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



Feature - HMS Illustrious, 1943
MSW Crewmember Louis Carabott [loucar] sails into view onboard the HMS Illustrious as she looked in 1943. If you haven’t seen this yet, it’s worth a look.
Feature




Navy's Taurus Task Force Returns to the UK
Source: U.K Ministry of Defence

Hundreds of sailors, airmen and Royal Marines who made up one of the biggest Navy deployments to the Far East in recent years returned home to the UK yesterday, Monday 3 August 2009.

The TAURUS 09 Task Group sailed from the UK in February 2009 with the aim of maintaining the Royal Navy's fighting capability as well as developing the UK's capacity to operate with key partners and allies from NATO countries and other nations.

The deployment also aimed to enhance interoperability and demonstrate the UK's commitment to the stability and security of the Mediterranean, Middle East and South East Asia.

In exercising global deployment, the Task Group conducted a wide range of activities, including maritime security operations, anti-piracy patrols, and exercising amphibious and anti-submarine warfare, culminating in a multi-national amphibious and jungle training exercise in Brunei.

At its maximum strength 3,300 personnel took part in the 20,400-mile (32,800km) round-trip deployment, training together and building relations with 17 nations.

Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell said:

"Maintenance of operational capability across all military disciplines is key for defence. The planning and execution of this deployment has honed essential skills not exercised in current operations.

"The diplomacy fostered with international partners through TAURUS 09 has ensured the United Kingdom's influence and ability to respond in circumstances requiring amphibious intervention is maintained."

The UK contingent of the Task Group arrived at HM Naval Base Devonport yesterday in three warships, HMS Ocean, HMS Somerset and HMS Bulwark.

The Task Group was commanded from amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark by Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, Commodore Paul Bennett, who said:

"The Taurus deployment has been a great success. It has been a substantial undertaking that has sent a clear message to friends and enemies alike that the Royal Navy continues to be a force with which to reckon.

"We have improved our military amphibious and underwater warfare capabilities, demonstrated the ability to deploy substantial military power around the globe, refreshed important military partnerships and supported UK Government's efforts in a wide range of countries.

"All in all, it has been a powerful combination to deploy around the world. It is also the main capability that the UK would deploy for a contingent task and Taurus has provided an excellent opportunity to make sure the Royal Navy is ready whenever called upon to respond."

The Task Force originally comprised ten ships, a nuclear-powered submarine, an embarked helicopter group and Royal Marines from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

Commodore Bennett said:

"Everything that has been achieved in TAURUS 09 has been down to the impressive dedication, hard work and the talents of the men and women of the Task Group.

"For six months away from family and friends their flexibility and skill have been the deciding factors in the success of the deployment.

"They have been a privilege to command, have invariably performed extremely well and deserve the warm welcome and leave that awaits them in the UK."


Lockheed Martin Team Submits LCS FY10 Proposal To U.S. Navy
Source: Lockheed Martin

WASHINGTON --- The Lockheed Martin led industry team submitted its proposal for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) fiscal year 2010 contract to the U.S. Navy on July 31.

The Program Executive Office, Ships, is expected to award a contract this coming fiscal year for additional Littoral Combat Ships. The U.S. Navy is proceeding with a limited competition with winners of the Flight 0 phase of the program, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.

"Lockheed Martin's proposal builds off our successful delivery of LCS 1 and current construction efforts on LCS 3 to more efficiently produce this new class of warship," said Dan Schultz, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors. "We have taken significant steps to reduce the number of labor hours required to build the ship, including streamlining production processes by working with lean manufacturing experts from across Lockheed Martin, Fincantieri and Bollinger."

He added, "Lockheed Martin is committed to providing the Navy with an LCS that will maximize its ability to meet its 21st century mission and we are optimistic that further cost reductions are possible as LCS enters serial production."

The U.S. Navy awarded the Lockheed Martin team a fixed price incentive fee contract in March 2009 to build the Navy's third LCS. LCS 3, the Navy's future USS Fort Worth, is being built in Marinette, WI, with more than half of the ship's modules currently under construction. Its keel laying took place July 11 and the ship is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in 2012.

USS Freedom (LCS 1) was delivered to the fleet in only six years from initial concept, half the time of traditional shipbuilding programs. In May, it successfully conducted its second and final round of U.S. Navy acceptance trials off the Virginia coast. The trials - which were a coordinated effort between the Navy and the Lockheed Martin team - included operational testing of the vessel's propulsion, communications, navigation and mission systems, as well as all related support systems. Freedom recently completed successful structural test firings; the 57-mm gun was fired 70 times; Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) fired two rounds; Terma Soft Kill Weapons System (decoys) and 50-cal machine guns.

The high quality of USS Freedom was validated during the acceptance test as the ship received fewer problem reports, or trial cards, than any recent first-in-class U.S. Navy ship.

The Lockheed Martin team design for LCS provides outstanding maneuverability with proven sea-keeping and stability characteristics and innovative design features to support launch and recovery operations of manned and unmanned vehicles. Reaching speeds well over 40 knots, the ship is a highly automated and networked surface combatant with operational flexibility to execute focused missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and the potential for a wide range of additional missions, including maritime interdiction and humanitarian/disaster relief.

The Freedom-class employs a secure, high-availability ship-wide network that can be controlled from a single workstation and rapidly reconfigured based on mission demands. This system, combined with an Aegis-based open architecture command and control system, went from design concept to delivery in just 18 months.

The Lockheed Martin-led team includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox, ship builders Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, and Bollinger Shipyards, as well as best-of-industry domestic and international teammates.



Historic Ship Nautilus/Submarine Force Museum

Today’s website is the Historic Ship Nautilus/Submarine Force Museum. Tour the first nuclear submarine, USS Nautilus and relive its remarkable history, seeing firsthand what life is like on a nuclear submarine. The museum maintains records and history of the U. S. Submarine Force, from its beginnings at the turn of the century to the modern Navy. Enjoy.
Website


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1812 - Frigate President captures British schooner L'Adeline in North Atlantic.
1942 - Submarines USS Nautilus (SS 168) and USS Argonaut (SS 166) land 222 Marines on Makin Island, first amphibious attack made from submarines.
1959 - Adm. Arleigh Burke re-appointed as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) for third two-year term, serving longest term as CNO.
1962 - Navy's first hydrofoil patrol craft, USS High Point (PCH 1) launched at Seattle, Wash.


Photo of the Day



Hurricane Isabel as seen fro the bridge of a merchant ship.

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