By Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — A. U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer (DDG) shot down a drone over the Red Sea, the Department of Defense said in a Nov. 15 release.  

The release, relayed by Cmdr. Rick Chernitzer, force public affairs officer for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, reads as follows: 

“On November 15th and while transiting the international waters of the Red Sea, the crew of the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) engaged a drone that originated from Yemen and was heading in the direction of the ship. The Hudner’s crew engaged and shot down the drone to ensure the safety of U.S. personnel. There were no U.S. casualties or any damage to the ship.” 

The engagement is the second in the Red Sea is the second within the last month in which cruise missiles or drones have been shot down by U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class DDGs. On Oct. 19, the USS Carney (DDG 64) engaged and shot down four land-attack cruise missiles and approximately 15 drones launched by Houthi forces over the Red Sea in Yemen. 

   The Houthi missiles launched on Oct. 19 apparently were headed in the direction of Israel or the Carney. Israel has been engaged in combat with Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7. The Iran-backed Houthis have a history of using drones and missiles against Saudi petroleum infrastructure and U.S. Navy and other ships in the Arabian Sea.   

Release from BAE Systems 

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Nov. 15, 2023 — BAE Systems has received a contract to deliver multiple shipsets of the Mk 45 Medium Caliber Gun and automated Ammunition Handling System (AHS) for the Royal Australian Navy’s new Hunter class frigates. The Mk 45 gun system will equip the Royal Australian Navy with a common, adaptable gun system that can easily integrate advanced munitions to provide the firepower required to meet the Hunter class deterrence mission.  

“We are proud to partner with BAE Systems Maritime Australia to deliver the Mk 45 gun system and Ammunition Handling System to the Royal Australian Navy,” said Brent Butcher, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems, Inc. “The highly reliable Mk 45 system maximizes the lethality of the Hunter class frigates, offers the capability to integrate advanced munitions, and supports additional future technology upgrades. With this system fielded on 11 fleets across the globe, it has proven it offers high-reliability.”   

The Mk 45 gun system combines the 5-inch, 62-caliber Mk 45 Mod 4A naval gun with a fully automated AHS that continuously supplies the gun with ammunition, in high sea state conditions, without assistance from the crew. This automated gun system increases Sailor productivity, reduces risk to Sailor safety, and increases the operational capability of the Mk 45 at sea.  

Work on the contract will begin in 2023 and finish in 2036. Engineering work will be completed in Minneapolis, Minnesota and production will occur in Louisville, Kentucky.  

BAE Systems has delivered over 280 shipboard applications to the U.S. Navy and 11 fleets across the globe.  

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Nov. 14, 2023 

By Team Ships Public Affairs 

MOBILE, Ala. – The keel for the future USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11), the Navy’s 6^th Navajo-class platform, was laid Nov. 14 at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. 

A keel laying ceremony recognizes the start of a ship’s construction through the union of a ship’s modular components and the welding, or “authentication,” of an honoree’s initials into a ceremonial keel plate that becomes part of the ship. On hand to authenticate the keel was ship sponsor Pegan Frank, spouse to Nisqually Tribal Council Chairman William Frank III, son of the late Billy Frank Jr. 

Billy Frank Jr. was a Nisqually tribal member and an iconic Native American environmental leader and treaty rights activist. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, Frank chaired the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for over 30 years, receiving the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. President Obama posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. 

“The future Billy Frank Jr.’s keel laying marks the beginning of the construction journey for this ship,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office. “It is an honor to be joined by members of the Nisqually Tribe and we look forward to the partnership as we highlight their heritage.” 

The Navajo class is a multi-mission, common hull platform that will deploy to support a range of missions such as towing, rescue, salvage, humanitarian assistance, oil spill response and wide-area search and surveillance. The vessels will replace the existing Powhatan-class T-ATF fleet ocean tugs and Safeguard-class T-ARS rescue and salvage ships in service with the U.S. Military Sealift Command. 

Austal USA is also in production of future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) with an additional three more T-ATS- ships under contract. 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft. 

Release from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs  

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By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs | November 14, 2023 

MANAMA, Bahrain — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) recently demonstrated expansive maritime domain awareness, utilizing Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicles during operations in the Gulf of Oman, Nov. 8-9. 
 
The UAVs, part of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s Task Force 59, put a highly capable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability in the hands of Sailors at sea. Flexrotor’s high endurance and vertical takeoff-and-landing capabilities make them particularly well suited for the task of building an accurate maritime picture, said Capt. Colin Corridan, Task Force 59 commodore. 
 
