WASHINGTON — The Navy’s force structure — “gray hulls” — is the current top focus for the acting secretary of the Navy as the service nears completion of a new force structure assessment and plans its 2021 budget proposal. 

“We have to figure out this force structure,” said Thomas Modly, acting secretary of the Navy since the resignation of Secretary Richard V. Spencer, speaking Dec. 5 at the U.S. Naval Institute’s Defense Forum held at the Newseum in Washington. “We have to make sure we’re investing in the right things. The investment in these things [ships] takes a long time to come to fruition. We need to think about what 355 [ships] means. If 355 is not the number, we need to know what the right number is and we ought to be lobbying for that, making the case for it, arguing in the halls of the Pentagon for a bigger share of the budget if that’s what’s required. We have to come to a very clear determination of what that means, and also all the equipment we need to support that. 

“We have to get our story straight first,” Modly said, also noting the need to focus on the readiness of existing ships. 

The Navy is in the midst of a new force structure assessment that incorporates the Marine Corps and is known as the Naval Integrated Force Structure Assessment, in keeping with the guidance from the new Marine Corps commandant, Gen. David H. Berger, to return the Marine Corps to its roots as a Fleet Marine Force. The force structure assessment is due for completion in December. 

Modly was clear that the Navy — currently at 290 ships in its battle force — does not have enough ships for its missions. 

“We don’t have a plan for 355 [ships],” Modly said. “I’m not sure it’s the right force mix anymore.” 

He stressed the need for agility in the fleet to adapt to rapidly changing world and technological developments. 

“We’ve had a gradual loss of our competitive advantage,” he said.  

Modly’s second focus priority is what he called “gray matter” — human capital— which he said is the “enduring competitive advantage” of the United States military. He said the military needs a new human capital strategy and needs to think of human capital as part of the networked Navy. 

His third focus priority in what he calls “gray zone” — all of the things that often escape the attention they need and affect greatly the daily and long-term operations of the Navy and Marine Corps. He included in this category such things as space operations; information management; working with partners and allies; the department audit; and counter-intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. He said the Navy and Marine Corps should look at developing asymmetric advantages over potential adversaries because using conventional forces to handle every contingency would be prohibitively expensive. 

WASHINGTON — The Navy’s officials in charge of shipbuilding noted a silver lining in the cloud of the service’s upcoming trough in the force level of submarines in the fleet: a chance to keep pace on the maintenance backlog while the dry dock infrastructure is built up to handle the following increase in submarines. 

Because of decisions made decades ago in the post-Cold War drawdown, the Navy is facing a decline in its submarine force in the mid-2020s as the Los Angeles-class attack submarines (SSNs) are retired. Until recently, the building of the Virginia-class SSNs, at one per year, has been too slow to replace the retiring Los Angeles class. The result is a deficit in the force level in the mid-2020s that risks being as low as 41 boats. 

However, the Navy is looking at extending the life of several Los Angeles-class SSNs to help alleviate the shortage. Also, production of the Virginia class has increased from one boat per year to two, which by the mid-2020s will starting to help raise the force level. 

On Dec. 4, the Navy awarded a five-year multiyear contract to submarine builders General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding to build nine Block V Virginia-class SSNs, two per year, with an option for a 10th. The two-per-year rate will enable the Navy gradually to increase its submarine force structure. 

The Navy is instituting its Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan to improve the capacity and capabilities of its shipyards, including the upgrade of its dry docks.      

“We’re going to take advantage as there’s going to be a little downturn as the submarine numbers go down,” said James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, testifying Dec. 4 on Capitol Hill before a joint hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittees on seapower and readiness and management. “That will give us the spot to recapitalize so that as the numbers grow back up we will have all the capacity we need.” 

“We’re going to build the dry docks along with the maintenance plan along with the growth in the fleet to make sure that we get the maintenance done on time, to get the dry docks done on time to support the maintenance we’re going to need down the road,” Vice Adm. Thomas J. Moore, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, said in testimony before the subcommittees.   

The Navy in recent years has departed from its usual practice of having nuclear submarine maintenance performed only in the Navy-owned shipyards to keep up with the maintenance backlog. 

