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



Feature - Soviet Armored River Monitor

MSW crew-mate Antonio Marranita (tmarranita) shares his latest scratch-build with us, this time, he tackles the Soviet Armored River Monitor in this MSW Build Story.




U.S. Navy Budgets $394 Million for Periscope Procurement
Source: Forecast International

NEWTOWN, Conn. --- Kollmorgen's line of Non-Penetrating Periscopes (NPPs) should be produced steadily over the next 10 years for the U.S. Navy and other select clients. The periscope is a vital part of the Navy's Virginia (SSN-774) class submarine, which is scheduled to remain in production well into the next decade.

The service is currently procuring one Virginia SSN per year. The Pentagon originally proposed maintaining a one-per-year procurement rate through FY11, and then increasing the rate to two per year by FY12.

Kollmorgen's latest NPP, the Photonics Mast System, has advanced sensors and, according to the company, new tactical capabilities.



It is a modified version of this variant, which is apparently the object of recent U.S. Navy orders. Under the U.S. Navy's Submarine Periscope procurement program, through which the NPP was purchased along with other imaging systems, some $394.2 million has been budgeted through 2015.


Lockheed Martin Submits Final Littoral Combat Ship Proposal to U.S. Navy
Source: Lockheed Martin

WASHINGTON --- The Lockheed Martin-led industry team submitted its final proposal revision for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) fiscal year 2010-2014 contract to the U.S. Navy today.

Lockheed Martin is one of two industry teams competing for the contract. The Navy will award the winning team a fixed-price incentive fee contract to provide up to 10 ships as well as combat systems for five additional ships.

"The Lockheed Martin team is providing a low-risk, affordable LCS option that will meet the U.S. Navy's needs for years to come," said Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO Bob Stevens. "During my attendance at last month's presentation to the Navy, I committed the full financial, technical and programmatic strength of our Corporation to the success of this critical program."

Prior to this competition, Lockheed Martin was awarded contracts to construct two ships for this new class. The Lockheed Martin-led team designed and constructed USS Freedom (LCS 1), which was delivered to the Navy in 2008 and successfully completed its first deployment earlier this year. USS Freedom's design meets all requirements and has completed sea trials, helicopter landings, weapons firings, small boat launch and recovery testing. USS Freedom also recently participated in the world's largest maritime exercise, known as Rim of the Pacific 2010, where it operated with international navies and successfully completed a series of operational exercises.

In March 2009, the Navy awarded the Lockheed Martin team a fixed-price incentive fee contract to build the third LCS. LCS 3, the future USS Fort Worth, is being built in Marinette, Wis., and recently reached the 60-percent completion mark. Construction remains on cost and on schedule for delivery to the Navy in 2012. Lessons learned from designing and building USS Freedom have resulted in improved efficiencies in Fort Worth's construction, including a 30-percent reduction in labor hours.




America’s Cup

Today’s website is America’s Cup. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1858 - Sloop Niagara departs Charleston, S.C., for Liberia with African slaves rescued from slave ship.
1923 - Asiatic Fleet completes mission of aiding earthquake victims in Japan.
1939 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt asks Congress to repeal the arms embargo provision of the Neutrality Act.
1944 - Aircraft from 12 carriers commence two-day attack against Japanese ships and airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands.
1984 - Mid-East Force begins escort of U.S.-flagged vessels in Persian Gulf.


Photo of the Day



ARA La Argentina (pennant number D-11) is the second ship of the MEKO 360H2 series of four destroyers built for the Argentine Navy. The ship is the eighth ship in the history of the Argentine Navy to bear the name of the corsair frigate La Argentina which conducted a privateer raid around the world against Spanish trade on 1817.

Gator