Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
USS Alaska
MSW crew-mate David J. Salvin (djandj) shares a challenging build of the USS Alaska in this "Build" Feature.
USS Independence Trains Crew to Handle Aircraft
Source: US Navy
MAYPORT, Fla. --- Sailors aboard USS Independence (LCS 2), the Navy's newest littoral combat ship, prepared to embark aircraft aboard the ship by conducting simulated training April 6 and 7 in a variety of situations involving aircraft operations, while in port at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
The training, led by a staff of training personnel from the Littoral Combat Ship Squadron (LCSRON), brings both rotational crews aboard Independence a step closer to earning their certification to conduct aviation operations at sea.
"This training is about ensuring that the crew is proficient in all the procedures involved in handling aircraft aboard a ship," said Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (handling) Marcus Aguirre of LCSRON. "We are here to assist the crew and ensure they are prepared to get it right when it counts."
The training simulated routine aircraft operations such as helicopter launch, landing and refueling. The crew also practiced responding to circumstances as extreme as removing personnel from a crashed helicopter and extinguishing a fire on the flight deck.
"Helicopters are vital to the mission of LCS because they extend our ability to monitor and manipulate the surrounding environment," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Joseph Wilson, one of the senior members of the "blue crew" team of Independence Sailors being trained. "By training everyday…it builds our confidence by building our muscle memory for when we are faced with the real thing."
One of the most crucial portions of the training is personnel injury response.
"Immediate medical first-responder treatment could mean the difference between life and death for the pilot and passengers," said the "blue crew" independent duty corpsman aboard Independence, Chief Hospital Corpsman Tricia Loomis. "The first responders must be ready to treat everything from burns to broken bones to life-threatening smoke inhalation injuries that could compromise the airway. It is essential they are familiar with appropriate triage [procedures] to ensure the most immediate injuries and casualties are treated first."
Independence is scheduled to complete their final aviation readiness qualification for both blue and gold crews later this month.
Independence, a high-speed aluminum trimaran that departed the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala. March 26, is a fast, agile, mission-focused ship that demonstrates the latest in naval technology. The ship is specifically designed to defeat anti-access threats in shallow, coastal water regions, including surface craft, diesel submarines and mines. LCS features an interchangeable modular design that allows the ship to be reconfigured to meet mission requirements.
Anti Piracy Missions by the Indian Navy in Gulf of Aden
Source: Press Information Bureau India
INS Betwa with an armed helicopter and Marine Commando team has replaced INS Beas on anti piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden recently. She is the 16th Indian Naval ship to be deployed since Oct 2008.
During this period, Indian Naval ships have safely escorted more than 930 merchant ships of different nationalities, with, over 7780 Indians as crew. These include over 124 Indian flagged merchant ships. No merchant ship under the escort of an Indian Naval warship has been hijacked thus far and more than 15 piracy attempts have been prevented by Indian Naval warships.
In view of the risk of piracy, most of the merchant vessels now transit through the Gulf of Aden where a large number of warships are deployed. Only limited number of vessels operates off the East coast of Africa or Somalia. Several Indian Dhows, however, continue to engage in regular trade between Persian Gulf / India and ports on the East coast of Africa and Somalia. The owners and crew of these dhows are fully aware of the risks and dangers of operating so close to the Somali coast, but they continue to do so probably for commercial considerations. Pirates do not usually seek ransom from dhow owners, but dhows are attractive vessels for use as “mother ships” to launch further piracy attacks on other merchant vessels.
In addition to India, warships of other countries are also operating in the Gulf of Aden. On an average 16 – 18 warships are deployed in the Gulf of Aden at any given time, which is indicative of the seriousness of the problem of piracy. As a result, the number of successful piracy attempts in the Gulf of Aden has shown a downward trend, but piracy is spreading away from the Gulf of Aden deeper into the Indian Ocean. Dhows are suitable craft for supporting the pirates at such distances. It is for this reason that Dhow owners have been repeatedly advised to avoid the piracy prone areas off Somalia. Despite the advisories issued by the DG Shipping, Indian dhows continue to operate in these piracy-infested areas, placing at risk the lives of Indian crew onboard.
Though periodic incidents of hijacking of dhows had been reported earlier, in the past few days there has been a spurt of reports indicating hijackings of Indian dhows off Somalia. Reports also indicate that most of the dhows have been released safely and only two dhows are still in captivity. This indicates that that the hijackings of the dhows are normally not linked to ransom nor are they life threatening for the hijacked crew.
Notwithstanding the presence of a large number of multinational naval forces in the Gulf of Aden, the contribution of the Indian Navy for anti piracy efforts in the region will continue in future.
The Royal Netherlands Navy Takes Delivery of Its First NH90 NFH
Source: NH Industries
AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France --- NHIndustries is pleased to announce the delivery of the first NH90NFH helicopter to the Royal Netherlands Navy during an official ceremony held today at AgustaWestland’s Vergiate plant in Italy.
The Royal Netherlands Navy has ordered a total of 20 NH90NFH aircraft, today’s event marks the first delivery of a naval NH90NFH variant to a customer.
The Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian and Belgian navies have ordered a total of 111 NH90 NFH naval helicopters which will give operators a dramatic improvement in operational capability and mission effectiveness, thanks to the outstanding technology incorporated in to the NH90.
The NH90 NFH variant is primarily designed for autonomous Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW) missions.
The comprehensive mission equipment packages allow a wide range of additional missions to be performed including Search and Rescue (SAR), maritime patrol, vertical replenishment, troop transport, medical evacuation and amphibious support roles. The helicopter is designed for embarked operations to be performed by day and night in adverse weather conditions.
Due to its weight and dimensions, the deck-lock system, the deck traversing system and the automatic blade and tail folding system, it can operate from small frigates even in high sea states.
The NH90 is the most successful European helicopter programme ever. A total of 529 firm orders have been placed by 19 armed forces in 14 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, The Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Greece, Spain and Belgium in Europe, as well as Australia, Oman and New Zealand overseas and 44 NH90 helicopters are already in service today.
The NH90, developed in the TTH utility transport and NFH naval versions, proves the ideal solution to meet requirements from many potential additional customers worldwide for a large number of missions.
Today’s delivery is a key event that paves the way to the operational entry in service of the NH90 in its naval version. This is also a strong message addressed to potential worldwide customers that the NH90 NFH has arrived on the scene.
The NH90 programme is managed by NAHEMA (NATO Helicopter Management Agency) representing France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Portugal, and by the NH Industries industrial consortium comprising Eurocopter (62.5%), AgustaWestland (32%), and Fokker Aerostructures (5.5%).
Operation Hailstone
Today’s website is Operation Hailstone form the USS Enterprise website. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1814 - USS Peacock captures HMS Epervier.
1898 - U.S. warships engage Spanish gunboats and shore batteries at Cienfuegos, Cuba.
1944 - Fast carrier task force (12 carriers) commence two-day bombing of Truk.
1975 - Operation Frequent Wind evacuation from Vietnam begins.
Photo of the Day
A Japanese freighter in Truk Atoll is hit by a torpedo dropped from a VT-10 Avenger, 17 February 1944. Including the ground-breaking night attack of 16-17 February, Enterprise CV-6's Torpedo Ten accounted for one third of the total shipping destroyed by the Task Force 58 attack on Truk Atoll.
Gator