“We have sent some submarines to our nuclear submarine shipbuilders to do maintenance availabilities,” Geurts said. “Quite frankly, the performance there hasn’t been exactly stellar, either. A lot of that is the same issues we have in the public [Navy-owned] yards. You get a trained workforce doing maintenance that’s different from doing construction. It’s taken us awhile to get the training and proficiency up there.  

“I foresee on the submarine side always wanting the capacity to do some of that work in the private construction yards because that give us some surge capacity …  and opportunities where we need to balance out workload.” 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy awarded it largest shipbuilding contract ever with an order for nine Block V Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), with an option for a 10th SSN, Navy officials said in a Dec. 2 media roundtable in the Pentagon. The $22.2 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB), teamed with Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) as a major subcontractor to EB, will mean that the shipbuilders will soon be building three submarines per year — including one Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine — and will add thousands of new jobs to meet the demand.  

The nine Block V boats will be funded over five years through the 2019–2023 budgets, beginning with SSN 802, the only boat in the block that will be built without a Virginia Payload Module (VPM), a hull extension that adds four payload tubes for up to 28 more Tomahawk cruise missiles (for a total of 40, including the bow tubes) or other future payloads, including special operations forces equipment. The VPM-equipped Block V boats will enable the Navy eventually to retire the four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. 

The contract allows approximately $455 million for the long-lead purchase of material and equipment for the option of a 10th Block V boat, enabling the Navy to order the material at economic order quantities and preserve the supplier industrial base. If the option is exercised, the 10^th boat would cost an additional $1.9 billion, raising the contract value to a total of $241 billion. 

Government-furnished equipment, such as nuclear reactors and propulsion machinery, will add $13 billion to the program, said James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, speaking to reporters at the roundtable. 

Geurts said the multi-year aspect of the contract will garner savings of a minimum of 7% ($1.8 billion) and potentially 17% ($4.4 billion) is the planned delivery schedule is sustained. 

“Block V Virginias and Virginia Payload Module are a generational leap in submarine capability for the Navy. These design changes will enable the fleet to maintain our nation’s undersea dominance.”

Rear Adm. David Goggins, the Navy’s program executive officer for Submarines

The first Block V boats, SSN 802, are scheduled for a 70-month construction period. The second and third boats — SSNs 803 and 804, the first subs with the VPM — are under a 74-month construction schedule. Subsequent boats are planned for 72-month construction timelines. Delivery of SSN 802 is scheduled for 2025, with the subsequent boats following through 2029. 

Rear Adm. David Goggins, the Navy’s program executive officer for Submarines, also speaking at the roundtable, said the Navy has delivered 18 Virginia-class SSNs, with all 10 Block IV boats under construction, and that the program has shortened the total span of the construction program by 3.5 years. He said the last Block IV boat, SSN 801, will be completed in 60 months. 

“Over the life of the Virginia program, shipbuilders have driven delivery timelines from 88 months in Block I to a current average rate of 68 months, while doubling the build rate of submarines to two ships per year and consistently increasing ship capability,” EB said in a Dec. 2 release.   

Goggins praised the increasing quality of production of the Virginia SSNs, noting that the newest, the future USS Delaware, scored a 0.96 on its review by the Bureau of Inspection and Survey. 

EB and NNS have a teaming arrangement whereby each builder produces certain sections of the submarines and alternate as final assembly and delivery yards for the Virginia class. Because EB will be the delivery builder for the upcoming Columbia class, NNS will be the delivery yard for six of the nine or 10 Block V SSNs, and EB will deliver three, plus one more, the 10th, if the option is exercised.  

Kevin Graney, president of Electric Boat, also speaking at the roundtable, said that EB has invested $1.7 billion in new facilities in Connecticut and Rhode Island, including a 750,000-square-foot construction hall for the Virginia Payload Modules. He said EB has hired 15,000 new workers and expects to hire 13,000 more by 2027 for the two submarine programs. 

Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding, said that the parent company, Huntington Ingalls, has hired 10,000 workers and expects to hire 1,500 more. Huntington Ingalls has invested more than $1 billion in new facilities, more than half to the NNS yards.    

Geurts praised the multi-year contract as one that will ensure stability for the shipyard and their work force, noting that the contract “was built for stability,” a factor that will enable shipyard workers “to know their future” and for shipyards to “retain high-caliber talent.” 

