The new Marine Corps Crisis Response Force. via Marine Times...
The Pentagon has approved the development of a new 500-man Marine crisis-response force, but the U.S. must still determine where it will be based overseas, two top Marine officers said.Head to Marine Times to read the entire article but let me hit you with this scenario...don't be offended but its a replay of the Libya crisis with a twist...hang in there with me please.
The unit is called Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force–Crisis Response, said Lt. Gen. Richard Tryon, deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations. It will include a company of infantrymen and be based around six MV-22B Ospreys and two KC-130J Hercules tanker planes, he said.
2100 Hours Libya Embassy. A flash message is sent to AFRICOM telling them that a large group of protesters appeared almost out of nowhere. Intel from both the CIA, allied intelligence and military intel did not indicate that there were any indicators pointing to this possibility.
2330 Hours AFRICOM. Upon receiving news of the mob, AFRICOM alerted both the Marine Corps Crisis Response Force (MCCRF) and the SOCOM theater commander attached to his command. He informed SOCOM TC to get his guys ready for possible action.
0100 Hours Libyan Embassy. Message traffic is sent to AFRICOM indicating that local authorities appear to have the situation contained and that the crowd doesn't appear to be getting any larger or violent. It is hoped that after a bit more yelling the crowd will disperse and the citizenry will go about their normal activities. Intel agencies are not able to explain what incited this or why it is occurring.
0130 Hours White House Situation Room. The Watch Officer has been monitoring the situation and has made contact with his counterparts at the DoD, State, CIA, State Dept Diplomatic Security, and AFRICOM. It is decided on a satellite call that the principals will be informed as part of the daily brief as this doesn't appear to be an aggressive act.
0330 Hours AFRICOM. The Combatant Commander is torn. He could start moving forces toward the scene or he could cancel the alert...deciding not to waste a good training opportunity he starts the MCCRF towards Libya. He's tempted to send along the Alert SOCOM unit but the SOCOM TC talks him out of it. Africa is a big place and if intel missed this then there might be a 'real' incident about to pop off at another location.
0400 Hours Libyan Embassy. Shit went from zero to 100 in minutes. One second the Libyan security personnel were there, the next they weren't. A second after that the first RPG hit and suddenly the compound was getting peppered with small arms fire. The Marine Security Guard had begun to secure and return to normal operations when the first grenade hit. The Chucks with flak jackets were exchanged for real deal 782 gear. Kevlars and everything. This was already a long night...now it was going to be a longer day.
0405 Hours AFRICOM. The AFRICOM TC is asking himself one question. What the fuck just happened. How did a simple demonstration suddenly go bad? Luckily he has the MCCRF already enroute. Now the decision had to be made. Does he let them land? Does he commit them to an unknown situation that he doesn't have a clear view of? They're still approximately an hour away. He has little time to dick around. Time to wake the boss.
0500 Hours White House Situation Room. The Principles have all gathered and have been briefed on the issues. The MCCRF is already enroute, the Libyan Government has stated that they are still gathering information but will allow reinforcements to land at the embassy and the President has given the go ahead for DEFENSIVE operations only. The SOCOM Ready Alert Force has been recalled and will be enroute shortly by C-17s. While they won't be able to land directly at the embassy its expected that the fast, high flying airplane will arrive soon enough to make a difference if things go bad.
0500 Hours AQ Assault Force. The AQ Commander has studied American operations in Afghanistan and their reaction to the first attack in Libya. He is aware of the loss of face that the Americans received (even though the American public was too stupid to realize it) by having an Ambassador---the freaking equivalent of a 3 or 4 star General killed by his men. This time they would be smarter. They wouldn't kill the messenger of SATAN. No. This time they would kidnap him, make money off his suffering and then slaughter him like a goat on the internet to make the American people fear TRUE ISLAM and understand what will happen to all foreigners that invade their lands. Besides. He also studied the American Marines new force. A crisis response force they call it. He knew that the easiest way to kill Marines were in the air. Before they touched down. Videos, brochures and articles on the V-22 indicated that while fast and high flying it had one glaring flaw. When transitioning to helicopter mode and flying low and slow it could not maneuver like a helicopter. It was crazy vulnerable. It had no protective firepower like the CH-47 and CH-53 that had guns sticking out both sides and at the ramp. Fire at the beast from either head on or at the sides and they would risk nothing. The trap was set and his anti-air teams were already sliding into place. It wouldn't be long.
