Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Minor War Vessels Concentrate Off Darwin
Source: Australian Department of Defence
The Minor War Vessel Concentration Period (MWVCP) sea phase has commenced in waters off Darwin, with five Royal Australian Navy ships practising general mariner, surface and amphibious warfare skills.
During the week-long activity, HMA Ships Glenelg, Pirie, Bundaberg, Balikpapan and Betano will work focus on collective competencies including boarding operations, tactical manoeuvring, and seamanship.
“Darwin based 2nd Cavalry Regiment., with an Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV), General Motor Vehicle and three Unimogs, will join Navy in an amphibious landing, simulating a non-combative evacuation operation. The activity will practise relocating to a place of safety non-combatants threatened in a foreign country,” said Commander Mine Warfare, Hydrography and Patrol Boat Force, CAPT Vaughan Rixon.
“Maritime interception skills will also be honed with boarding operations practiced on the merchant ship MV Sapphire Bay with aerial support provided by a Navy Augusta A109E helicopter from 723 Squadron.
“Gunnery shoots will also be conducted against towed air targets.
“This exercise is an important part of Navy’s ongoing training program, aimed at enhancing its capability to protect Australia and its interests,” CAPT Rixon said.
MWVCP is part of ongoing efforts to improve ADF capability to protect Australia and its interests, and enhance interoperability within the ADF and with the many agencies involved in the border protection task. It is a carefully planned activity and will be conducted within strict environmental, safety and risk management constraints.
Northrop Grumman to Upgrade Integrated Bridge Systems for Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carriers
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide Scalable Integrated Bridge Systems (SIBS) for five Nimitz-class (CVN) U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers.
The five SIBS shipsets were awarded to Northrop Grumman's Maritime Systems business unit under a U.S. Navy fixed-price contract. In conjunction with previously awarded shipsets by the U.S. Navy, this contract will complete bridge upgrades for the entire Nimitz class. The upgrades will provide enhanced situational awareness for safer navigation as well as increased commonality with systems and software used by other U.S. Navy ship classes for easier supportability.
The CVN SIBS includes Northrop Grumman's Voyage Management System (VMS), which provides the "paperless navigation" technology to convert the Fleet from hand plotting on paper nautical charts to automated navigation and piloting on computerized chart displays. VMS is the only system that is currently certified by the U.S. Navy to be compliant with the Navy's Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS-N) requirements for paperless navigation, as defined by the Chief of Naval Operations in OPNAVINST 9420.2. All U.S. Navy vessels certified for paperless navigation use VMS as their ECDIS-N software application, running on an ECDIS-N certified Northrop Grumman equipment suite.
"The scalable bridge upgrades will give the CVNs the same navigation technology and hardware that is being standardized across the rest of the U.S. Navy Fleet," said Jeffrey L. Holloway, director of business development for Northrop Grumman Maritime Systems. "The upgrade will provide improved situational awareness and enhanced navigation safety, allowing the carriers to be certified for paperless navigation."
The Nimitz-class carriers began construction in 1968 with the USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The tenth ship of the class, the USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) was commissioned in January 2009. The U.S. Navy's "Fact File" describes the Nimitz class as "the centerpiece of America's Naval forces. On any given day, aircraft carriers exercise the Navy core capabilities of power projection, forward presence, humanitarian assistance, deterrence, sea control and maritime security."
Update: U.S. Navy Version of Lockheed Martin F-35 Makes First Flight
Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
FORT WORTH, Texas --- The most advanced aircraft in the history of the United States Navy made its inaugural flight yesterday, assuring a future of long-range, first-day-of-the-war stealth striking capability from the Navy's big-deck carriers.
The first Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 11:46 a.m. and logged a 57 minute flight.
"I am thrilled the F-35C has attained this milestone," said Vice Adm. Thomas J. Kilcline, Commander of Naval Air Forces. "This flight marks the beginning of a new chapter in Naval Aviation. The mission systems in this aircraft will provide the Carrier Strike Group Commander with an unprecedented ability to counter a broad spectrum of threats and win in operational scenarios that our legacy aircraft cannot address.
"As a long-range, stealthy, carrier-based aircraft, the F-35C will provide Naval Aviators a fifth-generation fighter with the most advanced technology possible to perform our nation's missions. I look forward to the F-35C's continued progress, and observing developmental flight testing at Patuxent River later this summer," Kilcline said.
The F-35C is unique in its uncompromised carrier suitability, with a larger wing and control surfaces for safe, precise handling and low approach speeds to the carrier, excellent over-the-nose visibility, and additional structural strength for at-sea operations. The aircraft's stealth materials are designed to withstand harsh carrier conditions with minimal maintenance.
"For the first time ever, and from now on, wherever on the world's oceans we position a 98,000-ton nuclear carrier, we can launch a long-range, lethal, stealth strike fighter with the ability to defeat the most sophisticated air defenses," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of F-35 Program Integration. "Sunday's flight marks the beginning of the true introduction of a next-generation weapon system capable of providing joint, coalition striking power on Day One, from both land and sea bases."
The mission was flown by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Jeff Knowles, a retired Naval Aviator and test pilot who flew F-14As and F-14Ds operationally, and who served as chief test pilot on the F-117 stealth fighter program.
The F-35 program has about 900 suppliers in 43 states, and directly and indirectly employs more than 130,000 people. Thousands more are employed in the F-35 partner countries, which have invested more than $4 billion in the project. Those countries are the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.
The F-35 Lightning II 5th generation fighter combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with 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.
The Role of the CPR Ships in World War II
Today’s website is The Role of the CPR Ships in World War II. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1854 - U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., holds first formal graduation exercises. Previous classes graduated without ceremony.
1896 - Authorization of first experimental ship model tank.
1943 - Operation Husky, Allied landing on Sicily.
Photo of the Day
The amphibious command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20) and the Russian navy landing ship Kaliningrad (LSTM 102) are underway in formation on the second day of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise 2010.
Gator
