What's missing on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge?
CH-53s.
Unless I missed it, I always thought that '53s made up part of the composite air component. Are we seeing a move toward an all MV-22 force? Either we are already reaching critical mass with the number of CH-53Es that we have in service, they've tailored the 26th MEU for its current assignment or this is an unannounced experiment to see if a air component without attached '53s is effective.
I'm pushing toward believing that this is an undercover move to become an all MV-22 force. When you have enough MV-22s to assign some to HMX-1 then something is afoot.
Maybe they're below deck.
ReplyDeleteStill looking good though. I like the last photo.
ReplyDeleteTwo other decks in the ARG/MEU. Not uncommon to split the ACE.
ReplyDeleteI bet they are using one to take these photos........
ReplyDeleteI am guessing the CH-53s are on the LPD where the larger cargo items are stowed?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=145381
ReplyDeletelookee here