US Navy

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Citation :

(Jan. 26, 2013) Huntington Ingalls Industries celebrated significant progress today as the 555-metric ton island was lowered onto the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. The 60-foot long, 30-foot wide island was the 452nd lift of the nearly 500 total lifts needed to complete the aircraft carrier. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy Huntington Ingalls Industries/Released)

Citation :

US Navy Activates Aegis Baseline 9 Combat System on Oldest & Newest DDG 51 Class Destroyers

The U.S. Navy marked a unique milestone last week with the activation of Aegis Combat Systems on both the oldest, and the newest DDG 51 class destroyers. The future USS John Finn (DDG 113) achieved "light off" of its Aegis Combat System on Sept. 8, at the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss, while USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) achieved light off on Sept 5 as part of the DDG Modernization program combat systems upgrade at BAE in Norfolk.


Although Arleigh Burke was commissioned in 1991 and John Finn will commission 25 years later in 2016, they have virtually the same Aegis Weapon System and warfighting capabilities. Both ships will have the Aegis Baseline 9 program which includes an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability incorporating Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 5.0 and Naval Integrated Fire Control - Counter Air (NIFC-CA). The Aegis baseline 9 IAMD destroyers have increased computing power along with radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern AAW and BMD threats. The Aegis Combat System light off tests ensure all of the installed equipment is operational and communicative.

"Today is the day John Finn goes from being a ship to a warship" said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "Our industry partners, Huntington Ingalls and Lockheed Martin, have both worked very hard to achieve this important milestone on time. I looked forward to completion of the ship's test program and taking John Finn to sea next spring. We are one step closer today to delivering John Finn's critical warfighting capability to the fleet."

John Finn is the 63rd Arleigh Burke class destroyer, the first DDG 51 Flight IIA "restart" ship and is the first new-construction destroyer equipped with the Baseline 9 version of the Aegis Combat System. The ship is expected to deliver to the Navy in 2016.

USS Arleigh Burke is currently undergoing an extensive Extended Selected Restricted Availability for combat systems modernizations as part of the DDG modernization program. The ship will also receive the AN/SQQ-89 A(V) 15 sonar suite, providing a significant upgrade in anti-submarine capability and upgrades to support the MH-60 helicopter. USS Arleigh Burke is expected to rejoin the Fleet in 2016.

"The DDG 51 new construction and modernization programs continue to leverage common processes and equipment buys to greatly increase capability while reducing configuration variance across the Fleet," stated Capt. Ted Zobel, program manager for surface ship modernization in NAVSEA's directorate for surface warfare (SEA 21).

The Aegis Baseline 9 delivers modularization of computer program functions and includes the replacement of original Military Specification (MILSPEC) computing infrastructure with a network-based, open architecture computing environment. Aegis Baseline 9C DDG variant delivers critical new capabilities, including Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA), and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Surface-to-Air Missiles. Aegis Baseline 9 also delivers important affordability with implementation of the Aegis Common Source Library software code based, Common Track Manager/Common Track Server software components, Common Processor System and Common Display System.

"The Aegis Baseline 9 Systems Engineering and Development effort to deliver full Integrated Air and Missile Defense as well as Integrated Fire Control, rivals the original Aegis computer program and computing infrastructure development in complexity in order to assure access through sea control and power projection in the toughest warfighting environments," explained Capt. Tom Druggan, Aegis Combat Systems program manager.

When operational, these multi-mission surface combatants will serve as an integral player in global maritime security, engaging in air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense as well as increased capabilities in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-surface warfare.

The Naval Sea Systems Command directorate for Surface Warfare (NAVSEA 21) oversees comprehensive lifecycle modernization programs to ensure ships are primed and ready for tasking in the most sustainable, cost efficient manner. Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) is charged with the mission to develop, deliver and sustain operationally dominate combat systems to the United States Navy. PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.



http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3105

Citation :

Un F/A-18C Hornet de la U.S. Navy s’écrase en Californie



© Flickr/ Official U.S. Navy Page

Défense
18:09 22.09.2015

Un avion de chasse de la marine américaine s'est écrasé en Californie, le pilote a réussi à s'éjecter, son état de santé étant évalué comme "bon".

Un chasseur-bombardier F/A-18C Hornet s'est écrasé lundi dans un champ près de la base aéronavale de Lemoore, en Californie, son pilote a pu s'éjecter et atterrir en parachute, rapporte le Military Times, se référant au porte-parole de la base Marc Calero.

"Le pilote est en +bon+ état de santé", a précisé M.Calero.

