THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2000.

William T. Baker

Mark L. Evans

Naval Aviation greeted the new millennium responding to crises around the globe and developing the weapons that made it the muscle of America's power projection. Supported by squadrons ashore, the Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), George Washington (CVN 73), Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), John C. Stennis (CVN 74), John F. Kennedy (CV 67) and Kitty Hawk (CV 63) battle groups deployed to challenge aggression, as well as rescuing victims of natural disasters and turning up the heat in the war on drugs.

Repeated Iraqi violations of the cease-fire accords were met by Naval Aviation with continual vigilance. To reflect changing missions, the office of the Chief of Naval Operations was realigned, the Radioman and Storekeeper ratings were revised, and in the ongoing efforts to increase retention the 2000 Aviation Career Continuation Pay program was enlarged.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, C-40A Clipper and Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response all reported for duty, while the Joint Strike Fighter, CH-60S Seahawk, AH-1Z Super Cobra, vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle, Joint Direct Attack Munition, AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile all proceeded through testing toward their planned introduction.

The fleet entered the 21st century prepared to meet all challenges.

Todd Baker and mark Evans are historians in the Naval Historical-Center's Aviation History Branch.

BOARDERS AWAY!

In February, the Russian tanker Volgoneft-147, below, was intercepted by the multinational Maritime Interception Force in international waters in the Arabian Gulf. Suspected of smuggling Iraqi oil in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 665, the ship had been shadowed by an SH-60B Seahawk from HSL-42's Det 4, embarked on board John F. Kennedy (CV 67). When the Russians refused to comply with inspection requirements, the decision was made for a sea-air-land team insertion. HH-60H detachments from HS-11 on board Monterey (CG 61), right, and Taylor (FFG 50) rushed SEAL Team 2 to the tanker, which they boarded and seized. Evidence obtained on board determined that the oil she was carrying was indeed of Iraqi origin. Oman accepted custody of Volgoneft-147 and her crew was returned to Russia.

January

To reflect their changing role due to new technology, Radiomen (RMs) were redesignated Information Systems Technicians (IT), though the traditional electronic sparks badge was retained.

General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $60 million contract in December 1999 to produce a prototype Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. Projected to replace steam catapults on board the CVNX carriers, it was designed around a 300-foot linear electric motor that could accelerate a 100,000-pound aircraft to 130 knots and lighter aircraft to 200 knots.

Raytheon Co., Lexington, Mass., was selected to develop an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The system was intended to increase the aircraft's air-to-air target detection and tracking range.

10 In a flight over Army installation Fort A. P. Hill, Va., Marines from the 2nd Recon Battalion II MEF became the first personnel to deploy from an MV-22B Osprey in a parachute free fall from 10,000 feet.

19 The Navy announced that it would restore ties to the Tailhook Association, suspended since 29 October 1991. The decision was made following a lengthy review, including a visit by a team led by Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig to the association's August 1999 convention in Reno, Nev.

26 A Standard SM-3 missile launched from Lake Erie (CG 70) completed an Aegis Light Exo-Atmospheric Projectile intercept at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii. The Navy's theater ballistic missile and cruise missile defense program provided a crucial link in the carrier battle group chain.

27 Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $109.6 million contract modification for Lot 2 production of the AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), providing for a total of 488 JSOWs.

27 VX-9 completed operational testing of the Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) at NAWC China Lake, Calif., begun in November 1999. SLAM-ER was intended for surgical strikes against high-value targets at standoff ranges greater than 150 nautical miles. The Navy planned on adding 700 to its inventory.

27 The first production CH-60S Seahawk made its initial flight at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn. Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, Owego, N.Y., signed a $3 billion contract to provide 237 CH-605s through 2007, 10 of which were to be delivered in 2000. An amalgam of the Army's Blackhawk and the Navy's Seahawk, it was intended to replace the CH-46 Sea Knight in the cargo utility role, the MH-53 Sea Dragon in the anti-mine warfare role and the HH-60 in the combat search and rescue role. Following testing, HC-3, NAS North Island, Calif., was slated to introduce the helo to the fleet.

27 Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., was awarded a $216.5 million contract modification from the Navy for continual preparations toward the overhaul and refueling of Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). This was to be the ship's single refueling during her anticipated 50-year service.

28 HSL-46's Det 10 returned to NS Mayport, Fla., after completing a counternarcotics deployment on board Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49). Following its departure on 24 August 1999, the detachment operated in both the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. It was instrumental in the interdiction and seizure of 204 kilos of cocaine and more than a ton of marijuana, and conducted search and rescue and medical evacuation missions.

28 Full-power testing of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) 119-611 engine was completed at Pratt & Whitney, West Palm Beach, Fla. The testing assisted development of a short take-off/vertical landing propulsion system for the X-35B JSF aircraft.

31 Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashed into the sea off the coast of Point Mugu, Calif. An NP-3D Orion from NAWC Point Mugu, two HH-60H Seahawks from HCS-5, NAWS Point Mugu, and USCG helos and an HC-130H Hercules responded immediately to the tragedy. Naval and Coast Guard personnel, including an S-3 Viking from NAS North Island and HH-60s and SH-60s from Fife (DD 991) and Jarrett (FFG 33), supported by Cleveland (LPD 7), assisted in recovery efforts.

