Carriers

Only 3 MiG-29Ks out of a fleet of 10 were normally available for operations in 2016 because of problems with engines and electronic control system

Taken on Jul. 16, 2017, the interesting photos in this post feature Indian Navy MiG-29K Fulcrum fighter jets flying over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Bay of Bengal during Exercise Malabar 2017.

The Mikoyan MiG-29K (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-D) is a Russian all-weather carrier-based multirole fighter developed by the Mikoyan design bureau and described as a 4++ generation aircraft by its manufacturer.

The MiG-29K was developed in the late 1980s from MiG-29M but since the Russian Navy preferred the Su-27K (later re-designated Su-33), the aircraft was not ordered into production and only two prototypes were originally built in the early 1990s. However, the Mikoyan Design Bureau did not stop its work on the MiG-29K aircraft despite the lack of financing since 1992. The program got a boost in the late 1990s to meet an Indian requirement for a ship-borne fighter following the purchase of a former Soviet aircraft carrier (in the form of the INS Vikramaditya which was originally built as Baku and later renamed Admiral Gorshkov), and the MiG-29K was first received by the Indian Navy in 2009.

Noteworthy in 2016 Comptroller and Auditor General of India (the country authority which audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the state governments), issued a report criticizing the fighters for problems with engines and electronic control systems which resulted in “serviceability” of the airplanes “varying between 16 percent and 39 percent” meaning that out of fleet 10 fighters only 3 were normally available for operations at a given time.

Nevertheless,  the Russian Navy, with their Su-33s nearing the end of their service lives by 2010, has also ordered the MiG-29K as a replacement.

Malabar 2017 is a tri-lateral, two-phase exercise hosted by the Indian Navy and held in Chennai and the waters of the Bay of Bengal. The drill, which lasted from Jul. 10 to 17, consists of an ashore and at-sea phase that emphasize high-end warfighting skills, maritime superiority, and power projection through subject-matter expert and professional talks on CSG operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and antisubmarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group consists of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 staff, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9. The deployed units from DESRON 9 include the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Pinckney (DDG 91), and USS Kidd (DDG 100).

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Colby S. Comery and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Weston A. Mohr / U.S. Navy

Ronald Reagan and the CVW-5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region

On May 22, in the Water South of Japan Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5) completed carrier qualifications aboard the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

As explained in the article Ronald Reagan Completes Carrier Air Wing Qualifications, more than 100 pilots in more than 60 aircraft from nine squadrons based out of Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi and Iwakuni, Japan, completed almost 700 events, including over 200 touches and goes and almost 500 arrested landings to qualify pilots to conduct missions as the ship begins patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operation.

Noteworthy CVW-5 mission is critical to the U.S. commitment to the peace and stability of this region.

“The BADMAN team was last deployed with FREEDOM in December 2016, and since then, we executed Spring training detachments focused on the most demanding missions and ensured our aircraft and personnel are ready for any contingency,” explained Capt. Michael S. Wosje, commander, CVW-5. “As the Navy’s only 9-1-1 air wing, no one is better prepared to ensure the peace and stability of the region. We are excited to have the FREEDOM/BADMAN team back together, operating forward.”

CVW-5 is the always-ready, air-combat arm of Battle Force 7th Fleet, with warfighting assets that include the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, C2-A Greyhound, and MH-60R/S, as well as the latest edition of the E-2D Hawkeye after the “Tigertails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 replaced the “Liberty Bells” of VAW-115 earlier this year.

“With the completion of these qualifications, I can say with confidence that USS Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing Five are disciplined, well-prepared, and stand ready to answer our nation’s call,” pointed Capt. Buzz Donnelly, USS Ronald Reagan commanding officer.

The mission of CVW-5 is to conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination, and integration of eight air wing squadrons in support of combat operations.

Ronald Reagan and the embarked air wing provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Burke / U.S. Navy

One rule of engagement was constant in all these incidents: make the intercept as close as possible to 100 miles from the ship

I was involved in four Soviet Badger and Bear overflights of U.S. Navy Carriers, on four different flattops – two as a pilot and two as a CIC (Combat Information Center) officer.

I was a pilot attached to Fighter Squadron (VF) 21 Freelancers aboard USS Midway (CVA-41) when it was overflown by Tu-16 Badgers in Sep. 1962 – the very first Soviet overflight of a carrier and one that is mostly unknown due to the secrecy surrounding its mission.

This was a planned operation to gain electronic intelligence on the Badger’s radar and communications systems.

At the end of the ‘62 deployment, Midway left Yokosuka, Japan, and headed north incomplete electronic silence. The ship sailed to a position 100 miles east of the Kuril Islands and turned on all electronics and commenced flight ops. The next day six TU-16 Badgers flew out to surveil the task force. Midway had several “packages” ready in alert-5. Each package consisted of an F3H Demon, an A-4 tanker, and an EA-3 electronics countermeasures aircraft.

The weather was terrible! The overcast was at 1,000’ and the goo extended upward beyond the altitude the Badgers were flying. The rules of engagement were strict – make a tail-tracking intercept and get no closer than 1-1/2 miles to the target. I made an intercept with an A-4 tanker on my port wing and an EA-3 on my starboard wing.

Never saw the Badger.

However, the operation was hugely successful.

The EA-3 guys captured enough electronic data for the Navy to create the Brigand system which allowed ECM aircraft to intercept and display data and images displayed on Badger scopes during the delivery of an air-to-surface missile launch.

On another occasion, I was assistant CIC Officer aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) when she was pulled out of the Gulf of Tonkin and sent to the sea of Japan Defender Station in response to the North Korean shootdown of an EC-121 in 1969. I was in charge of launching F-4 and F-8 aircraft from Enterprise and USS Ranger (CV-61) to intercept the soviets.

In 1978 I was CIC Officer aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) when we were overflown by Tu-95 Bears during our transit from Yokosuka to Hawaii.

One rule of engagement was constant in all these incidents: make the intercept as close as possible to 100 miles from the ship.

The last time I had the chance to intercept Soviet bombers I was VF-74 Be-Devilers operations officer aboard USS Forrestal (CV-59) during our transit home from the 1965/66 Mediterranean deployment. I had very good intelligence on the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) of the TU-95 Bear aircraft that were coming to overfly the ship so I scheduled myself to be in an F-4 in alert 5 status during that time. I call the photo on top of the article “The Sandwich,” because my F-4 is sandwiched between the Bear and the A-3. An F-8 photo plane accompanied each fighter on each intercept.

Noteworthy there was the second Bear in the trail that was escorted by two F-8s from Marine Fighter Squadron (All Weather) (VMF(AW) 451.

To paraphrase the Farmers commercial, “I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two.”

Top image: U.S. Navy via John Newlin; A-4 Image: U.S. Navy, Bear-Phantom image: U.S. Navy