CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Northrop Grumman Corp. has been awarded a newly expanded role as systems integrator for C5ISR and control systems on the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), by Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), the prime contractor for the OPC program, the company said in a June 8 release. 

In a newly expanded role as C5ISR systems integrator, Northrop Grumman is responsible for integrating all cyber hardened C5ISR systems, including command and control, communications, navigation and the shipboard computer networking systems. 

“With C5ISR and control system test and integration underway, the ESG-Northrop Grumman team hasn’t missed a beat,” said Todd Leavitt, vice president, maritime systems and integration, Northrop Grumman. “The effort and resiliency shown by our teammates at Eastern Shipbuilding Group has been outstanding.” 

Northrop Grumman’s responsibilities for the OPC platform include the integrated bridge, navigation, command and control, computing network, data distribution, machinery control, and propulsion control systems, cyber/information assurance, testing and integration work. 

HENDERSON, Western Australia — Austal Ltd. announced June 8 that Austal USA has been awarded a $44 million fixed-price, undefinitized contract modification for the design, procurement, production implementation and demonstration of autonomous capability on Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 13, USNS Apalachicola. 

Austal USA is constructing 15 Spearhead-class EPF vessels for the U.S. Navy and has delivered twelve EPFs since December 2012. EPF 13 is currently under construction at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. 

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the highly anticipated contract was another significant, strategic step towards greater autonomous vessel capability.  

“Austal noted in our half year results presentation that the funding for an autonomous EPF conversion contract had been appropriated in the USA government 2021 budget, so we are pleased that it has now been converted into a formal contract,” Gregg said. “Winning a $44 million contract is welcome from a revenue perspective, but strategically this contract award is even more significant for Austal. 

“Autonomous vessel capability has been identified as an area of strategic importance by the U.S. Navy, so it is promising for Austal that the U.S. Navy has awarded Austal USA a contract for the design, procurement, production implementation and demonstration of autonomous capability of one of our vessels, the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 13, the future USNS Apalachicola,” he said. 

The Spearhead-class EPF is a 103-meter high-speed aluminum catamaran with a large, 1,800 square meter cargo deck, medium-lift helicopter deck and seating for more than 300 embarked troops; providing a fast, high-payload transport capability to combatant commanders around the world. 

The Austal-designed and built EPFs support a wide range of missions, from maritime security operations to humanitarian aid and disaster relief. 

Two EPF’s are currently under construction at Austal USA’s shipyard, the USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) and the USNS Cody (EPF 14). 

In addition to the EPF program, Austal USA is contracted to deliver 19 Independence-class littoral combat ships (LCS) for the Navy, of which 13 have been delivered since 2010. The 15th Independence-class LCS, the future USS Canberra, was christened at Austal USA on June 5. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps is trying to solve the challenge of providing air defense for its future anti-ship cruise-missile forces that will be helping the U.S. Navy to maintain sea control in a contested expeditionary environment. 

“Those forces that are distributed to launch anti-ship missiles, to sense what is going on, to pass data, have to be protected from air threats,” said Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, deputy commandant For Combat Development and Integration, testifying June 8 before the Seapower subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee on the proposed fiscal 2022 budget, noting that the Marine forces “haven’t had a real air threat since World War II. 

“Our challenge is: we have to be highly mobile,” Smith said. “If we’re not internally, organically transportable, by our C-130s, our CH-53s, our [MV-22] Ospreys, our L-class Navy ships, and the future Light Amphibious Warship, then we lose value to the combatant commander. So, the balance for us is the range of [an anti-air] missile system and the size. When you start getting into a missile system that is, let’s just say, beyond 13 feet, that’s a challenge.” 

Smith said the Corps currently is “spending money on our MADIS [Marine Air Defense Integrated System] and on GBAD — Ground-Based Air Defense, trying to find the sweet spot, sir, between range, lethality and mobility. That is a wicked problem for us to solve and we have not yet solved it.” 

The four major GBAD programs being developed or deployed by the Corps are: 

MRIC – Medium-Range Interceptor Capability 
MADIS – Marine Air Defense Integrated System  
L-MADIS – Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System  
Advanced MANPADS/Stinger  

The MRIC is likely to be a vehicle-mounted missile system with a 360-degree fire-control radar to handle aircraft and cruise missiles at medium ranges.   

