ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for new training helicopters to replace its fleet of TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters in the Navy’s aviation training command.

The Naval Air Systems Command posted the RFP on Jan. 28 for the TH-XX program, designed to produce a new helicopter to succeed the TH-57B/C in rotary-wing training, including training in Instrument Flight Rules.

The Navy began using the TH-57A helicopter in 1981 to train rotary-wing pilots for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and some foreign militaries. The helicopters were later upgraded to the TH-57B form primary training and TH-57C version for advanced and instrument training. Three helicopter training squadrons of Training Air Wing Five at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida — HT-8, HT-18 and HT-28 — train student aviators in 41 TH-57Bs and 72 TH-57Cs.

The Navy expects to use the new helicopter and associated ground-based training systems to train at least 600 rotary-wing and tilt-rotor aviators per year, a number expected to increase through 2040. More than 50 percent of naval aviators are rotary-wing and tilt-rotor pilots.

The TH-XX helicopter will be one component of the Advanced Helicopter Training System, which also will include a Ground-Based Training System and contractor logistics and maintenance support.

The RFP announcement on the FedBizOps website states that the Navy expects the full and open competition to result in a single firm fixed-price contract for a total of 130 commercially derived aircraft through the base contract award and up to four options.

Three helicopter manufacturers are expected to submit proposals. Bell is expected to propose its Model 407GXi — a twin engine helicopter — and its single-engine Model 429. Airbus is expected to offer its model H135, a twin-engine helicopter, while Agusta-Westland is expected to propose its single-engine TH-119.

The proposals are due to Naval Air Systems Command by April 2. The Navy expects to award a contract in the first quarter of fiscal 2020.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has exercised a contract option to order 79 Block II+ kits for Harpoon cruise missiles, the Defense Department said in a Jan. 30 release.

The $16 million order by the Naval Air Systems Command comprises the second production order of Block II+ kits for the air-launched AGM-84 Harpoon, which is deployed on the F/A-18 strike fighter and P-3 and P-8 maritime patrol aircraft. The order follows a batch of 15 kits delivered in 2018.

The Block II+ version of the Harpoon is a net-enabled weapon that can receive target updates via data link to more refine the missile’s radar acquisition. Jim Bryan, director of Cruise Missile Systems for Boeing Missile and Weapon Systems, in a Jan. 16 conversation at the Surface Navy Association symposium, said a Block II+ kit runs in the range of a couple hundred thousand dollars, much cheaper than delivering a new missile.

The Block II+ kits are being delivered to Naval Air Systems Command for air-launched weapons. Bryan said Boeing stands ready to build kits for the surface-launched and submarine-launched versions of the Harpoon should the Navy determine a requirement.

The Harpoon is now fielded by more than 30 nations. The Block II, version which is not net-enabled, is marketed to international customers. Bryan said Boeing has the largest order backlog in the Harpoon program’s history and will be meeting demand by expanding its manufacturing facilities.

Coast Guard Academy Named a Best Value CollegeNEW LONDON, Conn., — The U.S. Coast Guard Academy was recently included in the Princeton Review’s “The Best Value Colleges: 200 Schools with Exceptional Return On Investment for Your Tuition Investment” publication, which recommends institutions considered the nation’s best for academics, affordability and career prospects, the academy announced in a Jan. 31 release.

According to the publication, the colleges were selected based on a return on investment rating score that includes institutional data from 658 institutions, student surveys, and alumni surveys covering starting and mid-career salaries as well as career social impact.

The publication states, “With a student body of about 1,000, it’s easy to see why graduates of the Coast Guard Academy form such a lifelong dedication to the school and each other.”

A student survey quotes a cadet saying, “I will have a guaranteed job once I graduate. And I am now part of the military family that takes care of its own.”

The academy is a top military college, granting Bachelor of Science degrees in one of nine engineering or professional majors. Cadets pay no tuition and receive a monthly stipend totaling approximately $12,000 per year. Graduates also earn a commission as an ensign and serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Washington — Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer announced on Jan. 31 that the next Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship will be named USS Augusta (LCS 34), his public affairs officer said in a release.

The future USS Augusta (LCS 34) is named in honor of the capital city of Maine and is the sixth vessel to bear the name Augusta.

“It is an honor to name the next Independence variant LCS after the city Augusta,” Spencer said. “From the earliest days of the American Revolution to every conflict since, the citizens of Maine have been an important part of the Navy and Marine Corps team. I am pleased that a future ship will carry on that tradition of service by bearing the name and history of their great capital city.”

