SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE AIR FORCE AFASES2017 [622155]

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE AIR FORCE – AFASES2017

145

HELICOPTERS DURING MARITIME MISSIONS

Dinu PĂDURARIU , Nicolae CREȚU
National Defense University “Carol I” Bucure ști, Romania ( [anonimizat] ,
shimu_nae@yahoo .com )

DOI: 10.19062/2247 -3173.2017.19.1.15

Abstract : By maritime power we understand the state ’s political, economical and military
abilities to impose its national interests to and from the sea. The emergence of helicopters and
their further developmen t diversified the missions that aviation can execute in the naval aviation
service; they will provide operational capabilities necessary for the efficient execution of combat
missions. The article highlights the use of helicopters for naval missions as pla tforms designed
and constructed in accordance with certain standards so that they can meet the users of maritime
security having an impact on the defense industry and military acquisitions .

Keywords : Maritime Power, helicopters, antisurface, surveillance

Acronyms :
ASW – antisubmarin warfare VERTREP – vertical replenishment
CASEVAC – casualty evacuation ASuW – antisurface warfare
SAR – search and rescue UAV/S – unmanned aerial vehicle/system
MIO -mision interdiction operation MSO -maritime surveillance operations
CNSAS – Corpul Național pentru Relief Alpin și Speleologic

1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE MARITIME
DEVELOPMENT POWER

According to specialized references [1], through maritime power we understand the
state’s political, economical and mi litary abilities to impose its national interests to and
from the sea.
Using aircraft in aerial -maritime actions since World War I, led to the exploitation of
maritime domain with implications for the exercise of rights of air supremacy. The first
aircraft were seaplanes (1914) used in research assignments and then they were used to
arran ge and conduct vessels used for air vectors (carriers) , see figures 1 și 2, [2, 3].

FIG.1. Hidroavion Felixstowe F5s FIG. 2. HMS Furious (British Aircraft
Carrier, 1917 -1948), [3]

AERIAL SYSTEMS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

146 The first mission of a seaplane was executed on 31 May 1916 by the English squadron
at Jutland, in research missions at sea and to disco ver the fleet and the actions of the
German army, and the English are the first to release on water, in 1919, "Hermes", the
first operational aircraft carrier during weather conditions specially built for this purpose,
see figure 3. Aircraft carrier will c onsolidate its position among the already existing
battleships during the second world war.
During the Second World War, the aviation was used in the complete range of
missions : from the mission of neutralizing the enemy ships to the support of landing
actions, missions independently executed and rarely in cooperation with forces whom
benefits were acting.
Romanian hidroaviation was developed since 1920 in Constan ța where seaplanes were
(included in the structure of the Sea Division) catches of war, but which were requiring
overhaul. Constan ța Port had two depots equipped with ramps for launching and for
raising to the shore of the acvatoriu m’s seaplanes. First Romanian SAR seaplane 1 Getta
was conducted at August 15, 1925 in Constanta Transport Society fact ory for air
surveillance of the territorial waters, and the first flight took place on August 15, 1925,
when it celebrates "Navy Day" , see figure 3, [4, 5].

Fig. 3. RAS 1 Getta

During the Second World War hidroaviation had as main mission offshore ex ploration
to discover enemy naval movements and close and distant escorting of ships .
After the Second World War, the use of joint air and naval forces changed the
concepts regarding military power of maritime States. Current carriers are experiencing a
considerable increase in their share, being able to achieve important strategic missions by
destroying targets deep in the enemy territory. Naval forces are the aggregation element
of naval power, and maritime navigation, river navigation, port infrastructur e and the
access to ports, submarines resources (oil and gas), fishing, maritime trade and submarine
communications, all have to be seen as a unit, as a part of sea power [6, 7].
The emergence of helicopters and their further development diversified even m ore the
missions that aviation service can execute for the benefit of naval forces, they will
provide operational capabilities necessary for the efficient execution of combat missions
against submarine threats (ASW) against surface ships (ASuW), in search and rescue
missions (SAR), vertical replenishment (VERTREP) and casualty evacuation
(CASEVAC).
Unlike terrestrial power, which generally can be defined only by military terms,
maritime and aviation power can not be separated from the economical, commercial or
diplomatic elements.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AN D EDUCATION IN THE AIR FORCE – AFASES2017

147 Air power, as well as naval power, of a state or non -state actor, includes all Air Force
military ( which operat es weapon systems which acts in /from the airspace), civil aviation
(commercial and recreational), the aeronautical/ra diocommunication manufacturing
industry , aeronautical education and research, raw material resour ces necessary for
aeronautical manufacturing , international research and procurement of equipment/weapon
systems and munitions partnerships, thereby increasing the ability of a country to use its
airspace for other non -military purposes, [7].