“MADIS is the only system that has brought something down against a hostile threat,” Smith said. “We acknowledged that it had good effect against Iranian drones. That system is highly capable, but we need longer ranges in the expanse of the Pacific. There comes a point when the system size limits what you can carry and obviously the size of the missile system you can carry limits the range.” 

The MADIS is mounted on a pair of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, one with a turret launcher for four Stinger missiles and a 30mm cannon, as well as an optical sensor and shoulder-fired Stingers. The second vehicle is equipped with an RPS-42 360-degree radar, a 7.62mm M134 minigun, and electro-optic/infrared sensors, as well as shoulder-fired Stingers. On both vehicles is the Modi II dismounted electronic countermeasures system, which can be used to disrupt enemy drones, communications, and radio-controlled improvised explosive devices.  

The L-MADIS is a counter-UAS electronic attack system mounted on a Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicle. It features a 360-degree radar, a direct-fire capability, radio frequency jammers and electro-optic/infrared sensors. The L-MADIS is credited with downing an Iranian drone that flew in the close vicinity of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer in July 2019.  

Smith said he recently met with a couple of industry partners on how to extend that range or put a different missile system onto the Stinger-equipped MADIS. 

“So, we are struggling through that conundrum right now with our Navy partners and with our industry partners,” Smith said. “But we are committed to protecting those forces and then being able to do something in a more offensive manner for that combatant commander to break air formations.” 

Marion, Va. – General Dynamics Mission Systems was awarded a multi-million-dollar firm fixed-price contract from Northrop Grumman to provide Reduced Weight Basic Operating Assembly (RWBOA) containers for U.S. Navy littoral combat ships (LCS), the company said in a release. The containers, developed specifically for the Navy, will be produced at General Dynamics’ Marion, Virginia facility, with first delivery expected in December. 

RWBOA containers are lighter than standard 20-foot shipping containers but offer the same strength and durability. The containers will be used aboard LCS to house modular mission packages that equip the ship with specific mission capabilities needed to perform mine countermeasures, surface warfare or anti-submarine operations. 

“The new Reduced Weight Basic Operating Assembly containers are a great example of how we have been able to leverage our expertise designing tactical shelters for the Army and tailor a solution that meets the specific needs of the Navy,” said John Schulz, director of Structures at General Dynamics Mission Systems.

“The new containers are extremely lightweight and will provide the Navy with enhanced corrosion protection in comparison to conventional steel container designs. The use of Reduced Weight Basic Operating Assembly containers provides the Navy with the essential flexibility and mobility they need to quickly transport and deploy the capabilities to support their missions while at sea.” 

ASHBURN, Va. — Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division announced June 7 it was awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin to provide its Modular Open-Systems Approach (MOSA) computers and video processing modules to upgrade the Mission Computer and Flight Management Computer (MC/FMC) on the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters.  

The use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based MOSA solutions and commercial best practices will deliver cost-effective new capabilities and support more economical and timely upgrades of the helicopter’s avionics systems. Curtiss-Wright’s selection on this upgrade program is representative of its ability to rapidly and cost-effectively modernize legacy military platforms with open-standards solutions, the company said.

The initial contract is valued at $24 million. The estimated lifetime value of the contract is $70 million. Under the multi-year contract, shipments began in December 2020. 

“We are very pleased that Lockheed Martin selected us to provide our defense-focused open standards-based COTS single board computer and video processing solutions to support the upgrade of the mission computer and flight management computer on the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R/S helicopter fleet,” said Chris Wiltsey, senior vice president and general manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. “This agreement, which further strengthens the long and successful relationship we have with Lockheed Martin, highlights Curtiss-Wright’s ability to enhance interoperability and improve cost efficiencies with electronics systems that adhere to the DoD’s mandate for a modular open architecture approach.” 

The MH-60R/S MC/FMC upgrade will bring advanced display graphics capabilities to this important helicopter platform, providing compatibility with existing imaging and display systems and offering enhanced capabilities for future imaging sensors and high-resolution displays. The COTS modules also enable integration of Curtiss-Wright’s enhanced Trusted and Secure Computing features to ensure system resiliency and secure operation in response to cyber attacks. 

PASCAGOULA, Miss. — The first DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer to be built in the Flight III configuration, the future Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), was successfully launched at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding division, June 4, the Navy said in a June 7 release. 

The DDG 51 Flight III upgrade is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. The Flight III baseline begins with DDGs 125-126 and will continue with DDG 128 and follow-on ships. 