Selon ce dernier, la catastrophe est arrivée à environ 16h, heure du Pacifique, alors que l'appareil effectuait un vol d’entraînement. L'avion s'est écrasé au sol et a pris feu dans un champ à 4,8 km de la base de Lemoore. Les flammes ont été vite éteintes sans qu'on ait dû fermer le trafic routier dans la zone.

Le F/A-18C Hornet est un avion de combat multirôle, destiné entre autres à être embarqué à bord de porte-avions de la Marine américaine.


http://fr.sputniknews.com/defense/20150922/1018323908/usa-chasseur-crash-usnavy.html#ixzz3mUrlEcmP

Citation :

Carrier Ford Delayed By Need For More Tests
By Christopher P. Cavas 6:18 p.m. EDT September 22, 2015




WASHINGTON — Delivery of the US Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, is being delayed six to eight weeks, the service announced Tuesday, with more testing needed before the new ship can begin sea trials.

The Navy and its shipbuilder, Newport News Shipbuilding, had been driving to a delivery date of March 31, 2016. That has now slipped to mid- or late-May, a Navy spokesperson said, but a specific date will await the result of tests and trials.

Cmdr. Thurraya Kent, spokesperson for the Navy’s acquisition directorate, said in a statement that any costs associated with the delays are being “managed within budget and below the [congresssionally-mandated] $12.887 billion cost cap.”

Kent did not detail what specific tests led to the new delays.

The Ford is 93 percent complete, according to Kent. The ship is the first of a new class of carriers that will replace the already-retired carrier Enterprise and the Nimitz-class carriers, the design of which dates from the 1960s. A second ship, the John F. Kennedy, already is under construction, and the third, the Enterprise, is in the earliest stages of acquisition.

Sensitivities over the new ship already are high, with an upcoming Oct. 1 hearing on the carrier program to be held by the Senate Armed Services committee. Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, has been increasingly critical about the ship’s cost, and at his direction the Navy is carrying out a study of potential alternatives to the big ship design.

The Navy’s schedule to field the new ship already has been put off by a recent Pentagon direction – urged on by McCain and Michael Gilmore, director of the office of test and evaluation – to carry out full-scale shock tests on the Ford rather than perform the tests on a later ship in the class.

Opinions are divided as to how much of a delay the shock tests will have on the ship’s initial operational availability, with estimates ranging from several months to as much as two years.

Here is the complete text of the US Navy statement released late Tuesday afternoon:

The Navy has identified a slight deterioration in the required progress on the CVN 78 shipboard test program. As a result, the sea trial schedule will be delayed about six to eight weeks. The exact impact on ship delivery will be determined based on the results of sea trials. CVN 78 was scheduled to deliver on March 31, 2016.

This prudent step provides the most affordable path to delivery. All the work and any associated schedule delays are being managed within budget and below the $12,887M cost cap.

Significant progress to date has been made on CVN 78, including:

• EMALS testing was successfully completed on the bow catapults and proceeding on schedule to complete in November on the waist catapults

• The crew moved aboard as scheduled in August and is living and feeding aboard. Compartment turnover to the crew remains on track.

• Dual Band Radar (DBR) testing has commenced including initial energization of Multifunction Radar/ Volume Search Radar (MFR/VSR) array faces

• The propulsion plants have completed their non-critical steaming program and are preparing for their critical test program

CVN 78 is 93% complete.

Email: ccavas@defensenews.com.


http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2015/09/22/carrier-gerald-ford-delays-shipbuilding-newport-news-huntington-ingalls-navy-kent-mccain-construction/72640540/

Citation :

Le Scorpion de Textron pour l'U.S. Navy ?


Dans Actualité Défense
Publié le 25/09/2015 à 17h29, par George de Bonadona


Textron AirLand élargit sa recherche de client pour le Scorpion. © Textron AirLand



Alors que le F-35 tarde à entrer en service, Textron AirLand tente de profiter de la situation pour placer son avion de combat auprès de la marine américaine.

En visite à Washington DC, Bill Anderson, président de Textron AirLand, affirme que l'appareil intéresse non seulement des entreprises étrangères, mais aussi le département de l'U.S.Navy. "Ils reconnaissent les capacités de patrouille maritime du Scorpion, mais ils s'interrogent réellement sur comment maintenir les qualification de leurs pilotes et la capacité opérationnel sans faire toutes ses heures sur des avions de haute gamme, et dans leur cas sur des Super Hornets". Et de rajouter, "Ils observent les capacités de l'avion en perspective de test" en vue d'apporter une aide aux P-3 Orion dont l'heure de vol est relativement élevée.

