PASCAGOULA, Mississippi ꟷ HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced Feb. 1 the successful completion of builder’s sea trials for the amphibious transport dock ship Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29). The San Antonio-class ship spent time in the Gulf of Mexico testing all systems in preparation for the remaining events that will occur prior to delivery of the ship, expected to occur in the spring.

“Our shipbuilders have worked hard to get LPD 29 to sea,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding Ship Program Manager Davianne Stokes. “We are absolutely dedicated to get this important asset into the hands of our Navy and Marine Corps partners.”

Ingalls Shipbuilding has delivered 12 San Antonio-class ships and currently has three LPDs under construction, including Richard M. McCool Jr.; Harrisburg (LPD 30), the first Flight II LPD; and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). LPD Flight II is the next generation amphibious ship to replace Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) classes of dock landing ships.

In March 2023, Ingalls received a $1.3 billion modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy for the procurement of the detail design and construction of LPD 32, named Philadelphia, the 16th ship in the San Antonio class and the third LPD Flight II.

Amphibious transport dock ships are a major part of the Navy’s 21st century expeditionary force, deployed with a U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force for amphibious and expeditionary crisis response operations that range from deterrence and joint-force enablement to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia ꟷ HII announced its Newport News Shipbuilding division was awarded an advanced planning contract for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

The contract, which has the total potential value of $913 million, includes engineering, design, material procurement and fabrication, documentation, resource forecasting and pre-overhaul inspections.

“Comprehensive planning is vitally important to the overall success of an engineering and construction project of this magnitude on the aircraft carriers that serve our nation,” said Rob Check, NNS vice president of in-service aircraft carrier programs. “This contract allows us to properly plan for each step in the overhaul process, from preparing for the ship’s arrival at NNS to its redelivery back to the Navy, so that Harry S. Truman and its Sailors can continue to protect peace and prosperity around the world.”

Christened in 1996 and delivered to the Navy in 1998, USS Harry S. Truman will be the eighth Nimitz-class carrier to undergo RCOH, representing 35% of all maintenance and modernization completed during its 50-year service life.

LONDON ꟷ Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro defended recent U.S. and allied military actions against Houthi militants in the Red Sea, saying Houthi strikes against commercial shipping threaten freedom of navigation and the economic security of the United States and its allies.

“Iran ꟷ through its Houthi proxies ꟷ aims to impose real economic costs on the rest of the world by increasing shipping costs and maritime insurance rates, as well as the time it takes goods to reach their intended ports,” Del Toro said in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute here, the world’s oldest defense and security think tank.

“Make no mistake, these costs aren’t borne by Iran. Rather, they are a burden on the everyday American, Briton, and European, and are paid for at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, not to mention the delays in the shipping of everyday household items.

“The Houthis’ actions in the Red Sea are sending reverberations across the global economy and are felt in almost every facet of our lives.”

He also noted they have come at a direct cost in U.S. Navy lives, as this week the service suspended the search for two missing Navy SEALs, Petty Officer First Class Christopher Chambers and Petty Officer Second Class Nathan Ingram, who were attempting to intercept Iranian lethal aid to the Houthis.

“We will honor these men and their ultimate sacrifice by continuing to counter Iran’s malign actions in our shared maritime commons as they attempt to spread their influence across the region, and across the world,” Del Toro said.

The Navy secretary spoke in London after first visiting allies in Germany and meeting with leaders from U.S. Africa Command and European Command. He said future security in the Atlantic hinges on the ability of the allies to address common challenges in the maritime domain.

“These challenges include adapting to the effects of climate change, deterring piracy, combatting narcotics and human trafficking, and countering illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing,” he said.

“We are committed to working with all of our Atlantic partners and allies ꟷ across Europe, Africa, as well as North, Central, and South America ꟷ to achieve lasting solutions that preserve our shared maritime economic resources. And as we look across the Atlantic, it is imperative that we also give due attention to the increased activity in the Arctic region.”

China’s “aggressive” foreign policy and illegal territorial claims are also threats, which will be challenged by the AUKUS security partnership between the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, which aims to equip Australia with new nuclear-powered submarines.

“As part of AUKUS, we will also begin deploying Virginia and Astute-Class submarines to Australia as a part of Submarine Rotational Force-West, based out of HMAS Stirling, providing a constant, forward presence of our undersea fleets,” Del Toro said.

