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



Navy Word of the Day
Continuing on with your Naval education we bring you another installment of MSW’s Navy Word of the Day.
Word of the Day




Museum of Mobile

Today’s website is the Museum of Mobile. The Museum of Mobile, Alabama, interprets the cultural, social, economic and political history of the Mobile bay area and southwest Alabama. The museum’s collections cover the Colonial period, Civil War, Battle of Mobile Bay and armaments. Pre-history - present. Also, the library houses paintings and a replica of the HUNLEY submarine, CSS ALABAMA and the Admiral Raphael Sommes collection. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1933 - Commissioning of USS Macon, Navy's last dirigible.
1961 - Navy's first major low frequency radio station commissioned at Cutler, Maine.
1972 - Navy helicopter squadron aids flood-stricken residents in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Pittstown area of Pennsylvania.


US Navy Orders Material for Additional Austal JHSVs
Source: Austal

The US Navy has exercised contract options funding Austal’s acquisition of long lead-time material associated with the construction of two additional 103-metre Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV).

Austal was awarded the initial contract to design and build the first 103 metre JHSV in November 2008. The contract included options for nine additional vessels to be awarded between FY09 and FY13.

Each JHSV is valued at approximately AUD $225 million, with the potential 10-vessel program valued at approximately AUD $2.3 billion.

Austal USA President and COO, Joe Rella said, “Due to on-time performance and high quality results during our design reviews with the Navy, and the efficiency of our material procurement to date, we have earned the confidence of the Navy to make this award. This is a testament to the quality products of our Program, Design, Production Control and Procurement teams.”

Long lead-time material for the additional vessels will include diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears.

Similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the US Marines for the past seven years, the JHSV will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, operating in shallow waters and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded. The vessels will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Construction of the first JHSV is scheduled to commence at Austal’s US shipyard in November.


Freedom Completes Second Acceptance Trials
Source: US Navy

WASHINGTON --- USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed a second round of acceptance trials May 22 that featured a successful four-hour, full-power run and both surface and air detect-to-engagement demonstrations of the ship's combat management system.

The trials evaluated the ship's major systems and equipment that were not tested during the first round of trials in August 2008 in Lake Michigan.

The four-day trial evaluated the material condition and performance of the ship's major systems. Officials from the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) noted that since the last trails, the ship had made improvements in the propulsion plant, machinery control system, communication systems and information systems.

The first round of acceptance trials took place in the constrained waters of Lake Michigan, which restricted the performance of certain tests. Because the Great Lakes are fresh water, the Navy could not test the ship's cathodic protection, degaussing and reverse osmosis system. The ship's surveillance and identification systems must be tested at a sufficient range from land, and treaty and overboard discharge limitations prevented the demonstration of fire suppression and waste discharge systems.

During this second trial, major systems and features were demonstrated for INSURV, including aviation support, small boat launch handling and recovery and fin stabilizers, in addition to the full-power run and detect-to-engage sequences. The Navy is reviewing the results of the trials and will correct any identified deficiencies. There were no major safety issues or operational restrictions determined during the trial, although the ship must complete a number of scheduled system certifications before it can conduct unrestricted operations.

Since her initial acceptance trials nine months ago, Freedom has been very active. She was delivered and commissioned, steamed from the Great Lakes to Norfolk, conducted multiple port visits, witnessed the first crew turnover, conducted tests and trials off of Norfolk and has undergone a brief maintenance period. The ship recently paid a visit to Alexandria, Va., where it was visited by hundreds of people from the Department of Defense, Congress, industry, media and the general public.

USS Freedom will now continue its operational testing intended to allow the ship's crew to exercise the ship's systems. Following all trials and testing, the ship will be ready for a fleet deployment to satisfy operational missions. This is a standard Navy practice employed to introduce first-of-class ships into service.

LCS is a new breed of U.S. Navy warship with versatile warfighting capabilities, ready for open-ocean operation but optimized for littoral, or coastal, missions. Operational experience and analyses indicate that potential adversaries will employ asymmetric means to deny U.S. and allied forces access into critical coastal regions, such as strategic chokepoints and vital economic sea lanes. LCS is specifically designed to defeat such "anti-access" threats, which include fast surface craft, quiet diesel submarines and various types of mines.


Photo of the Day



The Navy’s USS Macon under construction.

Gator