ARLINGTON, Va. — The most recent U.S. Navy warship to detect COVID-19 among crew members, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall has been cleaned and sanitized and awaits a decision to move the crew back on board, according to a Navy spokesperson.

Several crew members tested positive for the novel coronavirus on May 23, at Carter Hall’s homeport, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia, as the ship prepared for duty as a standby surge force for this year’s Atlantic Coast hurricane season. Under Defense Department policy, the Navy does not report the number of COVID-19 cases detected on specific ships and other units.

Most of the approximately 400 Sailors and Marines assigned to the ship were moved ashore to barracks or hotel rooms at Navy installations in the Norfolk, Virginia, area, according to Lt. Commander Amelia Umayam, a U.S. Fleet Forces Command spokesperson. A portion of the crew remained on board to perform cleaning, maintenance and in-port watchstanding duties.

“The crew has been monitored by medical personnel and are receiving care as necessary. No Carter Hall crewmembers have been admitted to the hospital,” Umayam said in an emailed statement June 9.

She declined to discuss a specific timeline for restoring the Carter Hall to duty but noted “the ship has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and we plan to move the crew back aboard the ship as soon as possible.”

While ashore, crew members are being checked daily by their leadership and receiving deliveries of food and essential items. The entire crew, as well as the Marines assigned to the 609-foot, 16,700-ton Carter Hall, have been tested for COVID-19, she said. In addition to crew members, the Carter Hall can carry a complement of 400 Marines and two air cushion landing craft.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter James crew on June 9 offloaded about 23,000 pounds of cocaine and approximately 6,900 pounds of marijuana, all worth more than an estimated $408 million, in Port Everglades, Florida, the Coast Guard said. 

The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America and in the Caribbean Sea, including contraband seized and recovered during 11 interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels by four Coast Guard cutters and two U.S. Navy ships: 

• The James was responsible for four interdictions, seizing about 8,400 pounds of cocaine and 3,350 pounds of marijuana. 
• The cutter Mohawk was responsible for one interdiction, seizing about 1,700 pounds of cocaine. 
• The cutter Confidence was responsible for one interdiction, seizing approximately 1,089 pounds of cocaine. 
• The cutter Escanaba was responsible for one interdiction, seizing about 2,200 pounds of cocaine. 
• The Navy’s USS Pinckney was responsible for two interdictions, seizing approximately 9,050 pounds of cocaine. 
• The Navy’s USS Lassen was responsible for two interdictions, seizing about 575 pounds of cocaine and 3,575 pounds of marijuana. 

“The roughly 15 tons of illicit narcotics being offloaded here today and the likely ensuing prosecutions, are the results of extraordinary teamwork and intelligence-driven operations,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said. 

“It is important to note that our fellow citizens aren’t the only ones who benefit from these counter-narcotics efforts. Our Central American neighbors face tremendous strain from drug-fueled violence sparked by transnational criminal organizations. Efforts like this enhanced counter-drug operation significantly disrupt the criminal activity destabilizing the region.” 

The James is a 418-foot national security cutter home ported in Charleston, South Carolina. The cutter Mohawk is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Florida. The Escanaba is a medium-endurance cutter homeported in Boston. The Confidence, a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter, is homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida. The Pinckney is a 510-foot Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported in Naval Base San Diego. The Lassen also is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported in Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has begun to develop a policy prohibiting the display of the Confederate battle flag aboard Navy bases, ships, aircraft and submarines, a Navy official said.  

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday’s order will be “meant to ensure unit cohesion, preserve good order and discipline and uphold the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment,” Cmdr. Nate Christensen, spokesman for Gilday, said on June 9.   

The U.S. Marine Corps already has issued such a policy. Commandant Gen. David Berger on June 5 delivered a message to the Corps banning display of the Confederate flag in public spaces and work areas. 

The Marine Corps policy exempts some displays, such as works of art and educational or historical displays where the flag is not the focus. State flags that include the battle flag inset, such as that of Mississippi, also are exempt, as are state-issued license plates and grave sites of Confederate soldiers. 

