By Dr. Lee Willett 

LONDON — The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has been increasing its permanent presence in the Arctic in recent years, using rotational deployments. The impact of this rotational presence is being demonstrated again in the multinational exercise ‘Joint Viking,’ which is taking place in March ashore and at sea in and around Norway’s northern fjords. 

For ‘Joint Viking’ and the parallel U.K.-led ‘Joint Warrior’ exercise, 20,000 allied aircrew, sailors, soldiers, marines, and supporting personnel are present, including USMC forces. Participating USMC forces are drawn from a pool of more than 1300 marines, from Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, that are supporting rotational activities and exercises as the Marine Rotational Force – Europe 2023 (MRF-E 23) deployment. 

As ‘Joint Viking’ and other exercises are joint and combined activities, USMC forces are training alongside U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel, as well as NATO allies and other partners, Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Knowles USMC, Battalion Commander 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, told Seapower. 

“The rotational training has been beneficial for both US Marines and service members from allied and partner countries,” said Knowles. “The Marines are receiving world-class training, which improves overall Marine Corps readiness, and sends Marines back to their units better trained to fight and win in any environment.” 

While noting that exercises like ‘Joint Viking’ are long-planned activities that are not conducted in response to any specific threat from any specific adversary, such exercises still enable US, allied, and partner forces to “continue to enhance readiness, capability, and flexibility in response to changing security environments”, said Knowles. In particular, he added, “We are focused on strengthening the development of joint leaders and teams who understand the synergy of air, sea, and land power in a joint, multi-domain environment.” 

The MRF-E 23 rotation and associated exercise series will conclude in September, and the USMC units deployed on this rotation will return to base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

Release from Commander, U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs 

***** 

24 March 2023 

SAN DIEGO - The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard began their joint patrol in the Western Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) to reduce and eliminate illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing, combat transnational crimes, and enhance regional security, March 20.  

“OMSI is imperative to ensure that the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention (WCPFC) agreement is upheld within the Indo-Pacific region,” said Cmdr. Richard Skinnell, Mobile’s commanding officer. “This initiative allows us the opportunity to work jointly with other branches of the military as well as our allies and partners.” 

 
OMSI, a Secretary of Defense program, improves maritime security and domain awareness by enabling Coast Guard law enforcement personnel to conduct maritime law enforcement operations from Navy ships. These joint and combined operations ensure the U.S. military honors its security commitments to allies, partners, and friends. 

 
“Collaborating with our partners throughout Oceania is essential in ensuring a free and open Blue Pacific,” said Cmdr. Jeff Bryant, chief of enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard District Fourteen. It is a privilege and we are proud to support the Federated States of Micronesia through dedicated partnership in the effort to maintain maritime governance and preserve maritime sovereignty.” 

 
The WCPFC international fisheries agreement prioritizes the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. 

 
“The U.S. Coast Guard is always ready and looking forward to executing the OMSI mission alongside our U.S. Navy partners,” said Bryant. 
Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26), with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, supports maritime law with partner nations by enforcing the WCPFC agreement and by suppressing illicit activities. Independence-variant LCS is the platform of choice for this mission due to its fast and agile maneuvering capabilities, large flight deck with manned and unmanned aviation assets and surface warfare mission set. 

 
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations–from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.

Release from U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs 

***** 

NEWS | March 23, 2023 

7th Fleet Destroyer conducts Freedom of Navigation Operation in South China Sea 

By U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs 

PARACEL ISLANDS, South China Sea  –   

On March 24 (local time) Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law. At the conclusion of the operation, Milius exited the excessive claim and continued operations in the South China Sea. This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging the restrictions on innocent passage imposed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and Vietnam and also by challenging PRC’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands. 

Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations. 

The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant. The customary international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention provides for certain rights and freedoms and other lawful uses of the sea to all nations. The international community has an enduring role in preserving the freedom of the seas, which is critical to global security, stability, and prosperity. 

The United States upholds freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle. As long as some countries continue to claim and assert limits on rights that exceed their authority under international law, the United States will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the sea guaranteed to all. No member of the international community should be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms. 

The PRC, Taiwan, and Vietnam each claim sovereignty over the Paracel Islands. In violation of customary international law, all three claimants require either permission or advance notification before a military vessel or warship engages in “innocent passage” through the territorial sea. Under customary international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention, the ships of all States –including their warships –enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. The unilateral imposition of any authorization or advance-notification requirement for innocent passage is unlawful. By engaging in innocent passage without giving prior notification to or asking permission from any of the claimants, the United States challenged these unlawful restrictions imposed by the PRC, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The United States demonstrated that innocent passage is not be subject to such restrictions. 

