Thursday, 6 February 2020

An Aircraft Carrier For Mister Shelbrooke

 
"Lots of people criticised the amount of money spent on the aircraft carriers,but I will be controversial and say that I would have another one."
 
 
Picture: L. (Phot.) Alex Ceolin,Crown Copyright
 
Today we shall look at how Mister Shelbrooke's aircraft carrier might be afforded within the current defence budget,notwithstanding attempts to fill any financial "black holes" in the current defence review.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Barry Swainsbury,Crown Copyright
 
Our proposed Independent Navy For An Independent Nation is contingent on changes to the armed forces of great breadth and depth,notably the development of the Furious,Perseus,Centaurus and Hermes aircraft.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
However,procurement of a third aircraft carrier shall require changes which are far narrower and shallower in scope,how narrow and shallow shall depend on the cost of the new aircraft carrier to be built.
 
 
Picture: Original image by the National Audit Office,modifications by Grand Logistics
 
The production cost of Her Majesty's Ship Prince of Wales was nine hundred and eighty-seven million pounds.
 
 
 Picture: Original image by the National Audit office,modifications by Grand Logistics
 
According to the United Kingdom's National Audit Office,it shall cost five hundred million pounds to fit a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier with steam catapults and arresting gear similar to those which the United States' Ship George H.W. Bush is expected to use until the end of it's fifty year service life,around Twenty Sixty.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photographer,Crown Copyright
 
 The National Audit Office,which has no experience of operating steam catapults,may believe that they would have "become obsolete during the life of the carriers",but the United States' Navy,which has even more experience of operating them than the Royal Navy,which invented them,clearly disagrees.
 
 
 Picture: Chris McAndrew
 
The former Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond claimed it would have cost two thousand million pounds to fit the Electro Magnetic Aircraft Launching System and Advanced Arresting Gear to a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier,but even the National Audit Office questioned that figure.
 
 
 Picture: Dane Wiedmann,United States' Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin
 
The Improved Queen Elizabeth class,a proposed mitigation of the limitations of the original Queen Elizabeth class during construction,shall be both more expensive and more capable than it's progenitor.
 
 
 Picture: Dane Wiedmann,United States' Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin
 
However,the most expensive and most capable option shall be an all new type such as our proposed Africa class flying ship,a member of a proposed family of eighteen ships,each with four turbines,which shall also include the Agincourt class landing ships and Halifax class hospitalling ships.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
These shall be designed to operate at full capacity for up to fifteen days while carrying a naval air wing of five dozen,fifty ton aeroplanes,a dozen twenty ton Hermes helicopters and a fifteen hundred man,reinforced,Royal Marine battalion group.
 
 
 Picture: P.O.A. (Phot.) Mick Storey,Crown Copyright
 
 They shall also include command facilities up to fleet,corps and naval air group level and third echelon medical facilities.
 
 
Picture: Unknown,Royal Navy official photographer,© IWM (FKD 45)
 
These shall be the most capable medical facilities normally available to a fleet as the fourth echelon medical facilities of Her Majesty's Hospital Ships Halifax,Hamadryad,Haslar and Haulbowline,along with their crews,medical staff,Royal Marine security detachments,ambulances,lighters and Hermes helicopters,shall be routinely under charter to other government departments,with at least one always at high readiness to support naval operations or national emergencies.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photgrapher,BAE Systems photograph
 
The construction of Africa class vessels shall enable transition to the next generation of naval combat aircraft in the Twenty Forties,as they shall be designed to operate aeroplanes of up to fifty long tons Maximum Take Off Weight.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown,Royal Navy official photographer,© IWM FKD 685
 
Whilst the naive might obsess over procurement costs,just as important are the vessel's capabilities,which determine the savings which may be made elsewhere in the defence budget by their procurement.
 
 
 Picture: P.O.A. (Phot.) Paul A'Barrow,Crown Copyright
 
 The Argus class Aviation Training and Primary Casualty Receiving Ship has: third echelon medical facilities and helicopter operating facilities.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Daniel Shepherd,Crown Copyright
 
 The Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers have: second echelon medical facilities;helicopter operating facilities and aeroplane operating facilities.
 
