Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder

First Marine Corps MQ-9A Reaper Squadron Now Operational

Marine Corps MQ-9A MUX/MALE is formally unveiled during a ceremony for Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU-3), Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Aug 2, 2023. US Marine Corps Photo

Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU 3) introduced its new Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles in a ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, last week.

The Marine Corps UAV squadron, the only one of its kind in the Indo-Pacific,...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/08/first-marine-corps-mq-9a-reaper-squadron-now-operational

Top Stories 2020: Marine Corps Acquisition

The Bell V-247 tiltrotor is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) that will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft, and would provide long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance and fires capabilities. The Marines had been considering this type of capability for their shipboard Group 5 UAS program, MUX, before the program was restructured in mid 2020. Bell Image

This post is part of a series of stories looking...

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/29/top-stories-2020-marine-corps-acquisition

Navy Issues Sikorsky $550.4 Million Modification for 6 CH-53Ks

The CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter conducted sea trials aboard USS Wasp (LHD-1) in the Mid-Atlantic from June 8 – 21, 2020. US Navy photo.

The Navy has issued Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky a $550.4 million contract modification for the next lot of the Marine Corps’ new heavy-lift helicopter.

The Navy awarded Sikorsky the funds for six CH-53K King Stallions as part of lot 4 of the program’s low-rate initial production phase, according to an Oct. 26 Pentagon contract announcement.

“The...

https://news.usni.org/2020/10/27/navy-issues-sikorsky-550-4-million-modification-for-6-ch-53ks

Marine Corps Announces New Aviation, Pacific Leadership Assignments

Top row (left to right): Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta, Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, Maj. Gen. Mark Wise; Bottom row (left to right): Maj. Gen. Karsten Heckl, Maj. Gen. Dennis Crall, Maj. Gen. David Ottignon 

The Marine Corps announced a shuffle of its two- and three-star generals, with nominations of new leadership for Marines in the Pacific, the aviation community, training and education and more.

Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta was nominated to serve as the next commanding general of the Training and...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/06/marine-corps-announces-new-aviation-pacific-leadership-assignments

Marines Tout CH-53K Helo As Success Story After ‘Technical Deficiencies’ Forced Program Reset

CH-53Ks fly in formation from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on Jan. 9, 2020. Sikorsky photo.

CAPITOL HILL – Marine Corps leaders are looking forward to ramping up CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter production after military and industry leaders agree the program’s technical challenges are behind them.

During last year’s budget season hearings on the Hill, the focus of conversation around the 53K was a list of 126 deficiencies that had been identified, including the most talked-about issue of...

https://news.usni.org/2020/03/13/marines-tout-ch-53k-helo-as-success-story-after-technical-deficiencies-forced-program-reset

Navy Says Ending Super Hornet Line Frees Up Resources for Life Extension Work

Seaman Sakyra Baker stands aft lookout as an F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 lands on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on Feb. 21, 2019. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy’s request to end the F/A-18E-F Super Hornet production line after 2021 instead of signing another multiyear production contract was not to save money, but rather to allow manufacturer Boeing to convert the production line from building new planes to...

https://news.usni.org/2020/03/10/navy-says-ending-super-hornet-line-frees-up-resources-for-life-extension-work

Marines Ditch MUX Ship-Based Drone to Pursue Large Land-Based UAS, Smaller Shipboard Vehicle

The Office of Naval Research and DARPA are collaborating on the Tern project to give forward-deployed small ships the ability to serve as mobile launch and recovery sites for medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial systems that would provide ISR and other capabilities. DARPA rendering.

The Marines have ditched their plan to field a very large drone on amphibious ships, instead breaking the four-year-old MUX program into a family of systems that will include a very large land-based...

https://news.usni.org/2020/03/10/marines-ditch-mux-ship-based-drone-to-pursue-large-land-based-uas-smaller-shipboard-vehicle

Navy, Marines Prioritizing Manning, Maintenance After Fatal Pacific Mishaps

Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced) conduct maintenance on an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft atop the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), Philippine Sea, Jan. 26, 2019. VMM-262 (Rein.) is the Aviation Combat Element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. US Marine Corps photo.

CAPITOL HILL – Manning and maintenance considerations are driving conversations about Navy and Marine Corps operations, as the two sea services rebuild readiness...

https://news.usni.org/2020/02/05/navy-marines-prioritizing-manning-maintenance-after-fatal-pacific-mishaps

Navy Awards Sikorsky $1.13B for Next 12 CH-53K Heavy-Lift Helicopters

The CH-53K King Stallion lifts a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, January 18, 2018. The purpose of this exercise was to show the Capabilities of the CH-53K. US Marine Corps photo.

The Department of the Navy awarded Sikorsky a $1.13-billion contract for 12 CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, the Defense Department announced on Friday.

The contract to the Lockheed Martin-owned company covers Lots 2 and 3 of the helicopter, which will...

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/17/navy-awards-sikorsky-1-13b-for-next-12-ch-53k-heavy-lift-helicopters

Marine Corps Wants MUX to Fly in 2026

DARPA demonstrator system of a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air system (UAS). DAPRA Image

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Marine Corps is still evaluating what it wants its proposed large unmanned vehicle to accomplish, but the service wants to issue an airframe request for information in Fiscal Year 2020.

Early warning capability for the Amphibious Ready Group still ranks among the top priorities for the proposed Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)...

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/07/marine-corps-wants-mux-to-fly-in-2026

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