L'U.S. Navy est actuellement dans une période transitoire. Des groupes de pilotes, nouveaux et anciens, qui ont suivit une formation pour passer sur F-35 doivent patienter, le temps qu'un nombre suffisant d'avions de nouvelle génération soient disponible. Toujours selon Bill Anderson, ce problème est commun à de nombreuses armées de l'air. Les avions de cinquième voire quatrième génération sont en cours de production mais n'arrivent pas surffisement vite pour pallier le retrait des avions de générations précédente. Aussi, le Scorpion est selon lui une bonne alternative.

Développé sur font propre par Textron Airland, le constructeur est toujours à la recherche de client puisque l'appareil n'a pas été conçu pour répondre à un appel d'offre (lire ici notre analyse). L'industriel poursuit donc sa quête.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/le-scorpion-de-textron-pour-l-u-s-navy-43654

Citation :

Updated: Harris awarded two more EW suites for Independence variant LCS

Grace Jean, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
27 September 2015


Harris Corp is to produce two more electronic support measure suites for integration on US Navy (USN) Independence variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), officials announced on 23 September.

The award, made by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GD-AIS) under a contract awarded in 2012, provides for two AN/SLD-4 electronic surveillance and countermeasure systems to complement a suite of Harris-provided electronic warfare technologies on board the aluminium trimaran variant LCS, being built by Austal USA.

Harris has delivered four AN/SLD-4 systems to the USN and four systems are in production.

Delivery of the two suites to GD-AIS is planned for 2016.

Citation :

TALONS System Mimics a Mast as Tall as a Skyscraper
By US Department of Defense -September 30, 2015





DARPA’s Towed Airborne Lift of Naval Systems (TALONS) research effort recently demonstrated a prototype of a low-cost, fully automated parafoil system designed to extend maritime vessels’ long-distance communications and improve their domain awareness. Towed behind boats or ships, TALONS could carry intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications payloads of up to 150 pounds between 500 and 1,500 feet in altitude-many times higher than current ships’ masts-and greatly extend the equipment’s range and effectiveness.

DARPA has successfully tested a TALONS prototype that can be deployed by hand from smaller boats, or by mast from larger ships. Before open-water testing, TALONS’ rapid development began with land-based testing near Tucson, Arizona, in June 2014, followed by mock-up testing and measurement near Assateague Island National Seashore in Virginia in December of that year.

TALONS R and D began bench-testing the system in March 2015. Field testing on the water started in early May, and ran through June near Baltimore, Maryland, and Virginia Beach, Virginia. More than 20 TALONS flights were launched over that period, testing the system under various wind conditions and developing TALONS for different platforms.

In the Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore, the TALONS team improved hand-deployment techniques for smaller boats and sent the system up to 500 feet in altitude, tuning and programming automatic launch-and-recovery and autopilot systems. The Virginia Beach demonstration occurred several miles offshore and used a mast-deployment technique that extended TALONS’ reach to 1,000 feet in altitude to display the system’s utility for larger ships.

TALONS is part of DARPA’s Phase 1 research for Tern, a joint program between DARPA and the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research. Following successful testing, DARPA may transition TALONS technology to the U.S. Navy.







http://www.defencetalk.com/talons-system-mimics-a-mast-as-tall-as-a-skyscraper-65519/

Citation :

Pentagon budget 2016: Reconciled authorisation bill bolsters USN's shipbuilding

Grace Jean, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly


Lawmakers have agreed to boost funding for certain programmes in the US Navy's (USN's) shipbuilding plans as part of a reconciled fiscal year 2016 (FY 2016) defence authorisation bill, officials announced on 30 September.

The USN originally requested USD16.597 billion for shipbuilding and conversion in its FY 2016 budget proposal, and House and Senate negotiators have agreed to authorise USD17.628 billion, which boosts funding for a guided-missile destroyer along with two amphibious ships.

Specifically, lawmakers are supporting an additional USD400 million in incremental funding for an Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer plus an additional USD60 million for DDG modifications. The provision, proposed by the Senate in its version of the defence authorisation bill, would allow the secretary of the navy "to enter into a contract beginning with the fiscal year 2016 programme year for the procurement of one Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in addition to the 10 DDG 51s in the fiscal year 2013 through 2017 multiyear procurement contract, or for one DDG 51 in fiscal year 2018", according to a summary of the reconciled bill.