 
 Picture: P.O.A. (Phot.) Paul A'Barrow,Crown Copyright
 
 Our proposed Africa class flying ships (by some strange coincidence named: Africa,Albion,Argus and Ark Royal) shall have: third echelon medical facilities;helicopter operating facilities and aeroplane operating facilities.
 
 
 Picture: Lieutenant Max Cosby,Crown Copyright
 
A Bay class landing ship has long term berths for about three hundred and fifty marines in addition to it's crew.
 
 
 Picture: L.A. (Phot.) Simon Ethell,Crown Copyright
 
An Albion class landing ship has long term berths for about four hundred marines in addition to it's crew.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown aircrew photographer,Crown Copyright
 
A standard Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier has long term berths for about nine hundred men in addition to it's crew,more than two Albion class vessels combined and close to the combined accommodation of three Bay class ships.
 
 
 Picture: L.A. (Phot.) Dean Nixon,Crown Copyright
 
Two additional such ships shall provide as many long term berths for marines as the five Albions and Bays combined.
 
 
 Picture: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Casey J. Amdahl,United States' Navy
 
At the expense of one fifth of it's hangar space,a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier may be refitted with parking for sixty Light Protected Trucks and long term berths on a mezzanine above for about six hundred marines,with unimpeded access to the flight deck via the hangar and aircraft lifts.
 
 
Picture: L. (Phot.) Will Haigh,Crown Copyright
 
Three ships,thus modified,shall have more long term berths for marines than are currently provided by both the two Albion class landing ships and the three remaining Bay class auxiliaries,in addition to accommodation for three nine hundred man naval air wings.
 
 
 Picture: P.O. (Phot.) Ray Jones,Crown Copyright
 
Our proposed larger,more heavily protected,Africa class flying ships shall each have long term berths for about three thousand men in addition to their crews.
 
 
 Picture: P.O. (Phot.) Carl Osmond,Crown Copyright
 
 The out of service date for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Argus class Primary Casualty Receiving and Aviation Training Ship is in Twenty Twenty-four.
 
 
 Picture: Lieutenant Max Cosby,Crown Copyright
 
The out of service dates for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's three remaining Bay class auxiliary landing ships are in Twenty Thirty-one and Twenty Thirty-two.
 
 
 Picture: L.A. (Phot.) Joel Rouse,Crown Copyright
 
The out of service dates for the Royal Navy's two Albion class landing ships are in Twenty Thirty-three and Twenty Thirty-four.
 
 
Picture: L.A. (Phot.) Joel Rouse,Crown Copyright
 
It is not clear what funding,if any,shall be available for the replacement of these six vessels.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown artist,Prevail Partners Limited picture
 
It is also not clear if the paradoxical (vessels intended for combat where there is no enemy,as they cannot survive where there is*) Littoral Strike Ship concept is to be a supplement to,or replacement for these vessels,nor what it's budget might be.
 
 
Picture: P.O. Arron Hoare,Crown Copyright
 
It is clear that whatever funds might be available to replace,some or all of these vessels might be used to pay for some or all of the cost of additional aircraft carriers.
 
 
 Picture: Grand Logistics
 
Additional aircraft carriers could replicate many of the capabilities of the Bay,Albion and Argus classes and might replace them.
 
 
However,replacement of the Albions and Bays by aircraft carriers shall result in the loss of the dock ships' ability to land small numbers of medium and heavy weight vehicles,which cannot be lifted by helicopter.
 
 
Picture: Corporal Lu Scott,Crown Copyright
 
 The contract for the remaining four,of an original six,Point class Roll On Roll Off transport ships comes to an end in Twenty Twenty-four.
 
