10 most pivotal events in US Naval aviation

[CV32]

From Proceedings, May 2011 issue

 

[excerpt]

 

The Ten Most Pivotal Events in U.S. Naval Aviation

By Barrett Tillman

 

In this 100th anniversary year, we asked one of the world’s best-known naval aviation historians for his Top-Ten list. See if you agree.

[TonyE]

11. Pairing of AWG-9 and Phoenix missile on a plane that can actually dogfight and not break itself and/or the carrier on takeoff and landing.

 

Just sayin

[CV32]

11. Pairing of AWG-9 and Phoenix missile on a plane that can actually dogfight and not break itself and/or the carrier on takeoff and landing. Just sayin

 

LOL. Didn't even get an honourable mention, I notice. Though I suppose its in some ways a part of No.5.

[broncepulido]

I don't known previously Number Four: Fleet Problem IX, 1929, shame on me

[donaldseadog]

Quoting this very interesting article, form the 'special mention' section.

• On 9 May 1972, nine aircraft off the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) marked the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War. By mining Haiphong Harbor, the A-6s and A-7s closed North Vietnam’s main port to outside supply, leading to the process that ended America’s decade-long nightmare in Southeast Asia. Never has carrier mobility and economy of force been better demonstrated.

 

Can harpoon model shipping mines dropped by plane?

I assume yes as mines are just zero speed torpedos (correct?)

I think (if correct) we need some new loadouts for A-6, A-7 in HCCW and divefreaks HC_65to80 Dbs (ED. if not already there ). This looks like fun.

[broncepulido]

Quoting this very interesting article, form the 'special mention' section.

• On 9 May 1972, nine aircraft off the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) marked the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War. By mining Haiphong Harbor, the A-6s and A-7s closed North Vietnam’s main port to outside supply, leading to the process that ended America’s decade-long nightmare in Southeast Asia. Never has carrier mobility and economy of force been better demonstrated.

 

Can harpoon model shipping mines dropped by plane?

I assume yes as mines are just zero speed torpedos (correct?)

I think (if correct) we need some new loadouts for A-6, A-7 in HCCW and divefreaks HC_65to80 Dbs (ED. if not already there ). This looks like fun.

The mines is a big question. In some personal DBs I've tried with drift mines (launched by ship or submarine) straigth-running torpedoes, with speed=6 knots and range=54 nm with mixed results.

I've no thinked previously in air dropped mines with speed=0 (range=9999?), perhaps it's a good idea ....

More later.

[broncepulido]

More later.

First big problem: to drop the mines you need to localize and target something, at least in BOL mode, you dont can drop the mines like sonobuoys, a pity. And I'm not sure if the GE permit to fire a weapon with speed=0 to a moving or stationary target, the mine never will catch the target.

More later, I'm going to my workplace ...

[VCDH]

Hmm....I admire Mr. Tillman but I can't say I'm very much in agreement with this list. Some of the things that US Naval Aviation would call revolutionary had already happened. I was going to make a shorter post but that didn`t work....

 

#1 - Bureau of Aeronautics - Sure I can see that. It demonstrated the committment that the navy had to aviation and it's leadership under a big gun skipper only underscores that.

 

#2 - USS Langley (CV-1) - From a strictly USN standpoint maybe. HMS Furious was operational during WW1 however

 

#3 - Development of Dive Bombing - I also don't think dive bombing was all that revolutionary for the USN since it was largely an untried tool for them until Coral Sea and Midway. The attack on HMS Illustrious by Fliegerkorps X on January 10, 1941 is the first effective use that I can think of off the top of my head. The Combined Fleet sortie throughout the South Pacific and Indian Ocean during the first half of 1942 will probably yield other examples but that's used more as an example of massing.

 

#4 - Fleet Problem IX, 1929 - Totally agree with one caveat....that the Fleet Problems as a whole should be included [although FPIX is the best example]. Technology is useless without Tactics and Doctrine and the Fleet Plans married all three into an effective tool.

 

#5 - Development of Radar, 1940 Onward - Disagree by the simple fact that the tactical advantages were already well known and shown to dramatic effect by the by the RAF [battle of Britain] and the RN [Mediterranean].

 

#6 - Coral Sea and Midway, 1942 - Coral Sea yes, Midway not so much. Both were practical application of the Fleet Problems and validated what was learned but again the USN was beaten to the punch by the Royal Navy. A single air launched torpedo from a 1930's bi-plane decided the fate of Bismark and the Japanese derived their own attack on Pearl Harbor from the British strike at Taranto.

 

#7 - Defeat of the U-Boats, 1943 - Definitely agree. The use of naval aviation closed the air gap between North America and Europe and shortened response time against U-Boats.

 

#8 - The Postwar Revolution, 1949 Jets and Helicopters - Again I'm in full agreement here, especially with regards to the helicopter, which was a true game changer, especially for ASW.

 

#9 - Close-Air Support in Korea, Summer 1950 - Didn't they already do this during WW2? An idea example of the usefulness of the aircraft carrier yes but nothing really pivotal. Perhaps he's referring to the development of the Forward Air Controller?

 

#10 - Angled Decks, 1953 onward - Meh I suppose. Again this is a British invention that applied a global revolution to carrier operations, not just the US Navy's.

 

Something that certainly belongs [and is conspicuously absent] on the list is the computer and it's evolution into a major component of naval aviation, especially in planning, fire control, and flight control.

 

Later

D

[TonyE]

Good thinking Dale with solid arguments

[CV32]

I noticed that were no recognized developments since 1953. One wonders if things like EMALS will garner any votes in years to come.

[VCDH]

Can harpoon model shipping mines dropped by plane?

I assume yes as mines are just zero speed torpedos (correct?)

I think (if correct) we need some new loadouts for A-6, A-7 in HCCW and divefreaks HC_65to80 Dbs (ED. if not already there ). This looks like fun.

 

No. Mines are currently not implemented. It has been discussed and there are workarounds but they are problematic. The work around for ANW is to create an immobile submarine with a sensor that is capable of tracking the target entering the minefield. Once the target gets close enough then it fires a very short ranged weapon with a lethal radius that would destroy mine and damage the target. There are three problems with the workaround.

 

First is the overall load on the scenario. A field of several thousand mines would take so long to create that it would be pointless. Also, the engine has to poll every sensor in every mine and that would make the scenario chug along at best.

 

Second there is no differentiating between subs and surface ships as targets. Not unless you make a weapon for every contingency, not something a DB guy is likely to do.

 

Finally the mines would have to have their own side and not share information with anyone else. This means there's no way to model the more exotic smart mines like Stonefish.

 

In short there's too much work for too little return. Any implementation would probably follow the paper rules anyway. A scenario designer would draw a polygon and stipulate the density of a the mine field. Any unit entering the field would run a % chance of hitting a mine and suffering appropriate damage. The higher the density of mines, the longer they would take to lay, sweep and the greater % of hitting one.

 

Later

D

[CV32]

More links and articles on the topic can be found here:

 

100 years of naval aviation

[CV32]

#10 - Angled Decks, 1953 onward - Meh I suppose. Again this is a British invention that applied a global revolution to carrier operations, not just the US Navy's.

 

A lengthy discussion on the topic, from the Spring 2011 issue of US Naval War College Review:

 

The Development of the Angled Deck Aircraft Carrier (PDF)