31 Following three years of studies, the Navy announced revised West Coast carrier home ports. Already stationed at NAS North Island, Calif., was John C. Stennis (CVN 74), which would be joined in early 2002 by Nimitz (CVN 68) and in 2005 by Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), while Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) would remain at Bremerton, Wash. The moves were prompted by the need to replace the Pacific Fleet's aging conventional carriers, Constellation (CV 64), due for retirement in 2003, and Kitty Hawk (CV 63), assigned to Japan and scheduled for retirement by 2008.

31 Puerto Rican officials approved a compromise allowing the fleet to continue to train on Vieques Island, P.R., for three years, though cutting the annual training in half to 90 days and requiring that live-fire exercises be reduced to non-explosives. The Navy had trained on Vieques since 1941, but after Marine aircraft accidentally dropped two 500-pound bombs on an observation tower in April 1999, killing one person and wounding four others, protesters demanded an end to the exercises.

February

1 President Clinton directed that a referendum would determine the fate of exercises on Vieques Island, P.R. The island's residents were offered two options: the Navy would end all training and leave by 1 May 2003, or it would remain on terms to be presented at least three months before the vote. In May the George Washington (CVN 73) battle group was to train on Vieques using dummy bombs prior to its deployment to the Mediterranean.

7 DOD's report on Operation Allied Force, the campaign to end Serbian atrocities in Kosovo, was released, characterizing the 78-day air campaign as the most effective air operation in history.

8 Under a $31.2 million contract with the Military Sealift Command (MSC), two SA-330J Pumas operated by Geo-Seis Helicopters, Inc., Fort Collins, Colo., replaced Navy helos normally assigned to MSC T-AFS class combat stores ships for vertical replenishment (VERTREP) and ship-to-shore services. The Pumas would be rotated among three T-AFS ships during the ships' deployments to the Mediterranean. On this date, a Puma performed its first VERTREP when it rendezvoused with the T-AFS ship Sirius off the coast of Italy.

8 BAE Systems/Rockwell Collins Data Link Solutions, Wayne, N.J., was awarded a $16.1 million contract to commence work on the Multifunction Information Distribution System Low Volume Terminal. The terminal was designed to improve aircraft communications, with delivery of the first of 27 terminals to F/A-18C/D and F/A-18E/F aircraft scheduled for September 2001.

9 Northrop Grumman Corp., San Diego, Calif., received a $93.7 million contract for the engineering and manufacturing development of a vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV). It was planned to operate VTUAVs from any air-capable ship as well as confined land areas, enhancing the ability to provide real-time intelligence.

10 In ongoing efforts to balance sea-shore rotation, the Secretary of the Navy approved the merger of the Aviation Storekeeper (AK) and Storekeeper (SK) ratings, to be completed by 1 January 2003.

11 Raytheon Co., Madison, Miss., was awarded an initial $68.6 million contract to provide aircraft support for all models of the 81 Navy and 28 Air Force C-12 Hurons.

15 The successful conclusion of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet operational evaluation was announced, recommending its introduction into the fleet. During the six-month test period, VX-9, NAWC China Lake, Calif., flew 1,233 hours during more than 850 sorties and expended more than 400,000 pounds of ordnance.

18 Raytheon Co., Vienna, Va., was awarded a $29.8 million contract to provide repair services for the F/A-18 Hornet AN/APG-65 radar.

24 The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., received a $162 million contract for Lot 4 production of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) in the low-rate initial production phase, scheduled for March 2001--February 2002. The JDAM guidance kit converts unguided, free-fall bombs into guided "smart" weapons. The Navy ordered a total of 916 of Boeing's version.

March

HSL-43 Det 7 returned from a counternarcotics deployment to the Caribbean and eastern Pacific on board Curts (FFG 38), during which it supported the interdiction or seizure of more than 8,200 pounds of cocaine. In addition, search and rescue missions rescued a total of 127 Ecuadorian migrants adrift at sea.

1 Following a study of alternative live-fire training sites, including inspections of Cape Wrath, Scotland, and Capo Teulada, Sardinia, Senator James M. Inhofe, (R-Okla.), head of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, reported that no adequate substitute to Vieques Island, P.R., existed.

1 Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen approved the merger of the Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures), AMS, and the Aviation Structural Mechanic (Hydraulics), AMH, ratings. Conversion to the AM rating is automatic, and the current badge will be maintained.

2 Sabreliner Corp., Neosho, Mo., completed the manufacture of the initial lot of 50 RM-6599 engines used to power the AQM-37 supersonic drone utilized as a target by Naval Aviators during training.

8 Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., received two contract awards totaling more than $667 million for production of the AN/APG-73 radar for Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Australian Air Force F/A- 18 Hornets and Super Hornets.

9 The Marine Reserve accepted delivery of two Cessna UC-35C Citation Ultra aircraft.

13 The first permanent hangar designed and built specifically for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) celebrated its opening at the Webster Field annex, NAS Patuxent River, Md. The $2.4 million project was crucial to VC-6's Pioneer UAV Det A, which had been forced to operate and maintain its Pioneers at the mercy of the elements.

14 Remains returned from Vietnam were identified as Maj. Charles E. Finney, USMC, who was lost on 17 Mar 1969 when his A-6A Intruder went down during a night armed reconnaissance mission over Laos, and Cdr. James W. Hall, whose A-7C Corsair II was shot down by what was reported as a surface-to-air missile on 28 October 1972 over Nghe An province, North Vietnam.