 
 Picture: L.A. (Phot.) Joel Rouse,Crown Copyright
 
In the spirit of the Lancaster House agreement and the Entente Cordiale,our proposed replacements for the transport capacity of the Point class and the beach landing capacity of the Albion and Bay classes shall be named after famous Anglo-French military operations: Her Majesty's Ships Agincourt;Blenheim;Cressy;Poictiers;Salamanca and Waterloo.
 
 
 Picture: Sergeant Dawson,No. 2 Army Film and Photo Section,Army Film and Photographic Unit,© IWM NA 11041
 
Using their one hundred and sixty foot lighters,from five miles off shore,each of these ships shall be able to land a reinforced heavy cavalry brigade,with a month's combat supplies,in about a day.
 
 
 Picture: Corporal Darren Legg,Crown Copyright
 
 Just one of these vessels shall provide more beach landing capacity than all five vessels of the Albion and Bay classes combined.
 
 
Picture: Staff Sergeant Mark Nesbit R.L.C. (Phot.),Crown Copyright
 
 As an aside,the Agincourt class' one hundred and sixty foot lighters shall also be able to move three hundred and eighty-four,combat ready,Charger Cavalry Heavy Armoured vehicles with three thousand eight hundred and forty men,or seven hundred and sixty-eight Matilda Medium Armoured Tracked Infantry carriers with seven thousand six hundred and eighty men,or two thousand three hundred and four Light Protected Trucks with twenty-three thousand and forty men,from Marchwood to Klaipeda in Lithuania in three days,which is faster than the British Army's feeble Strike Brigades could drive there.
 
 
 Picture: Jack Eckersley,Crown Copyright
 
 With such craft there shall be no need to waste thousands of millions of pounds creating gilded lorried infantry battalions equipped with Boxer vehicles,which cannot operate within line of sight of the enemy as they are vulnerable to weapons as ubiquitous as: the RPG-28 Klyukva;the RPG-29 Vampir;the 9M133 Kornet;the T-12;the 2A45 Sprut;the BMP-3;the BMD-3;the T-72 and the T-90.
 
 
The United Kingdom is expected to procure forty-eight F35B Lightning II aircraft by the middle of the Twenty Twenties.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
Assuming the Lightning IIs' training and servicing requirements are similar to legacy aircraft,if those aircraft are operated by the Royal Navy this shall be enough to continuously deploy a naval air wing of two dozen aircraft.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
 Procurement of an additional two dozen Lightning IIs shall allow continuous deployment of a full naval air wing of thirty-six aircraft.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photographer,Crown Copyright
 
Naval air squadrons shall operate under efficient Royal Navy harmony guidelines of "60 per cent deployed and 40 per cent at base in a 3-year cycle with no more than 660 days away from home over a rolling 3-year period" and shall only require their full complement of aircraft when aboard ship.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown,Royal Navy official photographer,© IWM FKD 2100
 
When ashore,naval squadrons shall retain only enough aircraft to generate an average of half a flying hour per pilot per day,the rest of the squadrons' aircraft shall be used by trials,training and training support squadrons,be held in reserve or be sent to a depot for servicing.
 
 
Picture: Sergeant Nik Howe,Crown Copyright
 
However,if Lightning II aircraft are to be operated under inefficient Royal Air Force harmony guidelines of "4 months on operations in a 20-month period with separated service no more than 280 days over a rolling 24-month period",which require five front line squadrons to keep one away from home continuously,then fifteen front line squadrons shall be required to continuously deploy a full three squadron carrier wing.
 
 
 Picture: Corporal Tim Laurence,Crown Copyright
 
Between the middle of the Twenty Twenties and the mid Twenty Thirties the United Kingdom is expected the procure a further ninety F35B Lightning II aircraft at a rate of about nine aircraft per year.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Daniel Shepherd,Crown Copyright
 
Reducing this procurement rate to about six aircraft per year shall spread procurement of these aircraft over a fifteen year period,deferring expenditure of hundreds of millions of pounds per year.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
Over a ten year period this shall release thousands of millions of pounds for the construction of one or more additional aircraft carriers.
 
