VADM Cheever on the Evolving Carrier Air Wing
In a recent USNI Proceedings Article, in an interview at Hook 25 and in discussion/presentation recently at CSIS, Vice Admiral Daniel “Undra” Cheever provided his perspective on the evolving carrier air wing. In this article, I have brought together in one article his perspectives shared through these three venues.
Cheever is Commander, Naval Air Forces and Commander, Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet, and in these interviews and his article he provided his overview on how he saw the evolution of the carrier and its air wing.
According to Cheever, naval aviation today operates at its highest state of readiness in over a decade. “We’re sustaining the readiness increases that we enjoyed through previous leadership, and it’s really pretty exciting,” Cheever notes. This readiness has been battle-tested in real-world operations, with five carrier strike groups (CSGs) deploying to U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility over the past 18 months, successfully defending against hundreds of Houthi missiles and drones while maintaining operational flexibility.
The current fleet demonstrates remarkable adaptability. The USS Nimitz (CVN-68), despite being the Navy’s oldest active carrier at 50 years old, is currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific showcasing some of the newest capabilities, including F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets and E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes. This exemplifies what Cheever calls the “flexibility and adaptability” that makes aircraft carriers unique sovereign platforms requiring “only the President’s permission to do whatever we want around the globe.”
The Ford Class Revolution
The USS Gerald R. Ford represents a fundamental shift in carrier capability. Having recently landed aboard the Ford, Admiral Cheever describes the experience as transformational. This was due to both the changes onboard the aircraft which can be shared with other carriers, and the fact that the Ford is built from the ground up as a very different carrier from the Nimitz class.
The precision landing mode (PLM) technology means student naval aviators no longer need to practice carrier landings in the T-45 trainer for most platforms. “I clicked the button and it flew the best pass I’ve ever seen,” Cheever recounts. “Literally, the ball didn’t move, and I landed exactly where I wanted to land.”
(See note on PLM below).
The Ford class offers superior capacity through innovative design. The repositioned island creates better airflow patterns and more efficient deck operations, while advanced weapons elevators positioned strategically around the flight deck enable rapid ordnance loading. The entire ship is air-conditioned, improving crew comfort and equipment reliability. With extra space, weight, and power designed in from the beginning, the Ford class is engineered to accommodate sixth-generation aircraft, future weapons, and advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
Aircraft Evolution: From Fourth to Sixth Generation
The current air wing represents a carefully balanced mix of capabilities. Fourth-generation F/A-18E/F Super Hornets carry serious weapons loads, while fifth-generation F-35C Lightning IIs bring stealth and advanced sensors. The EA-18G Growler provides electronic warfare capabilities, and the E-2D Hawkeye delivers command and control. This “fourth, fifth generation mix is absolutely the right mix,” according to Cheever.
The F-35C, despite initial sustainment challenges, has proven itself operationally. “The war fighters are really good,” Cheever observes. “This younger generation learns really fast, and they’re really good at soaking in all the information to understand how much information that aircraft can soak in.” The platform’s capability to process and present vast amounts of data to pilots is “beyond most folks’ imagination.”
Looking ahead, sixth-generation fighters will replace both Super Hornets and Growlers in a single platform, combining strike and electronic warfare capabilities. The Senate Appropriations Committee’s approval of $1.4 billion for sixth-generation fighter development in FY26 signals strong congressional support for this vision.
The Unmanned Revolution Begins
The MQ-25 Stingray represents the key that unlocks manned-unmanned teaming on aircraft carriers. Scheduled to begin flight testing in 2025 and carrier integration in 2026, the Stingray will provide F/A-18s and F-35s with up to 15,000 pounds of fuel at ranges of 500 nautical miles from the carrier. This capability frees Super Hornets from tanking duties, returning them to their primary strike fighter role and significantly increasing overall air wing capacity.
“That is the key that unlocks manned unmanned teaming on an aircraft carrier,” Cheever emphasizes. The MQ-25 opens possibilities for collaborative combat aircraft and other unmanned assets, creating what he envisions as “the air wing of the future” with fourth, fifth, and sixth-generation aircraft working alongside unmanned systems.
The admiral sees unmanned systems following the pattern observed in Ukraine, where systems of varying sizes from man-portable to large platforms work in coordination. However, he maintains that moral decision-makers must retain authority over life and death decisions while artificial intelligence provides enhanced situational awareness and decision support.
Training for Tomorrow’s Warriors
The current generation of sailors and officers learns differently than their predecessors. “A two-hour PowerPoint presentation is not working right for an 18-year-old today,” Cheever notes. “A 62-second video that gets across to him” proves more effective. Naval Air Forces has condensed 49 different training modules from 30-45 minute sessions down to approximately 60 seconds each, with more repetition replacing lengthy lectures.