16 In his final report Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force declared the Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response operationally suitable and effective.

17 Raytheon Co., Wichita, Kans., began deliveries of the T-6A Texan II to Randolph AFB, Texas, for multiservice operational test and evaluation.

17 Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $162 million contract for Lot 14 production of 439 AIM- 120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles through July 2002, 90 of which were for the Navy.

18 Twenty-two F/A-18C Hornets from VFAs 82 and 86, NAS Cecil Field, Fla., were reassigned to MCAS Beaufort, S.C., in preparation for Cecil Field's upcoming disestablishment.

20 "The Spirit of Space," an exhibit dedicated to RAdm. Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was unveiled at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Fla. The centerpiece of the exhibit was a 6-foot-10-inch bronze statue of the astronaut sculpted by Capt. Robert Rasmussen (Ret.). Shepard, a Naval Aviator, gained fame as America's first man in space during his epic 15-minute flight on board Freedom 7 on 5 May 1961.

24 RAdm. Andrew A. Granuzzo transferred the Gray Eagle title to RAdm. James I. Maslowski in a ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard. Since 21 March 1995 Granuzzo had been the Naval Aviator on active duty with the earliest designation date.

24 The Department of Defense issued its Laser Master Plan, which included a statement that laser technology could undermine U.S. air power by targeting aircrew members' vision using lasers on the ground to produce eye damage or disabling flashblindness. To counter the threat, a team led by LCdr. Sean Biggerstaff, MSC, IJSN, working at NAS Fallon, Nev., and at the Naval Health Research Center Det., Brooks AFB, San Antonio, Texas, developed the Laser Threat Analysis and Mission Planning System between 1993 and 2000.

25 The amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima (LHD 7) was christened at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.

27 Cdr. Ronald Weisbrook and LCdr. Daryl Martis, both from the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, released the first GBU-31 (v)2/B Joint Direct Attack Munition from their F-14D Tomcat during tests at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

28 An Omega Air 707-321B arrived at NAS Patuxent River, Md., to begin conversion into the first modern commercial aerial refueling tanker for the fleet.

30 Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $30.2 million contract for AN/ARC-210 radios, with options for an additional $85 million for follow-on orders. Scheduled to be installed on both Navy and Marine aircraft, the AN/ARC-210 provides reliable and secure communications in both the tactical and air traffic control environments.

30 Luxell Technologies, Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, received a $3.1 million contract from Lockheed Martin-Egan to supply flat-panel displays for the Block Mod Update to upgrade avionics systems on the P-3C Orion, bringing the total awarded to Luxell through the month up to $7.3 million. Delivery of the displays, scheduled to begin in February 2001, was expected to run for three years.

31 The AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile completed its fourth guided launch by intercepting a QF-4 Phantom II target at NAWC China Lake, Calif. The Sidewinder was fired from an F/A-18C Hornet flown by LCdr. Terry Barrett, Naval Weapons Test Squadron. The launch was the first conducted in a dogfight scenario involving defensive infrared countermeasure flares, and the first using the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System.

31 The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition accepted a brief from the F/A-18 program manager certifying that all Milestone III exit criteria had been met by the Super Hornet. A total of 69 Super Hornets had already been delivered or were on order by this date.

31 The first T-45C Goshawk trainer with USMC markings (BuNo 165475) arrived at NAS Meridian, Miss., joining the 31 Navy-marked Goshawks already there.

April

Ground was broken at NAS Oceana, Va., for construction of a $9.9 million "hush house." Completion of the sound-proof building, designed to contain jet engine turn-up noise during maintenance, was expected for fall 2001.

VFA-122, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet readiness squadron, conducted carrier qualifications on board Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), with seven Super Hornets completing 293 arrested landings.

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., demonstrated for the first time an extended-range Joint Direct Attack Munition at Eglin AFB, Fla.

3 Adm. Vein E. Clark was nominated to relieve Naval Aviator Adm. Jay L. Johnson as Chief of Naval Operations.

4 Clipper was approved as the name for the Navy's C-40A transports converted from a Boeing 737-700C. Designed to replace the C-9 Skytrain, it could carry 121 passengers, 8 pallets, or a combination of both. Six of the aircraft were planned for the Naval Reserve by 2001, four at Fort Worth, Texas, and two at Jacksonville, Fla.

6 F/A-18C Hornets from CVW-9 embarked on board John C. Stennis (CVN 74) struck Iraqi air defense targets in the southern no-fly zone in response to antiaircraft fire.

6 A joint two-year U.S./German test program to develop short takeoff and landing capabilities utilizing the X-31 thrust vectoring technology demonstrator began at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

6 The Hawkeye 2000 Integrated Test Team completed the first flight of Mission Computer Build 2A.1 software, initiating the second phase of flight testing of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). CEC was developed to improve the fleet's ability to respond to the expanding airborne and antiship missile threat by enhancing the distribution of real-time data, thus enabling threats to be engaged beyond the radar horizon.

