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program is that recruiting ■ea in which the Navy nee
tion of reservists, element in reserve ever have to travel more ad his drill site should be most important in the case unately, this ideal is diffie mbers of personnel needed Consequently, the 50 mileS 'en further when airlift can e limits are stretched, cost N ae individual and to the Nay) y constrain recruiting but erve units and the attainable - eservists to do the job. Attaid lictates the achievable mi* :tive/reserve equations, ginning to undertake serious^ search for the optimum act|V s so, the issues discussed be other important issues- ment, training, and career pi0 ine strategies for both the 3^ and long term. The econod3 ; reserve units inland vers 1 to the fleet sites must f active and reserve creWs
r f
d peacetime missions tor idied. Further involvement igement of the Naval Reset issibilities are numerous;
e active/reserve mix, rccrul mand involvement, and ire key factors in producit iting Naval Reserve. But and pervading presence This interest must start at /ith the Chief of Naval Ope^ ctive Navy, it must include hief of Naval Reserve. R jsiastic active Navy g?,n large numbers of active lvolved with the reserves )nly then can we achieve imbined force of actives ind reinforcing one anothet ad win at sea in war.
te of the U. S. Naval Academy- s and commanded Attack Squa‘ iuring the Vietnam War. He ha* -ing, the USS Mount Whitney ( Naval Safety Center, Carrier mnel Command. Vice Admiral ^ ; prior to his current assignmen S. Atlantic Fleet.
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and Ready (WR)
Photos by Robert L. Lawson Text by Howard W. Serig, Jr.
The Naval Air Reserve has always been both willing and able to play a larger role. Now, with the transition to more modern aircraft, it is more than ever ready.
ilafl5
success of Admiral Dunn’s efforts to establish a ^°zeflt Naval Reserve SAUs. And with Admiral Dunn’s rec£ promotion to the three-star job of Commander Nava
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one
The 1980s may be an important turning point in the development of Naval Reserve aviation. By the end of the decade, most existing Naval Reserve aviation components are scheduled to receive new aircraft and equipment that will give many reserve aircrews—already some of the most experienced in the Navy—a front-line war-fighting capability for the first time since the Korean War. The administration, Congress, and the Navy are now committed to integrate the reserves in the Total Force.
The formation of Naval Reserve new squadron augment units (SAUs) that train with active Navy squadrons has greatly increased the reserve’s ability to effectively back up the active force in the event of a mobilization. Selected Reserve air and ground crews are affiliated with fleet readiness squadrons to become fully qualified to fly and maintain a variety of frontline aircraft. Although SAUs have been around for years within the Naval Reserve, it has only been in the last year that these reservists have been flying with active Navy squadrons. Unlike the difficulty and uncertainty associated with funding new aircraft for reserve squadrons, the SAUs will provide the Naval Air Reserve with a nearly 25% increase in manpower effectiveness at a minimum dollar expenditure. The goal is to have 60 aircrews operating with nine squadron augmentation units by the end of 1985. The plan calls for:
2 Fighter SAUs flying F-14 Tomcats:
VF-101, Oceana, Virginia 9 Aircrews
VF-124, Miramar, California 9 Aircrews
2 Medium Attack SAUs flying A-6E Intruders:
VA-42 at Oceana, Virginia 9 Aircrews
VA-128 at Whidbey Island, Washington 9 Aircrews
2 Airborne Early Warning SAUs flying E-2C Flawkeyes: VAW-110, Miramar, California 6 Aircrews
VAW-78, Norfolk, Virginia 6 Aircrews
1 Antisubmarine SAU flying S-3 Vikings:
VS-41, San Diego, California 2 Aircrews
2 Helicopter SAUs flying SH-3H Sea Kings:
HS-1, Jacksonville, Florida 5 Aircrews
HS-10, San Diego, California 5 Aircrews
The Naval Reserve’s 13 shore-based antisubmarine patrol squadrons, which currently represent 34% of the Navy’s ASW patrol force, are now receiving tactical navigation modification kits for their P-3s. This new equipment enables the aircraft’s on-board computer to process more targets automatically and gives the older Naval Reserve P-3s nearly the same mission capability as the newer P-3C Update II aircraft.
In the area of air transport, the Naval Reserve’s 11 logistic support squadrons continue to provide valuable
Previous page, just as active-duty Naval aviators are accustomed to refueling from reserve tankers like the one pictured on the cover, the reserve composite squadron aircraft—like the TA-4J Skyhawk mixing it up with a Phantom in an air combat maneuvering engagement—fly with the regulars regularly.
support to the active Navy, as was illustrated by the yeoman service they performed during the U. S. military operations in Lebanon and Grenada. The last of the 1950s’ era Naval Reserve C-118s are expected to be replaced by additional C-9s at the end of this year The Naval Reserve is also receiving 24 SH-2F helicopters to fly from its newly acquired frigates. It is anticipated that by the end of fiscal year 1986 three reserve LAMPS squadrons will be in operation with Naval Reserve Force frigates. _ .
