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



Feature - USS Yorktown, CV10 1944

Kostas Katseas shares one of his latest wonders with us, this time, it's the USS Yorktown, CV10 1944 in this “On Display” feature.




Succesful Sea Trials of Juan Carlos I LHD for the Spanish Navy
Source: Navantia

From 24 May to 2 June in the waters off Ferrol, Navantia carried out the sea trials of the LHD class Juan Carlos I (L-61) that the company is building for the Spanish Navy. The ship’s seakeeping has been excellent, obtaining a sustained speed more than a knot above that initially foreseen. The technicians taking part in the trials also underlined the ship’s docile seakeeping and its great capacity for short distance turning thanks to its podded propulsion system.

The trials team was made up of 340 persons, and Navantia affirms that the trials have fully validated the new propulsion system fitted on board this ship, which is CODLAG (COmbined Diesel-eLectric and Gas turbine). In this combined propulsion system, two MAN engines and a General Electric gas turbine produce the electrical power that feeds the propulsion systems.

The LHD Juan Carlos I has been designed to carry out amphibious missions, force deployment, humanitarian assistance and to act as an auxiliary aircraft carrier. She also has a large hospital capacity, which in addition to her cargo capacity make her ideal for deployment in disaster areas.

With a length overall of 230.82 metres (flight deck 202.3 m.), 32 m. beam and full load displacement of more than 27,500 tonnes, this will be the biggest ship ever made available to the Spanish Navy.

She will also be the first of such a size with podded electrical propulsion. Highly automated, her crew will consist of just 247 persons.


Technical Data:

--Length Overall: 231.40 m
--Length Between Perpendiculars: 205.70 m
--Maximum Beam: 32.00 m
--Beam Waterline: 29.50 m
--Design Draught: 6.80 m
--Depth to Fly deck: 27.50 m
--Light Weight: 19,300 t
--Full load Dead Weight: 6,500 t
--Future Growth margin: 1,000 t
--Full load Displacement: 26,800 t
--Displacement in Air Operation: 23,900 t
--Maximum speed (Full Load): >20.0 knots
--Maximum Speed in Air Operations: >21.0 knots
--Continuous Speed: >19.5 knots
--Range @ 15knots: 9,000 miles
--Hangar Area and Light Cargo deck: >3000 m2
--Dock Area and Heavy Cargo deck: >2600 m2
--Area on Flight Deck: >4500 m2
--Dock Capacity [LCM 1E; LCAC]: [4 ;1 ]
--Spots for Helicopters [NH-90; CH-47]: [6 ;4 ]
--Crew: 243 p
--General Staff: 103 p.
--Flight Embarked Unit: 172 p.
--Naval Landing Group: 23 p.
--Embarked Forces: 902 p.
--Accommodation Capacity: 1,443 p.
--Provisions for the Crew: 20 days
--Provisions for Embarked Forces: 30 days


US Navy Orders Material for JHSV 4 and 5
Source: Austal

The US Navy has exercised contract options funding Austal’s acquisition of long lead-time equipment associated with the construction of two additional 103 metre Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV).

As the prime contractor, Austal currently has contracts to build the first three JHSVs as part of a 10-vessel program valued at up to AUD $2 billion. Today’s award funds the acquisition of long lead time material for JHSV 4 and 5.

Austal USA President and COO Joe Rella commented,

“This award signifies the US Navy’s continued commitment to the JHSV programme and confidence in Austal’s ability to reliably deliver the predecessor ships on time and budget. The long lead-time material contract award also ensures employment continuity for our US workforce.”

Austal was awarded the initial contract to design and build the first 103 metre JHSV in November 2008, with contracts for an additional two vessels awarded in January this year. Options for the remaining seven vessels are expected to be awarded between FY10 and FY13.

Similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the US Marines for the past eight years, the JHSV will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded. The vessels will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Construction of JHSV 1 “Spearhead” is currently underway at Austal’s US facility in Mobile, Alabama, with a keel laying ceremony to be held in coming weeks. JHSV 2 is scheduled to commence construction in September this year, with JHSV 3 to commence in mid-2011.

Long lead-time material for JHSV 4 and 5 will include main propulsion engines, water jets, reduction gears and other major equipment items.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is the platform mission systems engineering agent responsible for the design, integration and test of the ship’s electronic mission systems, including an open architecture computing infrastructure, internal and external communications, electronic navigation, aviation and armament systems.




First Lockheed Martin F-35 with Mission Systems Arrives at Navy Test Site
Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. --- The first mission systems-equipped Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II test jet joined the fleet at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., today.

Piloted by F-35 Test Pilot Dave "Doc" Nelson, the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B known as BF-4 became the fourth F-35 to arrive and begin testing at the Naval Air Systems Command site. The STOVL variant will be employed by the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy.

"This mission systems aircraft adds a new dimension to the F-35 flight testing under way at PAX River," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of F-35 Program Integration. "Now, in addition to validating the aerodynamic capabilities and flying qualities of these jets, we will have the opportunity to confirm the performance of what we expect to be a transcendent avionics capability – the most capable ever in a fighter." A fifth F-35B, along with the first Navy carrier variant, is expected to join the fleet later this year at Patuxent River.

The F-35's avionics, or mission systems, enable the jet to perform a wide variety of missions by providing the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness – through the processing and fusion of data from both on-board and off-board sources. The F-35's next-generation sensor suite makes it possible to collect vast amounts of information, and present the data on state-of-the-art cockpit and helmet displays. This allows the pilot to make faster and more effective tactical decisions and transfer information to other aircraft and to maritime and ground forces.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.




SSBN-598 George Washington

Today’s website is SSBN-598 George Washington. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1882 - Establishment of Office of Naval Records of the War of the Rebellion (became part of Naval Historical Center).
1942 - First Navy photographic interpretation unit set up in the Atlantic.
1959 - Launching of USS George Washington (SSBN 598), first nuclear powered fleet ballistic missile submarine, at Groton, Conn.


Photo of the Day



FGS Hessen (F221) cruises through the Mediterranean Sea as part of interoperability operations with USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Gator