He also noted that “the greatest risk to Columbia was an unstable Virginia program.” 

“Block V Virginias and Virginia Payload Module are a generational leap in submarine capability for the Navy,” Goggins said in a Dec. 2 release. “These design changes will enable the fleet to maintain our nation’s undersea dominance.” 

“The Block V contract balances the right mix of undersea quantity and capability with a profile that continues to stabilize the industrial base. This balance and stability will enable the success of submarine acquisitions across the enterprise,” said Virginia-class Program Manager Capt. Christopher Hanson. “Our warfighters, the Navy and the nation will benefit greatly from the new capabilities that the Block V submarines will bring to the fleet.” 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Coast Guard is seeking volunteers to help the U.K. Royal Navy train its engineering Sailors on board the Royal Navy’s ships. 

In a Nov. 27 message from Coast Guard headquarters, the service has solicited 11 personnel to fill engineering billets on Royal Navy ships and one other person — a yeoman, to provide shore-based administrative support for the 11 engineers. The 11 engineering personnel requested include three chief or first-class electrician’s mates, two chief or first-class machinery technicians, five first-class machinery technicians, and one damage controlman. 

The message said the Coast Guardsmen would be assigned “for a three-year tour with the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (UKRN), on Royal Navy vessels. The UKRN has requested USCG support to help raise the level of engineering proficiency and specialty knowledge in the fleet.” 

Upon arrival in the United Kingdom, the Coast Guardsmen “would complete three months of orientation and training followed by sea assignments. There will only be one USCG member attached to each UKRN ship,” the message said. 

The Coast Guard has provided such personnel for Royal Navy ships in previous years.  

On Oct. 10,
2019, the last of nine P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft assigned to Patrol
Squadron 40 (VP-40) returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington,
after more than six months deployed to the other side of the world. The
deployment represented the last in the Lockheed P-3 Orion for an active-duty VP
squadron, ending 57 years of regular VP deployments with the Orion.

VP-40 had
the honor of marking a similar milestone in 1967, when it returned from the
last deployment of the Martin SP-5B Marlin flying boat, which also marked the
end of the flying boat seaplane as U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft.

Check out the digital edition of December’s Seapower magazine here.

VP-40 is now in transition to the Boeing P-8A Poseidon and in a few months will join the other 11 active-duty VP squadrons flying the Poseidon, which began replacing the P-3C in overseas deployments in 2013.

Seapower received responses to
questions from personnel of VP-40 shortly before the end of the deployment.

Cmdr. Matt
McKerring, a naval aviator who commands VP-40, said his squadron deployed with
nine P-3Cs and 12 combat aircrews to three sites. Split-site deployments became
an occurrence more common since the end of the Cold War, when the Navy cut its
active-duty operational VP squadrons from 24 to 12 and its reserve VP squadrons
from 13 to two.

Split
Squadron Creates Resource, Communication, Mission Challenges

When VP-40
deployed in late March, its nine P-3Cs were divided between three sites in the
areas of operations in the U.S. 5th, 6th and 7th Fleets, a laydown which poses
challenges for a squadron.

“The challenges of a tri-site
deployment come down to three different categories: resources, communication and
mission,” McKerring said. “We are manned to operate as one major hub [24-hour
operations] with two detachment locations [single maintenance shift]. This
current deployment requires us to operate two hubs and one detachment location.
This has created a strain on our Sailors and forced us to multi-qualify across
our maintenance department in order to meet mission. 

“The other major resource challenge is
with the aircraft,” he said. “We are currently working with two models of
aircraft, and they are different between sites. This creates a challenge with
maintenance qualifications and aircrew experience. The major limitation from
the maintenance perspective is the parts supply. Our parts come from three
different locations and only one of [the locations] is within an hour of our
bases. This creates the logistical challenge of determining which location has
the parts and then scheduling parts supply flights in order to fix our aircraft
and get them back in the fight.” 

“Communication is an even an issue for
squadrons deployed in one location, but we have three locations in three
different countries, in two different time zones,” he said. “VP-40 has a truly
global presence for this deployment. The squadron overcomes communication
issues by scheduling face-to-face engagements with written recaps, sending out
a squadron newsletter and conducting frequent video teleconferences between
sites to ensure every remains on the same page.”

