Industry and Technology

Redefining the Golden Hour

By CAPT Christopher “chet” Misner, USN (Ret.)

If the Navy should find itself in a conflict in the Pacific, the question the Navy and the Department of Defense will have to answer is how it would deal with mass casualty and medical evacuation scenarios in a protracted conflict. There is no doubt the Navy variant of the Bell Boeing V-22, the CMV-22B, will play a critical role filling any gaps in these critical mission areas.

For more than three decades, the V-22 Osprey has made fundamental changes in how the Marine Corps, Air Force, and now the Navy operate in combat and non-combat environments across the globe. With a fleet of over 400 aircraft accumulating more than 650,000 flight hours, the Osprey continues to prove it is one of the most versatile and operationally flexible aircraft with a focused logistics and maintenance effort that has enabled deployed V-22s to have a strong record of operational readiness. Across the globe, the Osprey continues to be one of the most high-demand assets by theater commanders; second only to Intel Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Assets.

Leveraging decades of experience by the Marine Corps, the Navy has completed its maiden deployment on board USS Carl Vinson. The Navy’s second detachment is currently underway. While the primary function of the CMV-22B remains carrier-based logistics, there is no doubt this platform could be utilized in other mission areas such as Combat Search and Rescue, Humanitarian and Disaster Relief operations, Naval Special Warfare (NSW) support and Casualty and Medical Evacuation.

Operations during the first detachment, which deployed on USS Carl Vinson, showed this platform is well suited and effective for medical evacuations. The CMV-22B offers the same runway independence as the fleet’s legacy MH-60R and MH-60S but has a far greater advantage because of the CMV’s speed, range, and ability to be aerial refueled. During the CMV’s initial detachment, the Navy conducted several MEDEVAC missions. Marine Colonel Brian Taylor, V-22 Program Manager (PMA-275), recently spoke to reporters at a Naval Air Systems Command briefing as part of PMA-275’s involvement during the Navy League “Sea Air & Space Expo” held this past April. Colonel Taylor spoke about a medical evacuation mission from one of the CMV detachments deployed to the Indo-Pacific region. A CMV-22B was launched from a Navy aircraft carrier with a critical patient on board and was able to land at the Naval Hospital landing pad, located at Camp Foster, Okinawa.

In this retired Navy helicopter pilot’s opinion, there is no question the CMV is ideally suited for medical or casualty evacuation, allowing for rapid deployment with minimal ground-to-air or air-to-ground times. Casualties or critically ill or injured patients can be moved directly from an aircraft carrier to a helipad at the nearest medical facility. This saves valuable time and patient movement, thus eliminating the disruption and discomfort of switching to an ambulance or another form of air transport to get the patient to their ultimate destination. These time saving capabilities, which have been demonstrated in sustained operations ashore and on Marine Expeditionary Units for decades, could literally be the difference between life and death in an emergency, which is why the platform has now garnered the attention of the military and aviation industry as a valuable resource for urgent care and potential mass casualty evacuation operations. In a January 22nd editorial in Military Times, Congressman and Physician Ronny Jackson recently wrote about these capabilities. “The battlefield is changing. Future aircraft must meet the required demands of speed, agility, and lethality on the modern battlefield, and have robust medical evacuation, or medevac capabilities. The advancement of medical technology combined with future long-range assault aircraft capabilities will create more favorable operational environments. The FVL [Future Vertical Lift] Program seizes the opportunity to improve upon medevac operations and redefines what is known as the ‘golden hour’ - a critical factor that saves lives and preserves quality of life for soldiers. The golden hour is a concept that presumes that some deaths are preventable if appropriate and timely care is provided.”

As the U.S. Military, and specifically the Navy, look to the possibility of a future conflict in the Pacific, the ability to evacuate large numbers of casualties is something leaders and planners must consider. Missions such as Search and Rescue, Medical and Casualty Evacuations, and Combat Search and Rescue are those missions that cannot fail. These missions are the backbone of a culture of never leaving a fallen comrade behind and are the bedrock of that “keep the faith” ethos inherent in those who risk their lives on the battlefield. The CMV-22B will be an essential force multiplier in these warfare areas. While the Navy continues to learn how to operate the CMV in the maritime and Joint Force environments, it is clear we are only scratching the surface of what the CMV can do, how it will benefit the Carrier Airwing of the Future, and exactly what this aircraft will bring to the Naval and Joint Force in any future conflict.

Hospitalman Camryn E. Scott, assigned to Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), starts an intravenous access on LT William Rallya in the cabin of a CMV-22B Osprey from the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30 during a medical transport drill.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron T. Smith.

About the Author

Christopher “chet” Misner is a retired Navy Captain and SH-60F/HH-60H pilot who commanded HS-15, NAS Kingsville, and UVA NROTC. He is currently a Senior Manager at Bell and the Team Osprey Co-Lead for Bell Boeing. These are his personal opinions.