Lawmakers also recommended an additional USD199 million for advance procurement of the third America-class amphibious assault ship (LHA , and USD250 million to accelerate a new amphibious dock landing ship (LX[R]).

The bill also contains a provision that expands the transfer authority provided to a so-called National Sea-based Deterrence Fund (NSDF), which is meant to support acquisition of a ballistic missile submarine replacement. Under the reconciled bill, conferees have agreed to allow the NSDF to receive funds - including unobligated FY 2017 funds - from across the entire Pentagon, "to include the authorisation of incremental funding authority, economic order quantity contract authority from any Department of Defense appropriation".

Citation :

U.S. Navy Started CG-47 Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruisers Modernization

The guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) was inducted as the first ship to undergo a modernization effort that will significantly upgrade its capabilities in multiple mission areas, Sept. 25, at Naval Base San Diego. The CG Phased Modernization Program is designed to balance the Navy's long-term requirement for a carrier strike group air defense commander (ADC) platform and its future shipbuilding requirements.




"We are saving money, preserving force structure, and generating options for leadership," said Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

As part of the ceremony, Cowpens was transferred from the authority of Rowden to Vice Adm. William Hilarides, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

"Today's ceremony marks the first step in extending the lives of our cruisers, and I'm excited to be a part of it," said Hilarides. "That excitement will only be matched when, after an exciting and challenging modernization, she returns to duty as part of our active fleet."

The modernization process will include major upgrades, including the Aegis weapon system with naval integrated fire control-counter air (NIFC-CA) capability, SPQ-9B multipurpose radar, electro-optical sight system, AN/SQQ-89A(V)-15 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite with multi-function towed array (MFTA) and significant hull mechanical and electrical (HM&E) upgrades.

"When she returns to the fleet, she will be fully modernized and capable of meeting and defeating any threat," said Rowden. "This is smart work."

Upon completion of the modernization, Cowpens will have a 29-year-old hull but the most modern and capable combat system available, and an extended life from 35 to 44 years.

"Admiral Hilarides will take custody of a ship that has been a powerhouse in the world's most powerful Navy and make her, over time, something even greater," said Rowden.

That sentiment was also shared by Hilarides.

"Cowpens will be a game changer, and I look forward to the day when this ship leaves my care and sails over the horizon; that will be a great day for the Navy and the nation," he said.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) is also scheduled to be inducted and undergo the same phased modernization as Cowpens Sept. 30.

As a part of the transfer, the ship also underwent a change of command. Lt. Cmdr. Horst Sollfrank assumed command, relieving Capt. Michael Sciretta.

Sciretta graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in administration of justice, and was commissioned in 1992 through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corp. He is scheduled to take command of the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) later next month.

Sollfrank is a native of Cortland, New York, and graduated from Hawaii Pacific University in 2001, receiving a degree in diplomacy and military studies. He previously served as the commanding officer of Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Crew Dominant.






http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3140

Citation :

Saturday, 3 October 2015
French Naval Delegation Visited US Navy Electromagnetic Railgun Facility
French military officials touring Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), received briefings on Navy technical programs from the electromagnetic railgun to the hypervelocity projectile, Sept. 4. The event, and recent British Navy visits, supports the Chief of Naval Operations' Sailing Directions to operate forward in new and flexible ways with access to strategic maritime crossroads.

http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.fr/2015/10/french-naval-delegation-visited-us-navy.html?m=1

Citation :

Seconde phase d'essais pour le F-35C sur le CVN 69


Dans Actualité Défense, Actualité Avions de combat
Publié le 07/10/2015 à 12h49, par Antony Angrand


Un F-35C sur le pont de l'USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, prêt à être catapulté. © U.S.Navy


La version navalisée du F-35C entame sa seconde phase d'essais de développement, dite DT II, à bord du porte-avions USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) en plein océan atlantique. Ces essais devraient se dérouler sur une période d'environ deux semaines. Ils ont pour but de poursuivre l'intégration de l'appareil au sein de la flottille ainsi que du porte-avions.

Parmi les tests qui vont être entrepris figurent les catapultages et appontages réalisées de jour comme de nuit, les opérations de nuit réalisées avec le système d'affichage d'informations sur visière de casque de troisième génération ainsi que des essais réalisés avec le système commun d'approche de précision et d'atterrissage dit JPALS.