McKerring said the variety of missions
posed challenges.

“Just like the aircraft types, the
mission types being flown are different based on location,” he said. “Maintaining
proficiency among our aircrewmen in each of these mission types is difficult,
and we’ve had to get creative to ensure our performance remains at the peak
levels.” 

During the deployment, VP-40 primarily
was “tasked with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions,
specifically providing maritime domain awareness,” McKerring said.
“Additionally, with increased tensions in the Middle East, the Fighting Marlins
have provided a number of armed escorts for various U.S. and coalition assets
through high-threat areas. These escort missions are in support of the
International Maritime Security Construct, providing armed escort through the
Strait of Hormuz and Bab-al-Mandeb. VP-40 also remains prepared at all times to
perform our primary mission, which is antisubmarine warfare [ASW], should the
need arise.”

ASW a Perishable
Skill Among Operators

Maintaining the proficiency of
acoustic sensor operators amid numerous other missions is a challenge.
McKerring said that “a predominance of ISR missions does mean that sensor
operators focus mostly on electro-optical sensors, radar and ELINT [electronic
intelligence]. However, our aircrews maintain ASW proficiency using simulators
and Expendable Mobile ASW Training Target [EMATT] systems.”

During the Cold War, VP squadrons were
supported by fixed-site tactical support centers, also known as ASW operations centers.
The squadrons today are supported by mobile command centers that provide
command and control, intelligence and analysis support.

“This is certainly the busiest, most dynamic and successful deployment of which I have been a part.”

Cmdr. Matthew McKerring, naval aviator, commander of VP-40

“Our community operates with Mobile
Tactical Operations Center [MTOC] support now, and we could not be happier with
the support provided by MTOC-10,’ McKerring said. “Their OIC [officer in
charge], Lt. Cmdr. Brad Merritt, integrated his team with our squadron early in
our home cycle, and it has been very beneficial. By training together and then
deploying together, we build relationships in addition to the technical skills
required to succeed on a deployment like this.”

U.S. Navy maritime patrol crews often
have opportunities to operate with U.S. allies and partners. During this
deployment, VP-40 worked with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and German Navy
maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft crews, and with ships from the United
Kingdom, France and Spain.

“This is certainly the busiest, most
dynamic and successful deployment of which I have been a part,” McKerring
said.  “This is my fifth P-3 deployment
and my seventh overall. Being in command also provides a completely different
perspective than from my junior officer days. My scope of awareness is
certainly a lot higher.”

He said “the P-3 is one of the last
unadulterated flying experiences left in military or civil aviation. Yes, there
is an autopilot, but there is no fly-by-wire system. Your control inputs
directly move the control surfaces. You feel one with machine as opposed to
simply operating a computer system. Also, flying low is one of the greatest
joys of aviation, and few fixed-wing aircraft fly lower than the P-3 at a
200-foot on-station altitude.

“Most importantly, however, is the
people,” he said. “I have been a part of many squadrons during my career, but
the Fighting Marlins I currently have the privilege to lead are the smartest,
most professional and hardest working Sailors I have ever seen. It is truly a
humbling experience. One major part of the P-3 team we will miss on the P-8 is
our flight engineers and in-flight technicians. These are enlisted Sailors that
fulfill major maintenance roles on our aircraft, and they have saved me and my
crew many times. I’m going to miss flying with them.”

Maintainers Laud P-3 But Cite Parts, Personnel Shortages

One of VP-40’s maintenance wizards is
Senior Chief Aviation Machinist Mate (Air Warfare) Roy A. Cedeno, who, with 23
years in the Navy and four VP deployments under his belt, said the P-3 “is one
of the strongest and most reliable aircraft I have had the pleasure to work on
during my Navy career. However, the biggest challenges during the last
deployment was getting good aircraft parts, and our maintainers had to work
more than normal working hours because of the shortage of trained P-3
personnel. Additionally, the extremely hot temperatures strained our aircraft
as well as our personnel. The outstanding group of leaders, maintainers and
aircrews are making the impossible miracle of continuing flying these
50-year-old exhausted warfighter aircraft because ‘we do what we do.” 

