WASHINGTON —
The newest nominee for chief of naval operations listed his top three
technology priorities to the Senate Armed Services Committee during his July 31
confirmation hearing, with artificial intelligence coming in as No. 1.

“On the top
of the list I would put artificial intelligence,” Vice Adm. Michael M. Gilday said
in response to a question from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

MORE FROM THE CNO NOMINEE: Gilday says weapons elevator problems aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford are a “Navy failure.”

“I think that
that there are capabilities resident in industry that we can harness to our
advantage. What I am particularly interested in is how we use data in a more
innovative way to give us a quicker flash to bang, from decision-making to
action. There is a lot of information at our fingertips every single day; it’s
getting the right information to the right people at the right time so you can
make the right decisions faster than your opponent.”

“I think
there is great promise there,” Gilday added. “We are doing some experimenting
now that I’m very excited about.”

Gilday said
that hypersonics — his second technology priority — “is a must that we have to
get after quickly. Industry is our best partner as we work through this.”

His third
technology priority is unmanned systems.

“That is the future,” he said. “We have to look more deeply at how we would operate with unmanned vessels, whether they are on the sea, or under the sea, or in the air.”

Gilday said he “would take a look at wargaming, concept development and with experimentation. We’ve almost doubled the number of exercises we’re doing in the next year from 97 to 171. We’re going to look at these new technologies. If they’re going to fail, they can fail fast. If it’s something we want to invest in, then we put heat on it and field it quickly.”

ASTORIA, Ore.
— The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-632) returned home July 30
following a 56-day counternarcotic patrol to the eastern Pacific Ocean, the
Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The crew
interdicted five suspected smuggling vessels, including three pangas, a fishing
vessel and a sailboat, and the crew recovered floating bales of contraband
yielding more than 23,000 pounds of cocaine.

The Steadfast
crew offloaded more than 26,000 pounds of seized cocaine in San Diego on July
26, which was a result of the cutter’s five interdictions, bale recovery and an
interdiction case by the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC-1130).

The cocaine,
worth an estimated $350 million, was seized by the crews while the cutters were
patrolling international waters off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South
America from late June to mid-July.

“This was
26,000 pounds of cocaine that will not make it to the main streets of the USA,
and it also gives us the opportunity to make sure we can continue to combat
transnational criminal organizations who transport this cocaine deep in the
Pacific every single day,” said Rear Adm. Peter Gautier, the 11th Coast Guard
District’s commander. “Because we know that with a supply chain of illegal
narcotics, at every single step there’s violence, instability and despair.”

Steadfast’s
seizure of more than 23,000 pounds of cocaine marks the largest amount of
cocaine seized by crews aboard a 210-foot Reliance-class medium-endurance
cutter during a single counternarcotic deployment in Coast Guard history.

Many of the
medium-endurance cutters in service today are more than 50 years old. The Coast
Guard’s medium-endurance cutters represent 70% of the service’s counter-drug
interdiction fleet. These cutters are approaching the end of their service life.
Replacing this aging fleet with the offshore patrol cutter is one of the Coast
Guard’s top priorities. Even though medium-endurance cutters are still highly
effective, as shown by the narcotics interdictions, the ships can be difficult
and expensive to maintain and operate.

As these
cartels become more advanced in their methods at sea, the Coast Guard is
recapitalizing the fleet with modern assets equipped to detect, interdict and
disrupt the growing flow of illegal drugs, weapons and people in the eastern
Pacific.

The offshore patrol cutter will provide a critical capability bridge between national security cutters like the Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL-755), which offloaded 39,000 pounds of cocaine earlier this month, and fast response cutters like the Robert Ward, which seized more than 3,000 pounds of the cocaine offloaded July 26. The Robert Ward’s interdiction was the first cocaine seizure made by a fast response cutter in the Eastern Pacific.

“There are few closer relationships than those among the members of a ship’s crew performing a dangerous, important mission,” said Cmdr. Dan Ursino, the Steadfast’s commanding officer. “Steadfast’s crew has worked as a remarkable, dedicated team with a strong common goal — protecting their nation from the deadly, destructive effects of illegal drugs.”

LOUISVILLE,
Ky. — BAE Systems has received a follow-on contract to produce 28 more payload
tubes for the U.S. Navy’s Block V Virginia-class attack submarines, the company
said in a July 25 release.