Our presence at HMAS Stirling will be essential for developing vital skills necessary to establish, operate, and sustain the Royal Australian Navy’s future nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

WASHINGTON ꟷ Free Wi-Fi is expected to provide Sailors access to virtual entertainment as well as online training and higher education courses without having to pay out of their own pockets.

To determine if free Wi-Fi meets the needs and desires of Sailors residing in unaccompanied housing, the Navy is launching a pilot program at installations located in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Rollout will be completed by the end of February 2024.

“Conducting a pilot program will help us learn and ensure we deliver a service our Sailors will use and find value added. As we learn throughout the process, we will identify barriers and refine the Wi-Fi service before rolling it out to the wider Navy,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). “It is important we get it right to focus our precious resources to greatest effect.”

Sailors residing at 12 permanent party unaccompanied housing located onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Norfolk Naval Shipyard will be able to access high speed Wi-Fi in their rooms and in common areas at no cost. Sailors desiring higher speed internet service may elect to pay an additional surcharge for augmented services or opt out altogether.

“We are excited to launch the Wi-Fi pilot program, and we are hoping Sailors find it useful and valuable to both their entertainment and career development needs,” said Leslie Gould, director of CNIC’s Fleet and Family Readiness, which is spearheading the pilot. “In addition to having access to online games, shows, and movies, Sailors will be able to complete required training, such as their General Military Training (GMT), and even take online courses offered by universities or colleges.”

Content accessed via the free Wi-Fi and subsidized speed upgrades will be filtered to prevent access to sites containing illegal activity, pornography, or gambling. Prices are as follows:

• 30Mbps download/5Mbps upload – Free (unlimited devices)
• 60 Mbps/5 Mbps – weekly on demand $10; month-to-month $20 (limited to 5 devices)
• 100 Mbps/10 Mbps – weekly on demand $15; month-to-month $30 (limited to 5 devices)

In addition to the above speed and rate charges, Sailors have the option to access unfiltered internet content for the following rates:

• 10 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload – weekly on demand $19.95 (limited to 1 device)
• 30 Mbps/5 Mbps – weekly on demand $34.95 (limited to 1 device); month-to-month $49.95 (limited to 3 devices)
• 60 Mbps/5 Mbps – month-to-month $59.95 (limited to 5 devices)
• 100 Mbps/10 Mbps – month-to-month $79.95 (limited to 5 devices)

The pilot program will wrap up at the end of September at which time the Navy will assess the success of the pilot based largely on Sailor utilization and feedback.

The Wi-Fi pilot is part of a new and larger program called the Virtual Single Sailor Program, which directly supports the Quality of Service of Sailors. The Virtual Single Sailor Program, or VSSP for short, enhances the lifestyle of the modern Sailor by providing a new virtual entertainment environment while supporting their overall health through access to fitness and nutrition content and other virtual resources. The VSSP website (www.NavyMWRSingleSailor.com) will go live on January 30.

WAYNE, N.J. — The U.S. Navy has awarded Data Link Solutions, a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins Inc., a contract to provide small form factor Link 16 radios, which will be fulfilled using BAE Systems’ FireNet Link 16 tactical systems.

FireNet is a scalable, secure, and open system architecture communications solution with a unified tactical network to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control operations.

“We have developed a first-of-its kind small form factor system that enables full Link 16 connectivity. FireNet is scalable and modular to give our service men and women a battlefield advantage in network-centric environments across domains,” said Amber Dolan, director of Adaptive Communications and Sensing at BAE Systems. “Using the government’s program of record waveform, we can reduce lifecycle costs, quickly deliver updated capabilities, and enhance mission survivability across manned and unmanned fleets.”

The FireNet system is Crypto Modernization 1 compliant and offers the highest transmit power available in a SFF radio for current and future fleets. The system addresses size, weight, power, and cost demands and its applications can extend across rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned vehicles, maritime vessels and space platforms. It enables additional line-of-sight voice, data and network communications from very high frequency to S-Band.

Work on the FireNet system will take place at BAE Systems’ Wayne, New Jersey; Austin, Texas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Hudson, New Hampshire sites. Qualification and certification will begin in 2024.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro traveled to Stuttgart, Germany for key leader engagements, Jan. 21-22.