0530 Approaching the Libyan Embassy. Squad Leaders are doing last minute equipment checks, weapons are being readied and the Company Commander and the Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander have both agreed that they'll do staggered landings two by two to get the force on the ground as quick as possible. They would land inside the compound because it would be more secure, they would avoid the issue of landing on Libyan soil.
0545 AQ Assault Force. The first two V-22 can be heard approaching. The MCCRF would...if it were attached to an MEU have a couple or more AH-1Zs riding shotgun...they would have flown in first, hoping to attract fire and blast the stupid camel jockey that had the nerve to take a shot at America's finest. The MCCRF didn't have that protection. The AQ Assault Force didn't have to worry about that. The AQ Commander was good and had two teams fire at each V-22.
AFTERMATH.
The Marines were packed in tight. All 40 died before they touched sovereign US soil at the Libyan Embassy.
The remaining aircraft were diverted to the Libyan International Airport. The C-17s carrying the Ranger Battalion(-) that was currently serving as the SOCOM Ready Alert Force was placed in command of the reinforcement mission and he would be taking over as soon as he touched down.
Meanwhile the Embassy was assaulted before they even touched down---the AQ Commander kept his promise and kidnapped the Ambassador. Despite intense efforts by intelligence, SOCOM and our allies his location was never found. A secret ransom was paid in the amount of 25 million dollars (the reward amount for info on Bin Laden leading to his capture---the AQ Commander thought it a nice insult)...after a few videos of the ambassador pleading for his life, he was finally beheaded ... again. On video.
The Marine Corps was sunk into controversy. Suddenly all the voices that stated that the MEU and REAL combined arms task forces was our way of warfare and the future of the Corps were finally heard.
Unfortunately for the current Commandant, he continued the initiative of his predecessor. In the middle of the worst crisis to hit the Corps since Ribbon Creek Incident, the leadership was in turmoil. The MCCRF was disbanded and the MEU reinvigorated. No longer would change for change's sake be tolerated.
This is a scenario that I can see happening. This force is just big enough to get into real trouble. THE ENEMY IS SMART. WE CAN TALK SHIT ABOUT THEIR CAPABILITIES BUT THEY ARE RESILIENT, FORMIDABLE AND ARE DEDICATED. They know how we operate and will set traps unless we keep on our toes.
The MCCRF is just waiting to fly into a modern day Ia Drang Valley in the desert.
Sounds like they need to do an AV-22. Having an AV-22 on over watch with 1-2 30-40mm cannons would probably change things considerably.
ReplyDeleteBut just a couple logistical problems with the scenario, if it is taking the V-22 on the order of 90-120 minutes to get there, then the AH-1Zs won't be able to get there. 90ish minutes of V22 cruise is beyond the AH-1Zs max range. What they probably need to do is revisit the nose mounted GAU-19 decision or the GAU-17 belly gun.
Between an AV-22 variant and adding the originally planned GAU-19 nose gun, it should be reasonable. At a minimum for this force they need the GAU-17 belly gun and its associated sensor and targeting pod, esp considering it is already fully designed and has been deployed.
KC-130 can be refit with a gunship kit called Harvest Hawk, instantly becoming a poor man's AC-130. The Cobras are unneeded.
ReplyDeleteMy question, is six ship formation of V-22s adequate for transporting entire Marine infantry company with reinforcement?
A Marine infantry company has ~180 members and the V-22 can handle 24(seated)-32(floor loaded). So it should fit but will be a bit tight. 6 V-22 can handle a max 192 people + crew. Though realistically they would probably be better off with 8 V-22s. Though, the platoon sizes could be slightly different within the MCCRF.
ReplyDeleteDid these guys not watch Blackhawk Down? Did they not understand the enemy was studying our procedures and tactics, then prepared an ambush specifically for us? It's the oldest trick in the book: cutoff some Americans and wait until they send the Cavalry, then ambush the Cavalry.
ReplyDeleteWith all those MANPADS and AA guns mounted on pick-up trucks, this is has disaster written all over it.