The United States also challenged the PRC’s 1996 declaration of straight baselines encompassing the Paracel Islands. Regardless of which claimant has sovereignty over these islands, it is unlawful to draw straight baselines around the Paracel Islands in their entirety. Customary international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention is both clear and comprehensive regarding the circumstances under which States can depart from “normal” baselines.  The PRC-claimed straight baseline violates international law of the sea as reflected in Article 7 of the Law of the Sea Convention. Furthermore, international law does not permit continental States, like the PRC, to establish baselines around entire dispersed island groups. With these baselines, the PRC has attempted to claim more internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf than it is entitled to under international law. By conducting this operation, the United States demonstrated that these waters are beyond what the PRC can lawfully claim as its territorial sea, and that the PRC claimed straight baselines around the Paracel Islands are inconsistent with international law. 

U.S. forces operate in the South China Sea on a daily basis, as they have for more than a century. They routinely operate in close coordination with like-minded Allies and partners that share our commitment to uphold a free and open international order that promotes security and prosperity. All of our operations are conducted safely, professionally, and in accordance with customary international law. The operations demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows –regardless of the location of excessive maritime claims and regardless of current events.

Release from Naval Air Systems Command 

***** 

Published: 

Mar 23, 2023 

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md.– 

The Navy’s Common Aviation Support Equipment program office (PMA-260) successfully completed the Crash and Salvage Crane (CSC) Maintainability Demonstration (MDEMO) at the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) Norfolk, Virginia Feb. 3.  

The MDEMO is an important milestone in the acquisition process, ensuring that the new crane is sustainable, maintainable, and ready for reliable operation in the Fleet. The demonstration verified the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for Intermediate Level maintenance is within the required and specified limits.  

“The new CSC design will ensure the warfighter has the safest, most modern, maintainable and reliable equipment possible for years to come, and we are looking forward to bringing this improved capability to the Fleet” said Capt. Robert Burgess, PMA-260 program manager.  

CSCs are critical pieces of equipment because no flight operations are allowed on ships without an operational CSC running on standby. They are used for lifting and moving disabled aircraft on aircraft carriers and landing helicopter dock ship flight decks. These new versions, designed by industry partner Allied Systems Company, replaces the legacy carrier and amphibious assault crash cranes.   

The legacy CSCs were designed decades ago and have been a workhorse in the Fleet for many years, having exceeded their anticipated life expectancy. They have become increasingly difficult to maintain due to obsolescence issues. The new variants correct those deficiencies and are much easier to maintain.  

During the MDEMO, Fleet sailors from two aircraft carriers removed and replaced 30 components while performing unscheduled maintenance tasks following the technical manual instructions. The event’s success supports progression into production of the cranes for delivery to the Fleet.  

“NAWCAD Lakehurst engineering timed the tasks and determined the MTTR requirement was met, and FRC personnel supported the assembly and proof load testing of the crane,” said Cmdr. Tommie Crawford, PMA-260 common ground support equipment team lead. “The team’s dedication, maintenance intellect and shared experience were instrumental to the success of the event.     

The new CSCs are on track to deliver to the Fleet February 2024.  

About PMA-260  

The Navy’s Common Aviation Support Equipment program office (PMA-260) manages the procurement, development and fielding of common aviation support equipment required for the operation and maintenance of aircraft, aircraft weapons, related aircraft weapons subsystems, and miscellaneous ground support equipment. Additionally, PMA-260 manages the Metrology and Calibration program, the Foreign Object Damage mitigation effort, and the Mobile Facilities (MF) Programs. MFs are used to support Navy Expeditionary and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron intermediate-level maintenance.    

Release from U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia 

***** 

SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a subject matter exchange with boating safety and customs counterparts in Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on March 21, 2023, to enhance maritime operations management. 

Personnel from U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and USCGC Sequoia (WLB 215) with small boat station experience worked with the CNMI Department of Public Safety – Boating Safety and the CNMI Customs and Biosecurity – Marine Unit. 

The exchange was based on the standards used by U.S. Coast Guard small boat stations nationwide and focused on administrative topics, such as completing unit organization manuals, standing orders, detailed duties, assignments, and watch schedules. 

“The engagements were at no cost to our search and rescue and law enforcement partners,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christine Igisomar, U.S. Coast Guard FM/SG maritime advisor. “Future engagement topics will include navigation, training, personal protective equipment, and naval engineering. This engagement series will culminate in a search and rescue exercise in the CNMI, currently slated for August.” 

The U.S. Coast Guard’s last Saipan-based search and rescue exercise took place in August 2022 with 40 CNMI participants from six CNMI agencies and eight Coast Guard members. 

“The excellent participation, support, and free exchange of experience and ideas made for a successful endeavor,” according to Lt. Henry Dunphy, the chief of emergency management and force readiness at U.S. Coast Guard FM/SG. 

