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



Victory at Sea
Today’s edition of ”Victory at Sea” takes us to the brink of World War III.
Victory at Sea

Community Build Session 5
Just a friendly reminder, Session 5 of our "MSW Community Build" is nearing the end, make sure that you have your monthly progress photos uploaded and posted in your "BLOG" by 11/1/08, which will then close this session of the event!

On Display -
Ahoy, mates, how about a big MSW welcome to new crew-mate Rick Bellanger (RickBellanger), as he shares his fantastic build of Masterpiece Models 1/35 scale Program 5 Command and Communications Boat in this "On Display" Feature!
On Display




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1944 - The Battle of Leyte Gulf, a series of separate battles, begins with attacks on Japanese ships.
1983 - Terrorist bombing of Marine barracks at Beirut airport in Lebanon kills 241 members of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit.
1983 - Operation Urgent Fury begins in Grenada, West Indies.


HMS Victory Hosts Commemorative Ceremony for Trafalgar Day

The Royal Navy’s most important anniversary marked for the 203rd year by a ceremony onboard HMS Victory today (Tuesday 21 October) at 8am. This also coincided with the 250th Anniversary of Lord Nelson’s Birthday, which the Royal Navy celebrated last month.



October 21 is the anniversary of the most decisive naval battle under sail in British history - Admiral Lord Nelson's triumph at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The anniversary also marks the death of the Royal Navy's most revered leader when he was fatally wounded during the action which decisively defeated a Franco-Spanish Fleet.
The hoisting of the Colours (Union Jack and White Ensign) and Nelson's signal 'England Expects' marked the start of the commemoration on HMS Victory. A team of ratings and staff from HMS Victory hoisted the 33 flags in sequence on Victory’s three masts.

The central act of the commemoration was the laying of a wreath on the spot where Nelson fell by the Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Alan Massey. The wreath-laying was accompanied by a service which encompassed readings and prayers. Further wreaths were laid on the Orlop deck, where Nelson died, by the Second Sea Lord, Commandant General Royal Marines and Victory's Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Oscar Whild.


GE LM2500+ Gas Turbines to Power US Navy's LHA 6 Ship

GE Marine announces that its LM2500+ marine aeroderivative gas turbines have been selected by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB), Pascagoula, Miss., to power the United States Navy's new LHA 6 amphibious assault ship.



"The selection of the LM2500+ gas turbines offers propulsion commonality for this first-in-class ship with the U.S. Navy's existing LHD 8 amphibious assault ship currently under construction at NGSB. The LHD 8 was the first U.S. Navy ship to use this hybrid propulsion system configuration, and was the first military application of the LM2500+ gas turbine," said Brien Bolsinger, general manager, GE Marine, Evendale, Ohio. "This LHA 6 project furthers GE's long-standing tradition of supplying reliable gas turbines to the U.S. Navy -- our largest operator with a fleet of over 400 GE gas turbines."

The LHA 6 ship's hybrid mechanical-electric propulsion system will consist of two LM2500+ gas turbines, each rated at 35,290 shaft horsepower at U.S. Navy standard day conditions (100oF), and two, 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors. The LM2500+ gas turbines will be manufactured at GE's Evendale facility.

The hybrid propulsion system enables the ship's propellers to be driven either by the gas turbines or by the electric motors, which are powered from the ship service electrical system. This propulsion system allows the ship to operate in a more fuel efficient mode throughout its speed range.

The LHA 6 -- the first ship of the U.S. Navy's LHA(R) program -- will be able to operate and support a detachment of more than 20 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. The LHA 6 will feature several aviation capabilities enhanced beyond previous amphibious assault ships, including an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity.

The LHA 6 will be multi-functional and versatile, modifying existing command, control, communications, computers and intelligence spaces to allow for flexible mission dependent reconfiguration. The LHA 6 will also have increased cargo magazine capacity, better survivability, and greater service life margins.


Photo of the Day



Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class (Handling) Michael Walsh directs a fire fighting team aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as they fight a simulated fire during a general quarters drill.

Gator