7 Ltjg. Brian Hess, USNR, became the 1,000th student to earn Wings of Gold through the T-45 Training System.

8 A ceremony was held off Liepaja, Latvia, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the loss of PB4Y-2 Privateer (BuNo 59645) from VP-26 Det A. While on a routine patrol from Wiesbaden, West Germany, on 8 April 1950 the Privateer was shot down by Soviet aircraft over the Baltic Sea off Liepaja. Ten crewmen were lost: Lts. John H. Fette and Howard W. Seeschaf; Ltjg. Robert D. Reynolds; Ens. Tommy L. Burgess; and Petty Officers Joe H. Danens, Jr., Jack W. Thomas, Frank L. Beckman, Edward J. Purcell, Joseph J. Bourassa and Joseph N. Rinnier, Jr.

8 An MV-22B Osprey from the Multiservice Operational Test Team, NAS Patuxent River, Md., attached to MAWTS-l, MCAS Yuma, Ariz., crashed at Marana Northwest Regional Airport near Tucson, Ariz., killing 19 Marines. The Osprey was on a two-plane operational evaluation flight. The crash forced a temporary grounding of all Ospreys.

13 The X-31 thrust-vectoring technology demonstrator aircraft arrived at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

14 At Renton Municipal Airport, Renton, Wash., the C-40A Clipper made its initial flight.

20 A $375 million contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Fla., to provide training equipment, analysis and support for naval aircraft through March 2008, with initial efforts focusing on the F/A-18, KC-130, EA-6B and F-14.

25 The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile was rolled out at Lockheed Martin, Troy, Ala.

26 The Navy announced that an advanced neural network technique to increase the detail in satellite images had been developed. Using the human eye as a model, the technique revealed the composition of information contained in a pixel, and was under consideration for the Hornet program to assist pilots in passive surveillance.

28 An upgrade giving the F/A- 1 8A Hornet the capabilities of the F/A1 8C began with the arrival of the first F/A-18A from VFA-203, Atlanta, Ga., at Naval Weapons Test Squadron, China Lake, Calif.

May

During an exercise conducted over the Atlantic Test Range, Patuxent River, Md., LCdr. Eric Holmberg of the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron released the first Joint Direct Attack Munition MK 84 (2,000-pound version) from a Super Hornet.

Carl Vinson (CVN 70) completed yard work at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., which the ship entered on 12 November 1999.

The Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response reached its full-rate production milestone following the signing of the Acquisition Decision Memorandum.

HSL-94 interdicted the flow of drug shipments into the U.S. during a counternarcotics deployment to the Caribbean. In late May, one of its SH-2G Super Seasprites assisted Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG 13) in the seizure of 28 bales of cocaine totaling nearly a ton off the coast of Columbia.

1 The Cooperative Engagement Capability program was authorized to move forward with the third of four low-rate initial production buys.

11 The first of two "proof-of-concept" Sikorsky SH-60R helicopters, a remanufacture of the SH-60B/F and HH-60H with modified airframe and avionics, arrived at NAS Patuxent River, Md., for developmental and contractor testing. The SH-60R was planned for antisubmarine warfare and antisurface vessel surveillance and targeting. A total of 243 SH-60s were scheduled for conversion into SH-60Rs between 2000 and 2010.

12 The Naval Museum of Armament and Technology was established at NAWC China Lake, Calif.

13 The defense minister of the Republic of Korea announced that the Republic of Korea War Service Medal was available to all eligible U.S. veterans of that conflict or their surviving next of kin.

15 The first production CH-60S helicopter arrived at NAS Patuxent River, Md., to begin developmental testing.

16 Kaman Aerospace Corp., Bloomfield, Conn., received a $2.7 million follow-on contract for further development of a remotely piloted K-MAX helicopter for the Marine Corps.

17 LCdr. Kevin Mannix of VFA-25 became the first pilot to fly and perform carrier qualifications following corrective laser eye surgery when he trapped his Hornet on board Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

17 Responding to a vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee to cut 25 percent from DOD's 2001 budget for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the Secretary of Defense issued a statement that only the JSF provided the capability and security for the fleet's future fighters. The Navy envisioned a total force of 480 JSF carrier aircraft, while the Marines planned for 609 short takeoff/vertical landing types.

18 Remains returned from Cambodia were identified as six Marines lost during the Maya guez incident on 14 May 1975 off Koh Tang island in the Gulf of Thailand. On 12 May 1975 U.S. merchantman Mayaguez was illegally seized by the Khmer Rouge in international waters. During the rescue mission on the 14th, one of the six USAF helos carrying Marines from Battalion Landing Teams 2 and 9 was shot down, leaving 13 men unaccounted for. Six Marines were recovered: LCpls. Gregory S. Copenhaver and Ancires Garcia and Pvts. 1st Class Walter Boyd and Kelton R. Turner. The names of the other two Marines were withheld at the request of their families.

19 The president approved the establishment of the Kosovo Campaign Medal and campaign streamers.

24 The X-32 Joint Strike Fighter completed initial low- and medium-speed taxi tests at the Boeing Co., Palmdale, Calif.

25 While embarked on board Valley Forge (CG 50) during a counternarcotics mission in the eastern Pacific, a helo from HSL-49 Det 2 operated by LCdr. John Hunt, Ltjg. Jeremy Niles and AW3 Paul Amado participated in the rescue of 12 castaways who were adrift in their vessel.

30 Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., was awarded a $1.2 million contract by the Navy to plan for the second Planned Incremental Availability (nonpropulsion work) of John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

June

Aircraft 763, the last ES-3A Shadow left on board NAS Jacksonville, Fla., since the deactivation of VQ-6 on 30 September 1999, departed for NAS Pensacola, Fla.

