Page 99 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

“Classic helicopters are not going to get it done in terms of range and speed to deliver a distributed strike
force.

“The MUX by being VTOL will be heavier and give up some time on station.

“We need to operate it shipboard and have it protected against corrosion, which will add to the weight.

“But because it is expeditionary, able to take off virtually anywhere, we can give up that slight loss of time on
station and range of current UASs.”

Question: How does your current experience with Blackjack fit into your learning curve with regard
UASs?

Col. Barranco: “Blackjacks currently operate from LPDs and are deployed with our MEUs.

“We have our second MEU using the Blackjack afloat underway right now.

“We have also done a land based combat deployment as well in Afghanistan.

“Our first MEU using the Blackjack, the 22nd, was a sea-based deployment with Blackjack supported combat
ops in Libyas as well.

“It is more difficult to operate at sea.

FIGURE 18 OPERATING THE BLACKJACK AT SEA. CREDIT PHOTO: USMC
“It’s not just our operators, our UAS operators, who are gaining experience at sea, but it’s everyone else
who’s getting experience within part of a MEU MAGTF ACE at sea and learning how to use the system.
“And of course the NAVY is learning as well and this joint learning could well inform a joint acquisition of the
MUX as well.

“We are deploying Blackjack in advance of MSD or the material support date.

“We always lean forward and try to get equipment into the hands of the warfighter as rapidly as possible.

“This means that the reliability rates will be lower initially but as we approach MSD then they adjust upwards.

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