During his visit, Del Toro held an office call with U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley, the sixth commander of U.S. Africa Command, met with senior Navy and Marine Corps officers and enlisted leaders, and participated in an AFRICOM roundtable. He discussed AFRICOM’s efforts to counter transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and support partners in Africa using a 3D approach: diplomacy, development and defense.

Del Toro also met with U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven L. Basham, deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks. As the deputy commander for U.S. European Command, Basham is responsible for establishing and overseeing a warfighting headquarters that conducts a full range of multi-domain operations in coordination with allies and partners to support NATO, deter Russia, enable global operations and counter transnational threats to defend the U.S. homeland forward and fortify Euro-Atlantic security.

In addition, Del Toro met with the team at U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF). Led by Maj. Gen. Robert B. Sofge Jr., MARFOREUR/AF works with sister U.S. services and NATO partners to facilitate European and African engagements in support of global campaigns, enhancing joint, and combined forces through NATO.

“There is nothing that we do on our Navy and Marine Corps team that is not done in concert with our allies and partners,” Del Toro said. “From the combatant commander all the way down to the most junior Sailor and Marine, our work abroad protects our way of life at home.”

While in Stuttgart, Del Toro held all-hands calls with Navy, Marine Corps, civilian personnel and their families to hear firsthand about their concerns and answer their questions. He also met with various servicemembers at each command to recognize their accomplishments.

“I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating. I am grateful for all you do for our Nation,” Del Toro said. “We’re facing challenging times, and I thank you for everything you do as we face significant threats to democracy around the world.”

Del Toro will travel to Berlin for additional engagements in the region before heading to the United Kingdom to deliver a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, the world’s oldest and the U.K.’s leading defense and security think tank.

BUSAN, Republic of Korea — The U.S. Navy, the Republic of Korea navies and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force executed a trilateral-naval exercise Jan. 15 to Jan. 17 south of Jeju Island, in international waters near the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Commander, Naval Forces Korea participated with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the multi-day trilateral exercise that focused on integration, interoperability and readiness across multiple complex warfare areas.

“This exercise sharpens our combined skills and deepens our relationship with our partner nations,” said Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander, CNFK. “Our close-knit teamwork with ROK and JMSDF is critical to the success of conducting combined maritime operations and training at sea.”

The collaborative exercise reflects shared values, through a trilateral commitment to deter aggression, and to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The USS Carl Vinson, the flagship of CSG 1, kicked off the exercise Monday. The USS Carl Vinson previously conducted a trilateral maritime exercise with JMSDF and ROK on November 26, 2023.

These exercises support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

CNFK is the U.S. Navy’s representative in the Republic of Korea, it fosters enduring relationships with joint, combined, and multinational partners and strengthens combined maritime warfighting capability, interoperability, and readiness.

Delaying the next two-aircraft carrier buy beyond fiscal year 2028 would lead to sizable delays, growing cost and would have a serious impact on the shipbuilding industry and its supply base, according to a new report from the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition (ACIBC).

“There are significant challenges that most of the companies in the supply base face,” ACIBC Chair Lisa Papini told Seapower, including “inflation, supply chain disruption and workforce issues.”

As was expressed last week by shipbuilder HII, the industry favors a “2-3-4” approach, with a two-carrier buy, three years of advance materials procurement and four years between carrier construction.

“Companies in the supply chain are planning work based on the stability of that schedule. When we maintain that schedule, that is when we are optimized and when we will perform at our best,” she said.

The ACIBC report notes that even a two-carrier buy in fiscal 28 means six years between the construction of CVN 81 and 82, and “nearly 50% of AP [advanced procurement] suppliers are already expected to have stopped continuous production [i.e., ‘go cold’] for their respective CVN material/equipment by then.”

Bumping the contracting for CVN 82 beyond fiscal 2028 would make things even worse, with 40% of carrier suppliers “saying they will need to lay off workers and/or deprioritize military shipbuilding and explore more commercial options,” the report says.

Papini said the delays and uncertainty are harmful to the industrial base, which is widespread ─ aircraft carriers are built and maintained with parts from more than 2,000 businesses in almost every state in the country.

A two-carrier buy means more lead time for raw material, which is now taking longer to procure than in the past, and also on the workforce itself, Papini said. “If we can place material on order earlier, that would help with the schedule.”

It would also help avoid “peaks and valleys” where shipbuilders become idle and are forced to lay off workers, which in turn makes the overall industry less attractive to workers.