But the most notable improvement is occuring with10 the Naval Reserve’s two carrier air wings (CVWR-2" and CVWR-30). Since the publication of “An Almost Ready Reserve” (September 1983 Proceedings), whic discussed shortcomings in the reserve’s equipment, plans to transition reserve fighter, attack, early warning, and reconnaissance squadrons to new aircraft have been moving forward at an impressively rapid rate- These recently initiated programs are the result of many developments. First and foremost, the force has benefited from the record Reagan administration Navy budgets designed to achieve naval superiority over the Soviets. The architect of this strategy, Secretary of tne Navy John Lehman, himself a drilling Naval Reserve aviator, is the administration’s major proponent of >n' creasing the carrier battle group force to 15 and using them, if necessary, to “put the Soviet Navy on the b° tom.” Aside from the tough talk, Secretary (or Commander) Lehman clearly recognizes that to defeat the larger Soviet Navy in this manner, active Navy air wing squadrons are likely to suffer losses. The need front-line aircraft and personnel available to quickly replace or supplement active Navy carrier squadrons has been a primary concern of the Secretary of the Navy. On 8 February, Secretary Lehman sent a message to all major naval air commands stating the Navy’s intention to “accelerate our modernization P , so we will have two Reserve airwings fully capable being mobilized and deploying on any active carrier before the end of the decade.”
The impetus for improvement in Naval Air Reserve capabilities is likely to continue for another reason: leadership. Like Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn who preceded him in the job of Chief of Naval Reserve, Rear Admiral Cecil J. Kempf is a naval aviator fronl the active side of the Navy. It is difficult to overstate the importance, at least for the present, of having a° active flag officer head the Naval Reserve—one wh° knows the system and has worked with senior naval officers making the decisions that will affect the futu of the force. This was particularly apparent with the
Air Force Atlantic, the Chief of Naval Reserve p°sl has gained a new prestige throughout the Navy- that will attract top-flight talent and better enable lts holder to implement the ambitious programs now be '
planned- „ larger
Finally, the willingness of Congress to support ^ *
74
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otntnander Naval Air Resen’e Force. New Orleans (21 August 1984)
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viet tuCe tBat Navy is efficiently managing the So- opera.reat identified by the administration. Inasmuch a;
additional commitments for new aircraft and
% fent remain to be made before the Naval Reserve lor~
§°irig Fuclgets in the face of record budget deficits is evid„ 0 Ee based to a considerable degree on some
aumiuiauauuii. iiiaMUUlll a;
Sahie *n^ 3 Ed'y integrated reserve air wing offers the r0ugh,War'fighting capability as an active air wing at ^eser ^ Ealf the cost, modernization of the two Naval Hiitubg2 3*r w*n8s Eas begun to impress an increasing \y,°i budget-minded congressmen, n.,: e additional commitments for r»p7
CaPab]CeS become truly integrated and front-line sUch ae e'erT>ents of the Total Force, the achievement o §°al now appears within sight.
Mr. Lawson retired as a senior chief photographer (aircrewman) in 1977 after 26 years of naval service. He is editor of the Tailhook Association’s magazine, The Hook. During his service as an aerial photographer he accumulated more than 3,000 hours of flight time in 71 different types of military aircraft.
Mr. Serig earned his BS and MBA degrees from New York University in 1965 and 1967. He is an economist for the Department of Transportation and specializes in ocean transportation projects. His article, “An Almost Ready Reserve,” was published in the September 1983 Proceedings.
75
Of the Naval Reserve’s four fighter squadrons, two are based in Miramar, California—VFs-301 and -302—and two in Dallas, Texas—VFs-201 and -202. The Texas squadrons made the transition from F-4N Phantoms to the newer F-4S variants in March. VF-301 is in transition from F-4Ss to F-14A Tomcats, which are coming from storage and being reworked and upgraded. VF-302 will follow VF-301’s lead and is scheduled to receive its first F-14 by April 1985. Reserves of selected augmentation units (SAUs) also fly active force F-14s. Above, VF-302 F-4Ss participate in air combat maneuvering training off San Diego. Opposite, top, NAS Oceana’s F-14 SAU, VF-1468, flies VF-101 Tomcats. Opposite, bottom, VF-301 F-4S lands on board the USS Constellation (CV-64).