The future USS Augusta will be built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. This ship will be 419 feet long with a beam length of 104 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 40 knots.

The Navy has accepted delivery of 17 littoral combat ships (LCSs). Including the recent contract modifications, a total of 35 LCSs have been procured with 11 ships under construction (LCS 17, 19-26) and seven more ships in pre-construction ships (LCS 29-32, 34, 36 and 38).

The LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship, designed to support focused mine countermeasures, antisubmarine warfare and surface warfare missions. LCS integrates new technology and capability to affordably support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littorals.

FALL RIVER, Mass. — L3 OceanServer has been granted a five-year General Services Administration (GSA) schedule for its Iver3 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), the company said in a Jan. 31 release. This GSA schedule gives registered government agencies a simple path to procure Iver3 UUVs using pre-established pricing and terms and conditions. A contract was awarded from the GSA schedule for two Iver3 UUVs and associated training, effective Dec. 19, 2018.

“L3 OceanServer is pleased to receive this GSA schedule and contract award. GSA schedules provide shorter procurement cycles for federal purchases to streamline ordering processes,” said Daryl Slocum, general manager of L3 OceanServer. “This award will allow us to develop existing customer relationships and build new ones.”

The Iver UUV is a commercial-off-the-shelf product built with warfighter-driven attributes. It features longer runtimes and precise navigational accuracy, enabling long ingress/egress missions that provide greater standoff distances and increased mission safety. L3 OceanServer has a proud history of working with various government agencies, including the U.S Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.

L3 OceanServer is part of the Integrated Maritime Systems sector within L3’s Communications and Networked Systems business segment. Since its inception in 2003, L3 OceanServer has sold more than 300 autonomous underwater vehicles worldwide.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell (WPC-1105) offloaded 200 pounds of cocaine Jan. 30 evening and transferred custody of four suspected smugglers to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a Jan. 31 release.

Coast Guard and Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) law enforcement authorities seized the $3 million dollar cocaine shipment and apprehended the suspected smugglers following the interdiction of a go-fast vessel Tuesday night in waters north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

This interdiction is the result of ongoing multi-agency law enforcement efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard, the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF).

The suspected smugglers are Dominican nationals who are facing likely federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

“Tonight’s success was a total team effort,” said Lt. Carl Luxhoj, Air Station Borinquen MH-65 helicopter pilot. “The combined air support from both the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircrews made the surface intercept of the suspect vessel possible. The recovery of evidence would not have been possible without the support of the Puerto Rico Police Department [FURA]. The outstanding coordination from all involved prevented illegal migrants and contraband from reaching American soil.”

While on a routine patrol, the crew of a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami detected a suspicious go-fast vessel late Jan. 29 night transiting with four people onboard, approximately 20 nautical miles north of Isabela, Puerto Rico. The go-fast was transiting southeast without the use of navigational lights.

Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan alerted CBIG partner agencies, launched a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to provide air support and diverted the Coast

Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell to interdict the go-fast. The crew of a Puerto Rico Police Department FURA marine unit also responded and supported the interdiction.

Throughout the pursuit, the Coast Guard aircrews vectored-in the cutter Margaret Norvell to the go-fast’s position. Once on scene, the Norvell’s crew launched the cutter’s Over-the-Horizon Boat IV that closed-in and interdicted the suspect vessel.

During the pursuit, the HC-144 Ocean Sentry crew observed multiple bales jettisoned into the water from the go-fast. The Coast Guard helicopter also vectored-in the crew of the Puerto Rico Police Department marine unit to the area of the jettisoned cargo, where the crew recovered three bales with 200 pounds of cocaine. The Norvell crew embarked the suspected smugglers along with the seized contraband.

The go-fast was destroyed as a hazard to navigation.

The detainees and seized contraband were transferred to the custody of DEA Special Agents assigned to CCSF, who are leading the investigation into this case.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII’s) Newport News Shipbuilding division has achieved a milestone in the integration of additive manufacturing into the design and fabrication of components for nuclear-powered warships. The company has delivered the first 3-D-printed metal part to the U.S. Navy for installation on an aircraft carrier.

The milestone was recognized during a brief ceremony Jan. 29 at Naval Station Norfolk. The part was presented to Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, Naval Sea Systems Command’s chief engineer and deputy commander for ship design, integration, and naval engineering. The part — a piping assembly — will be installed on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and evaluated for a one-year period.