“Our warfighters require innovative methods for gaining a deeper understanding of the operating environment,” Corridan said. “The ISR capabilities of these UAVs greatly expand our sight picture and help us better monitor what’s happening in the region.” 
 
Flexrotor provides complete autonomous flight following takeoff, with a wide communication range and the ability for around-the-clock ISR coverage. It can be used day or night by U.S. and coalition partners for a wide range of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance operations over land and sea. 
 
Flexrotors played an integral part in recent operations where it integrated with 12 different unmanned platforms for “manned-unmanned teaming” operations, tracking Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) ships and small boats over several days during routine patrols in and around the Strait of Hormuz. 
 
The operations aboard Stethem built on the strength of that operation, Corridan noted. 
 
“The Sailors aboard Stethem and from Task Force 59 are strengthening maritime security and stability through the use of Flexrotor, deterring malign activity by bad-faith actors,” he said. “As these capabilities expand, we’re going to be able to gain more information more quickly to be able to make faster, smarter decisions.” 
 
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprising 21 nations, includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb. 

Release from the U.S. Department of Defense 

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The UK, US and Australia have strengthened their maritime forces, introducing new uncrewed undersea vessels to extend the range and lethality of their warfare capabilities. 

As part of the AUKUS partnership, the nations have taken part in a joint exercise off the east coast of Australia to test new equipment that will increase the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. During the exercise, Australia’s new Undersea Support Vessel, Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Guidance, hosted a range of undersea capabilities while they were tested at sea. 

A recent addition to the Australian fleet, the ADV Guidance’s primary role is to support undersea and surveillance systems trials and includes the ability to host a small team of sailors as well as on-board and off-board systems, with both crewed and uncrewed capability. Earlier this month, Lieutenant General Rob Magowan, the UK’s Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Military Capability, joined international representatives to witness the showcase of a range of advanced undersea capabilities deployed from ADV Guidance. 

The UK’s Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tamar, which is on a 5-year deployment to the Indo-Pacific, also played a key role in the exercise. HMS Tamar used a combination of divers and autonomous underwater vehicles to conduct mine countermeasure operations, and monitor critical infrastructure, including pipelines and communication cables. 

Last week, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key visited Australia to address the Australian Sea Power Conference, discussing the UK’s commitment to the collective security of the region. 

Key said: 

“The recent AUKUS trials and exercise demonstrate the advances being made possible by our tri-lateral collaboration under the partnership. It is hugely exciting to see the strength of our three nations, coming together through the AUKUS partnership to successfully develop and demonstrate a range of underwater capabilities that are crucial to ensuring safety and security in the region and more broadly. 

AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening regional global security. This exercise is a significant step forward for delivery of the undersea warfare capabilities work stream under the second pillar of AUKUS. 

AUKUS Pillar 2 seeks to strengthen trilateral capabilities in cutting-edge military technologies, increase interoperability, and drive knowledge-sharing and innovation. AUKUS partners are developing a suite of advanced capabilities including autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and other key technologies for the three AUKUS nations. Pillar 2 complements trilateral efforts under AUKUS Pillar 1 to deliver a conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarine capability to Australia.”  

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO, Royal Australian Navy, said: 

“Submarines are critical to the defence of Australia. Our submarines, and other military assets, will increasingly work with autonomous systems below and on the surface of the ocean to extend range and lethality. 

AUKUS Pillar Two is about delivering advanced capabilities, including through technologies that extend reach and range. 

As we have seen in the Ukraine conflict, scalable autonomous and semi-autonomous systems have the capacity to transform warfighting. The Defence Strategic Review (DSR) identified asymmetric capabilities like these as critical in the defence and protection of the nation. 

These technologies originate from a range of industries, like the off-shore oil and gas and communications industries. They have been modified to carry a military payload to become force multipliers, working in concert with our ships, submarines and aircraft, and to serve as a key deterrent. 

What we get by working with industry in this way is speed, what we get by doing it together under the AUKUS partnership is scale, where the sum of the whole is greater than its parts.” 

Admiral Samuel Paparo, U.S. Navy, the Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said: 

“These exercises accelerate our combined development of advanced military capabilities. In a dynamic strategic environment and the escalation of competitors’ coercive activities, AUKUS is not just about the exchange of submarines and capabilities, it is an expansion of our continued trust in and commitment to our allies. 