 
 
At the expense of a slight delay in fielding a full thirty-six aircraft naval air wing,this shall also result in additional savings from the procurement of less expensive and more capable aircraft from later production blocks,which shall also require fewer upgrades.
One hundred and thirty-eight Lightning IIs shall then be in service by the Typhoon's out of service date of Twenty Forty.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photgrapher,BAE Systems photograph
 
Going in to production as Typhoon production ends,the first of our proposed Furious aircraft shall replace any remaining Typhoons before beginning to replace the oldest Lightning IIs in the Twenty Forties and shall replace the entire combat aircraft fleet around the Twenty Seventies.
 
 
Picture: S.A.C. Tim Laurence,Crown Copyright
 
The cost of Lightning II aircraft is a riddle which even the House of Commons Defence Committee has been unable to solve.
 
 
Picture: Harland Quarrington,Crown Copyright
 
There are three variants of this aircraft;each has different procurement and operating costs;there are many differently defined costs published;these costs are constantly changing;different organisations publish contradictory costs;costs are subject to variations in exchange rates and cost definitions used in the United Kingdom differ from those used in the United States of America.
 
 
Picture: Grand Logistics
 
However,some consistent themes may be divined from the many published figures.
 
 
Picture: Original Image by the Department of Defense of the United States of America,modifications by Grand Logistics
 
The Twenty Twenty "Flyaway Unit Cost" of an F35C variant is approximately eight million pounds less than that of an F35B,at which rate a fleet of one hundred and thirty-eight F35Cs shall cost about a thousand million pounds less than the same number of F35Bs and the ninety aircraft to be procured after Twenty Twenty-five shall cost about seven hundred million pounds less if they are F35Cs rather than F35Bs.
 
 
Picture: Original Image by the Department of Defense of the United States of America,modifications by Grand Logistics 
 
The Twenty Twenty "Gross/Weapon System Unit Cost" of an F35C variant is approximately thirty-two million pounds less than that of an F35B,at which rate a fleet of one hundred and thirty-eight F35Cs shall cost about four thousand and five hundred million pounds less than the same number of F35Bs and the ninety aircraft to be procured after Twenty Twenty-five shall cost about two thousand and nine hundred million pounds less if they are F35Cs rather than F35Bs. 
 
 
 Picture: Original image by the Department of Defense of the United States of America,modifications by Grand Logistics
 
The Twenty Twenty "Operation And Maintenance" cost of an F35C variant is approximately three thousand pounds per hour less than that of an F35B (each aircraft having a life of eight thousand hours which shall probably be consumed at a rate of about two hundred and fifty hours per year over a period of thirty two years),at which rate a fleet of one hundred and thirty-eight F35Cs shall cost about three thousand and three hundred million pounds less to operate than the same number of F35Bs and the ninety aircraft to be procured after Twenty Twenty-five shall cost about two thousand and two hundred million pounds less to operate if they are F35Cs rather than F35Bs.
 
 
It is clear that,after Twenty Twenty-five,thousands of millions of pounds may be saved by procuring and operating the F35C,rather than the F35B.
 
 
It is also clear that the cost of constructing additional,catapult equipped,aircraft carriers between Twenty Twenty-five and Twenty Thirty-five  shall be far less than the savings which may be made within that time frame by procuring Lightning IIs at a slower rate and by buying and operating F35Cs rather than the more expensive F35Bs.
 
 
For example,if F35Cs were procured at a rate of six aircraft per year from Twenty Twenty-five,rather than nine F35Bs per year,then the "Flyaway Unit Cost" savings over the decade up to Twenty Thirty-five would equate to around three thousand and three hundred million pounds.
 
 
 Picture: Andy Wolfe,United States' Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin
 
 If F35Cs were procured at a rate of six aircraft per year from Twenty Twenty-five,rather than nine F35Bs per year,then the "Gross/Weapon System Unit Cost" savings over the decade up to Twenty Thirty-five would equate to around five thousand and eight hundred million pounds.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
 If F35Cs were procured at a rate of six aircraft per year from Twenty Twenty-five,rather than nine F35Bs per year,and flown at a rate of two hundred and fifty hours per aircraft per year,then the "Operation And Maintenance" savings over the decade up to Twenty Thirty-five would equate to around seven hundred million pounds.
 