Le F-35C est destiné à remplacer les F/A-18C/D qui sont en service depuis les années 1980 et apporter un complément aux capacités offertes par les F/A-18E/F. Selon l'US Navy, la capacité opérationnelle initiale reste prévue pour la fin 2018. En 2025, l'aéronavale américaine sera constituée d'un ensemble d'appareils mêlant F-35C, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, E-2D, drones, appareils dédiés à la logistique et autres hélicoptères.




http://www.air-cosmos.com/seconde-phase-d-essais-pour-le-f-35c-sur-le-cvn-69-44061

Citation :

CNO Ready for First Overseas Travel

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens are scheduled to visit several overseas locations to meet with Sailors, Navy civilians, families and key maritime partners.

The trip begins Oct. 12 in Hawaii, where the CNO and MCPON will celebrate the Navy Birthday meeting with Pearl Harbor Sailors during a number of waterfront visits and calls.

Outside of the United States the CNO will visit the following countries:

Japan

Richardson and Stevens will meet with Sailors at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Yokosuka Naval Base, visiting several forward deployed units including the newly arrived USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

In Tokyo, CNO will visit the Japanese Ministry of Defense for a series of counterpart visits with Japanese political and military leaders to reinforce maritime cooperation initiatives and military support for this important ally nation.

Richardson will also participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) Memorial Zone in honor of fallen JSDF service members.

South Korea

CNO and MCPON will visit with Sailors and Marines assigned to Commander, Naval Forces Korea and hold an all hands call to answer questions and receive Fleet feedback.

Richardson will also meet with officials from the Republic of Korea's (ROK) Ministry of Defense, ROK's new chairman of their joint chiefs of staff and his counterpart in the ROK Navy to strengthen their shared alliance and reaffirm commitment to security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Philippines

CNO and MCPON will make a stop at Clark Air Base to meet with host-nation Navy leaders.

Bahrain

During all hands calls and small group sessions, CNO and MCPON will meet with Sailors, Navy civilians and families stationed at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

He will visit a number of ships and tour the newly expanded waterfront and pier facilities used by U.S. and allied naval forces.

Richardson will to engage with government and Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) leadership to support regional security cooperation efforts.

Italy

Richardson will continue his Fleet engagement meeting with Sailors, Navy civilians and families stationed at Naval Support Activity, Naples.

Finally, CNO will lead the U.S. Navy delegation at the Italian Navy-hosted Regional Seapower Symposium in Venice. Richardson will participate in a number of senior panel discussions as well as meet individually with several of his partner Navy colleagues.

Richardson became the 31st CNO, Sept. 18, serving as the Navy's most senior officer, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Defense and the President.
http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=91409

quote]Draken receives L-159s to market in the Americas

Jiri Kominek, Prague - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
08 October 2015



Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody delivered the first surplus Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) L-159E ALCA light attack and training aircraft to Draken International on 5 October.

Aero Vodochody plans to deliver another seven aircraft by the end of the year. Draken International is to receive a total of 21 aircraft to be used by the company, which has secured contracts to provide adversary support for the US Air Force and US Navy.

Aero Vodochody in 2014 signed a contract with Draken International to provide 14 L-159 aircraft for CZK220-250 million (USD9-10 million), with an option for another 14 airframes.








[/quote]

Citation :

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter arrived in Ukraine


By Dylan Malyasov - Oct 12, 2015


U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean Spratt/Released

 
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in Odesa, Ukraine, for a scheduled port visit Oct. 9, 2015.

Porter’s presence in Ukraine reaffirms to NATO allies that the U.S. Navy shares a commitment to strengthen ties while working toward mutual goals of promoting peace and stability in the Black Sea region.

USS Porter (DDG-78) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Porter is named after U.S. Navy officers Commodore David Porter, and his son, Admiral David Dixon Porter.



http://defence-blog.com/news/arleigh-burke-class-guided-missile-destroyer-uss-porter-arrived-in-ukraine.html  

Citation :

Navy Divers Salvage F/A-18

Navy divers and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to Commander, Task Group (CTG) 56.1 salvaged an F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft from the sea floor in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, July 22, 2015.
Navy Divers and Explosive OrdnanceDisposal Technicians, assigned to Commander,Task Group (CTG) 56.1, recover an F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft lost at sea.

"This F/A-18 that sunk went down ... not due to the pilot ... there was a problem with one of the engines," said Navy Diver 1st Class Brandon Wiggins, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit ONE. "So salvaging this, they're going to be able to get an inspection on the engine that failed."

The size of the wreckage and the fact that it lay in a depth of 189 feet of seawater made the mission a unique challenge.