“It is both an honor and a challenge
sundowning the mighty P-3,” said Lt. William Knox, one of VP-40’s patrol plane
commanders. “We are the last of something truly great, and there is so much
history behind us. It truly is something special to be counted in that chapter
in naval aviation history. But, as anyone who has ever been in a similar
situation can attest, there is no such thing as normal, and every day is a new
challenge. We have risen to the occasion and it has made us all better pilots,
better officers and better Sailors because of it.”

A squadron tactical coordinator, Lt.
Austin Vorwald, echoed the sentiment.

“It’s a huge honor for me to still be
operating aircraft that have had such a long time in service,” he said. “It
still amazes me that something as old and as storied as the P-3 is still so
capable on station. A large majority of this credit goes to the maintainers who
continually troubleshoot and fix our planes though, and I’m continually humbled
by the amount of hard work they put in. It’s incredible to hold some small part
in closing out a hugely successful aircraft.”

McKerring will have that honor of
leading the Fighting Marlins into the transition to the P-8A, as will
approximately 70 percent of squadron personnel, those who will be with the
squadron at least through August 2020.

“I’m excited to learn a new aircraft
and take the things that I’ve learned from operating the P-3 and apply them to
the P-8 to improve upon its success,” Vorwald said. “Deploying as the last
active-duty P-3C squadron has given me a stack of lessons learned that I
believe can in some way benefit VP-40 and hopefully MPR as a whole in the
future.”

“Being Skipper for the last
active-duty maritime P-3 deployment is a great honor, but it is also a little
sad to write one of the final chapters in the proverbial P-3 history book,”
McKerring said. “After 57 years and counting, the P-3 has had one of the most
prodigious careers of any plane in the U.S. Navy and aviation history. This is
my third tour with the Fighting Marlins, going all the way back to 2004, and I
couldn’t be prouder to lead this squadron, which has shaped so much of my
professional career.”

Although
it is no longer in the regular fleet deployment cycles, the P-3 will continue
for several more years to be operated by several units, including two reserve
VP squadrons, VP-62 and VP-69, as well as VP-30, Special Projects Patrol
Squadron 2 (VPU-2), Scientific Development Squadron 1 (VXS-1) and Air Test and
Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30). 

The
EP-3E electronic reconnaissance version will continue to deploy from Naval Air
St Whidbey Island with detachments of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One
(VQ-1) until the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle is deployed in enough numbers
with signals intelligence capability.       

ARLINGTON, Va. — Adm. James L. Holloway III, the 20th chief of naval operations and a combat veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, died Nov. 26, according to the Naval Historical Foundation (NHF), an organization he headed after his retirement from active duty. 

The NHF confirmed his death early on Nov. 26 in a phone call. 

“It is with great sadness that the Naval Historical Foundation announces the passing of Admiral James L. Holloway III, the 20th chief of naval operations, a true Navy legend, son of a four-star admiral and former chairman of the Naval Historical Foundation,” the NHF said in its release on Holloway. 

“The NHF is humbled to pay homage to this incredible warrior and public servant. Admiral Holloway’s life was an inspiration, full of heroic accomplishments and achievements to which many might aspire, but few achieve. Admiral Holloway’s life was one of exemplary service, dedication, sacrifice, leadership and honor.” 

Holloway served as a surface warfare officer in WWII, as a naval aviator in the Korean War and as a carrier skipper, task force commander and numbered fleet commander during Vietnam. 

According to the Historical Foundation’s announcement and obituary on Holloway, he was born in Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 23, 1922, to James L. Holloway Jr. and Jean Gordon Hagood. His father was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1919 and attained the rank of Admiral — distinguishing the Holloways as the only father-son pair in the Navy’s history to achieve that rank during active service. 

James L. Holloway III attended Saint James School near Hagerstown, Maryland, and upon graduation in 1939 entered the Naval Academy himself, graduating in 1942 as a member of the accelerated Class of 1943, where he was a member of the wrestling team. 

He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II, including North Atlantic convoy duty and in the western Pacific at Saipan, Tinian, Palau and Leyte Gulf campaigns as gunnery officer of the destroyer USS Bennion, according to his obituary. 

