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



On Display Feature - IJN Battleship Yamato, 1/700 Scale

Crew-mate Kostas Katseas (angeleyes) no doubt has mastered the effect of re-creating vessels in action, in 1/700 scale...and he continues to marvel with IJN Battleship Yamato in this "On Display" Feature.




European Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS)
Source: European Defense Agency

The “European Unmanned Maritime Systems for Mine-Counter-Measures and other naval applications (UMS)” is the third EDA Category A programme. It represents the first major and concrete success of an ambitious technology programme directly connected to Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM), one of the twelve EDA’s Capability Development Plan priority actions decided by the Agency’s participating Member States in July 2008.

Through Research & Technology (R&T), demonstrators and de-risking studies, the UMS programme will prepare the next generation of technologies of the Category B programme MMCM, currently in the preparation phase for delivering an initial capacity by 2018.

The UMS initiative is a direct output of the European Defence Research and Technology (EDRT) Strategy together with the newly created system-CapTech on “Naval Systems and their environment”, as it addresses one of the twenty-two R&T priorities agreed by the representatives of participating Member States. In addition it attempts to improve the current collaboration means by enabling coordination, reducing administrative burden and decreasing the idea-to-contract period associated to R&T project generation.

Ten EDA Member States (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) and Norway are contributing to the four-year 53 Million Euro programme which aims at improving naval capacities by improving the capabilities of Unmanned Maritime Systems through a system-of-systems approach while taking into account the notions of interoperability, modularity, inter-changeability of modules and standardisation.

As mentioned above, UMS projects focus mainly on MCM (influence minesweeping; drifting mines detection; and buried mines detection and neutralisation) but also address other naval applications including harbour protection and antisubmarine warfare. In addition, the programme includes projects with transversal impact, studying issues such as: underwater communications; improved autonomy; network enabled coordination; interfaces and standards; and even safety and regulations for unmanned maritime vehicles.

A systems-integration group has also been established to coordinate the programme and examine future UMS R&T topics such as UMS launch-and-recovery, torpedo defence and energy supply for unmanned underwater vehicles.

The programme will allow the involvement of a wide range of entities including navies, national laboratories, universities and industries. It will also increase opportunities for contributing Members to co-operate with each other and to exchange information and know-how. A considerable network of more than a hundred experts has already been established and is envisaged as the main EDA forum for addressing R&T for Unmanned Maritime Systems in the future.


Northrop Grumman Completes Propeller Installation on USS Theodore Roosevelt
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation's Shipbuilding sector completed a significant milestone on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) with the installation of the ship's propulsion shafting and propeller installation on Dec. 5.

The carrier is undergoing a refueling and complex overhaul at the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News Va., the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

"This is a significant accomplishment in a very large and complex project," said Todd West, CVN 71 program director for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News. "Installing the ship's propulsion shafts and propellers is a significant accomplishment performed during the docking phase of the overhaul and brings us one step closer to moving the ship out of dry dock and back into the water."

An important aspect of this availability includes removing, refurbishing and reinstalling the ship's propulsion shafts and 60,000 pound propellers. Work began shortly after the ship arrived in August 2009 and took about 15 months to complete.

"It's great to witness Team Theodore Roosevelt achieving this important milestone in returning a renewed, refueled and refurbished Theodore Roosevelt to the fleet," said the ship's executive officer, Capt. Douglas Verissimo, U.S. Navy. "Reinstalling the propellers aboard this ship is an exciting feat of engineering, teamwork and skill, and it represents a significant achievement as we work together to get the ship back in the water again where she belongs."

Theodore Roosevelt is undergoing its refueling and complex overhaul. The project is scheduled to last more than three years and will be the ship's one and only refueling and complex overhaul in a 50-year life span. Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo this major life-cycle milestone.




Battle of Lake Borgne

Today’s is the anniversary of the Battle of Lake Borgne.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1814 - A British squadron captures U.S. gunboats in Battle of Lake Borgne, La.
1944 - The rank of fleet admiral (five star admiral) is established.
1945 - Capt. Sue S. Dauser receives the first Distinguished Service Medal awarded to a nurse.
1965 - The Navy announces completion of 1,272-ft. radio tower at North West Cape, Australia. It is the highest manmade structure in the Southern Hemisphere at the time.


Photo of the Day



Members of the U.S. Naval Academy varsity and junior varsity offshore sailing teams practice in the Santee Basin.

Gator