Marines conduct strike test and remembering a Stratofortress' fateful flight
Marines successfully test a JAGM missile, and remembering an RB-47 shoot down during the Cold War
“Each generation of pilots hopes that they will leave their profession better off than they found it.”
- Chesley Sullenberger
Mission Briefing
Precision and Power: 31st MEU’s Successful Strike in the Philippine Sea
**OKINAWA, Japan** – On Wednesday, June 26, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) showcased its formidable capabilities by sinking a moving training target vessel during an expeditionary strike exercise in the Philippine Sea.
An AH-1Z Viper, an advanced attack helicopter attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 Reinforced, 31st MEU, played a pivotal role in this exercise. The Viper successfully fired a live AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), hitting a towed moving training vessel with precision. The JAGM, a state-of-the-art precision-guided munition, is designed to engage high-value stationary, moving, and relocatable land and maritime targets. This missile is integral for defending key maritime terrain against various threats, from armored vehicles to maritime patrol craft, underscoring the Viper's versatility and lethality.
The AH-1Z Viper, often referred to as the "Zulu Cobra," is a modernized version of the iconic AH-1 Cobra. Developed by Bell Helicopter, the Viper is equipped with advanced avionics, a four-blade rotor system, and a composite rotor for enhanced performance and durability. Its ability to carry a diverse array of weapons, including the JAGM, rockets, and air-to-air missiles, makes it a formidable asset in the U.S. Marine Corps' arsenal.
The success of this expeditionary strike not only highlights the precision and effectiveness of the 31st MEU’s operational capabilities but also emphasizes their role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. This region's stability is critical, and the ability to conduct such precise and impactful strikes demonstrates the MEU’s readiness to respond to various threats.
The 31st MEU's live-fire training exercises are conducted with strict adherence to U.S. environmental laws, regulations, and permit requirements to minimize potential harm to the environment. These exercises are meticulously planned and executed only after comprehensive surveys confirm the absence of people, marine vessels, aircraft, and marine species in the area. This commitment ensures compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act.
The AH-1Z Viper’s advanced targeting and weapon systems, including the Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted sight and display system, provide pilots with unmatched situational awareness and targeting precision. This technology enables pilots to engage targets with remarkable accuracy, even in challenging environments. The Viper’s survivability is enhanced by its infrared suppressor, missile warning system, and electronic warfare suite, making it a formidable opponent in combat scenarios.
As the nation’s premier crisis response force, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit stands ready to execute a wide range of operations, from combat missions to humanitarian assistance. The MEU’s ability to project power and deliver precision strikes at sea ensures that they can effectively safeguard the interests of the United States and its allies.
In addition to its combat capabilities, the 31st MEU is trained to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The versatility of the AH-1Z Viper and the operational readiness of the 31st MEU enable them to respond swiftly to crises, providing aid and support in times of need.
This recent successful strike by the 31st MEU exemplifies the unit's operational proficiency and its vital role in maintaining regional security. The integration of advanced technology, rigorous training, and strict environmental compliance ensures that the 31st MEU remains a credible and sustainable force, capable of meeting the challenges of today's complex global landscape.
This week in aviation history
The RB-47H Incident of 1 July 1960
On July 1, 1960, a United States Air Force Boeing RB-47H-1-BW Stratojet, tail number 53-4281, was assigned to the 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, based at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas. This aircraft, engaged in an electronic reconnaissance mission code-named BOSTON CASPER, took off from RAF Brize-Norton in Oxfordshire, England, aiming to gather intelligence over the Barents Sea, north of Murmansk, in international airspace.
The RB-47's crew consisted of six brave men: Major Willard George Palm (aircraft commander), Captain Freeman Bruce Olmstead (co-pilot/gunner), Captain John Richard McKone (navigator/photographer), and three electronic intelligence officers (Majors Eugene E. Posa, Captain Dean Bowen Phillips, and Captain Oscar Lee Goforth).
Meanwhile, at Monchegorsk Air Base on the Kola Peninsula, Captain Vasily Ambrosievich Polyakov of the 174th Guards Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment was on alert in his Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 interceptor. Upon receiving orders to intercept the American reconnaissance plane, Polyakov was vectored by radar controllers and headed north-northwest. He spotted the B-47 and signaled for it to follow, but receiving no response, he was commanded to engage.
Captain Polyakov fired two bursts from his MiG’s 30 mm autocannon, expending 111 rounds. The B-47 rolled inverted and disappeared into the clouds. Polyakov did not observe any parachutes or the crash itself and returned to base.
Captain McKone, aboard the RB-47, had just completed a radar fix when the MiG-19 attacked. Flying at 28,000 feet at 425 knots, 50 miles north of Cape Holy Nose, the crew was on a southeast course. Despite minor course corrections, the aircraft remained in international airspace, well beyond the Soviet Union's 12-nautical mile territorial claim.
NATO radar, likely from Norway, tracked the RB-47’s course. Captain Olmstead fired back with the B-47’s tail-mounted 20 mm autocannon, using about 462 rounds. The MiG's attack knocked out two of the left wing’s three engines, sending the bomber into a spin. Palm and Olmstead managed to recover momentarily before a second pass forced the crew to eject. The now-derelict aircraft continued flying northeast for roughly 200 miles.
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., noted that the RB-47 was still airborne twenty minutes after the Soviet claim, over international waters. This incident marked the first air combat victory for the MiG-19, according to Russian sources.
A classified National Security Agency document revealed that all six crew members likely bailed out. However, only Captains Olmstead and McKone survived the icy Barents Sea splashdown. After six hours in freezing waters, they were rescued. McKone suffered a crushed vertebra from the ejection. Major Posa’s body was recovered, while Major Palm’s body was found on July 4. Captains Goforth and Phillips were never located and presumed dead.
Olmstead and McKone endured extensive interrogation at Lubyanka Prison, with McKone not receiving medical treatment for his broken back until July 15. He spent the next 97 weeks in traction.
On July 25, Major Palm's body was returned to the U.S. for burial. Major Posa’s remains were taken to Moscow and buried in an unknown cemetery. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) lists his status as unknown and non-recoverable.
Following John F. Kennedy's inauguration as U.S. President, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev released Captains Olmstead and McKone as a goodwill gesture. They returned to the United States on January 27, 1961.
This somber incident remains a significant chapter in Cold War history, highlighting the intense and often perilous nature of reconnaissance missions during that era.
In case you missed it
There was a proposed Navy version of the F-117 Nighthawk, codenamed Seahawk:
Photo Outlet
If you haven’t seen the Tora! Tora! Tora! Demonstration Team perform their Pearl Harbor re-enactment you should, they put on an amazing show:
Post Flight Debrief
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to receive this newsletter in your inbox, then become a free or paid subscriber, you can use the email form below. To be clear, this newsletter will always be free to everyone, however if you’d like to go above and beyond and become a paid subscriber, you can use the same form below. Thank you and now you know!
-Tog