During the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944, the Bennion was heavily engaged and helped sink the battleship Yamashiro with torpedoes in addition to shooting down three Japanese aircraft. For his actions during the battle, Holloway received the Bronze Star Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. 

“The NHF is humbled to pay homage to this incredible warrior and public servant. Admiral Holloway’s life was an inspiration, full of heroic accomplishments and achievements to which many might aspire, but few achieve.”

Naval Historical Foundation

Following WWII, Holloway reported for flight training and was designated a naval aviator, according to his NHF obituary. During the Korean War, he flew many combat sorties in a Grumman F9F-2 Panther, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. 

He was a pioneer in this early era of carrier-based jet aviation and completed two tours in the heavily contested war zone. During one particularly challenging time, the commanding officer of his squadron, Fighting Squadron 52, was shot down and Holloway found himself in the leadership role as commander. 

Shortly after the war, he served as a technical expert in the production of the critically acclaimed movie, “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” a film that generated public awareness of the Korean War and the sacrifices of those who fought in it. 

From 1965 to 1967, he commanded the USS Enterprise, the Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Holloway was the third commanding officer of the ship but the first to take her into combat. He was subsequently promoted to rear admiral and then vice admiral in 1970, commanding the U.S. 7th Fleet through the end of the Vietnam War. 

Holloway served as CNO from 1974 to 1978, including periods where he was acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a particularly challenging time in the history of our nation. His accomplishments as a flag officer earned him four Navy Distinguished Service Medals and two Defense Distinguished Service Medals. 

Following his naval service, Holloway continued in public service and authored “Aircraft Carriers at War: A Personal Retrospective of Korea, Vietnam, and the Soviet Confrontation,” a book that reflected his passion for analyzing history to better understand the present and future.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper is set to meet Nov. 25 with top U.S. Navy officials to discuss the way ahead in the wake of Secretary Richard V. Spencer’s sudden departure, a Pentagon spokesman said in a statement. Esper has proposed a retired Navy admiral to replace Spencer. 

Esper is meeting with Navy Undersecretary Thomas Modly, who is the acting civilian chief of the sea service, and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael M. Gilday, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in the release.  

Esper “has asked for the resignation of [Spencer] after losing trust and confidence in him regarding his lack of candor over conversations with the White House involving the handling of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher,” Hoffman said.  

“I am deeply troubled by this conduct shown by a senior DOD official. Unfortunately, as a result, I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position. I wish Richard well.”

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper

Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher was tried by court martial for 10 crimes, including murder, allegedly committed during operations in Iraq, but was acquitted of the charges in July except for one count of posing for an unofficial picture with a human casualty, for which he was reduced in rank to petty officer first class.  

In a Nov. 24 tweet, President Trump said he “was not pleased with the way that Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s trial was handled by the Navy. He was treated very badly but, despite this, was completely exonerated on all major charges. I then restored Eddie’s rank.” 

“After Secretary Esper and Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark A. Milley] spoke with the commander in chief on [Nov. 22] regarding the case of Gallagher, Secretary Esper learned that Secretary Spencer had previously and privately proposed to the White House — contrary to Spencer’s public position — to restore Gallagher’s rank and allow him to retire with his Trident pin,” the Defense Department release said. 

“When recently asked by Secretary Esper, Secretary Spencer confirmed that despite multiple conversations on the Gallagher matter, Secretary Esper was never informed by Secretary Spencer of his private proposal,” the release said. 

“Secretary Esper’s position with regard to [Uniform Code of Military Justice], disciplinary and fitness-for-duty actions has always been that the process should be allowed to play itself out objectively and deliberately, in fairness to all parties. However, at this point, given the events of the last few days, Secretary Esper has directed that Gallagher retain his Trident pin.” 

“I am deeply troubled by this conduct shown by a senior DOD official,” Esper said. “Unfortunately, as a result, I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position. I wish Richard well.” 

Spencer, who assumed office in July 2017, is a former Marine Corps helicopter pilot and business leader who worked to change the culture of the Navy and its business practices and warfighting readiness. He became frustrated with ongoing delays with the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its progress toward fleet service. Spencer openly criticized the Navy, congressionally imposed cost caps and the builder of the carrier, Huntington Ingalls, for the problems with the ship’s advanced weapons elevators. 