“When that happens, we lose trained, highly qualified people,” she said. “And there’s a ramp-up period if we have to start up again. The workforce is at its best with steady, consistent funding and shipbuilding schedules.”

The decision on the buy for CVN 82 and 83 is expected to be in the next president’s budget, expected to be released soon. ACIBC is planning to conduct briefings on Capitol Hill in March with a second, more comprehensive report.

Papini said she welcomes the recent announcement from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro that he has ordered a comprehensive review of the Navy shipbuilding industry, with an interim progress review due in 45 days.

“He’s got a commitment in there that he is looking at recommended actions for achieving a healthy U.S. shipbuilding industrial base,” she said. “I think we’re talking about ways to achieve that, that’s hopefully what this survey is raising.”

The new study includes a look at three main major challenges to aircraft carrier suppliers, their impact and ways to resolve them, as drawn from a survey of suppliers across the country:

Inflation

• Challenge: 95% have faced challenges due to rising costs from inflation
• Impact: 79% have experienced raw material cost increases of at least 7%
• Resolution: 91% regard multi-ship “block buys” critical to offsetting inflation and contributing to the health and future of their company.

Supply Chain Disruptions

• Challenge: 91% have faced challenges as a result of material availability/delivery
• Impact: 76% have experienced an increase in the amount of time it takes to build and deliver their products
• Resolution: 64% regard earlier advanced funding critical to addressing increased material lead-times and meeting required in-yard dates.

Workforce Issues

• Challenge: 85% have faced challenges hiring, training, and retaining their workforce
• Impact: 32% believe workforce-related challenges have had a detrimental impact on their ability to fulfill contracts
• Resolution: 76% believe 3- or 4-year centers are optimal build intervals with 60% saying operating under four-year construction intervals will enable the hiring, retention and training of a workforce.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has directed newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition Nickolas Guertin and Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. James Downey to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Navy shipbuilding portfolio.

The intent is to provide an interim progress review to Secretary Del Toro within 45 days. The purpose of the review is to provide an assessment of national and local causes of shipbuilding challenges, as well as recommended actions for achieving a healthier U.S. shipbuilding industrial base that provides combat capabilities that our warfighters need, on a schedule that is relevant. 

“I remain concerned with the lingering effects of post-pandemic conditions on our shipbuilders and their suppliers that continue to affect our shipbuilding programs, particularly our Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Constellation-class frigate,” Del Toro said. “The Department of the Navy has a strategic imperative requiring a whole-of-government effort to rebuild our nation’s comprehensive maritime power – a new Maritime Statecraft in which the Navy plays a vital role. The American public should know that the Department of the Navy is committed to developing, delivering, and sustaining the finest warfighting capability to our Sailors and Marines. We will continue to work with industry and all other stakeholders to strengthen our national shipbuilding capacity, both naval and commercial.”

ARLINGTON, Virginia — The U.S. Navy will soon conduct a promised demonstration of a system to rearm ships while still at sea, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced June 10 at the Surface Navy Associations’ national symposium.

“Last year here at SNA, I announced that we would conduct an at-sea demonstration of ‘rearm at sea’ using the transportable rearming mechanism, called TRAM, at Port Hueneme. In this critical decade, the near-term deterrent effect of fielding TRAM in the fleet cannot be overstated,” Del Toro said.

In the year since, he said the funding was procured and preparations are being finalized for the test, “which I have directed to take place no later than this coming summer,” he said.

TRAM is designed to allow the rapid reloading of Vertical Launching System cells in up to sea state 5 — waves of eight to 13 feet — using the fleet’s existing interfaces. “This capability will herald nothing short of a revolution in naval surface warfare logistics,” he said.

“As TRAM delivers an at-sea reload missile capability to the fleet, we look forward to working with industry to improve our missile supply through efforts like the Naval Modular Missile program as well,” he said. “That program will use common components across the family of naval missiles, increasing our efficiency and resilience in manufacturing.”

The sea services are coping with aging equipment and facilities, sub-par recruitment and surging threats around the world — Del Toro noted the “pacing threat” of China, the ongoing threat of Russia and the newer threats from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

He and other speakers said the services are responding to these issues with innovative equipment, such as TRAM, closer ties with international partners and a renewed focus on the warfighter.

“To maintain a global, sustainable maritime posture, we must continue to innovate. Innovate,” Del Toro said. “The company, the enterprise that is not constantly innovating is dying on the grapevine.”