Problem is against MANPADS and AA guns, V22 or Helo, they are both going to go down. Helos do have a little more maneuverability vs RPGs than the V22 though.
DeleteAgreed. I'm not saying the V22s are the weakpoint, I'm saying that creating a 911 SWAT team to fly to a troublespot is a seriously dumb idea.
DeleteAnd it wasn't that the State Dept. staff in Benghazi didn't know things were hairy, it's that State Dept. failed to reinforce them in the weeks prior to the attack.
This is just ex post facto CYA
let me step in here and add a few things. first i hate banging on the Marine Corps. i want the organization TO ALWAYS WIN. I WANT THE ORGANIZATION TO NEVER DO STUPID STUFF.
Deletebut if we're talking about the MV-22 flying into "crisis" situations alone then we have a problem. it is not configured or equipped to do so. our pilots are not trained to do so. they're trained to operate as part of a large team.
this might make more sense if you're talking about using CV-22 that have increased defensive and navigation aids and unless you're about to put that on the Marine bird then you're asking for trouble.
yep, as I said, at a minimum they need to outfit these GAU-17 gun and targeting/sensor package. In addition, it will need the AN/AAQ-24 and likely the AN/ALQ-211 as mounted on the CV-22.
DeleteIf would also be interesting if they could add the A/A49E-7 turret from the AH-1z or at least the GAU-19 that was in development for the V-22.
And scratch the AV-22. It is likely that the 130s will be fitted with Gen 3 Harvest Hawk which should have a 30mmx173mm Mk44/GAU-23 cannon, 4 Hellfires and/or 16 DAGR 70mm rockets, and 10 Viper Strike guided bombs. Which would put the KC-130Js are near AC-130 levels of firepower at the loss of 1 of 2 refueling pods and a minor bit of fuel in one of the external fuel tanks. The targeting and surveillance capabilities for Harvest Hawk are at the same level as the AH-1z.
So the deployment plan is likely that the two KC-130Js ferry the V-22s to near the mission area and then go ahead and setup up overwatch around the LZ. The 130s should be able to identify and make short work of any ambush teams in place.
So Solomon, try rerunning the scenarios with two essentially AC-130 circling on station overhead.
no. because even if you have the KC-130 orbiting you have the same issues. everyone looks at the firepower equation but the countermeasures need to be taken into effect too.
Deletethe MCCRF was deployed too quickly for those aircraft to have been modified to the standard that you're talking about and neither are the KC-130s.
we have essentially MEU dependent aircraft supposedly going to deploy to act alone. the scenario stands. if the terrorist have one brain cell to share between them then these guys are dog food. and terrorist are perhaps a misnomer. just like we're seeing in Syria you have military guys that are caught in a civil war, so we're talking about enemies that might have been trained at US war colleges or by the Special Forces....and when we train, we train them to do it our way.
FYI, the Harvest HAWK package for the KC-130s is a field mod. Every KC-130J in the marine corps already has the required wiring installed. The other equipment is plug in and can be done at any airfield with minimal equipment. The 30mm cannon is a ro/ro module plus door plug, same for the Viper Strike package (a rack and a different door plug). The Hellfire/DAGR simply attaches to one of the KC-130J pylons and the ISR/targeting model is a modified external fuel tank.
DeleteThe whole system was designed to be uninstalled or installed in 90 minutes or less so that the equipment could easily be switched among aircraft. So at least for the KC-130s, it is reasonable to suspect that they will be outfitted with Harvest Hawk.
For the MV-22s, all of them are capable of installing both the GAU-17 and associated ISR/targeting pod. The Marines ordered a number of AN/AAQ-24 for various aircrafts including the MV-22. I don't know if they've installed the AN/AAQ-24 on any of the MV-22s but the marine have it installed on a large number of their CH-53Es. The AN/AAQ-24 is currently the best counter measure available against MANPADS.
The GAU-19 and A/A49E-7 turret are the only things I listed that haven't been installed on production MV-22s.
So it really comes down to if the specific MV-22s in the MCCRF have been outfitted with the AN/AAQ-24 or not.
you're gonna hit me with the "for your information" card when it comes to Marine Corps gear?
