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



Feature - U201
MSW Crewmember Erick Navas (ericknavas) brings us a view of his U201 as well as a historical run down of this U-boat.
Feature




Cape Fear Museum

Today’s website is the CSS Neuse State Historic Site. At the CSS Neuse State Historic Site in Kinston, North Carolina, the remnants of the ironclad gunboat CSS Neuse, a product of the Confederate navy's ill-fated attempt to regain control of the lower Neuse River and retake the city of New Bern during the Civil War. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1813 - Lt. John Gamble, the first Marine to command a ship in battle (prize vessel Greenwich in capture of British whaler Seringapatam).
1853 - Commodore Matthew Perry lands and holds first meeting with Japanese at Uraga, Japan.
1882 - Sailors and Marines from four U.S. ships land to help restore order at Alexandria, Egypt.
1945 - U.S. warships bombard Kamaishi, Japan; first naval gunfire bombardment of Japanese Home Islands.
1950 - U.S. Marines sail from San Diego for Korean Conflict.
1952 - Laying of keel of USS Forrestal (CV 59), the first 59,900-ton aircraft carrier.


Boeing Awarded Additional US Navy Communications Network Design Services Contract
Source: Boeing Co.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. --- The Boeing Company has been awarded a U.S. Navy contract valued at $42.9 million including options to continue providing communications network design and technical engineering services on guided missile destroyers.

The sole-source contract supports the AN/USQ-82 (V) Gigabit Ethernet and Fiber Optic Data Multiplex System (GEDMS / FODMS) program and is a five-year cost-plus, fixed-fee term contract. It is part of the Navy's effort to build, operate and modernize the DDG-51 class guided missile destroyers. GEDMS also is included in the Aegis weapon system package for various foreign navies.

"Boeing has worked with its Navy customer for more than 35 years to upgrade and enhance mission-critical information-transfer systems, ensuring major shipboard systems can communicate with each other," said Jay Nieto, Boeing GEDMS program manager. "This flexible, cost-effective network provides optimal shipboard control and provides the Navy with a system architecture that allows ships to introduce network-centric control systems gracefully and with minimal risk, because the migration does not necessitate wholesale replacement of equipment."

Under the contract, Boeing will continue to enhance data multiplex system (DMS) networks, manage engineering changes, update technical documentation, and develop interface design documents for new and refurbished ships. Boeing also will provide installation support, system configuration management, and land-based test sites and facilities for support operations.

Boeing has developed a complete information-transfer system that enhances reliability, maintainability and survivability by managing data from the ship's navigation, steering-control, damage-control, machinery-control, combat and internal communications systems. The DMS network design replaces the miles of point-to-point cables, signal converters, junction boxes and switchboards associated with conventional cabling on a guided missile destroyer.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division in Dahlgren, Va., will manage the contract. Boeing's C3 Networks division will perform the work in Huntington Beach.


Modernized Canadian Frigates to ReceiveThales's Smart-S Mk2 Radar in Lockheed Martin Canada Contract Award
Source: Thales Nederland

OTTAWA --- Thales announced today an agreement with Lockheed Martin for the delivery of 13 Smart-S Mk2 surveillance radars. These radars will be installed on the Canadian Patrol Frigates of the Department of National Defence as part of the Halifax Class Modernization Program. Delivery will begin in Summer 2010 and be complete in 2015. All radars are scheduled to be at sea and fully operational in 2017 when the Halifax Modernization Program will be completed.

"Thales has been a major provider of radar systems to the Navy since 1967. The IROQUOIS Class has exclusively used Thales radar systems and, through recent overhaul activity, will continue to operate these radars into the next decade,” said Guy Baruchel, President of Thales Canada. “The selection of the Smart-S Mk2 as the primary radar for the HALIFAX Class continues this strong relationship with the Navy."

"Smart-S Mk2 is a state-of-the-art, world-class radar, able to meet the Navy's requirements for environments in which it will operate. The radar system enhances operational performance while significantly reducing the operations and maintenance budgets of the Navy,” added Thales Nederland CEO Adri Blokhuis.

"Lockheed Martin Canada recently announced its selection for the combat systems and sensors to be integrated into Canada's Frigates, ensuring that the fleet is positioned for future missions and operations," said Captain Richard Gravel, Deputy Project Manager Halifax Class Modernization. "The Canadian Navy is confident that the radar suite selected by Lockheed Martin, as our Combat Systems integrator, and centered on the Thales Smart-S Mk2 3D long-range volume search radar, will meet our requirements, and ensure our ships are optimized for littoral operations."

The Combat Systems Integration contract is a Government of Canada defence procurement which is subject to Canada's Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy. The IRB policy requires Lockheed Martin Canada, as the prime contractor, to undertake high-quality business activities in Canada equal to 100% of the contract value. As a major sub-contractor on the project, Thales will assist Lockheed Martin Canada in meeting these IRB obligations.

About Smart-S Mk2

The Canadian Navy is the seventh customer for the radars and this contract increases the number of Smart-S Mk2 systems sold to 30. This surveillance radar operates in S-band and is optimised for medium-to-long range surveillance, target designation and accurate air and surface target tracking in littoral environments.

Smart-S Mk2 matches the full performance envelope of modern surface-to-air missiles such as the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile and is suitable as an air and surface surveillance radar for frigates, corvettes, landing platform docks and amphibious ships. The radar offers two main modes, an instrumented range of 250 km, 70-degree elevation coverage, a special helicopter mode, surface fire channels, high reliability and ease of installation and maintenance. Smart-S Mk2 is the optimal sensor for a powerful weapon and sensor suite.


Photo of the Day



The USS Forrestal, whose keel was laid today, at sea.

Gator