“Flight III ships will provide cutting edge integrated air and missile defense capability to include significantly greater detection range and tracking capacity. Launching the first Flight III ship, the future Jack H. Lucas, is another important step to delivering Flight III to the Navy,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class program manager. 
 
The DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG 51) is a multi-mission guided missile destroyer designed to operate offensively and defensively, independently, or as units of Carrier Strike Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, and Surface Action Groups in multi-threat environments that include air, surface and subsurface threats. These ships will respond to low intensity conflict and coastal and littoral offshore warfare scenarios, as well as open ocean conflict, providing or augmenting power projection, forward presence requirements and escort operations at sea. Flight III is the fourth flight upgrade in the 30-plus year history of the class, building on the legacy of Flight I, II and IIA ships before it. 
 
HII is currently constructing four other DDG 51 class ships, including the future Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) and Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) in the Flight IIA configuration, and the future Ted Stevens (DDG 128) and Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) as Flight III ships. There is a total of 20 DDG 51 class ships under contract at both new construction shipyards. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract for the completion of a modified Pathfinder-class oceanographic research ship for the Military Sealift Command. 

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Halter Marine a $149 million fixed-price incentive contract modification “for the detail design and construction of one oceanographic survey ship (T-AGS 67),” according to a Defense Department contract announcement. 

Halter Marine was awarded an earlier contract in November 2018 for functional design engineering, procurement of long-lead-time material and limited advanced production of the ship. 

Six Pathfinder-class ships were delivered from 1994 to 2001 to operate in an oceanographic survey-support capacity, gathering underwater data in the deep ocean and coastal waters. A seventh, the USNS Maury, was delivered in February 2016. The Maury is 25 feet longer than its sister ships and is equipped with a moon pool for operating unmanned underwater vehicles. The USNS Sumner (T-AGS 61) was inactivated in August 2014 and transferred to the Maritime Administration. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps’ new Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) is on track, both for performance and cost, with the first two platoons of replacements for the aging Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) prioritized for duty with forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Units, a top general told a congressional panel.

In its fiscal 2022 budget request, the Marine Corps is seeking to procure the second full-rate production lot of 92 ACVs, 20 more than in fiscal 2021. The ACV is an advanced eight-wheeled armored ship-to-shore connector craft, providing improved lethality against dismounted enemy troops and increased force protection and survivability from blasts, fragmentation and kinetic energy threats, according to budget documents.

“We’re on track for the production numbers that we anticipated seeing,” Lt. Gen. Eric M. Smith, head of Marine Corps Combat Development Command told the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces June 7. “We’ve produced the first two platoons of those vehicles,” said Smith, who is also deputy commandant of the Corps for Combat Development and Integration, adding that each platoon can carry a company of Marines. The first two of those platoons are at the Marines’ desert training base at Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif, Smith said, adding, “Their readiness is good.”

Changing from the tracked AAVs to wheeled vehicles “required a little bit of adjustment for our drivers,” Smith said, but they made the change and met their objectives for the initial operating testing capabilities. “So, we did declare initial operating capability.”

Calling last year’s Amphibious Assault Vehicle mishap that drowned eight Marines and a Sailor “100% preventable and 100% inexcusable,” Smith said the remaining AAVs won’t go in the water for training without water-tight seal inspections and accompanying safety boats.

A Marine Corps investigation into the sinking of an AAV off the coast of California on July 30, 2020, concluded in “a confluence of human and mechanical failure caused the sinking of the mishap AAV and contributed to a delayed rescue effort …”

“There’s a pretty robust checklist for everything from training to the actual seals on the vehicles to make sure that those vehicles that do enter the water — with safety boats for training — are completely viable and safe,” Smith told the House panel. 

He added that the ACV “has a completely different hull form that has fewer penetration points so that water cannot get in and accumulate,” as it did in the July 2020 AAV mishap.

ARLINGTON, Va. — An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made aviation history on June 4 with a successful air-to-air refueling of another aircraft. Boeing’s MQ-25 Demonstrator, T1, refueled a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter, a major step in the MQ-25A Stingray’s journey to become the Navy’s carrier-based aerial refueler. 

Boeing’s T1 and the F/A-18F, flown by a crew from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23, joined up and the MQ-25 passed a total of 325 gallons of fuel to the Super Hornet in two separate refueling events. 