2. HELICOPTERS DURING NAVAL MISSIONS

2.1. Tactical helicopter group
Due to their technico -tactical characteristics, helicopters have become extremely
flexible means that can be integrally utilized in the air, on land and at sea. The article
highlights the use of helicopters for naval missions as air platforms created and designed
according to different standards in such a manner that they can satisfy the maritime
security use rs that influence the defence and military acquisitions industry.
At the moment there is a debate on military technologies with multiple utilization in
order to develop system equipments capable of executing terrestrial and naval missions
with both militar y and civil purposes.
The strategic helicopter grouping is the deployable structure used for executing
various missions during operations; the grouping must be flexible and must focus on
positioning their own units in the most favourable background when co nfronting their
opponent.
In the beginning helicopters have been used only for transportation, search and rescue
and MEDEVAC (the US military infantry in Nicaragua – 1932 and in Korea – 1950)
missions; then the helicopter’s role in the new concept of air m obility made it possible for
the helicopter to become, for the Terrestrial Forces, an air mean used in air support
missions as important as the airplane, see figure 4, [8, 9].

FIG. 4. Sikorsky H -19, [9]. FIG. 4. SH-3 Sea King, [10].

As of 1961, the marine infantry and naval forces of the USA have been equipped with
SH-3 Sea King helicopters in order to be utilized in amphibious, anti -submarine and
search -rescue operations, see figure 5, [10].
The use of helicopters in amphibious operations had as pu rpose the increase of
mobility and fighting capability of the marine infantry, the helicopters being utilized
mainly for: transport, for the unfolding and recovery of the seek -diversion grouping, the
unfolding of the maritime assault in delta areas or on t he opponent’s depth for conquering
some districts or determing the opponent to regroup his defenses on the shore, for air
support, for supplying and recovering landed units, as well for the excuting aeromedical
evacuation operation.

AERIAL SYSTEMS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

148 In anti -submarine oper ations, the helicopter use increases investigation possibilities of
submarine -hunting surface ships, by searching for and discovering submarines at long –
distance, and by striking the submarines with torpedoes. The convenience of using
helicopters in anti -submarine operations is also due to the fact that they are more mobile
and faster than surface ships and they are less vulnerable at the attack of the submarines
that they discover.
In SAR operations, helicopters are used for rescuing the crew of the sinkin g ships, and
for searching for and rescuing the crew of the aircrafts stricken above the sea. As of 1979,
naval forces and the coast guard of the USA started to replace their search -rescue
helicopters with Sikorsky S -70 SeaHawk, [17].
Despite all the advan tages, it remains the most expensive weapon operated by human
force that requires the most complex logistics and continual procurement with new
technologies and has the longest training that human factor uses.

2.2. UAV during naval missions. Cooperation w ith UAV
UAVs air vectors were used by the US military in 1922 when there was the first
release of an unmanned air target (RAE 1921) carried aboard HMS Argus, and in 1927
the British fleet used drones for shooting exercises [11, 12, 14].
The first use of a helicopter type UAV took place in 1962 when the naval version
DASH (Drone Antisubmarine helicopters) for QH -50A entered into operational service of
the US Navy, [13, 14].
To increase efficiency of the helicopter maritime missions there have been adopted a
series of strategies for technological development and cooperation with other types of
forces and combat equipment, an interesting cooperation that is worth mentioning is
performed using unmanned vehicles (UAVs) that can provide real -time data in areas of
interest without the risk of casualties, UAVs which have proven their capabilities,
maturity and high degree of integration in a number of conflicts, [15, 16]. Currently,
helicopter type UAS have been successfully used by the Australian Navy FOTEA, [21]
and U.S.Navy [22], see figure 5.

FIG. 5. Landing RQ -8A unmanned elicopther [23]

3. CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING HELICOPTERS DURING MARITIME
MISSIONS
3.1. Italy
Italian Naval Forces describe its own Naval Air Force features as a "weapon system
for naval u nit” which is rather an operational "long arm" than a system of autonomous
weapons.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AN D EDUCATION IN THE AIR FORCE – AFASES2017

149 Italian Navy refers to the concept of maritime -air power and not the concept of air
power, given the dimensions of air and sea are indivisible and Navy amplifies not only
the capability of recognizing and observing the fleet but also the employment capacity.
Navy Aircraft is used to carry out three main types of missions: anti -submarine warfare
(ASW), against surface ships (AsuW) and fight amphibious (support forces amphibio us /
special "operations assault helicopters" [18]), see figure 6.

FIG. 6 Forțele Navale Italiene

Moreover, Navy helicopters contributes to maritime security and maritime interdiction
operations (MIO), search and rescue missions at sea (SAR) in the co ntext of counter
piracy efforts.
A good example is the operation Nostrum Sea [19] started in October 2013 in which
naval mission was conducted in parallel with humanitarian assistance operations and the
maritime security. In course of action, the navy used five ships and 920 men. Regarding
the use of helicopters, it is worth mentioning the participation of four AB -212 aircraft, an
HH-139 aircraft for search and rescue and two EH -101 equipped with infrared optics and
surface search radars.
In the context of operations that are not strictly military, but can still have a dual
nature (civil and military) aircrafts are used both in support of the Department of Civil
Protection and saving people affected by natural disasters or interventions in mountain
areas wit h CNSAS . (The national body for alpine relief and Speleology) [20].