Under the
contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat, a builder of the Virginia class,
BAE Systems will deliver seven sets of four tubes each for the Virginia Payload
Modules (VPM).

The Navy
is adding significant capability to the latest Virginia-class boats by
increasing the firepower and payload capacity of the Block V submarines. The
VPM extends the length of Block V subs over previous versions of the Virginia
class by adding a midbody section to create more payload space. Each
large-diameter payload tube can store and launch up to seven Tomahawk and
future guided cruise missiles.

“The VPM
is critical to the Virginia class because it offers not only additional strike
capacity, but the flexibility to integrate future payload types, such as
unmanned systems and next-generation weapons, as threats evolve,” said Joe
Senftle, vice president and general manager of weapon systems at BAE Systems.

“We’ve
invested heavily in the people, processes and tools required to successfully
deliver these payload tubes to Electric Boat and to help ensure the Navy’s
undersea fleet remains a dominant global force.”

BAE
Systems is also providing nine payload tubes under previously awarded VPM
contracts. As the leading provider of propulsors and other submarine systems,
the company has a long history of supporting the Navy’s submarine fleet. In
addition to payload tubes, BAE Systems is also providing propulsors, spare
hardware and tailcones for Block IV Virginia-class vessels and is prepared to
do the same for Block V.

Work under this contract
will be performed at the company’s facility in Louisville, Kentucky, with
deliveries scheduled to begin in 2021.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy will
commission its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the future
USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony on July 27 at Port
Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to a Defense Department release.

The ship is named in honor of Paul
Robert Ignatius, who served in the Navy during World War II and later
during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson as assistant secretary
of defense for installations and logistics from 1964 to 1967 and secretary of
the Navy from 1967 to 1969. 

Current Navy Secretary Richard V.
Spencer, who is also performing the duties of deputy secretary of defense, will
deliver the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Ignatius’ wife, Nancy,
who passed away earlier this year, is the ship’s sponsor. Elisa Ignatius,
granddaughter of Nancy Ignatius, will serve as the ship sponsor’s
representative. Elisa Ignatius will honor naval tradition when she gives the
first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

“The future USS Paul Ignatius
stands as proof of what the teamwork of all our people — civilian, contractor
and military — can accomplish together,” Spencer said. “From the
start of the acquisition process, to the keel laying and christening, to
today’s commissioning and the many missions she will fulfill going forward,
this destroyer enhances our capabilities for air, undersea, surface, strike and
ballistic missile defense.”

The future USS Paul Ignatius will be the 67th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and is one of 21 ships under contract for the DDG 51 program. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of missions from peacetime presence and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief to sea control and power projection.

Built in the Flight IIA configuration, the ship delivers rapid reaction time, high firepower and improved electronic warfare capabilities. The ceremony, using hashtag #USSPaulIgnatius, can be viewed on the Navy Live blog here.

SEATTLE — U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) departed for a months-long deployment to the
Arctic Ocean on July 22, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The cutter
will support multiple science missions as well as Operation Arctic Shield, the
service’s annual operation to execute Coast Guard missions, enhance maritime
domain awareness, strengthen partnerships and build preparedness, prevention,
and response capabilities across the Arctic domain.

As the nation’s
primary maritime presence in the polar regions, the Coast Guard advances U.S.
national interests through a unique blend of polar operational capability,
regulatory authority, and international leadership across the full spectrum of
maritime governance.

Earlier
this year the Coast Guard released the Arctic Strategic Outlook, reaffirming
the service’s commitment to American leadership in the region through
partnership, unity of effort, and continuous innovation.

“While we
focus our efforts on creating a peaceful and collaborative environment in the
Arctic, we’re also responding to the impacts of increased competition in this
strategically important region,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said.
“Our continued presence will enable us to reinforce positive opportunities and
mitigate negative consequences today and tomorrow.”

The Coast
Guard has been a leader in the Arctic for over 150 years and the sole provider
of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965. Presently, the Coast
Guard maintains two icebreakers — Healy, a medium icebreaker, and Polar Star,
the only heavy U.S. icebreaker.

While the
Healy deploys annually to the Arctic, the 43-year-old Polar Star is the only
cutter capable of supporting Operation Deep Freeze, the annual mission to
maintain U.S. presence in Antarctica.

