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



Review - Hasegawa Models 1/700 "IJN Rangefinders"

MSW crew-mate Jay Massey (treadhead1952) gives us a "first-look" review of Hasegawa Models 1/700 scale photo-etch set, "IJN Rangefinders".
Review


Review - Veteran Models 1/350th 12.7cm AA guns

MSW Associate Editor Frank Portela (clanky44) gives us an excellent "First Look" review at Veteran Models, 1/350th scale, 12.7cm AA guns!
Review




The Battleship Designer

Today’s website is the The Battleship Designer. Have you ever wanted to design your own battleship? Here’s your chance. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure Great Britain and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force.
1944 - Adm. William Halsey's 3rd Fleet encounters a typhoon northeast of Samar. Destroyers USS Hull (DD 350), USS Monaghan (DD 354) and USS Spence (DD 512) sink, while 21 other ships are damaged.
1965 - The River Patrol Force is established in Vietnam.
1965 - Helicopters from Helicopter Squadron 11 on USS Wasp (CVS 18) pick up crew and capsule of Gemini 7 after picking up the crew and capsule of Gemini 6 two days earlier.
1967 - Operation Preakness II begins in Mekong Delta.
1972 - Mining and bombing of North Vietnam resumes with Linebacker II Operation.


Ortega says Russian Navy to visit despite political problems
Source: Russian Navy

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a delivery order for the fifth year of a five-year contract to provide technical, logistics and material support for navigation systems installed on U.S. Navy ships and submarines.

The delivery order, valued at $15.5 million, was awarded to Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit by Naval Inventory Control Point, Mechanicsburg, Pa., under a firm fixed-price performance-based logistics (PBL) contract.

Under the contract, Sperry Marine will supply material management, configuration management and program management services for the AN/WSN-7 inertial navigation systems, and the AN/BPS-15 and AN/BPS-16 submarine radar systems. The current award also includes funding for initial support of installed steering systems on guided-missile destroyers and scalable integrated bridge systems on destroyers and cruisers.

“Over the past four years of this PBL contract, Sperry Marine has established an outstanding record of performance in support of these mission-critical products in the fleet,'' said Jeff Holloway, director for Sperry Marine's U.S. defense business development, marketing and sales. “We have consistently achieved 100 percent on-time delivery to surface and submarine forces under this contract.''

Sperry Marine, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and with major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.


Pentagon Contract Announcement
Source: US Department of Defense

General Dynamics, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $940,378,173 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-02-C-2300) for two construction options (T-AKE 11 and T-AKE 12) which includes design and construction; technical manuals; special studies, analyses, and reviews; engineering and industrial services; and data and two options for Long Lead Time Material for T-AKE 13 and T-AKE 14.

T-AKE is a new Combat Logistics Force Underway Replenishment Naval vessel intended to replace the current capability of the Kilauea-Class (T-AE 26) Ammunition Ship, Mars-Class (T-AFS 1) Combat Stores Ships, and when operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-Class (T-AO 187) Oiler ship, the Sacramento-Class (AOE 1) Fast Combat Support Ship.

As an auxiliary support ship, T-AKE will directly contribute to the ability of the Navy to maintain a forward presence.

Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2012 for T-AKE 11, Jan. 2013 for T-AKE 12, Dec. 2013 for T-AKE 13 and Nov. 2014 for T-AKE 14. Contract funds will not expireat the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.


Northrop Grumman Christens Sixth Virginia-Class Submarine, New Mexico (SSN 779)
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation christened today the sixth submarine of the Virginia class, New Mexico (SSN 779), at the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va.

The ship's sponsor, Cindy Giambastiani performed the traditional honor of breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the submarine's hull. Mrs. Giambastiani is the wife of Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, USN (ret), 7th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“When I look at this amazing submarine, I can't help but think of those three words -- duty, honor and country -- and especially the first: duty,'' said Mrs. Giambastiani. “It's what calls people to service ... it's also what calls the men and women of Northrop Grumman and Electric Boat to build the safest, highest-quality and most technologically advanced ships in the world for the United States Navy.''

“Tradition is an important part of our heritage as shipbuilders ... it says so much about our professionalism, our commitment to quality and our sense of accountability,'' said Mike Petters, president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. “No matter whether our job title is welder, manager, foreman, vice president, construction superintendent or president, first and foremost we are shipbuilders.''

U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, who represents New Mexico's first district, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

Other ceremony participants included U.S. Rep Robert Wittman, (R-Va.); New Mexico's Prospective Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Mark A. Prokopius; Ms. Allison Stiller, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for ship programs; Rear Adm. William Hilarides, Program Executive Officer for Submarines; Vice Adm. John Donnelly, commander, Submarine Force; Adm. Giambastiani; and John Casey, president, General Dynamics Electric Boat. Guests included Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat employees who are building New Mexico, and their families; family and friends of the New Mexico crew; U.S. Navy personnel; and government officials.

“Building great ships is a team sport, and we are certainly proud of our teammates: the shipbuilders of the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News and General Dynamics Electric Boat,'' said Adm. Kirkland H. Donald, director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion. “You continue to set high standards of craftsmanship and efficiency that set you apart as leaders in both the shipbuilding community and in your local communities as well.”

The ship's construction began March 2004 and the keel was authenticated during a ceremony held, April 12, 2008. New Mexico is named for “The Land of Enchantment.'' Upon delivery to the Navy in 2009, it will be the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, providing undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding will launch New Mexico into the James River early next year. Once the ship is in the water, it will be moved to the submarine pier where final outfitting and testing will take place.


Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.


Photo of the Day



Flight deck personnel ready a San Diego Coast Guard HH-60 for launch on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The helicopter participated in a rescue in which an injured merchant Sailor was medevaced to Lincoln and stabilized before being flown to San Francisco for treatment.

Gator