Page 96 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

The Marines over the years, along with their partners in the US Navy, have built an aviation force that’s quite
credible from the sea. F-35Bs, MV-22s, H-1s and the evolving CH-53K all come into the force at a very
important time as our nation evolves into a better understanding of the value and proper use of the
amphibious task force.

In parallel with those developments, we must figure out how to take advantage of unmanned aerial systems.

As we do that operationally, we at the same time have to experiment and learn and use systems from the sea
in ways that cause us to understand what new systems we should procure in the coming decade as well.

In other words, the foundation for the future is being built with our experience on board our amphibious ships
today as the new aviation assets marry up with the unmanned systems onboard our ships.

Question: And having the UASs onboard allows the Marine Corps commanders to sort out how best to
use those assets in operations as well. How might they do that?

Lt. General (Retired) Trautman: If I’m a task force commander and I’m deployed somewhere around the
globe, I want to be prepared to conduct operations at a moment’s notice when the mission dictates.

I also want to have the flexibility to conduct all of my sorties from the sea or if necessary transition to an
expeditionary land base for short duration operations that make an impact on the enemy before quickly
returning to sea.

I want unmanned aerial systems that enable me to do whatever I need to do in order to accomplish the
mission.

That means I need range, speed, endurance, the ability to take off and land vertically, a wide range of
payloads, non-proprietary payload “hooks,” and the best Size, Weight and Power (SWAP) advantage I can
attain.

To do that, you have to think long and hard about the types of capabilities that you wish to procure.

Whether it’s classic UAS capabilities like intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, the delivery of precision
weapons, or electronic warfare, there are a whole host of missions that unmanned systems can do with the
right payloads.

The key is to have those systems with me, use them and determine how to get the most effective use from them
in the widely varied operations that an amphibious task force will pursue.

Question: When you were DCA you worked the decision to sunset the Prowler electronic warfare
aircraft.

That clearly has an impact on the payloads which you want to have on a UAS as well?

Lt. General (Retired) Trautman: It does.

We made the decision in 2009 to sunset the Prowler a decade out in 2019.

We did that with our eyes wide open knowing that the F-35B would be coming into the force in a more robust
way by that time.

Second Line of Defense

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