76
ar, Califor- . The Texas variants in are coming ?-301’s lead ■lected aug- participate S Oceana’s 4S lands on
After suffering from shortages and shortcomings of TF30-P-8 engines for their A-7B Corsair IIs, four of the Naval Reserve’s attack squadrons are making the transition to reworked A-7Es, which have more dependable engines. In 1983, VA-203 became the first squadron to receive A-7Es; VA-205 is in transition to Echos; VA-204 will begin its transition to the improved Corsairs by the end of the year; and VA-304 will be the last reserve squadron to move to the A-7Es in 1986. The remaining reserve attack squadrons will be flying F/A-18 Hornets. VFA-303, the recent redesignation for VA-303, is flying active force VFA-125 F/A-18s at Lemoore, California, until its first Hornets are delivered sometime in 1986. VA-305 will continue to fly A-7Bs until 1987 when it becomes the second reserve squadron to switch to Hornets. With the advent of SAUs at Oceana, Virginia, and Whidbey Island, Washington, reservists are flying the latest version of the A-6E Intruder. Above, VFA-303 flies VFA-125 Hornets. Opposite, top, VA-35 A-6E TRAM flies straight and level. Opposite, bottom, VA-204 A-7Bs conduct weapons training at Fallon, Nevada.
_ .. <li#8s / October 1984
The Naval Reserve’s two tactical electronic warfare squadrons—VAQs-209 and -309—will continue to fly EA-6A Intruders into the 1990s. With the disestablishment of VFP-306 on 30 September, the Naval Reserve has but one light photographic squadron—VFP-206. The squadron’s five RF-8G Crusaders represent the last of the Navy’s single-purpose reconnaissance aircraft. The two reserve carrier airborne early warning squadrons fly different variants of the Hawkeye. VAW-78 started flying new, fully fleet capable E-2Cs last year; VAW-88 will continue to launch its E-2Bs until 1988 when it is scheduled to change to the more advanced Hawkeye. Above, VAQ-209 EA-6As make a pass over Fallon. Opposite, top, VFP- 206 RF-8G climbs to altitude. Opposite, bottom, VAW-88 E-2B lands at Miramar.
)s-209 and isestablish- ght photopresent the rve carrier VAW-78 ontinue to • advanced top, VFP- Miramar.
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The Naval Reserve’s VAK-208 and VAK-308 represent the Navy’s only dedicated in-flight refueling squadrons. Both squadrons operate KA-3B Skywarriors which are programmed to fly into the 1990s. Reserve composite squadrons—VCs-12 and -13—operate a mixed bag of TA-4Js, A-4Es, and A-4Fs, primarily to provide dissimilar air combat training for regular and reserve fighter squadrons. The C-9B Skytrain II squadrons of the Naval Reserve represent the Navy’s only heavy-lift logistical capability. The last six C-118B Liftmasters in the reserve are scheduled to be replaced by additional C-9s in mid-1985. Above, VAK-208 KA-3B flies with VC-12 TA-4J over Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Opposite, top, a C-118B flies the last leg of its transport mission. Opposite, bottom, VR-55 C-9B approaches Miramar.
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ly dedicated •riors which VCs-12 and provide dis- i. The C-9B leavy-lift lo- eduled to be with VC-12 s the last leg s Miramar.
The Naval Reserve has a new light helicopter antisubmarine squadron—HSL-84, flying SH-2F Seasprites—and three SH-3D Sea King-equipped helicopter antisubmarine squadrons—HSs -74, -75, and -85. Current planning calls for HS-85 to become HSL-85 and begin its transition to the SH-2Fs next year. Two reserve SAUs fly active force SH-3Hs. Presently no S-3A Viking ASW squadrons are assigned to the reserve air wings, however one reserve squadron augmentation unit will fly S-3s. Above, HSL-84 Seasprite hovers at North Island, California. Opposite, top, SAU aircrew of VS-0294 will fly VS-41 Vikings this year. Opposite, bottom, HS-10 provides an SH-3H for SAU HS-0246 reservists.
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Representing the Navy’s only combat search and rescue (SAR) capability, HC-9 presently flies very old HH-3A Sea Knights. HC-9 personnel recently deployed to the Sixth Fleet carriers to provide SAR expertise to the air wings engaged in combat operations over Lebanon. The Navy’s two remaining helicopter gunship squadrons—HALs-4 and -5—are flown by the reserves. Both squadrons fly HH-1K Hueys. The P-3A and P-3B Orions which fly in the reserve patrol squadrons augment regular Navy ASW patrols worldwide and participate in drug patrols. Opposite, top, HAL-5 Huey lifts off from North Island. Above, an HC-9 Sea Knight comes in low over the desert. Opposite, bottom, VP-91 P-3A lands at Miramar.
ility, HC-9 leploycd to engaged in er gunship i fly HH-1K drons aug- rols. Oppo- •iea Knight Miramar.