"I've been in the Navy for about 17 years and this is the first time that I've actually had the opportunity of doing something this big," said Senior Chief Navy Diver Dalbert Rivera, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit ONE (MDSU). "[We got to] go deep, push the limits, and show the Navy that this is what we train for. We're trained professionals so we can do absolutely everything that we're taught in dive school."

Navy divers and EOD personnel from various commands came together to complete the mission.
I've been in the Navy for about 17 years and this is the first time that I've actually had the opportunity of doing something this big


"We have EOD guys here giving us support. We have people from San Diego and from Hawaii," said Rivera. "Everyone's pulling together and we're doing a very good job."



CTG 56.1 conducts mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, salvage-diving, and force protection throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/ftrStory.asp?issue=3&id=91445&cid=social_20151014_53939836&adbid=714893905277731&adbpl=fb&adbpr=126834980750296

Citation :

États-Unis : les aspirants navigants repassent au sextant


Publié le 16/10/2015 18:02 | Mis à jour le 16/10/2015 18:32


La Marine américaine craint les conséquences d’une cyberattaque. (Photo : US Navy)

Le bon vieux sextant fait son retour dans l’armée la plus moderne au monde. Selon le quotidien régional The Capital Gazette, l’Académie navale américaine a recommencé à former ses aspirants à la navigation céleste.

La raison ? L’instrument resterait fiable en cas de cyberattaque. « Nous nous sommes entièrement informatisés, déclare au quotidien le lieutenant-colonel Ryan Rogers, titulaire de la chaire de navigation de l’institution. Le problème, c’est qu’il n’y a plus de solution de secours. »

Les aspirants ont commencé à recevoir trois heures de cours hebdomadaires cet été. La promotion 2017 sera la première à avoir des rudiments dans l’utilisation du sextant. La formation dispensée à Annapolis (Maryland) s'était arrêtée en 1998.

Comme c’est le cas de nombreux cycles de formation américains. L’US Coast Guards, par exemple, ne forme plus au sextant depuis une dizaine d’années, bien que des cours de théorie soient dispensés et que les cadets de ce corps de l’US Navy utilisent l’appareil à bord du voilier école Eagle.

Machine à écrire

L’Académie de la marine marchande américaine, en revanche, continue d’utiliser le sextant dans ses cours, et aide actuellement l’académie d’Annapolis à mettre en place son programme. L’un de ses doyens déclarait d’ailleurs récemment à la revue Ocean Navigator qu’il ne « pouvait s’imaginer se qualifier demain sans connaître la navigation céleste ».

La réintroduction du sextant à Annapolis marque en quelque sorte la fin de la croyance à l’infaillibilité technologique. Un autre média anglo-saxon, le quotidien australien The Sydney Morning Herald, rapportait récemment qu’une unité chargée de la sécurité d’officiers de l’armée russe avait ressorti leurs vieilles machines à écrire de leurs cartons, suite à l’épisode du WikiLeaks et aux récentes révélations sur l’espionnage informatique de l’agence américaine NSA. L’état-major allemand serait prêt à imiter ce geste.

http://www.lemarin.fr/secteurs-activites/defense/23306-les-aspirants-navigateurs-americains-repassent-au-sextant

Citation :

Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Milwaukee (LCS 5)

MARINETTE, Wis (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) during a ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard Oct. 16.

Milwaukee is the sixth littoral combat ship to be delivered to the Navy and the third of the Freedom variant to join the fleet.

Delivery marks the official transfer of LCS 5 from a Lockheed Martin-led team to the Navy. It is the final milestone prior to commissioning, which is planned for Nov. 21 in its namesake city.

"With each LCS delivered, we have succeeded in driving down costs by incorporating lessons learned to provide the Navy with a highly capable and flexible ship," said LCS program manager Capt. Tom Anderson. "We are honored to place the Milwaukee in the able hands of her crew as they set sail for the ship's commissioning."

Capt. Warren R. Buller II, commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, was on hand to mark the occasion.

"We are pleased to receive the future USS Milwaukee into the LCS class," said Buller. "Milwaukee is scheduled to conduct Full Ship Shock Trials before joining her sister littoral combat ships in their homeport of San Diego."

Buller's squadron supports the operational commanders with warships ready for tasking by manning, training, equipping, and maintaining all littoral combat ships in the fleet.

Following commissioning, Milwaukee will be homeported in San Diego with sister ships USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Coronado (LCS 4) and the future USS Jackson (LCS 6).

LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Delivering high-quality warfighting assets while balancing affordability and capability is key to supporting the nation's maritime strategy.
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