Trump said in the Nov. 24 tweet that he was disappointed with Spencer’s failure to address cost overruns from the contracting procedures of previous administrations.  

In his Nov. 24 resignation letter, Spencer said, “The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries. Good order and discipline is what has enabled our victory against foreign tyranny time and again, from Capt. Lawrence’s famous order, “Don’t Give up the Ship,” to the discipline and determination that propelled our flag to the highest point on lwo Jima. The Constitution and the Uniform Code of Military Justice are the shields that set us apart and the beacons that protect us all. Through my Title 10 authority, I have strived to ensure our proceedings are fair, transparent and consistent, from the newest recruit to the flag and general officer level. 

“Unfortunately, it has become apparent that in this respect I no longer share the same understanding with the commander in chief who appointed me. In regards to the key principle of good order and discipline, I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I took in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” 

In his resignation letter, Spencer continued: “The president deserves and should expect a secretary of the Navy who is aligned with his vision for the future of our force generation and sustainment. Therefore, with pride in the achievements we’ve shared and everlasting faith in the continued service and fidelity of the finest Sailors, Marines and civilian teammates on earth, I hereby acknowledge my termination as United States secretary of the Navy, to be effective immediately.” 

Esper proposed to Trump that Ambassador Kenneth J. Braithwaite II, current ambassador to Norway and a retired Navy Reserve rear admiral, be considered as the next Navy secretary. Braithwaite is a former naval aviator who flew P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and who later became a Navy public affairs officer. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The continuing resolution currently in effect instead of an enacted fiscal 2020 budget already is taking a toll on the readiness of U.S. Navy units and acquisition plans, with two ship overhauls delayed indefinitely and more to come unless Congress acts soon, Navy officials said.  

Seven weeks into fiscal 2020, a CR is limiting Navy budget expenditures to 2019 levels, the sole year in the last decade in which the defense budget was enacted on time. When a CR is in effect, not only are expenditures and production orders limited but no new programs can be started. 

Inefficiencies also are induced that complicate government and industry planning, cause cash-flow problems and add costs to programs. The cascading effects include uncertainty in hiring workers and ordering materials. The uncertainty of the duration of the CR magnifies the problems for planners. 

“The No. 1 impact of a CR is instability,” said James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, who spoke with Thomas W. Harker, assistant secretary of the Navy for financial management and comptroller, at a Nov. 15 media roundtable in the Pentagon. “It makes all your work unstable and inefficient.” 

Geurts said the Navy has had to postpone indefinitely the overhauls — called “availabilities” by the Navy — of two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Bainbridge and USS Gonzalez, which were supposed to start on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, respectively.  

Burned by many years of CRs, the Navy has learned to plan few new program starts for the first quarter of a fiscal year to reduce the impact of a CR. 

Geurts presented an analysis of the effects of the six-month CR and a year-long CR to reporters. A six-month CR would force the Navy to delay the procurement of one Virginia-class submarine, one Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship and two utility landing craft and the start of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. It also would delay the production of 32 new training helicopter systems, 22 F-5 adversary jets, five F-35C strike fighters and three MQ-9 Reaper UAVs, the latter for the Marine Corps. The CR also would create a cash shortfall of $1 billion for maintenance, equipment and spare parts and delay 17 new-start research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) projects. 

“The No. 1 impact of a CR is instability.”

James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition

A year-long CR would delay all of the above plus the completion of five ships; the start of the FFG(X) frigate program; the procurement of a KC-130J tanker aircraft; more than 500 weapons; and another seven RDT&E projects, plus 33 military construction projects. 

The RDT&E projects delayed would include new unmanned systems planned for the fleet such as the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel, Conventional Prompt Strike, Artificial Intelligence development, surface and shallow-water mine countermeasures development, and digital warfare. 

The one-year CR would restrict operations and maintenance with a shortfall of about $5.6 billion, which would result in the cancellation of 14 ship availabilities; shut down nondeployed carrier air wings and expeditionary squadrons; reduced flight hours for aircraft and steaming days for ships; delays in repairs of hurricane-damaged bases; and delays in Marine Corps unit training and exercises.    

Geurts said the top three procurement programs that would be impacted by a CR would be the new Advanced Helicopter Training System, the FFG(X) and the RCOH of the USS John C. Stennis. 