That exercise simulated a response to a capsized kayak off Tanapag Harbor, leading to tabletop discussions on planning, safety, and communications, followed by search patterns and boat handling offshore the following day. 

Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, personnel hold training and search and rescue exercises in Guam, the CNMI, and the Compact of Free Association states. They evaluate notification and response procedures and identify shortfalls in communication and coordination of response during SAR incidents. Each agency holds individual capabilities that complement each other’s efforts and bolsters the overall success of the SAR system. 

U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam comprises nearly 300 personnel and provides a significant portion of the U.S. Coast Guard’s enduring regional presence in Oceania. These teams conduct the service’s six major operational mission programs: maritime law enforcement, maritime response, maritime prevention, marine transportation system management, maritime security operations, and defense operations. 

Release from Raytheon Technologies 

***** 

TUCSON, Ariz., (March 23, 2023) — The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon Technologies a $320 million contract to produce and deliver 1500 StormBreaker® smart weapons, which are air-to-surface, network enabled weapons that can engage moving targets in all weather conditions using its multi-effects warhead and tri-mode seeker. 

“Having StormBreaker in the warfighter’s arsenal provides unprecedented capability against moving targets, regardless of conditions,” said Paul Ferraro, president of Air Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “It also expands our production line and reinforces our commitment of ensuring the warfighter has the next-level munitions they need to safely and successfully accomplish the mission.” 

StormBreaker is fielded on the F-15E Strike Eagle with testing underway on the F-35B and F/A-18; between the three platforms, StormBreaker has had hundreds of successful operational test shots to date. 

Click here learn more about the StormBreaker smart weapon.  

Release from Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic. 

***** 

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic employees toured the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), one of only two hospital ships, in early March to gain better insight of the information technology (IT) on-board with the goal of providing technological solutions. 

“While touring the USNS Comfort, we were able to see the current onboard medical treatment facility IT infrastructure and the infrastructure challenges medical staff encounter while providing patient care including maintaining health record documentation and delivery of pharmacy services, radiology procedures, and laboratory testing,” said Shawn Belcher, Defense Health Readiness Engineering (DHRE) lead. “As new hospital ships are constructed, we will provide input so that current and future critical IT infrastructure security needs are met, ensuring that the very best care for patients and care providers is available.” 

The three-hour tour aboard USNS Comfort allowed employees to see IT equipment that NIWC Atlantic supports and interact with the shipboard users to better understand how support and services can be improved in the future. 

“During the tour, we were able to get eyes on all areas of this hospital ship with humanitarian and combat mission related capabilities as well as the significant IT, power, and heat challenges faced in the delivery of care,” said Bruce Carter, Shore Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Integration Department head. “We are committed to teaming with appropriate organizations and helping them find solutions for these technical obstacles as well as address any that arise in the future during the construction of new of medical ships.” 

The USNS Comfort provides emergency, on-site care for humanitarian missions, primarily in South America, and U.S. combatant forces deployed in war or other operations. Last summer, the ship went on a two-month humanitarian deployment to South and Central American countries where medical staff treated more than 13,000 patients. Prior to any deployment, NIWC Atlantic has multiple IT tasks to accomplish aboard the ship including verifying that user accounts are active and that the electronic health record system is functioning properly as well as providing equipment and technology training for patient administration personnel, pharmacy, radiology, and laboratory technicians that will be used aboard the USNS Comfort during deployment.  

“Engaging with our customers and Sailors to gain a better understanding of their technology challenges is our top priority,” said Capt. Nicole Nigro, NIWC Atlantic commanding officer. “We take every opportunity to interact with the fleet, in their environment, to learn first-hand their limitations so we can provide them with the best solutions and capabilities possible.” 

Release from Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division

***** 

By Gary Ell 

Philadelphia – Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) marked a major milestone with the new DDG(X) Land Based Test Site (LBTS) during a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 21, 2023. The test site program will be used to support and improve reliability and capability, and will also assist with risk reduction efforts and technical oversight for DDG(X) critical systems. 
 
“Today we mark the beginning of a unique test site that will be used to advance the design, reliability and capability of our Nation’s next-generation guided-missile destroyer, the DDG(X), the successor to the supremely successful DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class,” NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Joseph Darcy said. “The DDG(X) Land Based Test Site is an evolutionary engineering test and evaluation asset that will help build the future: Our Nation’s newest and most advanced destroyers.” 
 
Darcy also focused on the critical role people bring to the development of such advanced U.S. Navy technology. 
 
“NAVSEA’s dedicated and diverse workforce designs, builds, delivers, and maintains the most powerful Navy in the world,” Darcy said. “Our team at NSWCPD has an unrivaled passion to support the Fleet at a time when naval presence and capability is essential to our national security.” 
 
