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



Naval Special Warfare Sailors Rescue Nine From Overturned Tour Boat
Source: US Navy

Sailors from Special Boat Team 20 helped rescue nine people July 7 from an overturned tourist boat in the Delaware River.

According to Philadelphia police, the boat was struck by a barge and capsized, throwing 35 passengers and two crew members in the water.

Twelve Special Warfare Boat Operators at nearby Penn's Landing immediately responded to a radio distress call and sped to the scene in small boats to recover people in the river.

"We were the first responders," said Garrett Rodriguez, a Special Boat Operator 1st Class from Maui, Hawaii. "Some of us jumped out and started grabbing people. They were just exhausted, in shock."

Rodriguez said some of his team members pulled people into boats, while others jumped off a jetty and swam to tourists struggling in the water.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Patrick Perdew, a 33-year-old Louisville, Ky. medic assigned to the boat team, said the nine passengers they rescued didn't have discernible injuries and were ambulatory when they brought them ashore.

The Navy crew members worked together with the Coast Guard, Philadelphia Police and fire rescue teams.

"We were just happy to help," said Capt. Chuck Wolf, the commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 4. "The city responders deserve all of the credit, but our guys really showed why the Navy is 'America's Navy: A Global Force for Good,' and it shows our ability to adapt to our surroundings and assist with any and all situations."

The boat team was in Philadelphia to attend community relations functions and was preparing to to get underway and return to their base in Virginia Beach.


Submarine Missouri Completes First Voyage
Source: General Dynamics Electric Boat

GROTON, Conn. --- The nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, Missouri (SSN-780), returned to the Electric Boat shipyard today following the successful completion of its first voyage in open seas, called alpha sea trials. Missouri is the seventh ship of the Virginia Class, the most capable class of attack submarines ever built. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.

Missouri's alpha sea trials included a range of submarine and propulsion-plant operations, submerging for the first time, and high-speed runs on and below the surface to demonstrate that the ship's propulsion plant is fully mission-capable.

The sea trials were directed by U.S. Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald, director – Naval Nuclear Propulsion. Also participating in the sea trials were Rear Adm. William Hilarides, program executive officer – Submarines; Rear Adm. Michael McLaughlin, commander – Submarine Group Two; Capt. Leslie Elkin, supervisor of shipbuilding in Groton; and John P. Casey, president of Electric Boat. Missouri is commanded by Cmdr. Timothy A. Rexrode.

"The crew and shipbuilders worked together seamlessly to take this submarine to sea and put it through its paces," said Electric Boat President John P. Casey. "It was a superb effort by everyone involved, and reflects the commitment of the Navy/industry team to sustain the success of the Virginia-class submarine program. I deeply appreciate the contributions made by the Navy personnel, shipbuilders and suppliers who made it happen."




Naval Version of Light Combat Aircraft Rolls out a Defining and Memorable Occasion for the Nation – Antony
Source: Press Information Bureau India

The country’s first Naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft, the LCA (Navy) Trainer Naval Project (NP) – 1, was rolled out by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Aircraft Research and Design Centre at a glittering function in Bengaluru, today. The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, Secretary Defence Production Shri RK Singh, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister Dr. VK Saraswat, Chairman, HAL Shri Ashok Nayak, Director Aeronautical Development Agency Shri PS Subramanyam were present on the occasion.

Congratulating the stakeholders in the development of the first indigenously-developed carrier-bone Naval Trainer Aircraft, Shri Antony described today’s development as a ‘defining and memorable event’ for the nation. He said the prophets of doom have been silenced by a series of major breakthroughs of DRDO-led projects in recent times. He gave the examples of MBT Arjun, LCA and Akash missiles, which are now being adopted by the Forces. Shri Antony said the goal of self-reliance can be achieved by developing synergy among the scientists, the Forces and the public and private sectors.

The LCA (Navy) will form the air element of the Indian Navy. Its primary role will be that of air defence and will provide a formidable platform with a higher thrust engine and an optimised mass for suitable replacement to the ageing Sea Harriers at a later date. The only carrier-bone aircraft in the light category in the world, it will be operating with a wide variety of operational weapons and equipment like the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile, Anti-Ship missiles, Conventional bombs, Air Defence guns, CCMs and drop tanks. The NP1 is now ready to undergo the phase of systems integration tests leading to ground runs, taxi trials and flight. The first flight of the NP1 would happen by the end of this year. The aircraft would be flying with GE-F-404-IN 20 engine and is specifically designed for ski-jump take off and arrested recovery, with high-landing loads compared to its Air Force counterpart.

The formal sanction by the Government for the Naval programme was accorded in the year 2003. The first stage of development includes design and fabrication of one Trainer and one Fighter, NP1 and NP2 respectively, along with a Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Goa, to simulate carrier take off and arrested landing.

A complete airframe called Structural Test Specimen required for structural testing is also being and tested as part of the Programme. Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore has been responsible for the design, development, and building of the Naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft with HAL being its Principal Partner.

Technical Features of the Aircraft
-- The LCA will operate from an aircraft carrier with a concept of Ski-jump Take off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR). Aircraft gets airborne over a ski jump in about 200 m and lands in 90 m using an arrester hook engaging an arrester wire on the ship.

-- Derived from the Air Force version it is a longitudinally unstable fly-by-wire aircraft, making it an agile war machine.

-- Flight Control system is augmented with Leading Edge Vortex Controller (LEVCON) aiding reduction in approach speed for Carrier Landing

-- Auto throttle function reduces pilot load by maintaining constant angle of attack during the critical phase of a flare-less carrier landing

-- Fuel Dump System enables safe landing by reducing weight in event of an emergency landing immediately after launch from Carrier

Role of the Aircraft
-- Air to Air
-- Air to Sea
-- Air to Ground

Dimensions
-- Span: 8.2 m
-- Length: 13.2 m
-- Height: 4.52m




USS Jeannette

Today’s website is the history of the USS Jeannette. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1778 - Allied French fleet under Comte d'Estaing arrives in America.
1853 - Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails his squadron into Tokyo Bay.
1879 - USS Jeannette departs San Francisco to explore Arctic.
1944 - Naval bombardment of Guam begins.


Photo of the Day



JS Mochisio (SS 600) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to support Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 exercises.

Gator