Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1917 - USS Cassin (DD 43) is torpedoed by German submarine U-61 off the coast of Ireland. In trying to save the ship, Gunner's Mate Osmond Kelly Ingram becomes first American Sailor killed in World War I and later is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. He becomes the first enlisted man to have a ship named for him, in 1919.
1948 - First women officers on active duty are sworn in as commissioned officers in regular Navy under Women's Service Integration Act of June 1948 by Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan: Capt. Joy B. Hancock; Lt. Cmdr. Winifred R. Quick; Lt. Cmdr. Anne King; Lt. Cmdr. Frances L. Willoughby; Lt. Ellen Ford; Lt. Doris Cranmore; Lt. j.g. Doris A. Defenderfer; and Lt. j.g. Betty Rae Tennant.
1957 - USS Lake Champlain (CV 39) reaches Valencia, Spain, to assist in flood rescue work.
1960 - USS Patrick Henry (SSBN 599) begins successful firing of four Polaris test vehicles under operational rather than test conditions. Tests are completed Oct. 18.
1965 - U.S. Naval Support Activity Danang Vietnam established.
HMS Vigilant Arrives In Devonport for Major Refit
The strategic deterrent submarine HMS Vigilant docked Saturday (11 October) at HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth, for a major refit and refuel of her nuclear power plant.
The long overhaul period and refuel will take about three years and provide work for hundreds of people in Devonport which is the only place in the UK which specialises in this work for the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet - the dedicated home of submarine maintenance.
HMS Vigilant, a nuclear-powered vessel, normally based at Faslane Naval Base in Scotland, was commissioned in 1996 and is the third of the Royal Navy’s Vanguard Class of submarines which is designed to carry the UK’s Trident nuclear missile and therefore, forms part of the UK’s strategic deterrent. HMS Vigilant arrives in Devonport following the departure of HMS Victorious on completion of her successful overhaul earlier this year. HMS Victorious is now undergoing her sea trials. The overhaul will include an intensive maintenance period and furnish HMS Vigilant with a number of enhanced capabilities. This demonstrates a considerable investment in effectively equipping our armed forces now and in the future.
The most significant element of the overhaul is the installation of a new reactor core for her power plant that will provide the submarine with propulsion for her remaining operational life. There will also be over 80 other design alterations and additions across a wide range of submarine systems.
The work program will involve a major equipment overhaul, installation of improved strategic weapons system equipment, integration of the tactical weapons submarine command system (next generation), the installation of a new reactor core that provides the submarine with propulsion for its remaining operational life without further requirement for refuel, and 80 other submarine design alterations and additions.
HMS Vigilant needs to be refueled because the life of the fuel in the reactor installed at build was less than the life of the submarine as the technology at the time did not allow fuel to be produced that would last as long as the submarine. However, improvements since then mean that future submarines, such as the next generation Astute class submarines, will not need to be refueled. All nuclear powered submarines in the current fleet either have had, or will need, one refuel during their life. HMS Vanguard and HMS Victorious have already undergone their long overhaul and refuel and HMS Vengeance will undergo her’s once HMS Vigilant has completed her’s.
NATO Maritime Group to Combat Pirates off Somalia
NATO will send its Standing Naval Maritime Group to the waters off Somalia, a spokesman for the alliance said today. James Appathurai told reporters at a news conference that the decision came out of the defense ministerial conference under way here. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is meeting with his NATO counterparts.
Piracy off Somalia’s coast has become an increasing concern, highlighted by the recent taking of the Ukrainian cargo vessel Faina. The ship is carrying tanks and other military supplies. The pirates, who operate from small boats launched from the beach, also have endangered food shipments to the country. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said 3 million Somalis are in danger of not receiving the supplies they need via the World Food Program.
“The United Nations asked for NATO’s help to address this problem,” Appathurai said. “Today, the ministers agreed that NATO should play a role. NATO will have its Standing Naval Maritime Group, which is composed of seven ships, in the region within two weeks.”
The NATO force will ensure World Food Program ships have the escort they need to deliver their essential food supplies and patrol the waters around Somalia to help to stop acts of piracy.
Well in excess of 40 percent of Somalis are dependent on food aid delivered by World Food Program ships, Appathurai said, and the increased danger of piracy requires that the aid ships have escorts. A Canadian warship is performing that mission now.
The NATO ships will work with all allies who have ships in the area now, the NATO spokesman said. The U.S. Navy has ships in the region.
“There are still important details to work out, but the bottom line is there will soon be NATO military vessels off the coast of Somalia deterring piracy and escorting food shipments,” Appathurai said. “That is good news for the Somalis, and good news for international shipping.”
Bell Helicopter Receives Contract for Additional H-1 Aircraft
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced that the U.S. Navy has exercised an option under its contract with Bell to purchase Lot 5 of the H-1 Upgrade Program, an award worth $210 million.
The 15 aircraft in Lot 5 include 11 UH-1Y aircraft and four AH-1Z aircraft. All 15 aircraft will be built at Bell’s Military Aircraft Assembly Center in Amarillo, Texas.
On Sept. 30, the Navy signed a modification to an existing contract that exercised an option to purchase the additional aircraft. Bell is now on contract to produce a total of 49 upgraded H-1 aircraft for the Marines: 37 UH-1Y utility aircraft and 12 AH-1Z attack aircraft.
So far, the company has delivered 20 upgraded H-1 helicopters: 14 UH-1Ys and six AH-1Zs.
Photo of the Day
Machinist‚'s Mate 1st Class Jason Witty commits the ashes of his grandfather, Eugene Stanley Morgan, to the Philippine Sea during a ceremony aboard the guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726). Morgan served as a member of the crew aboard the World War II cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA 35) and was one of just 316 Sailors who survived after Japanese torpedoes sunk the cruiser July 30, 1945, requested to be buried with his shipmates in the Philippine Sea.
Gator
