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



Feature - USS Arizona

In complete respect and remembrance of all of our brothers and sisters in harms way lost, and risking still, Louis Carabott [loucar] gives us a last glimpse at peace as the USS Arizona and her crew enjoy their time in Pearl Harbor, "On Display", at MSW.


Sailors share memories, USS Arizona
Memories


Pearl Harbor survivor remembers Dec. 7, 1941

John Roddy saw the Japanese planes coming straight at him as he gazed through a porthole on the USS Tennessee at Pearl Harbor on the early morning of Dec. 7, 1941.




Raytheon Completes Critical Design Review for CVN 78's Dual Band Radar
Source: Raytheon Company

TEWKSBURY, Mass. --- Raytheon Company and the U.S. Navy recently completed a critical design review (CDR) for the Dual Band Radar, which will be installed on the Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

The DBR, produced by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), is the Navy's most advanced multifunction radar; it will provide superior surveillance capabilities supporting air operations and ship self defense. Leveraging advanced technologies to meet the carrier mission requirements in both deep water and littoral environments, DBR will be the U.S. Navy's most capable radar and a critical asset for the fleet.

The review demonstrated that the radar, currently in production for the Zumwalt-class destroyer (DDG 1000), meets the critical operational requirements of the Ford-class aircraft carrier. As a result of DBR's modular, open architecture design, only minor modifications need to be made to accommodate specific platform differences between DDG 1000 and CVN 78. The DBR's open architecture design provides the flexibility to adapt the radar to different naval surface combatant platforms, combat systems and missions.

"This review validates the open architecture benefits and the advanced capabilities of the Dual Band Radar, which is a tremendous advantage for America's new aircraft carrier class as well as other ships in the fleet," said Raytheon IDS' Bob Martin, vice president and deputy of Seapower Capability Systems. "The system provides the warfighter with an unmatched combination of capability, interoperability, affordability, and reliability."

The successful critical design review confirms that the DBR components tailored for CVN 78 have been assessed by the Navy as ready to transition into production. Captain Frank Arata, U.S. Navy Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems (CVN Integration), validated the program milestone and declared the CDR "outstanding."

The Dual Band Radar combines the benefits of S-band and X-band radar capabilities to provide superior performance in a broad range of environments against a variety of threats; its innovative design greatly reduces manning.

The radar supports a wide variety of mission requirements, including ship self defense and anti-air warfare; anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; situational awareness; land attack; naval gunfire support; surface search; navigation; and air traffic control. The radar's capabilities include horizon search; volume surveillance; and fire control tracking, missile guidance and illumination for the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile and Standard Missile.

Designed to support growth requirements to meet emerging missions, Dual Band Radar is easily enhanced to add new mission capabilities, such as ballistic missile defense.

Work on CVN 78 DBR is performed at Raytheon IDS Headquarters, Tewksbury, Mass., and at the Surveillance and Sensors Center, Sudbury, Mass.

Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Global Capabilities Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security.


Navy Announces Decision on Marine Mammal Use to Protect Washington Navy Base
Source: US Department of Defense

The Navy announced today its decision to install a swimmer interdiction security system at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) Bangor, Wash., that will employ teams of security personnel and specially-trained marine mammals to protect waterside assets and sailors. This action will enhance security capabilities to counter intruder threats from swimmers or divers and will be implemented in 2010.

The use of marine mammals to protect sensitive waterside areas has been proven to be reliable and effective. The Navy’s bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions are uniquely qualified for underwater sentry duty, mine clearance, and object recovery because of their exceptional sensory and diving capabilities.

An environmental impact statement (EIS) evaluated potential effects of several factors on the Navy's dolphins and sea lions, including temperature, noise, water quality, toxins and the presence of other marine mammals in the NBK-Bangor environment. The EIS concluded that the Navy’s dolphins and sea lions are not expected to experience adverse environmentally-related effects from transfer to, and residence at, NBK-Bangor.

The Navy’s decision concludes a multi-year process involving operational assessments, technical analysis, and environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. In addition to addressing public concerns, the Navy also consulted with state and federal regulatory agencies, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Washington Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation.




Wyle Awarded $240 Million Task Order to Support U.S. Navy F/A-18 and E/A-18G Program Office
Source: Wyle

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. --- Wyle has been awarded a $240 million five-year contract by the Naval Air Systems Command to provide program management, engineering, technical and other services to the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 and E/A-18G program office.

"Supporting this contract draws from a wide range of Wyle's technical expertise and engineering capabilities," said Al George, Wyle F/A-18 sector manager and task order program manager. "It is truly one of those programs that brings out the best of the company."

The award is a cost-plus-fixed-fee task order under Wyle's SEAPORT-e contract. It has a one-year base with four option years.

The work by Wyle will be performed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.; Norfolk, Va.; Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.; North Island, Calif.; Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N. C. and in the Washington, D.C. region. Wyle has been supporting the program for 32 years.

Wyle will support the U.S. Navy in all stages of the acquisition process including program, financial and acquisition management as well as providing a wide range of engineering and technical services. This includes support for development, production, post-production, and sustainment, for domestic and foreign military sales customers of all variants of the F/A-18 and potential sale of the EA-18G variant.

Specific Wyle activities on the program include the following:
--Perform day-to-day operations, planning, management and acquisition support.
--Analyze and recommend acquisition actions designated to accomplish overall program objectives including cost, schedule, performance measurement management, warranty administration, contract, subcontract and data management.
--Support the planning and execution of F/A-18 and EA-18G flight plans.
--Assess and implement support initiatives such as Theory of Constraints, Six Sigma, Lean Production, Cost as an Independent Variable, Joint Force Transformation and Navy Aviation Plan 2030.
--Perform data collection and analyses and provide assistance with the program management of the hardware/software suppliers and field activities, including scheduling and tracking of equipment.
--Provide support to the PMA265 Security and Program Protection Team to safeguard information and technologies through cyber assurance and other activities.

"Wyle has supported the program since the inception of the F/A-18 multi-role attack fighter in the late 1970s," said George. "We are pleased that NAVAIR has chosen us to continue in this important work."

The all-weather fighter-attack F/A-18 aircraft is used as a fighter escort, fleet air defense, force projection, interdiction and air support. The next generation electronic attack EA-18G is the Navy's newest air platform for electronic warfare, replacing the aging EA-6B.


Wyle is a leading provider of high tech aerospace engineering, scientific and information technology services to the federal government on long-term outsourcing contracts. The company also provides biomedical and engineering services for NASA's human space missions; test and evaluation of aircraft, weapon systems, networks, and other government assets; and other engineering services to the aerospace, defense, and nuclear power industries.




Pearl Harbor Raid – Navy History and Heritage Command

Today’s website is Pearl Harbor Raid from the Navy History and Heritage Command.

This Day in U.S. Naval History

1917 - Four U.S. battleships arrive at Scapa Flow to take on the role of the British Grand Fleet's 6th Battle Squadron. The ships include USS Delaware (BB 28), USS Florida (BB 30), New York (BB 34) and USS Wyoming (BB 32).
1941 - Japanese aircraft attack the U.S. Pacific Fleet based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
1944 - Seventh Fleet forces land Army troops on shore of Ormoc Bay. Kamikazes attack task force, damaging several U.S. Navy ships.


Photo of the Day



Medal of Honor recipient Lt. John Finn (Ret.) pays his respects to the Sailors and Marines killed aboard USS Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Finn received the Medal of Honor in recognition of heroism and distinguished service during the Japanese attack.

Gator