in advance of fully being able to support the force.

For the Marines it is about getting capability to the force and letting the war fighter use that capability as
that capability evolves and becomes fully operational.

And the Blackjacks is part of the new Air Combat Element for the Marine Corps is impacting on the ship design
for the LHR which will be modeled on an enhanced San Antonio Class ship and on the America class LHAs.

A key part of this effort is the need to expand significantly the capability to handle much larger volumes of
data generated by F-35s and UASs to the ship as well. In this regard, it is the Navy-Marine Corps team,
which is learning from Blackjack deployments, not just the Marine Corps.

The Marines are working to add a new more robust UAS capability to the force by the mid 2020s.

And they are hoping that the US Navy will buy in as well, and allies who are building up their amphibious
fleets might well be candidates for the new platform as well.
The Marines are looking for a platform, which can fly with the Osprey, which means range and speed, are
essential. It may well be a tiltrotar platform although other platform variants might be feasible as well.

This Group 5 UAS will have an open architecture system allowing complete software upgradeability to keep
abreast of threats.
Second Line of Defense

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