Military aviation represents a very interesting history of human ingenuity and the continuous pursuit of innovation. From the early days of the Wright brothers to the establishment of aviation giants like Lockheed Martin, the journey has been eventful while strategically advancing milestones. In the early years of the 20th century, Charles “Charley” Taylor played an important part in the success of the Wright brothers.
Starting his career at the Wright bicycle shop in 1901, Taylor was instrumental in building the wind tunnel that tested some aerodynamic shapes. His work and effort led to the crafting of the engine that would end up in the Wright brothers’ first airplane, thus making him one of the three people responsible for what was described as the “first flight” in history. His knowledge went well beyond mechanical things: he managed the airport at Huffman Prairie and joined the Wright brothers in their journey to Europe in 1907 to showcase this inventive aircraft.
Meanwhile, parallel to these events, the origins of Lockheed Martin go back to two companies founded in 1912. Glenn L. Martin founded the Glenn L. Martin Company in Los Angeles because of a dream he experienced after watching Orville Wright fly. A few of Martin’s aircraft designs pointed to the spectacular developments yet to come in the aviation industry. Allan and Malcolm Lockheed created the Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company, which later took the name Lockheed Aircraft Company. Working out of a garage, the Lockheed brothers built seaplanes that set new speed and distance records over water.
What these early pioneers did have in common was the ability to see into a future where aviation would play a key role both in civilian and military use. It was not simply overcoming the technological limitations of the era but laying the groundwork for the future in which air superiority was to become integral to military strategy.
The United States Pacific Fleet Organization epitomizes the level of complicacy and strategic importance in modern military aviation. The command structures such as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet- CIM OAC-Cincpoa, and the Commander Naval Air Transport Service-ComNATS shed light on a very complex organization with interlinked roles and responsibilities that guarantee readiness for operation and strategic deployment. From Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet (ComSubPac) to Commander Underwater Demolition Teams, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet (ComUDTsPhibsPac), each position plays an important role in the maintenance of military dominance by the United States within the Pacific region.
From the Wright brothers’ initial launch into the aerodrome of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the advanced command and control structures of the Pacific Fleet today, military aviation has been on an evolutionary course propelled by an unrelenting quest for innovative and strategic superiority. In this future, lessons derived from these first-generation pioneers go to further educate and inspire the next generation of military aviation leaders.