This training philosophy extends beyond academics to hands-on skills. The goal is creating “world-class maintainers” who understand their equipment thoroughly while eliminating distractions that don’t contribute to warfighting capability. “Don’t waste their time” has become a guiding principle, ensuring sailors focus on their primary duties: operating, directing, and maintaining aircraft.
The Weapons Tactics Instructor (WTI) program, which began with TOPGUN, now encompasses every aircraft type. At the Fallon Range Training Complex, the Naval Air Warfare Development Center (NAWDC) uses live, virtual, and constructive training to prepare for high-end combat. The culture breeds warriors who are “talented, have passion and personality, but remain humble, approachable, and credible.”
2025: Current Operations and Immediate Challenges
Naval aviation faces several immediate priorities. The T-45 Goshawk trainer, despite recent recovery efforts, requires replacement. The upcoming trainer down-select will determine the next-generation advanced jet trainer, with industry proposals currently under evaluation. The replacement aircraft will likely not require carrier qualification training, as precision landing modes make direct fleet training more effective.
The CMV-22 Osprey has recovered from earlier gearbox issues and demonstrates unique capabilities, particularly its ability to transport 14 ambulatory patients over 1,000 miles from carriers. This capability provides critical logistics support unavailable from any other platform.
Supply chain management remains a persistent challenge, but established playbooks with NAVAIR and NAVSUP provide proven solutions when problems arise. The key lies in speed of response and maintaining partnerships with industry to identify and resolve issues before they impact readiness.
2050: The Transformed Battlefield
By mid-century, the threat environment will be vastly more complex. Adversary weapons will have greater range, speed, and effectiveness, but Cheever maintains confidence that “there is no system that cannot be defeated.” The principle remains defeating threats as far left on the kill chain as possible.
Space and cyber domains will become increasingly important. Aircraft carriers, with their substantial space, power, and cooling capacities, are well-positioned to be fully connected to and capable of fighting in these domains. “I predict some of the most profound new capabilities on aircraft carriers at mid-century will be in the space and cyber realms.”
The air wing of 2050 will blend fourth, fifth, and sixth-generation fighters with collaborative combat aircraft in manned-unmanned teams. The exact balance between manned and unmanned systems will depend on technology maturity, assured connectivity, and commander trust levels. Small unmanned aerial systems, while proliferating, will generally lack the range to threaten carriers operating in their traditional areas.
Training acceleration becomes critical. Augmented reality and other advanced technologies will speed learning, while additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing of metal flight-critical parts at sea, will revolutionize sustainment. Artificial intelligence will power predictive analytics and decision aids, though humans will retain authority over life and death decisions.
2075: The Long View
Looking five decades ahead, Admiral Cheever acknowledges the difficulty of prediction, comparing it to “trying to see the carrier from 10 miles astern on a dark night.” However, certain constants remain: oceans will still require patrolling, deterrence will remain essential, and aircraft carriers will continue providing air superiority above the high seas.
China will likely field its own complement of aircraft carriers, possibly rivaling U.S. numbers. The People’s Liberation Army Navy is rapidly gaining operational experience with carriers, submarines, and surface combatants while the PLA Rocket Forces and Air Force field new antiship missiles. The threats will be greater “from the seabed to space,” requiring the entire joint force to address more complex problems.
Technology possibilities include quantum computing, directed energy weapons, and electromagnetic spectrum operations. The carriers built today are designed to serve beyond 2075, meaning their adaptability and upgrade potential become critical factors. The key lies in acquisition cycles quick enough to keep pace with technological change while maintaining platforms capable of incorporating new systems as they mature.
The Human Element: Leadership and Culture
Throughout his vision, Admiral Cheever emphasizes the quality of current personnel. Recent conversations with junior officers reveal they are “smarter than I ever was,” providing detailed insights into local-level issues while demonstrating professionalism and well-reasoned concerns. Their feedback drives continuous improvement in training methods, equipment, and policies.
The philosophy of treating personnel right involves making them world-class experts in their fields, providing meaningful work-life balance, and eliminating unnecessary distractions. “I want to value their time, have them be world class trained and world class maintaining and operating, and then when they’re done, give them some work life balance back.”
Industry Partnership: Critical to Success
Success requires unprecedented cooperation with industry partners. “No longer are we in the world of government only and industry, hey, industry, fix that,” Cheever explains. Instead, industry participates directly in meetings, understanding problems firsthand and bringing resources to bear on solutions.
The key requirements from industry remain “on contract, on time, on budget.” However, this extends beyond prime contractors to sub-vendors who may struggle with capacity, resiliency, or workforce issues. Early identification of potential problems and collaborative solutions become essential for maintaining the industrial base supporting naval aviation.