The Department of the Army reportedly is considering changing the names of 10 installations that bear then names of Confederate officers.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper announced June 9 that the president has made the following nominations: 

• Navy Vice Adm. James J. Malloy for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as deputy commander, U.S. Central Command, Tampa, Florida. Malloy is serving as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command; commander, 5th Fleet; and commander, Combined Maritime Forces, Manama, Bahrain. 
• Navy Rear Adm. Michelle C. Skubic for appointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as director, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Skubic is serving as commander of Naval Supply Systems Command and chief of Supply Corps, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 

On June 4, Esper announced the following nomination: 

• Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert F. Hedelund for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and commanding general of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic and U.S. Marine Corps Forces North. Hedelund is serving as commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and commanding general of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. 

LONDON — Elbit Systems UK completed a series of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) trials with the United Kingdon Ministry of Defence (MOD), the company said in a release. The trials were delivered via Dstl’s (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) Progeny Framework, exploring how autonomous systems could support future ASW operations.  

Elbit Systems UK was one of a shortlist of U.K. companies selected to take part in this second phase of the project — a series of live at sea trials which took place off U.K. coast with the Ministry of Defence in late October 2019. 

Elbit Systems UK used its Seagull unmanned surface vehicle (USV) for these trials, with the USA’s L3 Harris providing the sonar. Seagull, Elbit System’s multi-mission, multi-sensor USV demonstrated its autonomous ASW utility to the U.K. MoD, across the entire trials period, utilizing its ‘ASW Toolbox’ solution throughout to show how the abilities of this system to offer a force multiplier for ASW operations. 

“Elbit Systems has world leading technology to offer to the maritime and littoral environment,” said Martin Fausset, chief executive officer of Elbit Systems UK. The Seagull USV has once again, demonstrated its superior capabilities underlining Elbit Systems UK’s competitive position to providing innovative and cost-effective solutions to the U.K. Armed Forces. We are proud of our ongoing work with the Royal Navy as we work together to maintain its operational advantage.” 

The Seagull USV has multimission capability, being able to perform ASW, mine countermeasures (MCM), electronic warfare (EW), maritime security (MS), hydrography and other missions using the same vessels, mission control system and data links. 

Meanwhile its ASW capability provides the UK navy with a tactical advantage by deterring and threatening enemy submarines using an available asset with significantly lower risk. Seagull’s MCM capability facilitates end-to-end mine hunting operations including detection, classification, localization, identification and neutralization of bottom, moored and drifting sea mines. 

The Seagull is deployable with capability to operate from port or mothership, with two vessels able to be controlled from the same mission control system and both manned and unmanned modes of operation, the latter featuring a high level of autonomy. 

Seagull offers endurance of four days and mission sea-keeping of up to Sea State 5. 

Seagull has previously participated in bi-national MCM trials in the North Sea off the Belgian Coast organized by the Directorate General of Material Resources of the Belgian Defence Ministry and has been used in a series of demonstrations alongside several global navies, including being deployed in 2018 by NATO forces in a joint ASW exercise alongside the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and the Spanish Navy’s Santa Maria-class frigate “Victoria.” 

The Progeny Maritime Research Framework was launched by Dstl to create a community of science and technology suppliers to support current and future maritime research projects. The Progeny Maritime Research Framework is worth up to 200 million pounds over 8 years and it is anticipated that requirements will be delivered by industry, including small and medium sized enterprises and academia. 

The Progeny Maritime Research Framework is supporting science and technology research for current in-service capability and the next generation of maritime technology. Examples of research areas it is addressing include unmanned systems, future submarine platforms and underwater communications and networking.

NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement crews have already interdicted a record-breaking number of lanchas throughout the Gulf of Mexico for fiscal year 2020, the Coast Guard 8th District said in a release. 

Since October 2019, Coast Guard assets and personnel have detected 176 lanchas and interdicted 106. Since the first recorded lancha interdiction in the late 1980s, the Coast Guard has seen a significant uptick in detection of these vessels, particularly in the past three years, recording a seasonal record of 74 lancha interdictions during the same time frame in the previous fiscal year. 

The Coast Guard utilizes a layered approach for interdiction through aircraft, small boats and cutters as well as improved technology on those assets, resulting in the drastic increase in lancha interdictions. 

“A huge part of our mission success comes from the dedication and close coordination between our local, state and federal partners,” said Lt. Kurt Mees, Coast Guard Station South Padre Island commanding officer. “We are all committed to the protection of marine resources and the enforcement of U.S. regulations.”  

A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is about 20 to 30 feet long with a slender profile. They typically have one outboard motor and are capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 30 mph. Lanchas pose a major threat, usually entering the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S.-Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico with the intent to smuggle people, drugs or poach U.S. natural resources. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is starting to see results from laws, policies and processes that make career progression more flexible and more accommodating to education, and the sea service is liking what it sees, the Navy’s deputy chief of personnel said. 

New provisions in law enacted in 2019 that allow personnel to interrupt their careers for such activities as advancing their education are bearing fruit, Rear Adm. Jeffrey W. Hughes, deputy chief of naval personnel, said June 8, speaking during a webinar sponsored by #NatSecGirlSquad, an organization that “builds and supports competent diversity in national security and defense through its professional development community and strategic advisory services,” its website says. 

Hughes cited an example of an officer eligible for promotion with a “compelling reason” — such as pursuit of an advanced degree — could defer consideration by a promotion board so that the officer was not disadvantaged by being behind his peer group in career progression. 

An officer who, for example, pursued a master’s degree for two years immediately after commissioning normally would be two years behind his year group in achieving career milestones in the fleet. By being able to defer promotion consideration at the normal milestones, the officer could compete for promotion with officers originally commissioned two years later. The same could apply to an officer who pursued advanced education mid-career.  

“This has been incredibly powerful,” Hughes said. “The first time we’ve used it is this past year. We have had seven people that have used it, and all seven of them were for in-residence graduate education at various levels, some right out of their commissioning source, some who took advantage of an opportunity at a high-end civilian institution, and some who were in residence at brick-and-mortar establishments such as the Naval War College or [Naval] Postgraduate School.”  

Hughes said that the Navy also has seen great value in a “career intermission program going for a number of years,” describing it as a “two-or three-year off ramp.” 

He said it “was not necessarily education-based but that probably more than half of the folks who take us up on this career intermission program are doing it so they can pursue education.” 

Sailors using the career intermission program transfer to the Individual Ready Reserve for two years while taking a pay cut but retaining full medical benefits and funds for making the change-of-station move. 

Hughes said the career intermission program has been used by many participants for pursuing advanced degrees or gaining the education that leads to commissioning as an officer. 

“We freeze them in time so that when they come back [to the Navy] they are not at a disadvantage from a promotion or advancement perspective,” he said. “Frankly, the numbers have been compelling. For the hundreds of folks that have taken us up on this [program] and come back, the promotion and advancement rates are in the high 90s [in percentage].”   

“We see a great return on investment,” he said, for the Navy and the individual Sailor.    

Hughes also said that educational incentives are proving to be powerful than monetary incentives in retention of Sailors, such as sending a Sailor on a demanding assignment overseas and rewarding the sacrifice with an educational opportunity afterward. 

ATLANTIC OCEAN — With Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 embarked, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) logged significant milestones this week during post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T) operations at sea, the ship’s public affairs department said in a June 7 release. 

During Ford’s largest aircraft embark to date, CVW-8 completed critical milestones on the first-in-class ship, testing secure communications and tactical data links, supporting the use of network-enabled weapons, combined fixed- and rotary-wing close air support integration and SIMDIS, a multi-dimensional interactive graphical and video display to playback large events for debriefs. 

Underway, CVW-8 conducted day and night cyclic flight operations totaling 324 catapult launches and arrested landings, qualifying 50 pilots, including Ford’s commanding officer, Capt. J.J. Cummings. To date, Ford has conducted 3,480 catapult launches and arrested landings with the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and advanced arresting gear. Additionally, during this execution of cyclic flight operations with CVW-8, Ford moved thousands of pounds of inert ordnance via advanced weapons elevators to F/A-18 Super Hornets, employed during close air support and air-to-ground training missions. Executing cyclic operations and arming aircraft with bombs from the ship’s magazines were firsts for the team. 

The air wing’s embark provided the first opportunity for Ford’s weapons department to execute a full ordnance movement using a lower stage weapons elevator. Performing as advertised, Ford’s AWEs conducted more than 1,300 cycles during this latest at sea period that enabled the successful transfer of 176 inert bombs in support of air wing operations. Ford’s AWEs have conducted over 10,000 cycles to date. 

Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 also embarked Ford during this underway, marking the first time a Strike Group Commander and staff embarked Ford for operations. CSG-12 was able to successfully conduct all intended command and control operations, control and distribute the link picture, and coordinate with Ford and Truman Strike Group assets as well as higher headquarters. Rear Adm. Craig Clapperton, commander, CSG 12, assessed that the Strike Group and ship are ahead of schedule in this important command and control domain. 

Clapperton emphasized that this PDT&T phase is all about operating Ford systems with fleet operators and discovering anomalies and working solutions. These solutions will be key to ensuring that when Ford enters the fleet after operational testing, the ship is ready to support the war fighter.  

For example, on June 2, just prior to a scheduled flight deck operation cycle, the ship’s EMALS went down. Loss of EMALS curtailed flight operations to some extent, but the strike group, ship and air wing team still accomplished significant goals scheduled for the Ford-class aircraft carrier, according to the release. 

After several days of troubleshooting and assessing a fault in the launch system’s power handling elements, embarked EMALS experts and Ford’s crew restored the system to enable the safe fly-off of the air wing on Sunday morning, June 7.  

“The ship’s response to these EMALS challenges underscores our ability to identify and to correct issues impacting flight operations quickly. That’s the purpose of the PDT&T phase,” said Clapperton. “The learning and improvement that results from pushing the systems will make the ship and air wing team better and more effective in future underway events.” 

PACIFIC OCEAN — The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is underway, serving as America’s strongest symbol of resolve and navigating the global pandemic as its mission endures, in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, the commander, Task Force 70 said in a June 8 release. 

This deployment marks USS Ronald Reagan’s (CVN 76) fifth year of service as part of U.S. forward-deployed naval forces. Reagan, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 represent the cornerstone of the strike group. 

Following sea trials, Reagan commenced deployment by on-loading more than 1,000 tons of ordnance – enough combat power to cause the ship to sit five-inches lower on the waterline – in addition to personnel and aircraft from aviation squadrons within CVW-5. With more than 5,000 crew embarked, and 60-plus aircraft, Reagan is capable of sustaining around-the-clock maritime operations. 

While underway, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group will work alongside allies and partners to strengthen regional capabilities, further develop warfighting concepts and improve distributed maritime operations that provide layered defense options to protect shared interests. 

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of the Indo-Pacific region.  

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The U.S. Navy completed the first captive carry flight test of an Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) missile on an F/A-18 Super Hornet on June 1 at the Patuxent River test range, Naval Air Systems Command said in a release. 

During the test, the F/A-18 Super Hornet conducted a series of aerial maneuvers to evaluate integration and structural characteristics of the AARGM-ER. Test points were completed across a range of flight conditions to demonstrate carriage compatibility of AARGM-ER with the F/A-18 Super Hornet.  

“This first flight represents a significant step in the AARGM-ER engineering and manufacturing development phase,” said Capt. Mitch Commerford, who oversees the Direct and Time Sensitive Strike program office (PMA-242). “Data collected from this testing will inform the planned build-up and overall expansion of flight testing with AARGM-ER.” 

Testing will continue over the next few years in preparation for initial operational capability in fiscal year 2023, he said. 

The extended range variant, which leverages the AARGM program that is currently in full rate production, has been upgraded with a new rocket motor and warhead. It will provide advanced capability to detect and engage enemy air defense systems. 

AARGM-ER is being integrated on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G and will also be compatible for integration on the F-35A/B/C.