Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
On Display - IJN Yahagi (December 1944)
MSW crew-mate Kym Knight (Rab) shares one of his latest amazing IJN builds with us here, Agano-class light cruiser Yahagi in this "On Display" feature.
Austal Awarded Construction Contract for JHSV 2 and 3
Source: Austal
The US Navy has exercised contract options funding the construction of two additional Austal Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) – as part of an existing 10-vessel, AUD$1.8 billion program.
Austal previously received US Navy funding for long lead-time material, including diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears, for these two vessels in June 2009. The additional work is valued at approximately AUD$225 million.
Intended as the US Department of Defense’s next-generation multi-use platform, the two 103 metre high speed vessels will be constructed at Austal’s US facility, located in Mobile, Alabama.
Austal was selected as Prime contractor for the JHSV program in November 2008, which included construction of the first JHSV and options for nine additional vessels to be exercised between FY09 and FY13. Construction of the first Austal JHSV commenced in December 2009.
Austal Managing Director Bob Browning commented: “By exercising Options 2 and 3, the US Navy has signalled its support of this important and significant multi-vessel program.”
“The JHSV program could serve to extend the United States' ability to provide humanitarian relief globally and Austal is pleased to be able to contribute to this effort through the speedy delivery of this highly flexible, low-cost vessel.”
Similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the US Marines for the past nine years, but with the addition of a helo deck, 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.
Two other Austal USA-built high-speed vehicle ferries, “Alakai” and “Huakai”, are currently supporting the ongoing relief operation in Haiti. The JHSVs will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.
Austal USA’s President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Rella commented, “The Navy's decision to proceed with full construction of the second and third JHSVs will serve to underpin the momentum in our shipyard and support Austal USA's objective of driving greater efficiency and associated cost controls in its shipbuilding programs."
Construction is also underway at Austal USA on a second 127 metre Austal-designed and built Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the US Navy, with the first, “USS Independence”, commissioned earlier in the month. The US Navy continues to express a commitment to a 55-vessel LCS program.
Austal USA’s new state-of the-art 35,000m2 Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF) facilitates the concurrent construction of both JHSV and LCS platforms. Austal USA’s workforce is expected to grow to more than 1500 as a result of the JHSV program.
Austal is teamed with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems who will design, integrate, and test the ship’s electronic systems, including an Open Architecture Computing Infrastructure, internal and external communications, electronic navigation, aviation, and armament systems.
Northrop Grumman Redelivers USS George H.W. Bush Following Successful Modernization and Maintenance Work
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation returned the nation's newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), to the U.S. Navy following the completion of modernization and maintenance work accomplished during the ship's post shakedown availability and selected restricted availability (PSA/SRA).
The company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va., was the prime contractor for the work. A PSA/SRA is a typical availability in the early life of a carrier that allows the Navy and Northrop Grumman team to resolve any items that came up during trials and delivery and make fleet modernization upgrades.
Work performed during the PSA/SRA included compartment reconfigurations, combat system and radar equipment upgrades, and minor repairs.
"Bush is a testament to the teamwork between the Navy and Newport News," said Mike Shawcross, vice president for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's aircraft carrier construction programs. "We worked closely with one another during this availability to return the ship with high quality and within budget. This is a proud and historic moment for our shipbuilders as our 10th and final Nimitz-class carrier joins the Navy's fleet, where she will serve for the next 50 years."
Named after America's 41st president, USS George H. W. Bush is the 10th and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Its keel was laid Sept. 6, 2003; it was christened Oct. 7, 2006; commissioned Jan. 10, 2009; and delivered May 11, 2009. At 1,092 feet in length, USS George H. W. Bush is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall. It weighs 97,000 tons, is powered with two nuclear reactors, and operates for more than 20 years without refueling.
Freedom Arrives In Mayport, Prepares For Maiden Deployment
Source: US Navy
MAYPORT, Fla. --- USS Freedom (LCS 1), the Navy's first littoral combat ship (LCS), arrived at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., Jan. 26 to begin final preparations for her maiden deployment.
While in Mayport, Freedom will undergo final counter-illicit trafficking and airborne use of force training and certification in preparation for expected missions in the U.S. Southern Command/Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility.
Readying for this deployment was a unique process for Freedom's Sailors. Starting in November 2009, Freedom engaged in independent training and certification exercises off the Virginia and Florida coasts, including maritime security surge training for both the Blue and Gold Crews.
After completing a Continuous Maintenance Availability at Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., in mid-January 2010, Freedom got underway again for sea trials to verify the integration of the Surface Warfare Mission Package and aviation detachment with the core crew. Upon completion of a successful set of trials and onload of deployment ammunition, Freedom sailed south to Mayport to complete the final certification process and prepare for the mid-February 2010 deployment.
"This deployment comes a full two years ahead of schedule," said Cmdr. Randy Garner, commanding officer of Freedom's Gold Crew. "We are ready and eager to get to sea, head south and show what Freedom and her crew are capable of doing."
Freedom's deployment will be the first for the revolutionary LCS program, whose ships are designed to handle mission sets that do not require the full breadth and depth of capabilities of a traditional surface combatant.