If a
catastrophic event, such as a shipboard fire or getting stuck in the ice, were
to strand the Healy in the Arctic or the Polar Star near Antarctica, the Coast
Guard is left without a self-rescue capability.

By
contrast, Russia currently operates more than 40 icebreakers — several of which
are nuclear-powered.

The Coast
Guard is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with six new polar security
cutters (PSC) to ensure continued national presence and access to the polar regions.

“The polar security cutters will support the full range of Coast Guard missions, to include search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental response, and national defense,” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area commander. “This investment will enable America to project presence in the polar regions.”

In April, the Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine Inc. of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead PSC, which will be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

CAMP
LEJEUNE, N.C. — Program Executive Officer Land Systems is equipping the Marine Corps’
first infantry battalion — 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division — with
the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, and U.S. Navy and Marine leadership visited to
witness the event.

“I am very
proud of the Joint Marine Corps and Army team whose mission-first approach and
close interaction with the end user has delivered our Marine operators the
JLTV,” said James Geurts, assistant Navy secretary for research, development and
Acquisition. “The fielding of these JLTVs provides our Marines the light
tactical vehicle capability needed to compete and win on the modern
battlefield.”

Joining Geurts
for the July 18 tour at Camp Lejeune of the II Marine Expeditionary Force JLTV
fielding site were: Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Gary Thomas; Lt.
Gen. Charles Chiarotti, deputy commandant for installations and logistics; II
Marine Expeditionary Force Commander Lt. Gen. Brian Beaudreault; Michael
Stewart, deputy director for integrated warfare; John Garner, program executive
officer, Land Systems; and Marine Corps Systems Command Brig. Gen. Arthur
Pasagian.

The JLTV
family of vehicles is made up of four different variants: the utility variant;
general purpose vehicle; heavy guns carrier; and close combat weapons carrier.
All variants include multiple mission package configurations and provide
protected, sustained and networked mobility that balances payload, performance
and protection across the full range of military operations.

Col.
Farrell Sullivan, chief of staff, 2nd Marine Division, spoke to Geurts on
behalf of the operating forces.

“I think
the battalion, like most battalions, are eager to get these out into the
field,” Sullivan said. “We’re excited about the additional capability [the
JLTV] brings and also for its ability to get Marines to where they need to be.”

Geurts,
Thomas, Chiarotti and Beaudreault then had the opportunity to speak to the
Marines of 3/8 operating forces while taking a closer look at the vehicle.

Of the
event, Geurts said, “It was an honor to hear directly from the Marines
operating these vehicles about how much of a capability leap it presents over
their aging legacy vehicles and the many ideas they have on how to leverage
them to enable new methods of mobility and expeditionary operations for the
future fight.”

The Marine
Corps is planning to field 15,390 JLTVs, replacing all High Mobility
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles in the Corps’ legacy fleet in a one-for-one swap.

PEO Land Systems began
delivery of the JLTV in February to the Corps’ schools of infantry and other
supporting units. The Light Tactical Vehicle program office at PEO Land Systems
will begin fielding the JLTV to First and Third Marine Division units by the
end of September.

PASCAGOULA,
Miss. — The Navy’s newest America-class amphibious assault ship, the future USS
Tripoli (LHA 7), successfully completed builder’s trials on July 19. The ship
returned to the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipbuilding division’s shipyard
following four days underway in the Gulf of Mexico.

Builder’s trials
are the Navy’s first opportunity to assess the operational readiness of a ship.
During the trials, the multipurpose amphibious assault ship underwent dock
trials followed by more than 200 at-sea test events.

“The
Navy and industry team did a commendable job this week,” said Tom Rivers,
amphibious warfare program manager for Naval Sea System Command’s Program
Executive Office-Ships.

“America-class
ships bring tremendous capability to our Sailors and Marines, and Tripoli will
be the first large deck amphib to reach the fleet fully ready to integrate the
Marine Corps air combat element to include Joint Strike Fighters.” 

Tripoli is
the second ship of the America (LHA 6) class, built to facilitate forward
presence and power projection. LHA 7 is the last Flight 0 ship planned for
construction and features an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of
the aviation maintenance facilities, an increase in available stowage for parts
and support equipment and increased aviation fuel capacity.