3.2. France
The most important feature of the French National Navy is to permanently cover the
following two areas: combative (combat missions offshore) and non -combative (out
surveillan ce, reconnaissance, research and its proximity to the coast).
In all cases, helicopters are not considered to be consistent operational tools capable
of being carried out without naval support. They do nothing but to intensify the combat
capability of the ship to which they are assigned.
In France, the helicopters are employed in four types of operation for maritime
security: fight against threats submarine (ASW) against surface ships (AsuW) operations,
maritime surveillance (MSO) and operations procedures at sea (MWO), see figure 7.

FIG. 7 Operațiuni de securitate maritimă

AERIAL SYSTEMS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

150 For attack operations at sea, helicopters are used in close cooperation with the ships,
both independently and in coordination with other ships or aircraft. Navy helicopters are
unde r the command of the Navy, but when they are in action at sea, they are under
operational command of the ship captain to whom he was assigned.
MSO maritime surveillance operations are the responsibility of the Coast Guard,
carried out by the Navy with the support of frontier police and even the constabulary in
some cases. It is coordinated by the charge d'its navy "maritime prefect" – a high -ranking
admiral [24].
Military equipment involved in carrying out these operations consists of helicopters
aboard sur veillance frigates and ground -based helicopters. These missions have a wide
range of tasks such as monitoring territorial waters, SAR, internal security operations
(drugs). These missions can extend over into international waters, especially those
designed to prevent drug trafficking, in which Navy helicopters are noted in tracking and
capturing monitored fast boats.
Fleet armed forces will be numerical reduced from 481 equipped helicopters in 2013
to 392 in 2019. At the end of the six years program is inte nded as a third of the fleet to be
made up of new generation helicopters (Tiger and NH – 90) [25], see figure 8.

FIG. 8. NH-90 elicopter [27]

3.3. United Kingdom
At the moment Royal Navy benefits modern helicopters both for training: Squirell,
Wilcat HMA2 and for the usage for naval support operations (reconnaissance,
surveillance, anti -submarine warfare) HT1 / HT2, Lynx HMA 8, Merlin HM 2, Merlin
HC 3, Sea King MK7, AW159 Wildcat, [28], see figure 9.

FIG. 9 AW 159 Wildcat, [29]

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AN D EDUCATION IN THE AIR FORCE – AFASES2017

151 According to the "British Navy Doctrine" [26] Air corps is an essential element of
maritime power with the primary task ASW, AsuW, ASAC (Airborne Surveillance and
Control Area), SAR and troop transport. In the near future Royal Navy will rely mainly
on two Regina Elisabet a class carriers because the British Government believes that the
United Kingdom must stick to military facilities which can provide rapid deployment of
air forces anywhere on earth, the carriers being the only able of it.
The first aircraft carrier will s tart being tested in 2017 and will board helicopters with
the capabilities necessary for reconnaissance missions, reconnaissance, SAR, ASW,
AsuW.
Unlike the Italian and French model, British case shows a clear paradigm shift. The
introduction of new Regina Elisabeta class aircraft carriers will serve to make these two
ships the principal operating platforms at sea for aircrafts with fixed wing and rotary
wing. Despite some controversy aroused among military doctrine specialists, the decision
seems to have a deeper political motivation and important financial reasons. Participation
in international waters on a planetary scale compels the UK Royal Navy forces in a
pragmatic and modern approach. London's decision is understandable in the context of
the growing role that aviation plays in maritime military operations. The sale of frigates
and corvettes seems not only to solve financial problems, but rather be the sign of a new
approach to marine British military presence in the world.

4. CONCLUSIONS

Sustained p rogress over the past century in aviation, especially in the last 20 years,
has brought the aircraft at the heart of the military. We could not talk about removing the
land and naval forces, but rather about a culmination of the military evolution and of t he
occupation of its naturally role by the aviation. Both on land and at sea starting from the
ground or ship, rotary wing aircraft have become a mandatory attendance at theaters for
nations which regard their own safety seriously.
Looking at the approache s from different point of views, we can observe the larger
fighting power for the model with the carrier, but more easily bearable costs and greater
adequacy to the modest needs of the second and amid the growing role of aviation is
required an appropriate situation for the new situation, either to increase boarding
capacity of the helicopters (2 -3 helicopters) either to create tactical groups of two or more
ships each with a helicopter on board.
After analyzing the use of the helicopters for naval missions in terms of realities,
perspectives and missions in which they participate, it can be interpreted as follows:
countries with access to enclosed seas with maritime ambitions confined to national
security are those for which the binomial frigate/ corvette/ helicopter remains by far the
most suitable unlike states with emphasized involvement with the planetary ocean and
with ample resources are more inclined to adopt a different model: the aircraft carrier
(and helicopters) together with corvettes and frigate s without helicopters.

THANKS

The article was written with documentary support from the National Defense
University "Carol I" Bucharest and the Air Force Academy "Henri Coandă" Brașov.

AERIAL SYSTEMS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

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