After a fleetwide Osprey stand-down, the Navy continues to depend on its remaining C-2 Greyhound squadron — 15 planes based mostly at Naval Station Norfolk — to fill within the gaps for cargo and personnel deliveries to plane carriers throughout the globe.
“There’s extra demand on us than ever. There’s a clearly outlined want for us to proceed this function in provider onboard supply,” stated Cmdr. Andrew “Tweedle” Dumm, commanding officer of Fleet Logistics Help Squadron 40, often known as the Rawhides.
The squadron needed to pivot from a downshift in operations to what Dumm described as an unprecedented demand in December when the Division of Protection grounded tons of of V-22 Ospreys after an element failure led to the deaths of eight service members in a crash in Japan.
The Osprey, which may fly like an airplane after which convert to a helicopter, was accredited to return to flight in March however enhanced upkeep necessities imply the necessity for the Rawhides has not let up, based on Naval Air Power Atlantic. A return to flight isn’t the identical as a return to mission, a spokesperson stated.
The stand-down got here because the Navy nears the tip of a multiyear effort to switch the service’s ageing C-2 Greyhounds with the Osprey tilt-rotor plane.
The Navy started disestablishing the Rawhides’ sister squadrons in 2019. West Coast-based plane carriers have been the primary to make the transition to Ospreys, with the final of the sister squadrons, Fleet Logistics Help Squadron 30, shuttered on Dec. 8 — two days after the Osprey stand-down.
The Rawhides squadron, established in 1960 in Norfolk, had slowed its operational tempo in preparation for a 2026 decommissioning, however shortly deployed detachments to help the Navy fleet whereas the Ospreys remained on the bottom. One detachment is made up of two planes and about 50 sailors.
“We’d break up the world in half, successfully,” Dumm stated. “However now, we now have taken on that total function.”
Historic round-the-globe deployment
One detachment deployed with simply three weeks’ discover to help San Diego-based provider USS Theodore Roosevelt. Sometimes, Dumm stated, sailors have round six months to plan for a deployment.
“Your complete squadron noticed what occurred they usually understood the mission,” Dumm stated. “They understood the main focus, and they’re seeing how they slot in. It’s one line faraway from a direct impression. It’s ‘once I convey this, I’m serving to shield freedom of navigation. I’m serving to to guard civilian visitors. I’m serving to to guard the world.’”
As of Could, 4 Norfolk-based detachments had deployed to Bahrain, Singapore, Japan and San Diego to help provider strike teams for the Roosevelt, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Ronald Reagan and USS Abraham Lincoln. A fifth detachment is scheduled to deploy later this 12 months to help the USS Harry S. Truman’s upcoming deployment.
Will probably be the primary time within the historical past of the Rawhides, Dumm stated, that 5 detachments could have deployed from the squadron within the span of 1 12 months — a major uptick from two to a few detachments per 12 months. With 200 sailors deployed and one other 50 making ready to depart, it means the majority of the squadron’s 400-person unit will likely be unfold throughout the globe.
“And we’re ready to see what else is subsequent; what else will likely be tasked,” Dumm stated.
The remaining 200 sailors and 5 planes will help plane carriers coaching off the East Coast. The squadron will also be tasked with responding to humanitarian crises, resembling earthquakes and hurricanes.
The demand, Dumm stated, has elevated the “perceived strain to carry out” — to keep up the ageing plane, to organize for deployments and to answer every job.
“It’s the maintainer, it’s the sailor, it’s the people who proceed to inject life into this plane,” Dumm stated. “With out them, it’s only a piece of chilly metal and aluminum.”
Not too long ago, the squadron’s hangar bay was occupied with 5 planes in numerous states of restore as civilian contractors and sailors labored on them. Two planes have been present process a 30-day deliberate upkeep interval whereas others have been present process sooner routine upkeep.
‘We are going to do no matter it takes’
Chief Veronica Deck, 34, an aviation upkeep administrator, stated the elevated operational tempo has meant sailors work longer hours and should even sacrifice a weekend to make sure plane are match to fly. She stated she has pushed by means of the demanding workload by contemplating the large image.
“We’d should work a weekend, however we now have folks on the market that don’t have a weekend off, interval, that we’re supporting — offering them help and provides,” Deck stated.
Deck reported to the Rawhides in March after deploying with a helicopter squadron aboard the Eisenhower. The Eisenhower, deployed to the Crimson Sea, is supported by a Rawhides detachment based mostly in Bahrain.
Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip Nigbur, 39, a mechanical aircrewman and crew chief, stated switching from a divestment mindset to readying all plane for the mission has challenged the procurement of alternative components. Units that beforehand provided the Rawhides have been disestablished, he stated, and planes from sister squadrons have been retired from service and despatched to the Davis-Monthan Air Power Base’s plane boneyard.
“However wherever there’s a will, there’s a approach and we at all times discover a approach to get it finished,” Nigbur stated.
Nigbur has been assigned to the Rawhides squadron for 9 years. He’ll deploy with the Truman later this 12 months as a part of a detachment.
“There may be strain, however on the similar time there’s delight for us as an entire to say that, sure, we have been known as upon and we’ll do no matter it takes in a protected approach to get these birds out the door so we are able to present help and decide up for our brothers, the Osprey group,” Nigbur stated.
The timeline for the squadron’s disestablishment in 2026 has not modified, however Dumm stated the deliberate divestment of detachments will not be occurring as scheduled.
“We have been within the mindset of making ready for a sunset of this platform,” he stated. “We’re nonetheless working towards that finish, nevertheless it’s rather less sure proper now.”
The accelerated workload is predicted to persist by means of the tip of the 12 months, Dumm stated.
A vibrant mural depicting a C-2 Greyhound flying over the ocean stretches throughout a hallway wall within the squadron constructing. Displayed on the backside proper nook is the Rawhides’ orange-scripted motto: “We ship.”
“When one thing breaks on the provider and there’s not a alternative, there’s not a spare. It simply stays damaged till somebody brings it,” Dumm stated. “We’re that lifeline, and we’ll proceed to rise to the problem.”
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