The E-2C Hawkeye 2000 completed its 400th flight hour during testing in Puerto Rico.

1 The Navy announced the introduction of SEE/RESCUE, a six-ounce passive and continuous emergency distress signaling pocket rescue unit requiring no batteries, chemicals or electronics. During testing, the device was visually identified by search and rescue teams from an altitude of up to 3,000 feet and over one mile away.

5 The MV-22B Osprey resumed operational evaluation flights.

8 During an exercise at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., the integrated weapon capabilities of the Boeing Company's Joint Strike Fighter design were demonstrated. A modified 737-200 was used to gather and refine data for an F-15 Eagle, allowing the F-15 to attack a ground target with a global positioning system-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition.

14 The first KC-130J tanker/transport made its initial flight at Lockheed Martin, Marietta, Ga. A potential replacement for the KC-130, the Marines had ordered eight aircraft, as well as requesting four per year until all 51 active KC-130F/Rs and 28 reserve KC-130Ts were replaced.

16 The Navy announced an $8.9 billion multiyear contract with the Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., for full-rate production of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The contract provided for a total purchase of 222 aircraft over five years, with 36 aircraft in 2000, 42 in 2001 and 48 for each of the following three years. By this date a total of 28 Super Hornets had flown over 9,200 hours, meeting or exceeding all performance criteria.

16 During testing at NAWC China Lake, Calif., images from an Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System-equipped F/A-18D Hornet were data-linked to the Marine Corps Tactical Exploitation Group.

17 For the first time since 8 April, the MV-22B Osprey flew with passengers, including Marine Commandant Gen. James L. Jones.

19 The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., announced that it had completed the fourth full-mission simulation of the Joint Strike Fighter operational concept, with both U.S. and British pilots flying approximately 100 simulated air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

23 Raytheon Co., Lexington, Mass., received an initial $31.4 million contract for the Joint Signals Intelligence Avionics Family Modernization on the EP-3E Aries II. The upgrade was intended to enhance communication and processing capabilities.

29 Naval Force Aircraft Test Squadron, NAS Patuxent River, Md., began testing an eight-blade propeller for the E-2C Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound. Following fleet introduction in 2001, all Hawkeyes and Greyhounds were expected to have the new prop by 2006.

29 The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., demonstrated Flashjet, an environmentally friendly paint stripper, on an EA-6B Prowler.

29 The Boeing Co., Mesa, Ariz., announced that it had selected the Advanced 27mm Aircraft Cannon, based on the BK27 developed by Mauser-Werke Oberndorf of Germany, for its Joint Strike Fighter aircraft design.

29 The Navy announced that The Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response had reported for duty with the fleet.

30 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Navy awarded agreements to the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp., each receiving $2 million for the first phase of the Naval Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV-N) Advanced Technology Program. The program's goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of the UCAV-N in enemy air defense suppression.

30 The Marine Corps announced that after considering seven other routes, no feasible alternatives to a helo flight path between MCAS Miramar and Camp Pendleton, both in California, existed. Residents near the bases had initiated legal action to end the flights.

July

2 The destroyer McCampbell (DDG 85) was christened at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. The ship honored Capt. David McCampbell, who was awarded the Medal of Honor and became the Navy's top ace with 34 confirmed kills against the Japanese during WW II.

5 The Chief of Naval Operations established a new office on his immediate staff, the Assistant CNO for Missile Defense, responsible for both theater ballistic missile and cruise missile defense.

10 The Boeing Co. announced that it had been awarded one of four concept exploration contracts for the Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) program. The $493,000 contract was signed to explore options for the P-3 Orion and EP-3 Aries replacement.

12 The Navy announced that it had increased the 2000 Aviation Career Continuation Pay program to improve retention, giving Naval Aviators potential earnings of up to $245,000 in bonuses through 25 years of aviation service. Additional options were available for shorter term contracts.

15 The MV-22B Osprey completed its operational evaluation at MCAS New River, N.C.

16 The F/A-18F Super Hornet made its international debut when two from VFA-122 flew nonstop from NAS Patuxent River, Md., to Farnborough, England, for the international air show. Also debuting was a full-scale model of the X-32A Joint Strike Fighter.

21 Adm. Vern E. Clark relieved Adm. Jay L. Johnson as Chief of Naval Operations in a ceremony at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

24 The P-3C Block Modernization Upgrade Program Development Test Integration Facility opened at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

25 The first CV-22, the special operations version of the V-22 Osprey, rolled out at Bell Helicopter Textron, Ft. Worth, Texas.

25 The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., completed testing of its version of the Joint Strike Fighter short take-off/vertical landing propulsion system, accomplishing over 220 transitions between conventional and STOVL operating modes.

26 Belleau Wood (LHA 3) and Essex (LHD 2) swapped commands in Sasebo, Japan. Swaps enable crews of forward-deployed ships to switch ships rather than impacting families by moving them to new home ports. The swap was the fleet's largest to date, requiring six weeks to complete.

26 NASA announced its 2000 Astronaut Candidate Class. Naval Aviation personnel included LCdrs. Stephen G. Bowen and Barry E. Wilmore; Lt. Dominic A. Antonelli; and Marine Maj. Douglas G. Hurley.

30 Retired RAdm. Louis A. Williams died in San Diego, Calif. Among his achievements during his 32 years of naval service was his appointment as the first African American flight instructor at Pre-Flight School, Pensacola, Fla.

August

The LITENING II targeting pod, which provides an air-to-ground laser target designation capability, was approved for the AV-8B Harrier II.

10 Lt. Matt Heckemeyer and wife Kerry purchased Trader Jon's establishment in Pensacola, Fla., from the family of Martin Weissman, who died in February. Weissman purchased the tavern in the 1950s, which soon became a shrine to Naval Aviators. One room housed memorabilia dedicated to the Navy's flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels.

11 A U.S.-Russian team identified the crash site of a PV-l Ventura on the slope of Mutnovskiy volcano in eastern Kamchatka, Russia. Part of a five-plane reconnaissance and bombing mission against the Japanese in the Kurile Islands on 25 March 1944, the Ventura failed to return to its airfield on Attu, Aleutian Islands.

12 Naval Aviation assets were alerted to support Russian efforts to recover the Russian Oscar II class submarine Kursk (K 141), which sank in the Barents Sea due to an accidental explosion. However, Russia initially declined assistance and her crew of 118 was not rescued.

17 The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., selected Martin-Baker to produce the ejection seat design for its version of the Joint Strike Fighter. The design was to be a derivative of the MK 16 series already used in the T-6 Texan II.

17 An acquisition decision memorandum approving the full-rate production of the F/A-18 Hornet's Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System was signed.

21 Capt. David A. Rogers, commanding officer, NAS Fallon, Nev., replaced retired Capt. Lonny McClung as president of the Tailhook Association. As the first active duty president of the association since 1991, Rogers initiated the restoration of the association's ties with active duty Naval Aviators.

22 President Clinton signed the 2001 Defense Appropriations Act, paving the way for a 3.7 percent pay raise for service members effective on 1 January 2001. Naval Aviation procurements included $4.2 billion for 42 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, $1.1 billion for the V-22 Osprey and $4 billion for the CVN 77 aircraft carrier.

23 The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., received a $10.4 million contract to begin low-rate initial production of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. Thirty-seven of the systems were ordered for the Super Hornet through 2002.

23 The George Washington (CVN 73) battle group assisted Bahraini forces in the recovery of Gulf Air flight 072, which had crashed in the Arabian Gulf. Search and rescue personnel were directed to the scene and supported by two HS-15 helos.

24 The Improved Tactical Air Launched Decoy completed a test flight at NAWC China Lake, Calif. Developed by Israeli Military Industries, the decoy was created to more accurately imitate manned aircraft.

25 Flight restrictions temporarily grounded three types of aircraft: 198 Marine AH-1W Cobras, due to older rotor blades possibly susceptible to cracking; 165 Marine CH-53E Super Stallions, due to a crash on 10 August of an MH-53E off Corpus Christi, Texas; and 11 Ospreys, following a preliminary landing of one at Camp Lejeune, N.C., due to a drive-shaft coupling failure.

25 The final F/A-18D Hornet, slated for delivery to VMFA(AW)-121, MCAS Miramar, Calif., rolled off the production line.

September

An F/A-18C Hornet flown by Cdr. Michael Murphy delivered an improved Joint Stand-Off Weapon with enhanced guidance electronics during testing at NAWC China Lake, Calif.

1 The flight restriction that temporarily grounded the MV-22B Osprey was lifted, allowing two of the aircraft to resume flying while inspections continued on the remainder.

9 The C-40A Clipper was introduced to the Naval Reserve in a ceremony at Boeing Field, Seattle, Wash.

12 General Dynamics, Burlington, Vt., was awarded a $45 million contract for the development of three turreted gun systems based on the 12.7mm GAU-19/A Gatling gun for testing for the V-22 Osprey. Testing was expected to be completed by February 2005.

14 Twelve Moroccan castaways adrift in the Mediterranean were rescued in a joint effort by Briscoe (DD 977) and a P-3C Orion from VP-45 piloted by Lt. Robert Dinunzio.

14 The F/A-18 Hornet commemorated its four-millionth flight hour.

14 Four Marine CH-53E Super Stallions were the first of the aircraft to resume flight following the 25 August grounding order.

15 Remains returned from Vietnam were identified as LCdr. Roger B. Innes, who was lost on 27 December 1967 when his F-4B Phantom II failed to return to Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) from an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. The name of the other officer lost was not released at the request of his family.

18 Test pilot Fred Knox flew the X-32A Joint Strike Fighter on its first flight at the Boeing Co., Palmdale, Calif.

18 The first CV-22 Osprey arrived at Edwards AFB, Calif. The Osprey was one of two that began conversion in June from an MV-22B at Bell Helicopter, Arlington, Texas.

20 The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile completed its first engineering and manufacturing development controls flight test at Eglin AFB, Fla.

20 Raytheon Co., Madison, Miss., was awarded an initial $77.2 million contract to provide logistics support for 312 T-34C Turbo-Mentor and 55 T-44A Pegasus aircraft.

22 The AIM-9X Sidewinder was approved for low-rate initial production.

26 Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a six-year, $180 million contract to replace 545 test program kits used with the Consolidated Automated Support System for testing avionics, radar and electronic warfare systems.

27 Testing of the Cooperative Engagement Capability system against drone-simulated threats was completed off Wallops Island, Va. Participating commands under Commander Carrier Group 6 included Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and Wasp (LHD 1).

27 The X-45A unmanned combat aerial vehicle was unveiled at the Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo.

29 Flying a T-45A Goshawk, Ltjg. Jonathan Bear, a student in VT-22, NAS Kingsville, Texas, logged the six millionth cumulative hour for the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour power plant.

October

General Electric Aircraft was awarded a $385 million contract for 73 F414-GE-400 engines for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, with deliveries scheduled between June 2001 and May 2002.

1 Under a realignment in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, the Director, Air Warfare Division (N88) was redesignated N78.

2 The Pioneer became the first unmanned aerial vehicle to be inducted into the National Air and Space Museum.

4 Following a detailed cost comparison validating the command's cost savings, the Navy announced that the Pacesetters of NADEP Jacksonville, Fla., would continue to perform technical data support functions.

6 The Secretary of the Navy announced the award of a contract worth almost $7 billion to Electronic Data Systems Corp. to build and maintain the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet.

10 The Secretary of Defense announced that the U.S. would not raise its troop strength in the Balkans above 10,000. At this date there were almost 6,500 American personnel in the region, including Naval Aviation commands.

10 An F-16 Fighting Falcon covered with aircraft appliques completed testing at Lockheed Martin, Fort Worth, Texas. The appliques, consisting of paint-replacement adhesive films, were under consideration as a less costly alternative for aircraft exteriors.

12 While refueling in Aden, Yemen, en route to a port visit in Bahrain during her deployment with the George Washington (CVN 73) battle group, destroyer Cole (DDG 67) was damaged by a terrorist bomb carried on board an inflatable speedboat, killing 17 sailors and wounding 42. Cole suffered flooding in the engineering spaces, but heroic damage control efforts saved her. Naval Aviation assets, including Tarawa (LHA 1), responded immediately, providing support throughout the crisis. On 9 November Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., was selected to repair the destroyer.

13 The Navy declared the MV-22B Osprey operationally effective and suitable for land-based operations. Additional testing of the blade-fold wing stow system was planned to determine shipboard suitability.

13 Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., was awarded a $161 million contract for research and design development engineering in support of the future CVNX carrier program.

16 The first remanufactured AH-1Z Super Cobra completed restrained ground run tests at Bell Helicopter, Arlington, Texas.

21 The X-35A Joint Strike Fighter completed taxi tests at Lockheed Martin, Palmdale, Calif. Test pilot Tom Morgenfeld performed the tests, which were for the conventional takeoff and landing version of the JSF.

24 Test pilot Tom Morgenfeld flew the X-35A Joint Strike Fighter for its first flight at Lockheed Martin, Palmdale, Calif.

26 The Navy authorized low-rate initial production of the Integrated Mechanical Diagnostics Health and Usage Monitoring System for the Marine Corps' CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon.

30 Harry S. Gann, 75, passed away after a battle with cancer. Following WW II Army service, Gann joined Douglas Aircraft in 1954, where he helped design control systems for aircraft such as the A4D Skyhawk, A3D Slcywarrior and F-6 (F4D) Skyray. Retiring in 1992, Gann was the curator of the Command Museum, MCAS El Toro, Calif., until 1996. He was a founder of the American Aviation Historical Society, and was designated an Honorary Marine Aviator in 1975, an Honorary Blue Angel in 1979, and Honorary Naval Aviator No. 24 in 1997.

November

Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron competed initial shipboard testing of the CH-60S.

7 The X-35A Joint Strike Fighter completed its first aerial refueling when its pilot, LCol. Paul Smith, USAF, rendezvoused with an Air Force KG- 135 Stratotanker over Edwards AFB, Calif.

8 At NAS Patuxent River, Md., Capt. J. B. Hollyer and Lt. Kevin Quarderer completed the first flight of the T-34C Turbo-Mentor with the addition of wing pylons for external stores.

8 Following the successful demonstration of the MV-22B Osprey's blade-fold wing stow system in sea trials conducted on board Bataan (LHD 5) on 31 October, the aircraft was declared suitable for shipboard operations.

10 Maj. Art Tomassetti became the first Marine to fly the X-35A Joint Strike Fighter, celebrating the 225th birthday of the Corps with his flight at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

13 A laser guidance system developed by Lockheed Martin primarily for the Paveway II GBU-16 laser-guided bomb was tested at NAWC China Lake, Calif.

15 The X-32A Joint Strike Fighter began field carrier landing practice testing at Edwards AFB, Calif.

17 A CH-60S at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., received an experimental coat of three-shade flat, haze gray paint specifically designed to reduce air pollution through the elimination of volatile organic compounds. The project was being reviewed for Navy-wide adoption.

20 The first AH-1Z Super Cobra rolled out at Bell Helicopter Textron, Arlington, Texas.

21 Test pilot Tom Morgenfield broke the sound barrier in the X-35A Joint Strike Fighter over Edwards AFB, Calif.

28 The Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) battle group began a deployment to the Mediterranean, where it was scheduled to relieve the George Washington (CVN 73) battle group. This was Truman's maiden deployment.

30 Marine officials stated their confidence in the MV-22B Osprey's readiness for low-rate initial production, citing 118 improvements designed to address concerns raised in a report by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation concerning its reliability, maintainability, availability and interoperability.

December

During the final weeks of 2000, efforts by private organizations to save Cabot (CVL 28) as a memorial were unsuccessful. The ship, the last of her type, was consigned to the scrappers.

VMFA-115, MCAS Beaufort, S.C., accepted delivery of the first F/A-18A Hornet upgraded to F/A-18C capabilities.

4 The X-32A Joint Strike Fighter completed low-speed approach carrier tests at Edwards AFB, Calif.

7 The AH-1Z Super Cobra flew for the first time at Bell Helicopter Textron, Arlington, Texas.

7 A Naval Air Systems Command engineering team at NAS Patuxent River, Md., completed a V-22 multipurpose cargo mockup laboratory.

RESCUE AT SEA

On the afternoon of 17 December CGAS Elizabeth City, N.C., received word that the 600-foot Panamanian-flagged cruise ship Sea Breeze I, en route to Charleston, S.C., from Halifax, Nova Scotia, was experiencing flooding in her engine room and was foundering in 25-foot seas 200 miles east of Cape Charles, Va. Fighting 30-knot winds, two Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawks raced to the scene and rescued Solon M. Papadopoulos, the ship's master (shown above thanking the helo's pilot), and 33 of his crew. Twenty-six of the men were hauled up into the first helo, which together with the four Coast Guard crew members, established a record for an HH-60J with 30 people packed on board! Two HC-130H Hercules supported the rescue efforts as the helos headed for land with their grateful passengers.

7 The first fleet F/A-18E Super Hornet (BuNo 165781), flown by Cdr. Jeffrey Penfield, arrived at VFA-115, NAS Lemoore, Calif. The aircraft was scheduled for its maiden deployment on board Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in 2002.

11 All MV-22B Ospreys were grounded following the crash near Jacksonville, N.C., of an Osprey from Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Training Squadron 204, MCAS New River, N.C., which killed four Marines.

14 Members of the Joint Strike Fighter test team completed the validation of a hover pit facility for Joint Strike Fighter testing at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

15 The Secretary of Defense announced the appointment of an independent high-level V-22 review panel chaired by Marine Gen. John R. Dailey.

16 Test pilot Joe Sweeney flew the X-35C carrier version of the Joint Strike Fighter on its first flight at Lockheed Martin, Palmdale, Calif.

19 The X-32A Joint Strike Fighter completed its first aerial refueling when Cdr. Phillip Yates rendezvoused with an Air Force KC-10A Extender over Edwards AFB, Calif.

20 Nassau (LHA 4) rescued 29 people adrift in their boat in the Mediterranean.

20 RAdm. James I. Maslowski transferred the Gray Eagle title to VAdm. Arthur K. Cebrowski in a ceremony at the Naval War College, Newport, R.I. The title honors the Naval Aviator on active duty with the earliest designation date.

21 The X-32A Joint Strike Fighter, flown by LCol. Edward Cabrera, USAF, broke the sound barrier over Edwards AFB, Calif.

21 Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $43 million contract for Lot 1 low-rate initial production of the AIM-9X Sidewinder. A total of 5,000 of the missiles were planned for the fleet over an 18-year production run.

22 LCdr. Brian Goszkowicz flew the Navy's first flight of the X-35C Joint Strike Fighter at Edwards AFB, Calif.

27 The Department of Defense announced an $8.6 million award to 19 investigators and organizations to fund their high-energy laser research proposals.

29 Donald H. Rumsfield, a former Naval Aviator, was nominated as Secretary of Defense.

30 An SH-60B Seahawk from HSL-42 Det 8, embarked on board San Jacinto (CG 56), participated in the rescue of 11 Yemeni castaways adrift in their boat 60 miles off the coast of Yemen.

Aircraft Accepted in 2000
Bureau Number  Qty  Type     Name          Contractor
165302-165304  3    E-2C     Hawkeye       Grumman
165421-165430  10   AV-8B    Harrier II    Boeing
165436-165442  7    MV-22B   Osprey        Bell/Boeing
165472-165487  16   T-45C    Goshawk       Boeing
165566-165567  2    AV-8B    Harrier II    Boeing
165661-165667  7    F/A-18E  Super Hornet  Boeing
165669-165679  11   F/A-18F  Super Hornet  Boeing
165682-165687  6    F/A-18D  Hornet        Boeing
165737         1    KC-130J  Hercules      Lockheed
165742-165751  10   CH-60S   Seahawk       Sikorsky
165779-165781  3    F/A-18E  Super Hornet  Boeing
165793-165797  5    F/A-18F  Super Hornet  Boeing
Bureau Numbers Issued in 2000
Numbers below were assigned by CNO during 2000 for future Navy and
Marine Corps aircraft procurement:
Numbers        Qty  Type       Name          Contractor
165860-165937  78   F/A-18E/F  Super Hornet  Boeing
165938-165939  2    UC-35D                   Cessna
165940-165956  17   V-22       Osprey        Bell/Boeing
165957         1    KC-130J    Hercules      Lockheed
165958-166285  327  T-6A       Texan II      Raytheon
166286         1    TC-18F                   Boeing
166287-166288  2    AV-8B      Harrier II    Boeing
166289-166373  85   CH-60S     Seahawk       Sikorsky