We are prioritizing capabilities that improve our warfighter’s ability to see, understand, decide and act – then work together to bolster integrated deterrence. 

Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are developing and fielding joint advanced military capabilities to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The strategic alignment of our national defense strategies anchored by shared values is driving unprecedented collaboration in advanced technologies. 

Our trilateral exercises develop and deliver interoperable, threat-informed capabilities key to the warfighter, and contribute to sustained defense industrial-based collaboration. Meanwhile, the AUKUS partners are investing in trilateral projects that are enhancing our scientific and technological capacity to build enduring advantages for the future.” 

Earlier this month, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister joined the UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps on a visit to Rolls Royce in Derby – the location where the nuclear reactors will be built for the SSN-AUKUS submarines under the AUKUS collaboration. 

Release from By Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs 

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By Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs 

09 November 2023 

 
SAN DIEGO, CA — The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) arrived at Naval Base San Diego Nov. 9, concluding the ship’s homeport shift from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii to Naval Base San Diego. 
 
Chung-Hoon, assigned to U.S. 3rd Fleet, recently completed a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and has been relocated to San Diego to complete a mid-life modernization. 
 
The modernization will broaden Chung-Hoon’s warfighting capabilities and is part of a larger guided-missile destroyer modernization program. 
 
“We will certainly miss the Aloha spirit but hope to bring some of it with us to San Diego.,” said Cmdr. Kevin Schaeffer, Chung-Hoon’s commanding officer. “The support we received from the entire Pearl Harbor waterfront was always fantastic, and we will miss the team that has been supporting us since our commissioning. Our Chung-Hoon ohana has made lifelong memories, both personally and professionally, during our 20 years in Hawaii. We are excited to start this new chapter in San Diego.” 
 
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations – from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with Allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. 

Release from the U.S. Navy 

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10 November 2023 

By Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Ivester 

SYDNEY – Leaders from the navies of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States met in Sydney to discuss strategic partnerships, exchange valuable insights, and address key challenges faced in the ever-evolving global maritime landscape, Nov. 10, 2023. 

The event fostered collaboration, strengthened alliances, and enhanced maritime security among the intelligence-sharing nations, known as FVEYs or the Five Eyes Alliance.  

“This meeting was a testament to our unwavering commitment to protect our shared interests, and provided a unique opportunity to enhance cooperation, exchange knowledge, and collectively address the challenges that lay ahead,” said Rear Adm. Tom Moninger, the U.S. Navy’s Director for Plans, Policy & Integration. 

The meeting proved to be a significant milestone in strengthening the FVEYs’ collective efforts towards ensuring regional and global security, providing a platform for leaders to share best practices, forge closer ties, and explore joint initiatives that will further bolster maritime security and stability. 

“With the escalation of conflict in the world, it is more important than ever to gather with our FVEY partners to exchange invaluable insights and collectively address the rising challenges of the moment. Together, we reaffirm the enduring strength of our defence partnerships and our commitment to working together in securing the seas for a safer and more stable future,” said Royal Canadian Navy Rear-Admiral Chris Robinson, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific. 

Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley CSC, RAN, hosted the historic gathering, and emphasized that the meeting served as a catalyst for further collaboration among the FVEYs.  

“We are confident that the outcomes of this meeting will strengthen our collective resolve to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domains,” said Earley. 

Formally established shortly after the end of World War II, the FVEYs partnership continues to play a significant role in global security, aiming to uphold the rules-based international order. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Nov. 8, 2023 

By Program Executive Office Aircraft Carriers Public Affairs 

WASHINGTON. – Along the waterfront in the Alabama Shipyard, LLC, near Mobile, Ala., decommissioning work has drawn to a close on a remarkable hull, which quietly and safely served the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and cruisers of the U.S. Navy for more than 50 years.  

The Navy’s Surface Ship Support Barge (SSSB) served as the primary platform supporting the complex refueling, defueling, and associated maintenance operations for reactor components from U.S. Navy nuclear-powered surface ships at Newport News Shipbuilding, from 1964 to 2016.  Dismantlement and disposal of SSSB began in 2020 and concluded this summer. On September 30th, the dismantlement site was turned back over to Alabama Shipyard, marking final completion of the project. 

“This historic platform was an integral part of the Navy’s nuclear-powered ship maintenance efforts for decades,” notes RDML Casey Moton, Program Executive Officer for Aircraft Carriers. “The Navy-industry team leading the dismantlement has honored that legacy, displaying the same innovative spirit that has been driving the safe modernization and revolutionary construction of the nation’s aircraft carriers over the last 60 years.” 