 
Picture: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio Turretto Ramos,United States's Navy
 
 Therefore,depending on which procurement cost is used,potential savings in the ten years up to Twenty Thirty-five shall be between four thousand million pounds and six thousand and five hundred million pounds,more than the cost of building two catapult equipped Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
 
 
Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
 Had Her Majesty's Ships Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales been fitted with catapults in the first place,greater savings could have been made,as we pointed out a decade ago. 
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Barry Swainsbury,Crown Copyright
 
If the above savings were added to whatever budget may be set aside to replace the Argos,Albion and Bay classes,it may be possible to build a pair of more powerful Africa class vessels within that time frame.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photographer,BAE Systems photograph
 
 In addition to being far more capable than the Queen Elizabeths and being able to replace the medical facilities on Argus,these vessels shall permit the future adoption of heavier,next generation,combat aircraft and be part of a family of four flying ships,six landing ships,four replenishing ships and four hospitalling ships.
 
 
 Picture: P.O. (Phot.) Ray Jones,Crown Copyright
 
 This family of vessels shall eventually replace: the Queen Elizabeth class;the Albion class;the Bay class;the Point class;the Fort Rosalie class;the Fort Victoria class;the Wave class;the Tide class and the Argus class.
 
 
Picture: Andrew Linnett,Crown Copyright
 
The size of this family of vessels shall create the economies of scale and steady work load critical to achieving cost effective large warship construction,their construction facilities shall also create opportunities for commercial building of high value civilian cruise ships.
 
 
Picture: Original image by Google Earth,modifications by Grand Logistics
 
 Potential sites for construction of these vessels include Belfast,Birkenhead,Middlesbrough and Rosyth. 
 
 
Picture: Corporal Lee Matthews Royal Air Force,Crown Copyright 
 
The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft,which costs over five hunded million pounds per service year (those who read National Audit Office reports without understanding them may tell you it costs three hundred and ninety million pounds a year),comes to the end of it's contract in Twenty Thirty-five.
 
 
Picture: Corporal Tim Laurence Royal Air Force,Crown Copyright
 
This contract includes significant waste due to a desire to keep the project off the Ministry of Defence balance sheet,the shrinking of the armed forces prior to service entry and ignoring the reduction in demand for aerial refuelling due the carrier strike capability.
 
 
Picture: Sergeant Neil Bryden Royal Air Force,Crown Copyright
 
After Twenty Thirty-five,the substantial reduction in aerial refuelling demand enabled by catapult equipped aircraft carriers shall permit the purchase of a smaller transport and aerial refuelling fleet,perhaps seven of the,by then,out of contract Voyager K.C.3s,resulting in savings in the order of hundreds of millions of pounds per year.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown Photographer,United States' Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin
 
In addition to savings from operating the cheaper F35C,this shall help to pay for deferred Lightning II purchases and also the cost of operating any new aircraft carriers.
 
 
Picture: L. (Phot.) Dan Rosenbaum,Crown Copyright
 
We conclude that within the current defence budget there are many options which shall provide Mister Shelbrooke with the funds to buy and operate an additional aircraft carrier,or two,those options shall also increase the United Kingdom's war fighting abilities and could significantly reduce costs in the long term.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
There shall be no difficulty finding aircraft to fly off these new ships,nor the funds to operate them,as the procurement of one hundred and thirty-eight new Lightning II aircraft shall permit the replacement of existing front line squadrons' Typhoons as they come to the end of their useful lives.
 
 
Picture: Sergeant Pete Mobbs,Crown Copyright
 
 Assuming the Typhoon's,six thousand hour,airframe lives shall be consumed at an average rate of two hundred and fifty hours a year,they shall be withdrawn from service twenty-four years after they entered service,between Twenty Twenty-seven and Twenty Forty-three (three years after their official out of service date).
 