“We are pleased to have worked so closely with our Navy partners to get to the point where the first 3-D metal part will be installed on an aircraft carrier,” said Charles Southall, Newport News’ vice president of engineering and design. “The advancement of additive manufacturing will help revolutionize naval engineering and shipbuilding. It also is a significant step forward in our digital transformation of shipbuilding processes to increase efficiency, safety and affordability. This is an accomplishment we all should be proud of.”

NAVSEA last year approved the technical standards for 3-D printing after extensive collaboration with the company and industry partners that involved the rigorous printing of test parts and materials, extensive development of an engineered test program, and publishing of the results. The highly digitized process could lead to cost savings and reduced production schedules for naval ships.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Navy has awarded the contract to execute the Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) for USS Coronado (LCS 4) to Vigor, the company said in a Jan. 29 release. Work will be performed at Vigor’s Portland shipyard.

The award is the latest in a series of awards in Vigor’s growing Navy repair program and is its first as prime contractor in the littoral combat ship program. Other recent Vigor projects with the U.S. Navy include the execution of the SRA for the USS Kidd at the Everett Naval Station and the DSRA for the USS Sampson in Vigor’s Seattle facility.

Ship repair and service life extension in the defense sector has been a growth area for Vigor’s Pacific Northwest shipyards. The company recently promoted Mike Pearson, Navy veteran and former general manager at Vigor to vice president of Navy and Puget Sound Repair.

“Mike has delivered outstanding results in building the strong teams and processes that continue to improve our competitive position in complex Navy programs,” said Adam Beck, Vigor executive vice president of Ship Repair. “His efforts, together with Vigor’s great team of skilled craftspeople, are proving the Pacific Northwest has a strong role to play in maintaining the fleet readiness of today’s Navy.”

Vigor will begin work on the Coronado in March and run through November. The work package includes engine and machinery overhauls, underwater hull coatings, life-cycle inspections, and implementation of multiple ship alterations and upgrades to increase the Coronado’s warfighting readiness. The package also includes multiple upgrades directed at increasing the overall quality of life for deployed service men and women.

“This award is a testament to the significant capabilities of all Vigor employees and its valued sub-contractors,” said Kellan Lancaster, business development, Ship Repair. “We look forward to providing exceptional service and an on-time delivery.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy will commission its newest fast-attack submarine, the future USS South Dakota (SSN 790), during a ceremony Feb. 2 at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, the Defense Department said in a release.

The principal speaker will be U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. The submarine’s sponsor is Deanie Dempsey, wife of the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. She will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!” in a time-honored Navy tradition.

“USS South Dakota enters service during a period of dynamic security challenges,” said Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. “I am confident USS South Dakota and its crew will ensure our Navy and nation remain safe and strong, and proudly serve our nation’s interest for decades to come.”

South Dakota, a Virginia-class submarine is the third ship to bear the state’s name. The first South Dakota was an armored cruiser commissioned Jan. 27, 1908. The ship served in a convoy escort role during World War I before being renamed Huron June 7, 1920. It was decommissioned following seven years of service in the Pacific on June 17, 1927.

The second ship was a battleship commissioned March 20, 1942. It saw service in a number of important World War II battles including Santa Cruz, Guadalcanal, Philippine Sea, and Okinawa, earning 13 battle stars over the course of the war. South Dakota was present at Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered and was later placed out of commission on Jan. 31, 1947.

USS South Dakota is the 17th Virginia-class attack submarine and the seventh Virginia-class Block III submarine.

GULF OF ADEN — While conducting maritime security operations in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon interdicted a shipment of illicit narcotics aboard a stateless vessel on Jan. 24, the U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs said in a release.

Chung-Hoon’s visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team seized 4,700 kilograms of hashish while conducting a flag verification boarding. This is the second such interdiction within a month. The Chung-Hoon seized over 5,000 kilograms of hashish while patrolling the Gulf of Aden on Dec. 27.

“What I’m most proud of is the synergy between our information, operations and boarding teams that allowed us to complete the mission,” said Cmdr. Brent Jackson, commanding officer of Chung-Hoon. “Teamwork is the key enabler, and this crew was on station, ready to roll at sunrise to complete the task of interdicting contraband.

The vessel was determined to be stateless following a flag verification boarding conducted in accordance with customary international law. The vessel and its crew were allowed to depart once the narcotics were seized.

Chung-Hoon is serving as the surface action group commander, leading the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry, during maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden. Both ships are operating under Task Force 55.

Chung-Hoon is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.