Geurts said the Navy has some flexibility to deal with anomalies in the budget to shore up some programs. The sea service is working on plans to keep the Columbia ballistic-missile submarine program from being affected and to start the construction program in 2021 on time despite the CR. 

The Columbia is the Navy’s top procurement priority.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s head of operational test and evaluation said the earliest the F-35 Lightning II strike fighter’s Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) could resume is mid-2020, when the Joint Simulation Environment is ready. That evaluation, paused earlier this year, must be completed before full-rate production of the F-35 can be approved.  

The full-rate production decision likely will be delayed until early fiscal 2021. The Defense Department is planning for low-rate initial production through Lot 14 of the F-35. Under low-rate production, more than 458 F-35s of all three variants have been fielded so far. The F-35A and F-35B have flown in combat.    

“So far the JOTT [Joint Operational Test Team] has conducted 91% of the open air test missions, actual weapons employment, cybersecurity testing, deployments and comparison testing with fourth-generation fighters, including the congressionally directed comparison test of the F-35A and the A-10C,” said Robert Behler, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation, testifying Nov. 13 before a joint hearing of the Readiness and Tactical Air and Land Force subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee. “IOT&E events have assessed the F-35 across a variety of offensive and defensive roles.  

“Operational suitability of the F-35 fleet remains below service expectations,” Behler said. “In particular, no F-35 variant meets the specified reliability or maintainability metrics. In short, [for] all variants, the aircraft are breaking more often and are taking longer to fix. However, there are several suitability metrics that are showing signs of improvement this year.  

“There are two phases of IOT&E remaining,” he said. “The first is electronic warfare testing against robust surface-to-air threats at the Point Mugu [California] Sea Range. The other is testing against dense surface and air threats in the Joint Simulation Environment [JSE] at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River [Maryland]. I would approve the start of these tests when the necessary test infrastructure is ready.  

“The Joint Simulation Environment is essential,” he said. “The JSE is a man-in-the-loop synthetic environment that uses actual [F-35] aircraft software. It is designed to provide scalable, high-fidelity, operationally realistic simulation. I would like to emphasize that the JSE will be the only venue available other than actual combat against peer adversaries. To adequately evaluate the F-35, due to the inherent limitations of open-air testing, these limitations do not permit a full and adequate test of the aircraft against the required types and density of modern threat systems, including weapons, aircraft, and electronic warfare that are currently fielded by our near-peer adversaries. Integrating the F-35 into the JSE is a very complex challenge, but is required to complete IOT&E, which will lead to my final IOTE report.” 

The current schedule indicates that the JSE will not be ready to start final phase of operational testing until July [2020], he said.    

Behler said that his organization has been closely with the F-35 Joint Program Office and the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River to determine when the JSE will be ready. There are enormous challenges and there are a lot of unknown unknows still out there.  

“I do believe the JSE development — the “F-35 in a Box” integration into JSE — is on track,” said Lt. Gen. Eric T. Fick, program executive officer for the F-35, who also testified at the hearing.  

The F-35 in a Box is the simulation of the aircraft and its sensors that fits in the JSE.  

“To put it in context, we’re not only integrating the F-35 in a Box into this environment, we’re also integrating all of the blue and red threat vehicles — ground systems, airborne systems, weapons, electronic warfare — and all of the things that you need to bring a full 8-on-8 [aircraft] or greater scenario to life in a synthetic environment,” Fick said. “We’re trying to come as close to a combat environment without putting iron in the sky.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The admiral in charge of undersea warfare requirements said the Harpoon anti-ship missile will be returning to the submarine force next year, restoring more lethality to the sub force. 

“I am happy to report that we will have the first refurbished [Harpoon] missiles delivered to the fleet in FY21,” said Rear Adm. Thomas Ishee, director of undersea warfare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, speaking Nov. 7 at the Naval Submarine League’s annual symposium in Arlington. 

In a demonstration in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific exercise, a Harpoon was fired from the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Olympia at a target ship, the first time one was fired from a U.S. Navy submarine since the UGM-84A Harpoons were withdrawn from the force in 1997. 

The UGM-84A is encapsulated to be fired from a torpedo tube and has a rocket booster to propel it above the surface of the water and into flight.