Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Twice In One Week, USS San Jacinto Disrupts Piracy Off Somalia Coast
Source: US Navy
USS SAN JACINTO, Gulf of Aden (NNS) -- USS San Jacinto (CG 56) disrupted nine Somali pirates from attacking a Maltese-flagged motor vessel May 31, bringing the cruiser's weekly total to 22 pirates interdicted.
San Jacinto responded to a distress call from the M/V Avenue Beauty, which was transiting 90 miles north of Somalia when she reported that she was under attack by pirates. Upon hearing gun shots, the vessels master sounded the general alarm and directed the crew to execute counter-piracy measures which caused the pirate skiff to call off their attack and speed away.
San Jacinto quickly responded to the attack and followed the pirate skiff with her helicopter, Proud Warrior 433. Aboard the aircraft, Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Casey Halliwell tracked the pirate skiff on radar as it headed south toward the Somali coast at a high rate of speed. The skiff, with nine pirates aboard, failed to comply with Proud Warrior's order to stop. Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Corey Whittle fired warning shots across the bow and stern of the skiff, compelling the pirates to stop their vessel.
In the early morning of June 1, San Jacinto sent a boarding team with U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and San Jacinto Sailors to the pirate skiff. The boarding team quickly took control of the vessel and searched the skiff and pirates, who had previously thrown their weapons, ammunition, and pirate paraphernalia overboard. The pirates were released in the skiff after the boarding team confiscated one engine and several gallons of fuel, ensuring they could reach shore while limiting their ability to continue piracy attempts.
Earlier in the month, San Jacinto rescued five Yemeni mariners from 13 Somali pirates, while conducting routine counter narcotics operations 68 miles southeast of Ras Fartak, Yemen. The pirates were turned over to Yemeni Naval Forces.
U.S. forces conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) to help set the conditions for security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.
Russia Mulls Buying Naval Ships from France, Spain, Netherlands
Source: Voice of America
Russia's defense minister says the country plans to buy four advanced warships from France, and is also in talks with Spain and the Netherlands about purchasing such vessels.
Anatoly Serdyukov said Monday that Russia wants to buy one ship, and jointly build three others in deals with the NATO countries.
Russian President Dimitri Medvedev said he supports the deal.
Serdyukov said the ships would probably come into service in Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets.
The French Defense Ministry announced a deal earlier this year to sell the Russian Navy a Mistral-class ship, a large amphibious assault vessel.
The ships can carry dozens of armored vehicles, along with 16 attack helicopters.
Russia's possible purchase of a French warship has unnerved Georgia, which fought a brief war with Russia in 2008. Other former Soviet republics are said to feel that the warship deal would strengthen Russia's ability to intervene in its neighbors' affairs.
A Russian naval commander has said, if Russia had a Mistral-class ship in the Black Sea during its war with Georgia, it could have moved military equipment to the fighting zone in just minutes instead of hours.
Raytheon's SeaRAM Completes Blast Test Vehicle Launches
Source: Raytheon Company
TUCSON, Ariz. --- Raytheon Company's SeaRAM Anti-ship Missile Defense System completed two blast test vehicle launches aboard the USS Independence (LCS 2).
Designed to validate the structural integrity of both the weapon system and the ship, the launches clear the way for SeaRAM's live-fire testing on LCS 2 later this year.
"SeaRAM met all test objectives and demonstrated the system's critical at-sea firing capabilities," said Al Steichen, Raytheon's SeaRAM program manager. "SeaRAM is fully integrated with the Independence's combat management system and will provide a proven, highly lethal self-defense capability."
SeaRAM is a low-cost spiral development of Raytheon's combat-proven Phalanx Block 1B radar and Rolling Airframe Missile, the latter produced jointly by Raytheon and RAMSYS of Germany. Intended to enlarge a ship's self-defense keep-out range against anti-ship missiles and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, SeaRAM replaces Phalanx's M61A1 20 mm gun with an 11-round RAM launcher.
"SeaRAM's self-contained defense capability leverages Phalanx's reliable multispectral sensors and weapon control capability with the demonstrated lethality of RAM," said Steichen. "It marks the beginning of the next generation of close-in weapon systems."
USS Long Island
Today’s website is history of USS Long Island. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1941 - First escort carrier, USS Long Island (CVE 1), commissioned.
Photo of the Day
Fire Controlmen lift missile containers to load onto the RIM-116A Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system.
Gator