LHA 8 will
be the first Flight I ship, reincorporating a well deck to enhance
expeditionary warfighting capabilities while maintaining the principal aviation
characteristics of the Flight 0 ships.

LHA 7
incorporates gas turbine propulsion plant, zonal electrical distribution and
fuel-efficient electric auxiliary propulsion systems first installed on USS
Makin Island (LHD 8). LHA 7 will be 844 feet in length, will have a
displacement of about 45,000 long tons and will be capable of operating at
speeds of more than 20 knots.

HII’s Pascagoula shipyard
is also in production on Bougainville (LHA 8), the guided missile destroyers
Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), Jack H. Lucas
(DDG 125), and amphibious transport dock ships, Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) and
Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29).

Arlington,
Va. — The U.S. Navy’s increasing focus on anti-submarine warfare is reflected
in a recent mega-contract award for its primary air-dropped sensor, the sonobuoy.

Naval Air
Systems Command has awarded to ERAPSCO, a joint venture of Sparton and USSI
based in Columbia City, Indiana, a $1 billion contract to manufacture and deliver
a maximum of 37,500 SSQ-36B sonobuoys as well as 685,000 SSQ-53Gs, 120,000
SSQ-62Fs and 90,000 SSQ-101Bs for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

“Sonobuoys
are air-launched expendable, electro-mechanical anti-submarine warfare acoustic
sensors designed to relay underwater sounds associated with ships and
submarines,” according to a July 18 Defense Department release.

On a typical
ASW mission, a P-3 Orion or P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft can launch a
few dozen sonobuoys while tracking submarines. Sonobuoys also are dropped by MH-60R
helicopters.

In a new era of “Great Power
Competition,” anti-submarine warfare has taken on increasing importance as the Navy
and those of allied nations ramp up efforts to track and, should it become
necessary, counter the submarine forces of Russia, China, Iran or North Korea.

MIAMI, Fla. —
A U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II aircraft, flying a mission in approved international
airspace on July 19, was approached in an unprofessional manner by a SU-30 Flanker
Venezuelan fighter aircraft, according to the U.S. Southern Command.

“After
reviewing video documentation, we have determined the Russian-made fighter
aggressively shadowed the EP-3 at an unsafe distance in international airspace
for a prolonged period of time, endangering the safety of the crew and
jeopardizing the EP-3 mission,” according to a July 21 release from Southern
Command.

“The U.S.
routinely conducts regionally supported, multinationally recognized and
approved detection and monitoring missions in the region to ensure the safety
and security of our citizens and those of our partners. The EP-3 aircraft was
adhering to international standards and rules.”

“The Maduro regime
continues to undermine internationally recognized laws and demonstrate its
contempt for international agreements authorizing the U.S. and other nations to
safely conduct flights in international airspace,” according to the release.

ARLINGTON, Va. — An Iranian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle downed by U.S. naval forces July 18 was brought down not by missiles or guns but by a vehicle-mounted electronic attack system.

The Iranian
UAV had flown within 1,000 yards of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and
its unknown controller had ignored radioed warning calls. The ship was in
transit toward the Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz, the scene of
several attacks on shipping and UAVs in recent weeks.

“At approximately 10 a.m. local time,
the amphibious ship USS Boxer was in international waters conducting a planned
inbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz,” Chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan
Hoffman said in a July 18 release. “A fixed-wing unmanned aerial system approached
Boxer and closed within a threatening range. The ship took defensive
action against the UAS to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew.”

The Iranian UAV was targeted by a
Marine Corps Polaris MRZR vehicle parked on the forward flight deck of the Boxer.
The MRZR hosted a Mk2 counter-UAS version of the Light Marine
Air Defense Integrated System (LMADIS) that features four circular antenna radar antennas
arrays mounted at 90-degree intervals and an electro-optical/infrared sensor turret,
and a direct-fire weapon, according to the Marine Corps website.

President Trump
initially announced the incident in a June 18 White House briefing.

Iranian forces shot down a
U.S Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk UAV on June 21 and fired on an MQ-9 Reaper on June
13. Iranian forces also are believed to have planted the mines that damaged six
commercial tankers in May and June. Iran also claims to have seized a
British-owned tanker on July 19.