Strategic Implications and Global Context
The current operational tempo demonstrates naval aviation’s relevance across the spectrum of conflict. From deterring China in the Indo-Pacific to defending Israel against Iranian missile attacks, to countering Houthi threats in the Red Sea, carrier strike groups provide flexible response capabilities unavailable from land-based systems.
The integration of systems demonstrates the power of joint operations. During Iranian attacks on Israel, the combination of Aegis radars at sea and ashore, THAAD systems, TPY-2 radars, and E-2D aircraft created a comprehensive defensive architecture. The speed of adaptation, analyzing enemy radar signatures and adjusting defensive systems almost in real-time, proved critical to success.
Operational Lessons and Future Applications
Recent operations provide valuable lessons for future conflict. The Red Sea operations demonstrated the ability to operate within adversary weapons engagement zones while adapting quickly to new threats. The speed of learning and adjustment proves critical, as “anytime you go to war, you learn, and you have to learn fast.”
The unveiled AIM-174B Gunslinger missile, an air-launched version of the Standard Missile-6, gives Super Hornets the ability to “out-stick” adversary fighters, extending engagement ranges and providing tactical advantages within contested environments.
Preparing for High-End Combat
The ultimate test remains preparation for potential conflict with peer competitors. Admiral Cheever expresses confidence in current capabilities while acknowledging the need for continuous improvement. The combination of advanced platforms, superior training, and operational experience creates a formidable capability.
The philosophy extends beyond technology to include the American advantage in free thinking and adaptability. “Americans are taught from birth to be free thinking, to be able to adjust, to be resilient and to adjust to circumstances, and to take whatever training they have and to adjust on the fly.”
Conclusion: Continuous Innovation and Adaptation
Vice Admiral Cheever’s vision for naval aviation encompasses immediate operational readiness, medium-term technological transformation, and long-term strategic adaptation. The thread connecting all three timeframes is the principle of continuous innovation, technological, tactical, and operational, to remain the world’s most capable and lethal naval aviation force.
The path forward requires balancing proven capabilities with emerging technologies, maintaining the human element while integrating artificial intelligence, and preserving traditional values while adapting to new realities. The aircraft carriers being built today will serve for decades, but their success depends on the Navy’s ability to continuously evolve their air wings, weapons, and operational concepts.
As threats evolve and technology advances, naval aviation must never rest, never quit, and never allow new challenges to prevent operations where and when the nation needs. This philosophy, combined with the dedication of the sailors and officers who serve, positions U.S. naval aviation to meet whatever challenges the next fifty years may bring.
The future Admiral Cheever envisions is one of continued American naval aviation dominance, achieved through the synthesis of advanced technology, superior training, and the timeless advantage of American ingenuity and determination.
The sources for this article:
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2025/july/naval-aviation-preparing-next-50-years
For our treatment of the Ford within the evolution of the maritime kill web, see the following:
Note on PLM Technology:
Precision Landing Mode is a software-based flight control system that assists pilots during carrier landings by automating and smoothing out control inputs, particularly during final approach. Unlike a traditional autopilot, PLM does not perform the landing on its own, but augments the pilot’s inputs by coordinating thrust and aerodynamic control surfaces to maintain a stable glide slope and alignment with the carrier’s deck. This technology was originally known as MAGIC CARPET (Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies).
With PLM, pilots now make far fewer minor corrections, often reduced from hundreds to just a handful, resulting in smoother, safer landings and less risk of mishaps like ramp strikes. The system also facilitates landings in adverse conditions, including engine failures and challenging weather scenarios.
PLM was first tested at sea in 2015 and rolled out operationally to the F/A-18 and EA-18 fleet starting in 2016. Since 2017, PLM has been used on active carrier deployments, and recent software upgrades have made this technology standard for both new and experienced pilots in these aircraft types. F-35C jets use a compatible system (such as JPALS and Delta Flight Path) that leverages similar automation for carrier approaches.
Today, all Ford-class and Nimitz-class carriers operating advanced strike/fighter platforms utilize some form of PLM for fixed-wing carrier launches and recoveries. Newly qualified pilots are trained and certified using PLM during their carrier qualification deployments, making it a widespread tool in modern US Navy operations.
PLM has revolutionized carrier landing training by drastically cutting the time and risk involved. Pilots now achieve proficiency more efficiently, with training requirements reduced by up to 50%. The system increases both safety and confidence, providing a more stable approach and improving overall recovery rates on carriers. This has led the Navy to modify requirements for earning “Wings of Gold”, student pilots now learn initial carrier landing on T-45 jets (which lack PLM) but will perform most operational landings with PLM-equipped aircraft.