Ahoy mates and welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Let’s see what going on today.
On Display - HMS Sheffield, (D80)
Crew-mate Christer Johansson (ROY) shares a gallery of images of one of his latest, Type 42 guided Missile Destroyer, HMS Sheffield (D80), in this MSW "On Display"!
On Display
Weaving Extended Rope Bumpers
Crew-mate Hory Aycardo (hardright) gives us a step-by-step tutorial (his first submission) in weaving extended rope bumpers, in this MSW Feature!
Feature
Community Build Session 3
It's getting to be that time again, mates, we have 7 days left in Build Session 3 of our "Community Build Contest".
Don't forget to record your progress with your best images, and have them uploaded and posted into your individual blogs by 9/01/08, EST, to be eligible for this sessions points!
Community Build
Fujimi's new 1/350 IJN Shokaku Previewed
Earlier this month at the Tokyo Hobby Show, Fujimi unveiled their upcoming 1/350 HIJMS Shokaku. For now, release date and retail price is still unannounced.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1843 - Steam frigate Missouri arrives at Gibralter completing first trans-Atlantic crossing by a U.S. steam-powered ship.
1942 - Five Navy nurses who became POWs on Guam are repatriated.
1951 - Twenty-three fighters from USS Essex (CV 9) escort Air Force heavy bombers attacking Najin, Korea, since target was beyond range of land-based fighters.
Royal Australian Navy Launches New Website
This weekend, the Royal Australian navy unveiled their new, improved website. Follow the link and check it out.
http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/Main_Page" TARGET="_blank">Royal Australian Navy
Italian Submarine Todaro Visits Groton
The Italian submarine ITS Salvatore Todaro (S 526) arrived at Naval Submarine Base New London Aug. 21 to begin a 14-day visit.
Todaro's deployment is a historic first for the Italian Navy, representing the first-ever trans-Atlantic Italian sub voyage since World War II. It also symbolizes the premier of their long-term project to build a small, but first-rate, submarine fleet capable of regular out-of-area deployments.
"This deployment has given us the chance to develop interoperability between the U.S. and Italian navies," said Lt. Cmdr. Mauro Panebianco, Todaro commanding officer. "We've been able to test our new systems in a different environment from which we normally operate {Mediterranean Sea}."
Todaro recently participated in a Joint Task Force Exercise with Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and visited Naval Stations Mayport and Norfolk.
"The security cooperation partnerships we seek to build require connectivity, interoperability, and a baseline for communicating mutual understanding," said Capt. Robert Burke, commodore, Submarine Developmental Squadron (DEVRON) 12. "Exercising together is the key to significantly broader mutual cooperation with our partner nations."
DEVRON 12 and USS Annapolis (SSN 760) will be sponsoring Todaro and assisting the crew with any issues they may have during their stay. They will also host them at a reception, picnic and soccer game.
"This is a great opportunity for my crew to interact with Sailors from a different Navy," said Cmdr. Michael Brunner, Annapolis commanding officer. "We'll be able to share sea stories and see how different or similar our Navies are."
Before leaving the United States, Todaro will continue to conduct exercises with the U.S. Navy and participate in a Great White Fleet event and Columbus Day celebrations in New York City in October.
Todaro was commissioned on March 29, 2006, and is the first of four submarines in the U212A class of submarines. She is diesel and electric-powered and of medium dimensions, characterized by innovative technologies with consequent high performances, in particular for the enhanced endurance in stealth mode, the low acoustic/magnetic target strength and the advanced sonar and weapons systems.
USS Kentucky Returns To The Fleet Early
USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) completed a drydocking for emergent maintenance at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNSY & IMF) Aug. 21, returning to the fleet three days earlier than scheduled.
During Kentucky's Trident maintenance refit period, Navy divers discovered unforeseen but necessary maintenance work. This finding prompted a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) assessment and recommendation for an unscheduled docking. Despite the challenges of this emergent work, the ship was docked and the Shipyard-IMF team successfully completed all repairs ahead of schedule.
"The men and women of the IMF site performed admirably," said Capt. James F. Stone, IMF commanding officer. "They instinctively responded to the challenge and planned, engineered and executed the tasking without rework or churn and rapidly turned the vessel back over to the operator … days earlier than planned. This demonstrated professionalism, dedication and sense of urgency validates the need for such an organization under the NAVSEA umbrella. I am proud to be serving with such a team."
"This is yet another great example of what the maintenance professionals of IMF can do to support the warfighters," said Capt. Mark R. Whitney, commander, PSNSY & IMF.
PSNSY & IMF is one of four public shipyards operated by NAVSEA. These shipyards play a major role in maintaining America's fleet and provide a wartime surge capability to keep the nations' ships ready for combat. NAVSEA's goal is to increase current Fleet readiness to ensure we are delivering capability in a cost effective way.
Photo of the Day
A 5-inch MK-45 Mod 2 light weight gun fires during a live fire exercise aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72).
Gator