That includes new platforms such as the DDG (X) next-generation destroyer as well as a hybrid fleet that includes unmanned systems, such as have been demonstrated in real-world deployments by Task Force 59.

“Our hybrid fleet is not a distant vision anymore, or a hazy concept outlined on a napkin, uncertain and undefined. The hybrid fleet today is a tangible reality, operational and actively preparing to help dominate the battlespace in every way,” he said.

Navy plans also include strengthening partnerships with other nations, such as the ones who have signed up for Operation Prosperity Guardian to respond to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

“We simply cannot do this alone,” Del Toro said. “As history has taught us, the United States of America has flourished because of our many international partners, our friendships … by consistently deploying alongside our allies and partners abroad, we force our adversaries to face a stark reality — that a fight with the American naval forces and the forces of like-minded nations will be costly and ultimately unwinnable.”

Coast Guard Commandant

Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan also spoke Jan. 10 and also stressed the value of international partnerships for the Coast Guard as it maintains a strong presence in the Arctic and fights illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“In some regards, we’re like many of the world’s navies,” she said of the Coast Guard’s worldwide footprint.

One of those international tasks is the struggle against IUU, where ships from one nation illegally enter the exclusive economic zone of another country to steal fish or other sea life.

“It is a crime, it’s theft of natural resources, it erodes sovereignty, and there are nations who are operating with impunity and stealing from other nations, and the Coast Guard has a role in helping those nations enforce their own sovereignty and create capacity to counter that activity,” she said.

For example, the coast Guard’s fast response cutter Frederick Hatch just completed a 47-day expeditionary patrol to support Operation Blue Pacific, which includes operations with authorities from the Philippines, Palau and Papua New Guinea. The ship’s crew helped those nations take enforcement actions against ships fishing illegally in their waters.

Far from the balmy Pacific, the service also plays a key role in supporting shipping in the Arctic and Antarctica. This is challenging given that the service has only two functioning icebreakers, the heavy icebreaker Polar Star and the medium icebreaker Healy.

The service plans to buy three new polar security cutters to replace the aging Polar Star, which was commissioned in 1976 (Fagan herself served as an ensign on it).

While climate change means there’s less ice for longer periods of time in the Arctic, it’s still there, and “getting a polar security cutter fielded is an absolute top priority for the organization,” she said. “We’re on budget, we’re on contract for the polar security cutter.”

As with the Navy, the Coast Guard struggles with aging equipment (such as the Polar Star) and recruitment numbers that aren’t hitting the target. “The Coast Guard is not unique in our need for people,” she said.

At the beginning of COVID, recruitment went down and has stayed down. The service has invested in recruiters and “we have stopped that descent,” and the talent the Coast Guard is attracting is “bright, they are motivated, they know why they want to serve, they understand the value proposition of the Coast Guard,” she said.

There are ways the Coast Guard can deal with the shortage of personnel, including speeding the decommissioning of aging cutters, as well as making serving on ships more attractive, such as by adding communications services like SpaceX’s Starlink.

Fagan said when she served on the Polar Star, she basically disappeared for four months, calling her parents when the ship pulled into Australia. But recently, while Healy was in the Arctic, the CO was sending her photos of polar bears and walruses in real time.

“These are the kinds of investments that become critical for on-board lifestyles … crews want to be able to talk to their families and not disappear for four months,” she said. “This is the workforce that we’re on-boarding and we need to provide the tools that enable those kinds of engagements and expectations of the force.”

Navy Honors ‘Human Tugboat’ by Naming DDG 142 for Hero Charles French

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced Jan. 10 that the Navy’s newest destroyer, DDG 142, will be named after Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French, dubbed the “human tugboat” for an act of bravery in World War II.

On Sept. 5, 1942, French’s ship, the USS Gregory, was sunk by the Japanese navy during the battle of Guadalcanal. He gathered 15 injured shipmates and swam through the night to carry them to an island where they would be safe from capture,” defying the odds and the sharks with nothing but his own grit and compassion,” Del Toro said.

He was recommended for the Navy Cross for his actions, but received only a letter of commendation, which Del Toro said is “what I actually give out today for a really good PowerPoint presentation.”

Del Toro said the Navy is finally giving French his due, naming a rescue swimming training pool at Naval Base San Diego for him, and now, “with long overdue recognition,” DDG 142.