Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Feature - IJN Myoko
MSW crew-mate Anthony Kochevar (ajkochev) sends us a fine feature of his latest 1/700 subject, IJN Myōkō-class cruiser, Myoko, in this MSW "Build Story"!
Feature.
WWII in Color
Today’s website is WWII in Color. These color photos take you from the front line to the home front. Most of the photos are in color, but there are some black and white photos mixed in as well.
Website
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1776 - Captain John Paul Jones in Alfred with brig Providence captures British transport Mellish, carrying winter uniforms later used by Washington's troops.
1942 - Loss of USS Juneau (CL 52) during Battle of Guadalcanal results in loss of the five Sullivan Brothers.
1943 - 5th Fleet carriers begin long range night bombing attacks on Japanese positions in Gilberts and Marshalls in preparation for landings.
1957 - First firing of Regulus II bombardment missile.
Navy's Shoreline Project is Largest in Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Source: US Navy
The Navy has embarked on the largest shoreline stabilization project in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The multi-year effort will not only protect critical military infrastructure but will also improve water quality and establish habitat to support aquatic wildlife.
The remains of an asphalt road follow the edge of a crumbling bluff towering 30 feet above the river's edge below. Pieces of concrete building slabs are all that's left of former technical facilities that had to be vacated and demolished because of the encroaching shoreline.
The Naval Support Facility (NSF) in Indian Head, Md., situated on a long peninsula bounded by the Potomac River and the pristine Mattawoman Creek watershed, was losing about one-and-a-half feet of real estate per year along stretches of the base's 17 miles of waterfront.
But, thanks to emergency congressional funding and with the support of local and regional conservation groups, the Navy has embarked on the largest shoreline stabilization project in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
"The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and the shoreline restoration at Indian Head is one of many projects in which DoD is investing to revitalize the bay," emphasizes Donald Schregardus, environmental deputy assistant Secretary of the Navy. "The project also represents a significant long-term investment in the Indian Head facility and community."
At the average annual erosion rate of 1.5 feet per year, approximately 12,000 cubic yards of sediment per year was entering the surrounding waterways. NSF Indian Head developed a shoreline management plan in 2002 that surveyed shoreline erosion along the installation's waterfront. The plan prioritized areas that needed immediate attention and recommended actions to manage shoreline erosion to protect existing infrastructure at the base, improve water quality and enhance terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat.
After Hurricane Isabel further exacerbated shoreline erosion on the base, the Navy received $5.2 million in hurricane relief funding. The money was used to fund the design, permitting and construction of the initial phase of the shoreline stabilization project. Additional phases are planned and dependent on funding through fiscal year 2010.
With the support of the Southern Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Board and the Charles Soil Conservation District, work began in November 2007 with the construction of a series of breakwaters and sills along approximately 3,500 feet of the eastern shore of the Potomac River. These stabilization efforts will greatly reduce or eliminate impacts of wave action on the shoreline. As a result, approximately 2,900 feet of shoreline will naturally stabilize.
In addition, extensive erosion along a 600-foot section of the stabilized shoreline required bank grading to stabilize the slope and protect two office buildings within 35 feet of the top of the shoreline.
Behind the breakwaters and sills, an area of nearly 11 acres was backfilled to create more than an acre of intertidal vegetated wetland habitat and 9.5 acres of wetland habitat suitable for scrub-shrub, riparian floodplain forest and upland trees and shrubs.
"This project uses state-of-the-art design to minimize the facility's impact on the environment," Schregardus points out. "It is also an example of fiscal stewardship. The Navy has been able to achieve more while reducing its costs through partnerships with the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Southern Maryland Resource Conservation and Development Board, and the Charles Soil Conservation District."
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, through a partnership with NSF Indian Head, mobilized volunteers for two field planting events to complete the first phase of the shoreline project. For the first event in July 2008, more than 40 participants spent two days to place 10,000 wetland plants along approximately 1,700 feet of Potomac River shoreline. Plantings occurred in the intertidal wetland zone created by placing sediment behind the sills and breakwater that have been constructed in the initial phase of the shoreline restoration project.
In a second field planting event that spanned four days this month, more than 70 volunteers from communities throughout Maryland and Virginia labored to plant native wetland grasses, shrubs and trees.
David Nemerson, conservation biologist for the National Aquarium who directed the four-day project, estimated that volunteers logged a total of nearly 1,000 hours of labor.
"We typically work on three or four projects a year of this size and scope," he explained. "But we tend to do more in Chesapeake Bay proper," as opposed to freshwater tributaries like the Potomac, he added.
Altogether, between the two field events, the volunteers placed 15,000 wetland plants in the intertidal zone of the shoreline as well as 1,400 trees and shrubs in a riparian floodplain zone.
The riparian floodplain zone extends from the mean high water line to the toe of the existing slope of the shoreline. This area, once revegetated, will increase protection of the toe of the existing slope, enhance wildlife habitat and improve water quality.
Most of the volunteers, who spent one or more days working on the shoreline and camping overnight in nearby Smallwood State Park, hailed from distant communities throughout Maryland and Virginia.
Jeanette Bitzel from Westminster, Md., in Carroll County has worked on conservation projects for two years with the Maryland Conservation Corps, as a volunteer with AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency whose mission is to foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, AmeriCorps offers opportunities for adults to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups to address critical needs in communities across America, to include tutoring disadvantaged youth, building affordable housing, cleaning parks and streams, or helping communities respond to disaster.
Bitzel, who also recently worked with a volunteer project at Assateague Island National Seashore, was impressed by "the horrible amount of erosion the river was causing" along the Naval Support Facility Indian Head shoreline.
