Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
The Lewes Historical Society
Today’s website is The Lewes Historical Society. The Cannonball House Maritime Museum, operated by the Lewes Historical Society in Lewes, Delaware. Built c. 1760, the Cannonball House bears scars from the War of 1812 when Lewes was bombarded by the British. The museum houses a collection of Delaware maritime artifacts relating to the lighthouses of Delaware River & Bay ‹ especially Cape Henlopen Lighthouse, the Life-Saving Service, the Delaware Pilots, maritime art, Delaware Breakwater Quarantine Station, half-models and important documents that have shaped Delaware's relationship with the sea, including the orders from President John Quincy Adams to commence construction of the Delaware Breakwater, among many others. Enjoy.
Website
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1861 - USS Saratoga captures the slaver Nightingale.
1898 - U.S. declares war on Spain.
1952 - USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124) commences a series of eight amphibious raids for intelligence and destruction, landing Republic of Korea troops at night against selected targets along the northeast coast of Korea.
1972 - Moonwalk in the Descartes Highlands by Navy John W. Young, commander of Apollo 16. He was the ninth man to walk on the moon. Lt. Cmdr. Thomas K. Mattingly II, was the command module pilot. During the 11-day, 1-hour and 51-minute mission, 213 pounds of lunar material was collected. Recovery was made by Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1 from USS Ticonderoga (CVS 14).
Navy Leads, Invests in Marine Mammal Science
Source: US Navy
NORFOLK, Va. --- The Navy has spent $100 million on marine mammal research over the past five years, including $26 million this year. No organization in the world does more to fund marine mammal research.
The Navy's Marine Mammal Program in San Diego is one center for marine mammal research. The sea mammals there are working animals - dolphins are trained to find mines, and sea lions mark and retrieve objects from the ocean depths. The skills of these marine mammals protect the Navy. In turn, the Navy's scientific work protects them.
Clinical research is being done there on the detection, diagnoses and treatment of diseases that can affect marine mammals. Three years into the effort, eleven marine mammal viruses have been identified, including nine that are new.
Some of that science benefits humans, too. Navy-funded research has led to an increased understanding of similarities between dolphins and people that may lead to new ways to treat debilitating human illnesses, such as diabetes.
Elsewhere, much of the Navy's research has focused on marine mammals' detection, behavior, hearing and response to sound – facets of the ongoing debate over the Navy's use of active sonar, in which sound is introduced into the water to detect underwater objects.
Science informs steps taken by commanders to avoid harming marine mammals during training events that involve sonar. The data also are used in environmental compliance documents the Navy develops for areas in which it trains.
"The most important thing we as a Navy have to do is determine the effects of our sound sources on living marine resources," says Dr. V. Frank Stone, marine resources project manager for the Chief of Naval Operations, Environmental Readiness Division. "We know this will be a long-term program because, fundamentally, very little is known about marine mammals."
Steadily, that's changing. Studying the effects of sound involves several elements, but a big part of gathering information is tagging. In 1996, after a stranding in Greece was linked to a sonar exercise, the Navy supported scientist's efforts to tag sperm whales and Cuvier's beaked whales. They collected the first known evidence that toothed whales use echolocation while they dive by recording data from two Cuvier's beaked whales and two Blainville's beaked whales. This success led to a study of beaked and pilot whales in the Bahamas. Using underwater microphones, scientists gathered information on what is believed to be a behavioral response to simulated sonar and other control sounds, though they were careful not to draw conclusions from a relatively small sample size of animals. The program will influence future approaches to experiment-based research involving the whales.
This past year, researchers placed acoustic listening tags on six whales from four species and played simulated mid-frequency sonar sounds and natural sounds.
"We're trying to study what's going on with animal responses to these signals and what we can do to try and minimize the impact of active sonar on marine mammals, generally, and beaked whales, specifically," said Dr. Brandon Southall, director of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Acoustics Program.
FLIR Systems Announces Orders Totaling $11.4 Million from Naval Surface Warfare Center
Source: FLIR Systems, Inc.
PORTLAND, OR --- FLIR Systems, Inc. announced today that it has received orders totaling $11.4 million from NSWC, Crane Division for its BRITE Star® II multi-sensor target designation systems. The orders were pursuant to a previously announced $125.3 million, five year requirements contract. The units delivered under these orders will be used by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy for various missions.
Work will be performed at FLIR's facilities in Wilsonville, OR. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2010 and conclude in 2011.
"These new orders under the existing contract further demonstrate FLIR's position as a leading, world-class supplier of sophisticated, EO/IR laser designation systems," said Earl R. Lewis, President and CEO of FLIR Systems, Inc. "We are pleased the Navy and Marine Corps have selected FLIR products for their critical missions."
Embraer to Modernize Brazilian Navy AF-1 and AF-1A Jets
Source: Embraer
SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Brazil --- Embraer signed a contract, today, to modernize 12 Brazilian Navy jets – nine AF-1s (single-seat) and three AF-1As (two-seat). The ceremony took place during the seventh edition of the Latin America Aero and Defence (LAAD) trade fair, which is being held at Riocentro, April 14-17, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and was attended by the Minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim, the Head of the Brazilian Navy, Admiral Júlio Soares de Moura Neto, the Aeronautics Commander, General Juniti Saito, and Embraer President & CEO Frederico Fleury Curado.
This is the first large-scale program between the company and the Navy, and its sole objective is to technologically upgrade the 12 aircraft.
“Embraer is honored by the confidence of the Brazilian Navy, and receives it as a new distinguished defense customer among over 20 armed forces which currently operate its aircraft around the world.” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President & CEO. “By choosing Embraer, the Navy is making an important contribution to consolidating the technological and industrial capacity of Brazil for modernizing military aircraft.”
The 12 airplanes that will be modernized are known, worldwide, as the A-4 Skyhawk. This upgrading will fully restore the operating capacity of the Navy’s 1st Intercept and Attack Plane Squadron, for their joint mission with the naval and navy air force groups in the Nation’s defense. The program includes restoring the aircraft and their current systems, as well as implementing new avionics, radar, power production, and autonomous oxygen generating systems.
This contract demonstrates Embraer’s commitment to offer its customers modern products, with advanced technology and quality services. The Company has recently worked on upgrading the Brazilian Air Force’s F-5 and A-1 (AMX) fighter jets. With this program, Embraer, in conjunction with the Brazilian Navy and Air Force, as well as the Ministry of Defense, fulfills its role in assuring gains in technological capability and in generating highly qualified jobs in Brazil.
Photo of the Day
Italian amphibious assault ship and her escorts underway.
Gator
