combat aircraft

FUTURE

FOCUS

CMV-22B Osprey

The US Navy will replace its C-2A

Greyhound carrier on-board delivery

(COD) aircraft with a variant of the

Bell-Boeing MV-22B tilt-rotor. In US Navy

service the Osprey, which is assigned

the designation CMV-22B, will primarily

be tasked with the COD mission. It will

also be tasked to fulill several secondary

missions that include vertical on-board

delivery (VOD), VERTREP, medevac, naval

special warfare support, missions of

state, humanitarian assistance/disaster

relief, and SAR.

Retaining the baseline MV-22B

airframe, the COD variant will be

equipped with an extended-range fuel

system that includes external conformal

tanks, a secure beyond-line-of-sight

high-frequency communications

capability and a public address

system. The high-frequency radio is

required to support over-the-horizon

communications and the extended-

range fuel system will allow the Osprey

to ly up to 1,150nm (2,130km) without

aerial refueling. It will provide the ability

to carry 80 additional gallons of fuel on

larger landing gear sponsons.

Components for the initial batch of

six CMV-22Bs were ordered from Bell

Boeing in December 2016. Deliveries

will be completed under the terms of a

multi-year contract that was awarded in

August 2018. It includes 39 CMV-22Bs

and deliveries will begin in FY 2020.

Planned procurement includes 44

CMV-22Bs by 2024. Development and

operational testing will be completed in

FY 2021 and the new COD aircraft will

achieve IOC in September 2020 when

three aircraft are ready to deploy. Full

operational capability will follow in 2023.

Transition plans extend from 2020 to

2026 with the inal deliveries coming in

2028. Full operational capability (FOC)
      will be achieved in FY 2024.
      The operational leet of 38 CMV-
      22Bs will be lown by leet logistics
      support multi-mission (VRM) squadrons
      VRM-30 at NAS North Island, California,
      and VRM-40 at NS Norfolk, Virginia’s
      Chambers Field. Training will eventually
      fall under a newly established FRS,
      which will be designated as VRM-50 and
      stationed at North Island.

MQ-25A Stingray

US Naval Air Systems Command released

the inal request for proposals to industry

for the air segment of its unmanned

carrier-based air refueling system (CBARS)

in October 2017. The inal RFP was issued

to industry competitors that comprise

Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and General

Atomics. All three contractors recently

revealed their designs for the MQ-25A.

It expects to award a contract for the

project by September 2018.

The MQ-25A was originally known

as the Unmanned Carrier Based

Reconnaissance and Strike (UCLASS)

project but was later restructured. The

Stingray was assigned the designation

MQ-25 in July 2016. It will provide the

CSG with a persistent, multi-mission

aerial refueling and intelligence,

surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)

UAS that will be integrated with the

CVW. The Stingray will be capable of

delivering around 15,000lb (6,804kg)

of fuel while operating 500nm

(926km) from the host aircraft carrier.

Procurement plans for the MQ-25A have

been pushed out to FY 2023 when the

irst four air vehicles will be purchased.

The Stingray is expected to achieve IOC

in FY 2026.

leet with special warfare, SAR, combat

SAR, and logistics support/VERTREP

capabilities.

The Block 3A MH-60S achieved IOC

in 2007 and began its irst deployment

aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)

with HSC-8 in January 2009. The Block

3A incorporated the AN/AAS-44C EO/IR

sensor system and could be armed with

eight Hellire missiles or 2.75in (70mm)

rockets carried on external weapon

system wings. Additionally, a ixed

forward-iring weapon system includes

the M197 20mm cannon that is capable

of iring 680 rounds per minute. Crew-

served FN Herstal laser-sighted M240D

7.62mm guns can be installed in the port

and starboard gunners’ windows while

laser-sighted GAU-21 0.50-caliber guns

are itted inside the port and starboard

cabin doors. The subsequent Block

3B version added the Link 16 tactical

datalink to the Block 3A capabilities.

The MH-60S was certiied to ire 2.75in

(70mm) Hydra unguided rockets from

the 19-shot LAU-61C/A pod in 2013 and

integration of the laser-guided 2.75in

Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System

II (APKWS II) rockets followed beginning

in 2014. Ongoing upgrades are providing

the MH-60S with data link/full motion

video (FMV) kits and a helmet display

targeting system (HDTS).

Procurement of the MH-60S ended in

FY 2015 and the last of 275 aircraft was

delivered to HSC-28 in January 2016. In

early 2018, 261 were in service.

Above: The F-35C
Lightning II will
pose the navy
with significant
challenges
when it comes to
maintaining and
operating such a
complex stealth
aircraft from the
carrier. US Navy/
MCSS Shane
Bryan

Below: An MH-60R
launches a
sonobuoy during
anti-submarine
warfare training.
US Navy/MCSS
Dylan M. Kinee

Boxed: An artist’s
rendition of the US
Navy’s CMV-22
conducting a COD
mission.
Bell Boeing

http://www.combataircraft.net // October 2018 41