Instead of the wide spectrum of combat capability inherent to those platforms, an LCS will embark tailored mission packages (surface warfare, mine countermeasure, anti-submarine warfare or maritime security) and an aviation detachment to fulfill a specific mission set. These tailored packages allow the LCS to fulfill several niche missions with a much smaller crew and at less cost than larger surface combatants.
Additionally, the shallower draft of the LCS allows it to operate in many areas where larger, deeper-draft combatants cannot venture.
The Sailors of Freedom's Gold Crew, some of whom served aboard the ship before her commissioning, are eagerly anticipating her first operational deployment.
"Absolutely – everyone's looking forward to this deployment," said Command Master Chief Anthony Decker, who will be embarking on his last shipboard deployment. "This is what these men and women get paid to do – not testing, not trials, but actually doing real-world missions."
Freedom's deployment will conclude later this spring when she arrives in her new homeport of San Diego.
Lockheed Martin Delivers 50th Fully Missionized MH-60R Multimission Helicopter to the U.S. Navy
Source: Lockheed Martin
OWEGO, N.Y. --- Lockheed Martin has formally delivered the 50th MH-60R helicopter, fully equipped for its mission to protect the U.S. Navy fleet from hostile submarines and surface ships.
The newest member of the Seahawk family of maritime helicopters is designed and manufactured by Sikorsky, with advanced mission systems integration by Lockheed Martin.
"I am extremely proud of the MH-60R team, which has enabled this important milestone in the Romeo's continued introduction to the fleet," said Rear Adm. Steve Eastburg, Program Executive Officer Air ASW, Assault and Special Mission programs. "The enormous multimission capability of this platform continues to be leveraged by the warfighter in new and innovative ways. It is truly a game-changing platform that will deliver powerful capabilities, ranging from low-end to high-end warfare, in the years ahead."
During the February 3 delivery ceremony at Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems & Sensors facility in Owego, NY, Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, vice commander, Naval Air Systems Command thanked Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky employees and other key suppliers for their contributions to this important program.
"The MH-60R has evolved over 30 years, through lessons learned during developmental testing, fleet deployments and maintenance on these rugged airframes and mission systems, in the harshest maritime environments," said Grosklags. "It stands now as the premier multimission helicopter in operation today. The U.S. Navy is grateful for the tremendous teamwork and experience you bring to deliver this remarkable weapon system."
This week, an aircrew from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Seven Zero (HSM-70) will fly the 50th aircraft from the Owego, NY, facility to its new home at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla. The aircraft is the 10th MH-60R delivered to HSM-70, which was established in February 2009.
HSM-70 will deploy with 11 MH-60R aircraft aboard the USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group (CVN 77) in 2011. To date, the U.S. Navy has established and equipped four MH-60R squadrons, with plans to fill out 16 more through the purchase of 300 aircraft.
"The 50th delivery is a great opportunity to reflect on the success of the MH-60R within the fleet, to look forward to the expansion of the MH-60R throughout the helicopter community and to recognize the organizations that have brought this tremendous capability to the Navy," said Captain Dean Peters, the U.S. Navy's MH-60 program manager. "Today, these highly integrated platforms are building a situational awareness picture of the surface and undersea domains that is proving invaluable to fleet operators."
As mission systems integrator for the Sikorsky-built MH-60R, Lockheed Martin is responsible for integrating the helicopter's digital cockpit, a multi-mode radar, acoustic sonar suite, long-range infrared camera and other advanced sensors to detect, identify, track and engage surface and subsurface targets. Lockheed Martin also integrates a self defense system to protect the aircraft from missile threats.
"The highly integrated nature of the Common Cockpit™ avionics suite and the mission systems allows the aircrew to spend less time interpreting data and more time prosecuting the target," said George Barton, Lockheed Martin's director of Naval Helicopter Programs.
U.S. Navy test squadrons concluded 1900 hours of rigorous MH-60R flight and mission systems evaluations in 2005. Since full rate production began in early 2006, Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky have delivered all MH-60R aircraft to the U.S. Navy ahead of schedule.
The companies expect to deliver up to 27 fully-missionized MH-60R aircraft in calendar year 2010 to the U.S. Navy as part of a five-year contract for 139 MH-60R aircraft through 2013. Extra production capacity exists to deliver an additional 20 aircraft each year for sale by the U.S. Government to international navies.
The U.S. Navy deployed with 11 MH-60R aircraft for the first time from January to July 2009 with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) carrier strike group. During exercises in the western Pacific, the MH-60R proved to be an exceptional sub hunter and surface warfare weapons platform, accomplishing a 95 percent sortie completion rate, and showing it can perform utility and search and rescue missions among other secondary missions.
USS Maine
Today’s website is the USS Maine. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1856 - USS Supply, commanded by Lt. David Dixon Porter, sails from Smyrna, Syria, bound for Indianola, Texas, with a load of 21 camels intended for experimental use in the American desert west of the Rockies.
1898 - The battleship USS Maine "mysteriously" blows up in Havana Harbor in Cuba, killing more than 260 Sailors and Marines while injuring scores more. The tragedy sparks the Spanish-American War.
Photo of the Day
The USS Olympia on display as a museum ship on the Delaware River near Penn's Landing in Philadelphia.
Gator
