Aviation Specials - July 2018

V

ADM DEWOLFE H. Miller is

the ‘Air Boss’ and commander

of Naval Air Force, US Paci c

Fleet. He is also the Type

Commander (TYCOM) for

all US Navy aviation units,

meaning he has administrative control,

and in some cases operational control, of

all naval aviation assets.

Miller, who graduated from the US Naval

Academy in 1981, began his  ying career

in the A-7E Corsair II before transitioning

to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986. Miller was

also previously in command of VX-5 and

then USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) and

Carrier Strike Group 2, before serving as

the deputy director for warfare systems

on the chief of naval operation’s sta. In

that position he served as the resource

sponsor for all air domain assets including

manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems

and weapons.

VADM Miller entered his new billet at

a unique time in naval aviation. After

years of combat deployments in the

Middle East and nearly a decade of

continuing resolutions, naval aviation

is  nally turning a corner after a long

period of low readiness rates and ‘not

enough’ training. ‘The biggest challenge

we face is improving aircraft availability

to meet war ghting demands while

simultaneously providing ‘up’ aircraft for

FRS [ eet replacement squadron] training,’

Miller told the Yearbook. He added:

‘As a result of a high operational

tempo, underfunding of critical

accounts and unpredictable

budgets from the eight years of

continuing resolutions, we’ve

been challenged to

generate the

readiness

to meet

war ghting and presence demands.

Let me be clear, we are sending forward

combat-ready naval air forces that

are prepared to win in combat. I just

welcomed home the Theodore Roosevelt

and Carrier Air Wing 17, who performed

magni cently in the CENTCOM AOR

United States naval aviation is in the midst of a major

upgrade as it continues with the transition of all the

major components of the carrier air wing (CVW) while

also modernizing and introducing new land-based

aircraft of both the manned and unmanned variety.

Helping guide the naval aviation community through

this transition is VADM DeWolfe H. Miller, who became

the Navy’s eighth ‘Air Boss’ in January 2018.

report: James Deboer

UNITED STATES

NAVY IN 2018

INTERVIEW

WITH

VADM

DeWolfe

H. Miller

VADM DeWolfe Miller. US Navy

The Super

Hornet is the

Navy’s most

numerous type

in the carrier air

wing. Upgrades

and a life

extension are

key to securing

its future.

Jamie Hunter

(^06) INTRODUCTION

US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018

6-12 Leadership Interview_v2.indd 6 01/06/2018 10: