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Call Two: Fly Navy... Mostly
We will focus on several elements of Naval Aviation
Joe K.
April 27, 2025
First, we’re going to take a one call break from Canada as a topic. Canada’s federal election is Monday, speculation is wild what’s coming plus what’s next and we’ll be talking about the very real consequences from that election result in two weeks. I may be able to invite a special guest from The Great White North. As always, G*d BLESS Canada.
With that, there are several burning topics that are all related to Naval Aviation that I feel are worthy of review.
The Zoom Call info:
First, the Zoom info:
Topic: Military Aerospace Video Call
Time: Apr 27, 2025 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89229292148?pwd=64zGOdogJOcaf9mZohRCIzrHOEIrOE.1
Meeting ID: 892 2929 2148 Passcode: 19820325
One tap mobile +12532050468,,89229292148#,,,,*19820325# US +12532158782,,89229292148#,,,,*19820325# US (Tacoma)
Fighting the Houthis
Below are some sample news stories about the ongoing mostly US Navy fight against Houthi piracy/terrorism:
“A renewed campaign kicked off mid-March and hasn't stopped since. U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations across the greater Middle East, has been boasting "24/7" coverage.”
“The Houthis survived years of attacks from a Saudi-led coalition backed by the U.S. and U.K.”
“There are now two U.S. aircraft carriers, the Harry S. Truman and the Carl Vinson, in the CENTCOM region.”
F-35Cs are also striking targets in Yemen, with their stealth being of unique importance as the Houthi air defense threat comes into the spotlight.
The War Zone: What Air Defenses Do The Houthis In Yemen Actually Have?
“The loss of nearly 20 MQ-9 Reapers, increasing use of standoff munitions, and the deployment of B-2 bombers point to the Houthis’ air defenses being a real problem.”
“In a very challenging situation, we had to evolve how and when we flew. The Super Hornet’s capabilities continued to evolve even as we were deployed. It made the difference between being able to defend something or not,”
“We primarily used the Growler to make sure our aircraft were safe,” Scott said, adding that “the Super Hornet and the EA-18G were very synergistic” and the Growler “extremely effective at electronic surveillance.”
Ward Carroll: Iran Abandons Houthis as U.S. Showdown Looms
NAS Whidbey Island… Fighting the COER, Training the Future
Ward Carroll: Locals Trying to Shut Down Air Station Because of Jet Noise
Yes, I am in the above YouTube. Please watch the 16 minutes of not just NAS Whidbey Island but also NAS Oceana history.
Originally scheduled to conclude on April 28, the Navy will now accept comments until 11:59 p.m. PDT May 13. Comments can be submitted to the project website, or by mail to: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic; Attention: Code EV21JB (Growler Project Manager); 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23508‐1278. Comments should describe specific issues or topics.
“Flying the T-54A from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island truly demonstrates its capabilities. Students are set to start training on the new plane in the next few weeks and this milestone would not have been possible without the exceptional leadership of Cdr. Michael “Textron” Brammer and the entire Multi Engine Training System (METS) FIT Team at Training Wing Four. Their dedication and expertise have been instrumental in ensuring the seamless transition to this aircraft.”
The T-54A fleet is located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi as a member of Training Wing Four. The Navy’s newest generation of student naval aviators will use the T-54A to earn their wings of gold and go on to fly aircraft such as the P-8A Poseidon, E-2D Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey, E6-B Mercury, and the C-130 Hercules.
Brits Set Sail to HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Battle Group
In other news, the United Kingdom Royal Navy has set sail to the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Battle Group. But the Brits were only able to send out a few support ships.
The Royal Navy Order of Battle
The Operation Highmast escort fleet
I admit to having commandeered a couple images from X for us. This fleet is clearly less than a US Navy Carrier Battle Group and significantly less than the Royal Navy fleet sent to retake the Falklands in 1982.
Royal Air Force: UK's F-35 Lightning force ready for full operational capability on major international deployment
“A total of 18 F-35Bs will be embarked for the majority of the deployment, surging to 24 for a short period. They are supported by a force of Merlin HM2s, Merlin HC4s, Wildcat HMA2s, and Malloy T-150 and RQ-20 Puma UAVs.”
This deployment is a political and strategic statement - a big piece of UK real estate sailing around the world projecting power, the Government said.
But it is also going to take this CSG to some of the world's most dangerous areas: the Red Sea, where the Houthis are attacking commercial shipping, and the Indo-Pacific, where China is flexing its maritime muscles and vastly expanding its naval power.
Errata
Below is some stuff that doesn’t fit within a theme that I consider important. Please feel free to suggest your own articles to discuss.
Also sorry about the sloppy formatting but I’m still learning beehiv.