"What this project is doing is to help build up the shoreline to function as a healthy ecosystem," she said.
Nemerson quipped that the volunteers experienced "instant gratification" for their labor. "During one day of the field event a flock of blue birds swooped down to perch on trees (planted by the volunteers) that had only been in the ground 30 minutes."
"On behalf of the Navy, I thank the volunteers for their hard work and congratulate them on a job well done," said Schregardus. "This project restores the natural functioning of the shoreline, and the work performed over these past five days provides a long-term solution to shoreline erosion, expands aquatic habitat, improves water quality, and protects important Navy assets."
With the completion of the second round of plantings, approximately 3,500 feet of shoreline has been revegetated in the initial phase of the shoreline stabilization project.
In the broadest perspective, said Schregardus, "This project is good for the Chesapeake Bay, the surrounding environment, the Indian Head community and the economy."
Gorshkov's Delivery to Indian Navy Delayed Till 2012
Source: ddi Indian government news
Russia on Tuesday said the delivery of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy would be delayed till 2012 as the vessel could be refitted only sometime in 2010.
Russia also said that since last year New Delhi has not made any payments although the extra work to the tune of USD 1.7 billion has been done by the shipyard.
The 44.5-thousand tonne Kiev-class aircraft carrier was to be initially commissioned as INS Vikramaditya in August this year under the USD 1.5 billion deal signed in January 2004, which included the refit of the vessel and supply of 16 MiG-29K fighters.
According to an unnamed representative of Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard, Gorshkov will be launched in early December, probably to coincide with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's maiden visit to India. After launching it would be moored to the assembly wall for the completion of its refit.
"At this juncture, the completion of work in 2010 would be realistic. Two more years would be required to complete the vessel's sailing trials, including testing its aircraft in the severe conditions of Barents Sea," the shipyard 'representative' was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.
Sea-going and flying trials of the refitted aircraft carrier will be conducted by the Russian crew trained on the "Admiral Kuznetsov" aircraft carrier in service with the Russian Navy.
"Keeping in view the volume of work over and above the contract, the shortage of funds has reached USD 1.7 billion mark. From 2007 the Indians have practically not allocated funds for the repair and refit of the vessel, forcing Sevmash to carry on the refit through attracting credits," it said quoting experts' opinion.
Earlier this year Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta had visited Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard to take the stock of situation and the problems faced in the Gorshkov modernisation including cost-escalation.
According to local media reports, Sevmash is asking for USD one billion extra, while India is reported to be ready to pay not more than USD 600 million.
The negotiations are still underway, diplomatic sources said without disclosing the amount India would be ready to pay over and above the original contract.
Scorpions Celebrate Prowler's Heritage, Prep for Future in Growler
Source: US Navy
The "Scorpions" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 held a final flight ceremony for the EA-6B Prowler at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Nov. 7, giving the aircraft a respectful farewell and beginning the squadron's transition the EA-18G Growler.
Members of the VAQ community gathered in Hangar 8 to say good-bye to the venerable aircraft, which has fulfilled the electronic attack capability of VAQ-132 for almost 38 years.
"Today marks the end of an era. Today we celebrate the culmination of nearly four decades of safe, professional and proud achievements," said Cmdr. Matt Vandersluis, VAQ-132 commanding officer. "The Scorpions' history is littered with unit citations, combat operations, record setting performances, and, most notably, firsts."
The Scorpions were the first operational squadron to transition to the Prowler in January 1971 and now are going to be the first to transition to the Growler as well. Over the course of their history together, VAQ-132 has logged more than 65,000 mishap-free flight hours in the EA-6B. They were the first to the fight in electronic attack by being the first Prowler squadron in Vietnam, the first to give support in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and Operation Deny Flight in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"It's a huge chapter. It's kind of sad to see the Prowler go after the length of service it's been around for, 37 years, with this squadron and the history it has with the enlisted and officers, but I know they're very excited about the new platform," said Capt. Norb Szarleta, Carrier Air Wing 17 commander.
With the expected receipt date of their first Growler being August 2009, the Scorpions are in the process of getting their maintenance personnel qualified and their publications updated to ensure a smooth transition to their new responsibilities.
"We are preparing by sending everybody to the schools required, we've got all of our tools and support equipment for Prowlers turned in and are ready to receive all the new tools and equipment," said Master Chief Aviation Administration man (AW/SW) James Campbell, VAQ-132 Maintenance Master Chief. "There really aren't too many obstacles; it's a maintenance-friendly aircraft. Our systems will remain the same in function, but the configuration will be different."
The Scorpions have received six Chief of Naval Operations Safety Awards, four Battle Efficiency awards, and the Arthur W. Radford Award, as well as many others, in the time they have been flying the Prowler.
"I think this will be one of the more successful transitions for squadrons going to an absolutely different platform. Everyone has come together on this and made it work, it's been very smooth so far," added Campbell.
The aircrews flying the Growlers will also face new challenges with the aircraft's increased capability, leading to new mission sets they can perform.
"They're going to be flying more in the air-to-air arena than we have for the past 35 years. We're going to see Growler integrated into strike packages much more effectively," said Capt. Brad Russell, commodore of Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet. "It's a real situational awareness machine; the cockpit has a lot more information for the strikers. So, you're going to be able to provide your battle and strike groups with a lot more timely information as far as what's going on with the threat."
After VAQ-132, the VAQ-141 "Shadow Hawks" will be the next squadron in line for the transition, starting in April 2009.
Photo of the Day
An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the "Stingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 flies above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) before a final approach to make an arrested landing.
Gator