The MQ-25 carried a Cobham-built refueling store with a drogue refueling hose, the same type currently used in the fleet by Super Hornets. The Navy plans to use the MQ-25 in the refueling role to free more Super Hornets for combat operations, for which it was designed.    

During a June 7 media roundtable, Boeing’s MQ-25 program manager, Dave Bujold, described the sequence of events for the historic flight (a video summary is here). The F/A-18 flew in formation to observe the dynamic characteristics — particularly the stability — of the MQ-25. With the safety evaluation completed, the F/A-18 closed and T1’s ground controller streamed the drogue. For about 30 seconds, the F/A-18 crew conducted a wake survey and noted the wake to be very stable and benign. While the chase plane filmed, telemetry was collected, and the F/A-18 made a “dry” connect without the transfer of fuel.

The F/A-18 backed away and then reconnected for a transfer from 300 pounds of fuel in the refueling pod. (T1 is not plumbed for transfer of fuel from the airframe, which will be a capability of the production MQ-25.) The two aircraft made another dry connect at 15,000 feet and then joined for another successful transfer of 25 pounds fuel. The fuel transfer rate was 220 gallons per minute during the 4.5-hour flight. 

Bujold noted that the F/A-18 crew commented on the quietness of the rendezvous, which with two F/A-18s is very noisy.   

“The test flight will provide important early data on airwake interactions, as well as guidance and control, Reed said in a Navy release. “The team will analyze that data to determine if any adjustments are needed and make software updates early, with no impact to the program’s test schedule.”  

“The milestone comes after 25 T1 flights, testing both aircraft and ARS aerodynamics across the flight envelope, as well as extensive simulations of aerial refueling using MQ-25 digital models,” Boeing said in a release. “MQ-25 T1 will continue flight testing prior to being shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, for deck handling trials aboard a U.S. Navy carrier later this year.”  

Capt. Chad Reed, the Navy’s MQ-25 program manager, said those deck handling tests for T1 are slated for December, depending on availability of a carrier. Without a tailhook, T1 cannot conduct landings on a carrier.”  

The seven test MQ-25s being built by Boeing will be used for multiple tests by the Navy in beginning with ground testing in the fall of 2022, including field catapult launches and arrested landings prior to flights from an aircraft carrier. Reed said testing is likely to include refueling an E-2 Hawkeye battle management aircraft in the future, including manned/unmanned teaming. 

“This is our mission, an unmanned aircraft that frees our strike fighters from the tanker role, and provides the Carrier Air Wing with greater range, flexibility and capability,” Reed said. “Seeing the MQ-25 fulfilling its primary tasking today, fueling an F/A-18, is a significant and exciting moment for the Navy and shows concrete progress toward realizing MQ-25’s capabilities for the fleet.” 

“This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25’s critical aerial refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, in the Boeing release. “Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense operations.” 

“This flight lays the foundation for integration into the carrier environment, allowing for greater capability toward manned-unmanned teaming concepts,” said Rear Adm. Brian Corey, program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “MQ-25 will greatly increase the range and endurance of the future carrier air wing – equipping our aircraft carriers with additional assets well into the future.” 

The Navy has switched plans to a Lockheed Martin-built ground control station for the MQ-25, not just for cyber protection but to have the architecture for the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept.   

The Navy will rely on multiple communications links to control and execute missions for the MQ-25, Reed said. The list includes the Lockheed Martin Mobile User Objective Satellite for over-the-horizon control. 

Currently under production by Boeing are the first test MQ-25A and the first static test airframe. Initial operational capability for the MQ-25A is slated for 2025. 

MOBILE, Ala. – Austal USA was awarded a $3.6 million contract by the U.S. Navy for the functional design of the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) May 28, the company said in a June 7 release. This marks the first steel new construction contract for the company after breaking ground on a new steel manufacturing line in March. The line will be operational in April 2022. 

Austal will define detailed requirements to construct, test, and deliver T-ATS ships in accordance with government ship specifications. T-ATS is a 263-foot (80 meter) steel hulled multi-mission platform scheduled to replace the capabilities of both the retiring Rescue and Salvage Ship (T-ARS 50) class and Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) class mission requirements. The ships are able to support towing, salvage, rescue, oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide area search and surveillance.  

T-ATS can also embark containerized systems including cyber, electronic warfare, and decoy and surveillance packages. The work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama.