HONOLULU — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) continues their patrol of the South Pacific with partners from several nations in January and into February, the Coast Guard 14th District said in a Feb. 15 release.

“The U.S. is advancing a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that excludes no nation. We are redoubling our commitment to establish alliances and partnerships while expanding and deepening relationships with new partners that share respect for sovereignty, fair and reciprocal trade, and the rule of law,” said Capt. Robert Hendrickson, chief of response for Coast Guard 14th District. “We rely on partners, allies and like-minded nations to achieve our missions.”

Following their first leg, the crew embarked ship riders from Fiji and Tuvalu to enforce fisheries laws in each partner nations’ respective exclusive economic zones (EEZs). The Mellon’s boarding teams and the fisheries officers conducted a professional exchange and law enforcement training, sharing tactics and best practices. This effort was coordinated with significant support from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing deprives the international economy of billions of dollars and undermines the livelihoods of legitimate fishers from all nations, according to the release. It impacts food security, affecting millions of people, including many vulnerable coastal communities. It is estimated that IUU fishing accounts for about 30 percent of all fishing activity worldwide, representing up to 26 million tons of fish caught annually, valued at between $10 to $23 billion.

“Coast Guard 14th District personnel began partnering with Canada’s DFO in July when two DFO officers joined U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia (WLB 215) for a 23-day patrol on high seas west of Guam,” said Hendrickson. “Sequoia’s deployment was incredibly successful, resulting in 15 suspected violations of Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s conservation and management measures while completing 11 foreign vessel inspections. The important trip helped to cement the Coast Guard and DFO’s growing partnership for enforcement in Oceania.”

Two DFO officers joined Mellon’s crew for the transit from Hawaii to Fiji after attending the Coast Guard’s Pacific Regional Fisheries Training Center course for Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) enforcement. They conducted high seas boardings along the way. Canada’s Air Force committed a CP-140 Aurora fixed-wing aircraft to provide maritime domain awareness for Mellon

over two weeks, as well as delivering fishery enforcement operations for several regional Pacific Island countries. The DFO deployed two of their officers with the Aurora, and the Coast Guard sent a specialized fisheries training officer from the Regional Training Center to assist the aircrew with specific fisheries details and information for the crew. Working with Canada’s Department of National Defence and the U.S. Coast Guard, they patrolled around Fiji and the island nations of Kiribati, Tokelau, Vanuatu and Tuvalu. IUU fishing is of particular concern in this area, as several small island developing states have some of the most vulnerable waters for IUU fishing and need support from other nations.

Throughout the patrol, fishery officers were part of seven reconnaissance flights by the Aurora, to provide a visible surveillance presence and to help enforce WCPFC conservation measures. The Aurora detected and documented 101 fishing vessels during the mission, providing critical data to the U.S. Coast Guard patrol and the Forum Fisheries Agency, which coordinates enforcement among the island nations. The Canadian aircraft also patrolled the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, an UNESCO World Heritage Site where fishing is banned. The Aurora was able to ensure the area was clear of fishing activity during its patrol.

“The U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans have a long history of working together to ensure the viability of fish stocks off North America. Working with experts from Canada and regional leaders like Fiji is vital to ensuring food security and the rule of law in Oceania. Working together we are helping to ensure a more secure, free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Hendrickson.

Fishery officers aboard the cutter Mellon patrolled over 1,786 square miles (2,875 square kilometers) within the WCPFC convention area. They were also part of the enforcement team that boarded two boats: one fishing vessel and one fuel supply ship known as a bunkering vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating two potential violations of trans-shipment rules and vessel identification requirements aboard the vessels inspected during the mission.

These recent patrols were part of Canada’s international commitment to support fisheries on the high seas and tackle IUU fishing, which is a significant contributor to declining fish stocks and marine habitat destruction around the world.

“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing threatens food security, impacts the sustainability of fisheries, and causes irreparable damage to marine and freshwater ecosystems across the globe. Partnerships, like this one with Canada’s Department of National Defence and the United States Coast Guard, are the key to tackling IUU fishing that threatens many vulnerable coastal communities. We will continue to work with other countries and assist small island developing states in combating IUU fishing to increase security and protect the health of fish stocks around the world,” said the Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Boeing and the U.S. Navy have received U.S. Department of Defense approval to offer the EA-18G Growler to Finland, the company said in a Feb. 18 release. Previously only Australia had been authorized to purchase the airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft.

Boeing and the Navy have offered the Growler and F/A-18 Super Hornet in a response to query issued by the Finnish Ministry of Defense as part of their HX fighter program procurement.

“All strike fighter aircraft rely on Growler escort to increase survivability during high-threat missions,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing vice president, F/A-18 and EA-18G programs. “The combination of the Super Hornet Block III and Growler would provide Finland with superior technological capability particularly suited to Finland’s HX mission requirements.”

An F/A-18 variant, the Growler is the world’s most advanced AEA platform and the only one in production today. It’s capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems including radar and communication systems.

In addition to the U.S. Navy, the Growler is flown by the Royal Australian Air Force.

DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia — Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems has signed a significant sub-contract with Lockheed Martin Canada as part of Canada’s Combat Ship Team, selected as the winning bid for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program by Irving Shipbuilding, Ultra said in a Feb. 19 release. Irving Shipbuilding is the Canadian Surface Combatant prime contractor and will build all 15 ships at Halifax Shipyard.

Ultra, as the ani-submarine warfare (ASW) lead, will provide a low-frequency active and passive towed sonar system paired with its next-generation hull-mounted sonar, and will lead the integration of these world-leading sensors with sonobuoys and other capabilities for wide-area underwater battlespace surveillance to meet Canada’s future strategic needs.

“Ultra is proud to be a member of Canada’s successful CSC Home Team,” said Bernard Mills, president of Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems. “As the underwater warfare lead, we are using our considerable depth of ASW experience and capability to ensure Canada’s new ships will provide an enduring operational advantage to the Royal Canadian Navy. This work will also generate high-tech jobs in Nova Scotia for sonar design and manufacturing, add to our existing significant export capability, and maintain Canada’s position in the top tier of advanced ASW nations in the world.”

The Canadian Surface Combatant project is the largest and most complex procurement ever undertaken by the Government of Canada. It will deliver lasting economic benefits to Canadian industry through billions of dollars of value proposition commitments in innovation across Canada’s priority areas.

The winning Lockheed Martin Canada bid, based around BAE’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship, was put forward by a team comprised of six companies with a strong Canadian-focused supply chain; BAE Systems, CAE, Lockheed Martin Canada, L3 Technologies, MDA, and Ultra Electronics. Bringing together a pan-Canadian team, the six companies have a uniquely skilled Canadian workforce and supply chain that employs 9,000 Canadians in 40 facilities from coast to coast and engages more than 4,000 small and medium sized enterprises.

The Type 26 is a globally-deployable, multi-role warship that meets current and future demands of the Royal Canadian Navy. It has been specifically designed for high-end ASW and will be capable of performing a wide range of missions around the globe.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Attendees of the Naval Defense Exposition (NAVDEX) witnessed the executive leadership of SAFE Boats International LLC (SBI) and Al Blagha Industrial Company entering into a formal teaming agreement for long term service, support and production of SAFE Boats products, including the Mk VI Patrol Boat, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SAFE Boats said in a Feb. 19 release.

This agreement formalized a partnership to ensure SAFE Boats vessels in the region receive the support and maintenance required for maximum mission effectiveness. Additionally, the agreement laid the foundation for potential future production of SAFE Boats in Al Blagha’s facilities in Saudi Arabia.

“This critical partnership is the cornerstone of our strategy in the region and we are honored to partner with Al Blagha Industrial,” said Richard Schwarz, SBI chief executive officer. “SAFE Boats and Al Blagha formed this partnership based on shared values and a common vision for bringing an aluminum boat building capability to the region. This agreement creates a foundation for the success of both companies and embodies the core tenets of Vision 2030.”

“Our partnership with SAFE Boats International, a leading international boat builder, is an important step forward for Vision 2030’s goal of economic diversification and defense self-reliance, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Eng. Fares Al Blawi, Al Blagha chief executive officer.

WASHINGTON — Despite the continuing problems with some of the advanced technology systems and the extensive overruns in cost and schedule with the next-generation aircraft carrier, “15, 20 years from now, we’re going to be very happy we have that Ford class carrier around. It’s an amazing platform that can do incredible things,” the Navy’s top shipbuilding official said Feb. 19.

“I’m very bullish on [Gerald R.] Ford. We will work our way through the technology challenges we have with that ship” and will have overcome those challenges for the next ships in the class, VADM. Thomas J. Moore, commander Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) said.

Moore also said the first Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine is “on track” to meet the critical 2031 operational date to replace the aged Ohio-class boats in the strategic nuclear deterrence mission, but he is concerned about the potential impact the high cost of the 12 Columbias could have on other shipbuilding programs.

And Moore said increasing the capacity and performance of the private ship repair yards in order to keep existing ships in service longer, which could be key to reaching the goal of a 355-ship fleet, “is the number on challenge that I have in NAVSEA right now.”

Moore spent a large part of a breakfast session with the Defense Writers Group answering questions about the Gerald R. Ford, the first of a dramatically redesigned class of nuclear-powered carriers, which has become an example of the problems of attempting too much innovation in a single step.

“This is a completely new ship in almost every aspect beside the design, the shape of the hull. A lot of learning is going on there,” Moore said.

The admiral said the criticism that the Navy attempted too many technology leaps with Ford, designated CVN 78, was “probably a fair assessment. The original plan was not to put all the technology on the first ship, but to build it in stages… We probably bit off an awful lot on Ford, and we see the net result of that.”

Some of the biggest problems that are still being resolved were with the Electro-magnetic Launching System (EMALS) that replaced the traditional steam catapults, the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) in place of the hydraulically restrained system, and the Advanced Weapons Elevators.

Although the Pentagon’s operational test director faulted the performance of the first two systems in a recent report, Moore said: “We did more (aircraft) launches and recoveries than we had planned – almost double – during the shakedown

period. And the components of those systems got better as we learned how to operate them… So I’m not at all concerned that EMALS and AAG will ring out the technical issues and the reliability will go up.”

The Navy certified the first of the 11-planned weapons elevators in December, 18 months after accepting the Ford from Newport News Shipbuilding. Moore said the second one would be accepted “shortly,” and the goal was to have them all installed and tested before Ford finishes an extended yard period this summer.

The main problem was with software for the sophisticated electronic control systems, he said. NAVSEA has recognized that it made a mistake in not creating a land-based test facility to work out problems with the elevators, as it did with EMALS and AAG, and now is building that test site.

The Navy’s top procurement priority is the Columbia SSBN to replace the Ohio class subs that provide 60 percent of the nation’s strategic deterrence capabilities and are considered the most survivable element. Despite a problem with faulty welding on the missile tubes, Moore said, “we’re still on track to deliver the ship on time to start its first patrol” in 2031.

He said Electric Boat is “well on its way” to building the first hull and the powerful electric motor that will drive the sub is being tested at a facility in Philadelphia.

Key members of the congressional seapower panels have expressed concern that the estimated $7 billion cost of the Columbia boats will eat up a large share of the annual shipbuilding account when they go into serial production, starting in 2026.

To avoid that, they created the National Sea-based Deterrence Fund to pay for Columbia. But the Pentagon has not been putting money into the separate fund.

Moore said NAVSEA is a supporter of the Deterrence Fund and noted that when serial production of the Columbia’s start, the Navy also will be building the Flight III DDGs and the new frigates, starting the future surface combatants and committed to a two-ship buy for the aircraft carriers. “It’s an aggressive shipbuilding program and clearly the cost of the Columbia on top of that is a challenge.”

Moore explained that the Navy has determined that it cannot reach its 355-ship goal just by new construction and is working on keeping its existing warships in service for at least 45 years, rather than the normal 30 years. But key to that is regular and on-time maintenance, which is handicapped by the lack of capacity in the private repair yards. Designing policies that will give the private yards the predictability needed to maintain an adequate workforce and improve their facilities is a priority, he said.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Funding for U.S. port-related programs advocated by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) fared well in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 agreement announced by Congress Feb. 13, the AAPA said in a Feb. 14 release.

Of particular significance to America’s deep-draft ports, the agreement includes Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and related agencies (THUD) funding for a dedicated port infrastructure program in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD); a significant allocation for USDOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program in which ports are eligible; level funding in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant Program in addition to a hefty increase in Customs and Border Protection personnel; a $12 million increase in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act grants program; and an increase in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Navigation, Observations and Positioning program.

“AAPA is particularly thankful that House and Senate appropriators agreed to provide $292.73 million in funds for U.S. coastal port grants to be distributed by the Maritime Administration as part of its Port Infrastructure Development Program,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA president and CEO. “AAPA has long advocated for dedicated port infrastructure development funding and recently identified $66 billion in port-related infrastructure needs over the next decade to build projects that better connect ports to the freight network, with rail and road access points. This funding is needed to ensure U.S. job creation, economic growth and tax fairness. The MARAD infrastructure program is a good step forward toward meeting these needs.”

Nagle noted that the MARAD program’s goal is to enhance U.S. port competitiveness and the ability of ports to effectively handle the movement of goods in our nation’s supply chain, which are used by U.S. manufacturers, farmers and consumers.

“We thank Rep. Mario Diaz Balart, R-Fla., for his leadership in negotiating this new funding. His support began as chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on THUD, where he’s now ranking member.”

The minibus funding agreement also includes $900 million for USDOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants, which when combined with funding for MARAD’s infrastructure program, brings USDOT’s multimodal grants funding level to almost $1.2 billion. While less than the $1.5 billion provided for BUILD grants in fiscal 2018, the key difference is the dedicated infrastructure funding for ports. The minibus agreement also provides increased funding for MARAD’s America’s Marine Highway Program — from $5 million last fiscal year to $7 million this year.

Another component of the THUD appropriation important to ports is $255 million in grant funding for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program, which can be used for multimodal port access projects.

Beyond THUD, there were several other programs on which ports depend that will get increased funding.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grants program appropriation will rise 16 percent, from $75 million last year to $87 million this year. Ports use these grants to reduce ambient air emissions through a variety of initiatives, including clean truck programs, retrofitting or replacing yard equipment, installing shore power for vessels at docks, and retrofitting dredges and tugs.

While funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant Program will remain level at $100 million, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency staffing, which increased by 325 officers last year, will increase by 600 officers this year. AAPA, which advocates increasing CBP officers by at least 500 annually, has voiced strong concerns in recent years over CPB understaffing at America’s seaports.

Within the Department of Commerce, NOAA’s Navigation, Observations and Positioning program is set to receive $227 million, a $7.8 million increase above fiscal 2018 funding. Included is $2 million that will go to funding hydrographic surveys to update nautical charts. NOAA’s popular PORTS program is a component of NOP, and fiscal 2019 funding is the same as last year.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless returned home to Pensacola, Florida, after completing a 59-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea, the Coast Guard 8th District said in a Feb. 14 release.

During the patrol, Dauntless conducted joint operations with Department of Homeland Security air and surface assets to intercept over 80 migrants heading for U.S. soil, conducted four medical evacuations at sea saving nine lives, and assisted in a drug interdiction seizure.

The crew of the Dauntless supported Operation Unified Resolve, a combined effort between Joint Interagency Task Force South, Coast Guard and international partners in the Caribbean region. The emphasis of the operation focused on interdicting vessels smuggling drugs and illegal migrants to the United States, which resulted in the seizure of 640 kilograms of cocaine and detention of two smugglers as part of a joint mission effort with U.S. Customs Border Protection.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has selected Boeing to build the Orca extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV).

With a $43 million contract modification, the Naval Sea Systems Command ordered four Orcas and associated support elements, a Feb. 13 Defense Department contract announcement said.

The Orca — named for the similar-size marine mammal — is the largest unmanned underwater vehicle currently planned for the Navy’s operational use. It will not be submarine-launched but autonomously launched from the shore and independently deployed.

The open-architecture, reconfigurable Orca XLUUV “will be modular in construction with the core vehicle providing guidance and control, navigation, autonomy, situational awareness, core communications, power distribution, energy and power, propulsion and maneuvering, and mission sensors,” the announcement said. “The Orca XLUUV will have well-defined interfaces for the potential of implementing cost-effective upgrades in future increments to leverage advances in technology and respond to threat changes.”

The XLUUV will be equipped with a modular payload bay with interfaces for future payloads.

The Boeing design is based on the 51-foot-long Echo Voyager, a large autonomous UUV developed by the company as a capabilities demonstrator.

The Orca program is managed by the Program Executive Office – Unmanned and Small Combatants.

ANDOVER, Mass. — Mercury Systems Inc. has received a $3.5 million order from a leading defense prime contractor for rugged servers to be used in a naval subsurface application, the company announced in a Feb. 12 release. The order was booked in the Company’s fiscal 2019 third quarter.

Mercury’s EnterpriseSeries servers are currently deployed on over forty naval programs. Designed from the ground up for mission critical applications where interoperability, longevity, availability and performance are crucial, Mercury’s servers feature commercial leading-edge technologies while providing superior resilience to shock, vibration and temperature extremes.

“We are proud to provide our customers with a wide variety of servers designed for suitability in a variety of military domains, in this case, the demanding environment of our Navy’s subsurface fleet,” said Scott Orton, vice president and general manager of Mercury’s Trusted Mission Solutions group. “With a broad range of surface, subsurface, ground and airborne deployments, Mercury continues to develop and support server solutions that can be optimally configured to meet our customer’s performance, reliability, environmental and security needs.”

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Navy (DoN) released its Education for Seapower report Feb. 12, along with the Secretary of the Navy’s action memorandum, providing the way forward for the new education initiatives for the department, according to a release of the same date from the undersecretary of the Navy’s public affairs officer.

The Education for Seapower study was a clean-sheet review of naval learning and focused on flagship institutions like the U.S. Naval Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and Naval and Marine War Colleges, along with a fresh look at the relationships with civilian academic institutions and corporate learning structures.

Members of the Education for Seapower Executive Board included luminaries such as Adm. Mike Mullen, USN(Ret.), Gen John Allen, USMC(Ret.), Amb. Barbara Barrett, Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau, USN(Ret.), and Dr. Harlan Ullman.

“I am convinced, now more than ever before that the intellectual development of our naval leaders is the most critical warfighting capability for our national security,” said the Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. “That is why the Department of the Navy intends to create a Naval University System that further integrates and aligns naval education to the need of the enterprise.”

Highlights from the memorandum include a new secretary of the Navy staff assistant, Chief Learning Officer for naval education, intent to establish a Naval Community College with universal transcripts so enlisted Sailors and Marines can soon earn accredited associate’s degrees in technology-rich fields, and a new Naval University System that retains the strengths of current educational institutions, while aligning strategic intent in order to provide increased agility. While the Department of the Navy is enacting these changes, many initiatives within them will, over the next year, be evaluated for their efficacy before being fully implemented.

“Any success we may enjoy in the future will be enabled by an ever-more-agile force – led by agile people who thirst for knowledge and who are adept at thinking, learning, and processing information quickly,” said Undersecretary of the Navy, Thomas B. Modly. “The development of such a force does not happen by accident. It must be constantly cultivated through a renewed emphasis on education, and the deliberate construction of a learning culture across the entire naval service.”