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



USS North Carolina - A Walkaround

Join MSW Crewmembers Augusto and Jorge Martinez as they take a stroll around the USS North Carolina.




Navy Changes to Littoral Combat Ship Packages Show Value of Modularity
Source: Lexington Institute

Now that the decision on an acquisition strategy for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has been taken, the Navy is moving out aggressively to address outstanding issues with the program. One of the most important of these is making sure that mission modules will be available for the ships as they start to be built. The mission modules are the heart of the LCS. They provide the critical systems and capabilities that, along with trained personnel and helicopters, allow the LCS to conduct missions.

Right now the Navy is building mission modules for surface warfare, mine warfare and anti-submarine warfare. The first delivery will be for two surface warfare packages to the Navy within the next 15 months. Another package for mine countermeasure operations is also on track to be delivered by the middle of 2013. The Navy also requested a third surface warfare package and one anti-submarine warfare package in its FY 2011 budget.

The mission modules are works in progress. For example, the plan for the mine warfare mission module initially consisted of nine distinct systems intended to find and neutralize sea mines. Now the Navy is thinking about simplifying the module by eliminating one system, the Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System which was intended to destroy shallow water mines and using the airborne mine neutralization system to not only neutralize bottom mine but also shallow and surface mines.

Similarly, the Navy had to scramble to fix a major problem with its surface warfare module when the Army canceled the Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (essentially a clutch of surface-to-surface missiles in a box). The Navy has settled on the Griffin system, a relatively short-range system, but whose range can be extended. One of the issues with the surface warfare module is whether it and the naval guns deployed on all LCSs will be adequate to meet the threat posed by swarms of small gun and missile boats, hostile corvettes and frigates and even shore fired artillery and missiles. Still heavier firepower may be needed in the future.

These changes demonstrate the value of one of the LCS program’s fundamental conceptual principles: modularity. Because the LCS was designed from the first day to carry a variety of mission modules standardized into twenty-foot containers, the ships will be able to shift their missions from surface warfare to mine hunting to anti-submarine warfare rapidly. As discussed above, the equipment carried in the mission modules can be rapidly changed as new technology is developed or even if some critical piece of equipment breaks. As a result, the technology refresh and repair processes become relatively rapid and lower cost affairs. Modularity really works. Perhaps the Navy needs to consider how to make future classes of ships more modular.


Ohio-Class Submarine Replacement Program Receives 'Milestone A' Authority
Source: Naval Sea Systems Command

WASHINGTON --- The U.S. Navy's Ohio-class submarine replacement program achieved 'Milestone A' and is approved to enter the Technology Development Phase of the Department of Defense life cycle management system as of Jan. 10.

Milestone A is the point at which a recommendation is made and approval sought regarding starting or continuing an acquisition program, i.e., proceeding to the next phase. Reaching the milestone allows the Ohio-class replacement program to move into the technology development phase. During this phase, the program will establish requirements and continue design and technology development efforts that will ultimately lead to a ship construction contract.

The milestone was met following the endorsement of the Defense Acquisition Board, chaired by Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Dr. Ashton Carter, on Dec. 9.

"The Navy is committed to ensuring that an affordable replacement ballistic missile submarine is designed, built, and delivered on time with the right capabilities to sustain the most survivable leg of our triad for many decades to come," said Program Executive Officer for Submarines Rear Adm. Dave Johnson.

The Defense Acquisition Board endorsed replacing the current 14 Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines as they reach the end of their service life with 12 Ohio replacement submarines, each comprising 16, 87-inch missile tubes, in a acquisition decision memorandum.

The acquisition decision memorandum validates the program's technology development strategy and allows entry into the technology development phase during which warfighting requirements will be refined to meet operational and affordability goals.

Design, prototyping, and technology development efforts will continue to ensure sufficient technological maturity for lead ship procurement in 2019.

The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review revalidated the recapitalization of the nation's sea-based strategic deterrent. This study followed the May 2009 Final Report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, that recognized submarine-launched ballistic missiles as the most survivable, and therefore most capable, of the three strategic deterrence legs of the U.S. nuclear triad.

The Ohio replacement will leverage the successful Virginia-class acquisition program and carry the Trident II (D5) Life Extension missile, the nation's most accurate and reliable strategic missile system with 134 consecutive successful flight tests.




The Battle of Cape St Vincent

Today’s is the anniversary of the The Battle of Cape St Vincent.




The Nelson Society

Today’s website is the The Nelson Society. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1778 - John Paul Jones, while commanding the American vessel Ranger, receives the first official salute to the U.S. Stars and Stripes flag by a European country, at Quiberon, France.
1804 - Lt. Stephen Decatur, with volunteers from frigate Constitution and schooner Enterprise, enters Tripoli Harbor by night in the ketch Intrepid to destroy the captured frigate Philadelphia. Decatur succeeds without American losses.
1813 - USS Essex becomes first U.S. warship to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific Ocean.
1814 - USS Constitution captures the British ships Lovely Ann and Pictou.
1840 - Officers from USS Vincennes make the first landing in Antarctica on floating ice.


Diorama Idea of the Day



USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) is moored alongside USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) in Port Klang Malaysia.

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