 
Picture: S.A.C. Tim Laurence,Crown Copyright
 
 The first of the United Kingdom's Lightning IIs entered service in Twenty Twelve and with an airframe life of eight thousand hours,being consumed at a rate of two hundred and fifty hours a year,they shall begin to leave service around Twenty Forty-four.
 
 
Picture: S.A.C. Chris Ellis,Crown Copyright
 
 All one hundred and thirty-eight Lightning IIs shall be in service by the Twenty Forty official out of service date of the Typhoon,which is enough for seven front line squadrons of a dozen aircraft each,even if operated in the traditional manner of the Royal Air Force.
 
 
Picture: S.A.C. Daniel Herrick L.B.I.P.P.,Crown Copyright
 
 The Royal Air Force currently maintains seven front line Typhoon squadrons from a fleet of similar size.
 
 
Picture: Andy Wolfe,United States' Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin
 
 If each Lightning II undergoes servicing for nine months in every forty-eight,roughly equivalent to a one thousand flying hour depot level servicing interval,then one hundred and twelve of the one hundred and thirty-eight aircraft shall be available for the forward fleet at any time.
 
 
 Picture: L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
 Operated in the manner described earlier,this shall allow up to six Royal Navy squadrons,of a dozen aircraft each,to be deployed continuously,or up to nine to be surged,without upsetting the aircraft servicing cycle.
 
 
 Picture: Unknown photographer,© IWM A 33801
 
This shall be sufficient to routinely provide three active carriers of a fleet of four,the fourth aircraft carrier usually being in refit,with naval air wings of two dozen Lightning II aircraft each and three dozen aircraft for limited periods,at the expense of interrupting trials,training and training support activities.
 
 
Picture: Sergeant Fenwick,Crown Copyright
 
 If four Royal Navy wings each have two Lightning II squadrons of a dozen aircraft,there shall be enough aircraft left over to maintain domestic Quick Reaction Alerts under Royal Air Force harmony guidelines,which are inefficient for squadrons deploying overseas but are perfectly adequate for squadrons operating from their home bases.
 
 
 Picture: Lieutenant Commander Lindsey Waudby Royal Navy,Crown Copyright
 
 With a one to one ratio of pilots to aircraft,in order to extend deployment lengths between aircraft services,with each pilot flying one hundred and eighty peace time budgeted hours per year,eight front line Royal Navy Lightning II squadrons,of a dozen aircraft each,and their trials,training support and operational conversion squadrons shall consume about twenty thousand peace time budgeted flying hours per year.
 
 
Picture: S.A.C. Ben Stevenson,Crown Copyright
 
 The United Kingdom's fast jet fleet currently consumes over thirty thousand flying hours per year.
 
 
Picture; L. (Phot.) Kyle Heller,Crown Copyright
 
Some published figures (there are many,and they all differ) suggest a life cycle cost of four hundred million pounds over the eight thousand hour life of a Lightning II aircraft,at which rate the average cost per flying hour,inclusive of capital costs shall be fifty thousand pounds,which is similar to the cost of other Royal Air Force combat aircraft.
 
 
 
At that rate,eight Royal Navy Lightning II squadrons,of a dozen aircraft each,along with trials,training support and operational and conversion squadrons,flying a total of twenty thousand hours a year,shall have an average annual peace time budgeted cost of about one thousand million pounds,which is a fraction of the current air power budget.
 
 
Picture: L. (Phot.) Dan Rosenbaum,Crown Copyright
 
 Thus additional aircraft carriers,and the squadrons to fly from them,appear to be eminently affordable.
 
 *It is not clear whether the Littoral Strike Ship concept is just an attempt by retired special forces officers to line their own pockets by hawking vessels of marginal utility to the Ministry of Defence,a practice which has long blighted the United States' Marine Corps,or yet another example of the British armed forces copying a bad idea from the Americans (see also anything with "Joint" or "Special" in it's name,and "baseball caps"),or both.
 
 Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but it is also a combat indicator of an over promoted officer.
 
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