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

Feature - IJN Unryu

New MSW Crew member Anthony Kochevar shares with us his build of the IJN Unryu.




Ambush Takes the Plunge
Source: BAE Systems

BARROW-IN-FURNESS, UK --- Ambush, the second hunter-killer submarine in the Astute Class, has successfully completed her first dive; an important milestone in readiness for the boat’s departure on sea trials early next year.

The dive, known to engineers as ‘the Trim and Inclining Experiment’, proves the boat’s safety and stability in the water and measures the submarine’s performance at a depth of 16 metres. The maiden dive took place over two days and involved more than 70 people including BAE Systems’ engineers, Ministry of Defence personnel and Royal Navy Ship’s Staff.



Commander Peter Green, Commanding Officer of Ambush, stated: “This is a major milestone for Ambush and shows she is firmly on track to exit Barrow early next year in order to commence her sea trials. Nuclear submarines are some of the most complex machines on earth and therefore to see everything come together in order to dive the boat for the first time is very satisfying. It has been a superb team effort between BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, the Ministry of Defence Submarine Project Team and Ambush Ship’s Company”

The ‘‘Trim and Inclining Experiment’ proves the safety and stability of the submarine and sets the standards of operation for Ambush’s performance. Meticulous measurements are taken at every stage of the dive. These include ‘trim draught’ - gauging how far the boat sits underwater to achieve the correct balance, assessment of the boat’s centre of gravity and the stability of the boat intact and in the event of damage.

The experiment takes place in a dedicated deep area of the dock at Barrow-in-Furness known as the ‘basin’ or ‘dive hole’. A set sequence of preparations is made, including diving the submarine on its main ballast tanks, fine tuning the submarine using her trim and compensation tanks, ‘heeling’ or inclining the submarine and surfacing the boat recording draughts.

Prior to Ambush’s sea trials in 2012 a final major commissioning activity, known as Power Range Testing, will take place towards the end of this year. In this test the full propulsion system is put through its paces for the first time.


USS Laboon, P-8A Conduct Tests At Sea
Source: US Naval Air Systems Command

ATLANTIC OCEAN --- On Sept. 15, the bridge watch team aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) watches as a P-8A Poseidon executes low level surveillance rigs at 500 feet with a speed of more than 300 knots.

This is the first coordinated test evaluation and training conducted between a surface ship and the new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform on the East Coast.

Laboon crewmembers had control of the Poseidon for four hours providing safety of flight and a point of reference as they conduct radar and combat systems testing. The testing was part of establishing a maximum target detection range of various radar modes against a surface combatant.

"It was a really great feeling to be in control of an aircraft that is going to be the next best thing in the ASW world. You don't get this kind of opportunity every day," said Operation Specialist 2nd Class Michelle White, the ASW tactical air controller monitoring the Poseidon and who kept in constant communication with the aircraft and helped it navigate through air traffic.

"This P-8A test team and fleet coordinated test event brings the Poseidon one step closer to Initial Operational Capability in 2013," said Neal Rothback deputy program manager for the P-8A program.

The Poseidon, developed by Boeing Defense, Space & Security in 2009, is modified from the Boeing 737 and has the capabilities to drop and monitor sonobuoys. Its main mission is ASW and carries an armament of torpedoes, depth charges, anti-ship missiles, and other weapons. The Poseidon is equipped with an APY-10 radar as well as an ALQ-218 ESM system along with a camera that takes high definition videos.

Based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., the test crew, consists of Boeing and Navy contractors; VX-20 Sailors led by Cmdr. Jason Rider, chief test pilot for VX-20 and Cmdr. James Chitko, operations officer for the Integrated Test Team (ITT); and Mark Spencer, a senior Boeing test conductor.




Battle of Cape Esperance & Battle of Convoy SC 104

Wednesday is the anniversary of the Battle of Cape Esperance and the Battle of Convoy SC 104.




USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)

Today’s website is the USS Shenandoah (ZR-1). Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1845 - The Naval School, later the Naval Academy, opens in Annapolis, Md., with 50 midshipmen and seven faculty.
1923 - First American-built rigid airship, Shenandoah, is christened. It used helium gas instead of hydrogen.
1944 - The Leyte campaign begins with the attack of four carrier task groups of Task Force 38 on Okinawa and Ryukyus.
1960 - Navy assigned responsibility for program management and technial direction of Project SPASUR, the first U.S. universal satellite detection and tracking network.
1985 - Fighters from USS Saratoga (CV 60) force an Egyptian airliner, with the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro aboard, to Italy, where the hijackers were taken into custody.


Diorama Idea of the Day



Visitors talk to Sailors and Marines while viewing various displays of military equipment aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during San Francisco Fleet Week 2011. To see the original high resolution photo, click here.


There will be no Scuttlebutt tomorrow or Wednesday. I’ll be with my son as he has tests done for his seizures.

Gator