ON THE USS BOXER IN THE ARABIAN SEA, 27 March 2003 — Just as the region began to experience its worst sandstorms in 18 years, Arab News moved yesterday from an air base to the sea and is now aboard the USS Boxer — an LHD (Landing Helicopter Deck). The ship is an 844-foot, 40,500-ton warship, second in size only to aircraft carriers.

The primary mission of the USS Boxer is to transport, deploy and support all elements of the Marine Landing Force in assaults by air and amphibious craft. Secondary missions include operating with an aircraft carrier battle group, providing aircraft support and command/control facilities of sea control missions.

The USS Boxer has more than 22,000 square feet of vehicle space, and 100,000 cubic feet of cargo space, along with accommodations for nearly 3,000 troops and crewmembers. This 40,500-ton ship is 844 feet long, with a beam of 106 feet. In addition, the USS Boxer is specifically designed to accommodate the ‘landing craft air cushion’ (LCAC). The LCACs are basically Hovercrafts with four main engines, two on each side. They can travel up to 50 knots and can carry up to 60 tons, which is equal to one tank or 16 Humvees. They can also be used to transport 150 personnel per load for beach landings, said a Navy chief assigned to the LCACs. “The well decks are filled up with water, which is how the hovercrafts unload and load.

“It takes five personnel, all are enlisted crew, to run the craft. There are three men up front, a navigator, engineer and pilot, in the control cabin,” he said. Additionally, the USS Boxer, a “floating city,” also has six fully equipped medical operating rooms, four dental operating rooms and hospital facilities capable of caring for 600 patients.

Marine Col. Stuart Knoll is the commanding officer of MAG-16 [Marine Air Group], and has nine squadrons in his charge; eight flying squadrons and one Marine aviation logistics squadron, with a total of about 70 aircraft. “As the battle progresses, we plan on moving off naval shipping to go ashore to Iraq to support the movement of the ground forces to Baghdad,” he said. “We are waiting for the ‘final preparation.’”

“This is the largest amphibious task force since the Korean War,” said Col. Knoll, who has a squadron each of CH-53 and CH-46 on board. But yesterday it was the winds that are currently a big concern to everyone. Col Knoll said he’s worried about his helicopters as they are built to only withstand winds up to 60 mph. “The sand gets everywhere in our helicopters — and it’s a headache when it gets in the engines and blades. They take a real beating in the wind.”

“They have to be tied down securely, and in this severe weather you have to fold the blades and tie them down. If the weather gets worse than this, we’ll have to remove them. Unlike the Army, we have the ability to fold our blades because we have to bring the helicopters on board a ship,” said Col. Knoll.

New flying conditions — flying in the desert — is also an issue of concern. The younger pilots, he said, have a very difficult time learning to land in the sand, as everything is brown — both the air and land. “When you’re flying in the air and can’t tell where the horizon is, it’s a little tough. And it’s totally different from their training back home, or on the sea.”

Unlike pilots flying jets, who have digital instruments to help them with visibility, helicopter pilots “have to be able to see the ground.” But Col Knoll says his men and women are ready for whatever is on the horizon. “Since I support the Marines that go forward, we will have to bring things closer to where they are. We also do a lot of evacuations, called ‘Casevacs’ [casualty evacuations].”

He said his pilots have already flown out seriously wounded Iraqis for treatment. “We Casevac them to a helicopter to get them to a hospital and get them fixed up.” Other tasks the colonel’s squadrons have dealt with are reinforcing a Marine company on the Al Faw Peninsula and assisting in the recovery of aircraft personnel.

“Sometimes they treat us like flying buses,” said Col. Knoll. “Whatever they need in the battlefield, including vehicles, we’ll bring them.” Up in the USS Boxer’s air control tower, Commander Curt Chestnutt, is known as the “Air Boss.” He’s head of Primary Flight Control, or “Pri-Fly,” where controllers are running 14-hour shifts daily, “for as long as we’re flying.”

“I control all flight operations, movement of the aircraft, storage, and fueling. I own the aircraft when they’re within 5 miles, or a 10-mile radius, of the ship,” said Cdr. Chesnutt.