Deletei'm officially done with you.
You apparently take offense to FYI when none was intended. My impression from you response about Harvest Hawk and the KC-130 was that you weren't aware that the HH capability is a simple field mod that can take place in a limited amount of time at any field.
Deletethis is getting long.....but here goes. i don't take offense easily but i bristle at you poking holes in a simple...extremely simple outline of a possible encounter that runs into trouble and you seem to find joy in poking holes in it. guess what! i could poke holes in it and i wrote it. its a freaking short story of what could go wrong. its not a tactical problem at OCS where you're being graded on determining whether its a solid plan or not and you're trying to buddy fuck me to look good in front of the instructors.
Deleteits a missive that explains some of the real concerns that i have with the MCCRF. because you don't seem to get that, it tells me more about you than you realize. i do this for my sake, not for the sake of readers. i did this blog when only 10 people were coming and if the readership goes back to that i'll still continue.
now if you really want to contribute to this conversation then tell me why a Marine Infantry Company flying in on MV-22's makes sense for a crisis response force vs. sending in a MEU.
ATS
DeleteAssuming there is a unit nearby, and a crew trained in its use, the KAC-130 might be viable. But thats a lot of buts.
The idea that you can attach a gun to an MV22 in half an hour AND use it effectively is madness. Training helicopter pilots is a great deal of work, and gunship pilots the most.
Thats the entire point of having a self contained rapid reaction force. There are no ifs, no buts, no maybes.
Why it makes sense? Response time and response radius. The MV-22's with the KC-130J have a significantly higher speed(upwards of 2x), range (>2x), and aerial refueling capability. The combination of the increased speed and range allows much quicker response time over a much greater radius than a MEU.
DeleteBecause of this the MCCRF is more capable of responding to certain sets of missions than a MEU is. Likewise there are sets of missions where the MCCRF is simply inadequate compared to an MEU. In general the MCCRF makes a good rapid first response force for things like embassy reinforcement in a region like Africa where it can get on location much faster than an MEU can esp considering the geography of the continent.
Another advantage given the current crisis in US naval ship building and availability is that an MCCRF doesn't require a block of ships to move with it.
TrT, yes I'm making the assumption that the KC-130s have the Harvest Hawk system installed and the personnel that are able to use it. The doctrine is that the HH ability of the KC-130s is suppose to be something that any KC-130 team can use. It would certainly make sense for something like the MCCRF to have the HH capability.
DeleteFor the GAU-17 system of the MV-22, I don't know and haven't been able to find any figures for the install time. I'm making the assumption that at least a subset of the MV-22s would have it installed in a MCCRF. In Afghanistan, the MV-22s were initially configured with the GAU-17 system but most ended up being uninstalled (for weight savings) as the MV-22s almost always have AH-1 and fighter air support on the missions there. For MCCRF missions however having a minimum of the ISR system installed would make sense even if all the MV-22s in the squad don't have the GAU-17 installed.
the system was shit canned on the MV-22 because it was making the crew chiefs that used it sick.
DeleteGood analysis.
ReplyDeletethanks. tell Sweetman on THIS ONE THING he was right.
DeleteI think you have an excellent analysis.
ReplyDeleteAn example I like is 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah studied the IDF and tailor made the Hezbollah defenses to take advantage of the IDF vulnerability. The IDF was known for excellent armor and so Hezbollah brought as many ATGMs and anti-tank rockets that they could get their hands on. Israel was used to fighting counter insurgency and was not prepared at all for what they faced.
When facing off against the Americans everyone and their brother knows that we use as much air as we can get our hands on. So to follow the Hezbollah model I would expect everything from SA-7s to SA-24s to be out there and the enemy ready to use them. Plus 2 man teams with MANPADS are not destroyed in the opening volley of the war by Tomahawks fired from a SSGN like what the USS Florida did to the Libya air defenses.
The MANPADS threat is why several forces are scrambling to acquire and install AN/AAQ-24 systems. So far the AN/AAQ-24 system appears to be effective in live fire tests. Unfortunately little to no data is available on the AN/AAQ-24 wrt multiple concurrent launch though it is suppose to have similar capability to the AN/ALQ-212 to counter multiple launch.
Delete