The keynote speaker for the event, Rear Adm. Fred Pyle, Director, Surface Warfare Division (N96), Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and DDG(X) resource sponsor, spoke on the significance of the programmatic milestone. 
 
“Since 1972, many successful applications of land-based testing have proven highly successful for the Navy. Ship classes such as Spruance, Oliver Hazard Perry, Arleigh Burke, and Zumwalt used sites like these to understand new technologies in both the combat system and the HM&E domains,” Pyle said. 
 
Pyle continued, “The LBTS allows us to deliberately reduce risk in advance of construction and write requirements from a place of knowledge instead of uncertainty. We are aligned with Congress on the needs for this important test site, because we know the most expensive place to have discovery is in the shipyard during construction. We need and want to avoid that and these investments allow us to do that.” 
 
“Right here in this complex, you can see Philadelphia’s involvement in DDG 51 acquisition and sustainment from lead ship to our recent DDG 125 crew training in support of Flight III. Our DDG(X) Land Based Test Site will continue that legacy,” NSWCPD Technical Director Nigel C. Thijs (SES) said during his closing remarks. 
 
Along with increased capability and capacity, DDG(X) will provide significant increases in range, efficiency, and time-on-station, providing Fleet Commanders with increased operational flexibility while also decreasing the demand on Fleet logistics. 
 
“Taking an evolutionary vice revolutionary approach, incorporating lessons learned from other major shipbuilding programs and integrating elements of the DDG 51 Class allows DDG to efficiently and smoothly transfer into production as the country’s next enduring guided missile destroyer,” DDG(X) Program Manager Katie Connelly said, “DDG(X) will provide the flexibility and margins needed for readiness today and for decades to come.” 
 
NSWCPD is also home to the DDG 51 Class Land Based Engineering Site (LBES), which is a full scale propulsion system testing experience. LBES testing has been a specialty of NSWCPD since 1943. 
 
“We’ve leveraged experience across our land based test and engineering sites to integrate our significant knowledge of and history with DDG 51 with the lessons learned from more recent test site builds,” Thijs said. “We will continue to share knowledge gleaned from motor and other equipment under test evolutions by holding deliberate engagements across the LBES enterprise to foster a culture of learning and are committed to continually self-assessing and correcting.” 
 
DDG(X) is currently in concept refinement, prior to entering the preliminary design phase. 
 
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft. 
 
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems. 

Release from Curtiss-Wright

***** 

DAVIDSON, N.C. – March 23, 2023 – Curtiss-Wright Corporation, (NYSE: CW) today announced that it has been awarded a follow-on contract by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to provide small form factor network router and switch modules to support communications modernization with highly portable expeditionary 
network communications technology. Under the contract, Curtiss-Wright will provide a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) deployed baseband system for the Marine Corps Wideband Satellite-Expeditionary (MCWS-X) program. 

“As a leading supplier of tactical battlefield communications solutions, we are very proud to provide the Marine Corps with our proven field-deployable network communications technology to support the MCWS-X program,” said Lynn M. Bamford, Chair and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation. “This contract further strengthens the long and successful relationship we have with the USMC and highlights Curtiss-Wright’s ability to enhance interoperability and improve cost efficiencies with electronics systems that adhere to the DoD’s mandate for solutions based on the Modular Open Systems Approach.” 

Curtiss-Wright is performing the work within its Defense Solutions division in the Defense Electronics segment. The products covered by this agreement will be shipped to the USMC from the Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions facility in Portland, Oregon. 

For more information on Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division products, please visit https://www.curtisswrightds.com. 

Release from Coast Guard 1st District

***** 

BOSTON — The Coast Guard Cutter Warren Deyampert (WPC-1151) is scheduled to be commissioned during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Boston March 30. 

The Coast Guard’s newest cutter was accepted by the Coast Guard on Dec. 23, 2022, and will be the second of six Fast Response Cutters homeported in Boston. 

The Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC) is designed for multiple missions, including drug and migrant interdiction; ports, waterways and coastal security; fishery patrols; search and rescue; and national defense. The Coast Guard has ordered 65 FRCs to replace the 1980s-era Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping. 

Born in Attalla, Alabama, the cutter’s namesake joined the Coast Guard at age 19 and served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba during World War II, beginning in August 1941. Deyampert’s primary role was within the food service rating, but he also served as one of the ship’s three rescue swimmers. 

Following a torpedo attack on the U.S. Army transport ship Dorchester in North Atlantic waters on Feb. 3, 1943, Deyampert swam in absolute darkness to rescue survivors in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. His efforts affected the rescue of more than 100 crew members, many of whom were hypothermic and unable to swim. 

Four months later, June 13, 1943, the Escanaba sank, following an explosion onboard that was believed to be from a torpedo attack. All but two crewmembers were killed in the explosion. Deyampert was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Purple Heart Medal for his heroic rescue of the Dorchester crew.