Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.

Feature - "Sharks!"...a diorama

New MSW Crew member Domingo Ruiz Bauza shares a photo gallery of his first maritime themed diorama entitled "Sharks!".




US Navy Accelerates SSN Building Plan
Source: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. announced today that the company's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division officially began construction of the yet-to-be-named Virginia-class submarine SSN 787 on Sept. 2, marking the beginning of the program's two-submarines-per-year build plan.

"As a team, Newport News Shipbuilding and Electric Boat have been aggressive in identifying cost-reduction opportunities and construction efficiencies that both enabled the authorization of two submarines per year and will support their continued cost-effective and timely delivery to our Navy customer," said Jim Hughes, NNS' vice president, Submarines and Fleet Support. "We are eager to implement this build plan that will further strengthen our nation's undersea force."

SSN 787 is the 14th Virginia-class submarine and the fourth of the Block III subs. HII is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build Virginia-class submarines. Using millions of parts from more than 4,000 suppliers in 50 states and the District of Columbia, the submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations and are the first major combatants designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind.

"This represents the culmination of an extraordinary effort by the Virginia-class team," said John D. Holmander, Electric Boat's vice president for the Virginia Program. "From the engineers and designers who reduced the cost of the Virginia class, to the shipbuilders who have delivered the submarines ahead of schedule and under budget, to the vendors who worked with us on cost-containment strategies, and of course to the Navy, which has managed the program now recognized as a model for Pentagon procurement, this has truly been a collective effort."

Holmander also credited the Virginia, Connecticut and Rhode Island congressional delegations for their tireless support of the Virginia-class program, resulting in approval for the Navy to double submarine production from one to two submarines per year.


United States Navy's First Joint High Speed Vessel Christened
Source: Austal

“USNS Spearhead”, the first of 10 US Navy Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) designed for rapid intra-theater transport of troops and military equipment, was christened on Saturday September 17, 2011 during a ceremony at Austal’s USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) will own and operate “Spearhead” and the six other JHSVs that are under contract to be built for the US Navy. “Spearhead” will be crewed by 22 civil service mariners working for MSC who will operate, navigate and maintain the ship.

“Spearhead” will change the game - transforming the normally behind-the-scenes exercise of supporting the military’s logistical requirements into something far more exciting,” said Austal USA President and Chief Operating Officer, Joe Rella, during his address to over a thousand attendees, including leaders from the military services, Congress and Austal employees. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions was the ceremony’s principal speaker.

Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer, Kenneth Wahlman, is the ship’s sponsor. His daughter Catherine, a staff sergeant in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps at Virginia Tech University, broke the traditional bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship.

The 103 metre aluminum catamarans are designed to be fast, flexible and maneuverable even in shallow waters, making them ideal for transporting troops and equipment quickly within a theater of operations.

The ship has the ability to support operations of all sorts, supporting the warfighter through traditional logistics missions, humanitarian support projects, disaster response or by supporting maritime law enforcement activities. “We can only imagine the missions that “Spearhead” will be uniquely suited for and called upon to support,” said Mr Rella. “Realising this ship’s potential is now the task of Captain Douglas Casavant and his crew. We envy their opportunity and everyone here at Austal wishes the Captain and crew of “Spearhead” all the very best.”

The JHSVs are capable of transporting 600 short tons of military troops, vehicles, supplies and equipment 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots and can operate in shallow-draft, austere ports and waterways, providing U.S. forces added mobility and flexibility. The JHSV aviation flight decks can support day and night flight operations. Each JHSV also has sleeping accommodations for up to 146 personnel and airline-style seating for up to 312.

After the ceremony, Mr Rella remarked, “We may be celebrating now, but we are not resting,” gesturing to the assembly bay recently vacated by the “USNS Spearhead”. In the bay, underneath a ceremonial U.S. flag, the first modules of JHSV 2, the future “Vigilant”, are already being pieced together to form the second JHSV.

Austal is preparing to launch the second Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship Class, “Coronado” (LCS 4). Austal is also under contract to build 7 JHSVs, with “Vigilant” (JHSV 2) construction underway.

For the LCS and JHSV programs, Austal is teamed with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics. As the ship systems integrator, General Dymanics is responsible for the design, integration and testing of the ship’s electronic systems including the combat system, networks, and seaframe control. General Dynamics’ proven open architecture approach provides affordable capabilities to the fleet quickly and efficiently.

These two contracts will require Austal to more than double its Mobile, Alabama workforce to approximately 3,800 employees in order to fulfil contract requirements. “With almost ten percent of these workers expected to reside in the neighbouring states of Florida and Mississippi, we are proud that Austal is an engine of regional growth for the Gulf,” concluded Mr Rella.




SS Stephen Hopkins engages German auxiliary cruiser Stier

Today is the anniversary of the SS Stephen Hopkins engages German auxiliary cruiser Stier.




First Liberty Ship: SS Patrick Henry

Today’s website is the First Liberty Ship: SS Patrick Henry. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1922 - Report on observations of experiments with short wave radio at Anacostia in the District of Columbia starts Navy development of radar.
1941 - Launch of first Liberty ship, SS Patrick Henry, in Baltimore.
1942 - Armed Guard on SS Stephen Hopkins engages German auxiliary cruiser Stier and supply ship Tannenfels. Stephen Hopkins and Stier both sink.
1944 - Special Air Task Force (STAG-1) commences operations with drones, controlled by TBM Avanger aircraft, against Japanese in Southwestern Pacific.
1950 - First Marine Division captures Seoul, South Korea.


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