Dismantlement and Disposal 

In June 2020, NAVSEA awarded a three-year, $129 million contract for SSSB’s dismantlement and disposal to APTIM Federal Services, LLC, with work to be accomplished at Alabama Shipyard, LLC.  APTIM completed the process of demolishing the final components of the platform to include the former spent fuel water pool – a 32-foot-deep compartment on the barge that comprised 2,500 tons of steel-reinforced, high-density concrete. 

Ray Duff, assistant program manager for CVN Inactivation/Disposal, who leads the Government’s team on this project within NAVSEA, highlighted the major accomplishments of the project, which completed site work in June 2023, and received approval to turn over the SSSB dismantlement area back to the host shipyard on 30 September 2023.  No spent fuel has been present on SSSB since its decommissioning in 2016, but the remaining 1% of the platform’s low residual radioactivity contained in the spent water pool and associated system components required careful remediation.  

“Our focus throughout the project was to remove and secure the hazardous material while keeping every worker safe and protecting the public and the environment,” explained Duff, “and we succeeded.” 

APTIM’s team of hazardous remediation experts logged 237,389 hours to complete the dismantlement and dispoal, working within a specially fabricated structure under strict environmental monitoring, with zero OSHA lost time or recordable incidents.  The team methodically surveyed, identified, and separated components, and then packaged and transported hazardous waste for disposal at Waste Control Specialists, LLC, a regulated facility in Andrews, Texas, capable of handling such materials.  Approximately 8,080 tons of waste material were safely packaged and shipped to Waste Control Specialists, and 426 tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals were recycled. 

From World War II tanker to nuclear-age platform 

SSSB began its service at sea, as the mid-section of the tanker ship SS Cantigny, built in 1945 by the Sun Shipbuilding Company, in Chester, Pennsylvania.  The T2-SE-A1-type tanker was named after the 1918 Battle of Cantigny, the first major American offensive of World War I, fought near the village of Cantigny, on the Somme River in France. 

In 1964, Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company converted Cantigny’s mid-body section to a nuclear support facility, initially called the Prototype Waterborne Expended Fuel Container (PWEFC).  PWEFC provided an operational capability similar to the spent fuel pool in a commercial nuclear power reactor, and during the course of its long life supported refueling operations for many nuclear-powered cruisers and aircraft carriers—including early refuelings of ex-Enterprise (CVN 65). 

In the late 1980s, Newport News Shipbuilding refurbished PWEFC with significant upgrades, replacing the original hull and tank structure and installing new longitudinal bulkheads.  Then a decade later, the Navy completed additional repairs and upgrades, extending the platform’s service life by 50 years, and renamed her the Surface Ship Support Barge—otherwise known as the “Triple S-B.” 

A Legacy of Safety and Service 

In cooperation with NAVSEA, using an interagency agreement, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) provided NAVSEA with technical expertise during planning, execution, and termination of the project, evaluating APTIM’s work plan to ensure workplace safety and to mitigate any possible impacts to the environment or to the public. 

Based on NRC review and recommendation for approval of the dismantlement work plan, Naval Reactors, also referred to as the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, transferred custody of SSSB to APTIM for dismantlement on June 10, 2021.  SSSB left Hampton Roads on May 19, 2021, and arrived at the Port of Mobile on June 1, 2021, where self-propelled modular transporters moved the 268-foot barge to a land-based facility in the Alabama Shipyard—its final port of call. 

SSSB’s legacy of safety and service spans 52 years in Newport News Shipbuilding, supporting defueling operations for the Navy’s nuclear-powered cruisers and aircraft carriers.  In addition to ex-Enterprise, SSSB was instrumental in extending the service lives of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as part of those ships’ mid-life refueling and complex overhauls (RCOH). 

Capt. Mark Johnson, manager of the PEO CVN In-Service Aircraft Carrier Program Office, notes that while SSSB’s decommissioning signals the end of an era, it also marks the Navy’s infusion of technological advancements in executing RCOHs. 

“The Navy now has the capacity to manage and package spent fuel modules into robust shipping containers as required in real time, without the need to first house the materials in an intermediate facility, such as the SSSB spent fuel water pool,” said Johnson.  “It’s an advancement that safely streamlines refueling activities, consistent with expediting readiness across the maintenance enterprise, with the goal of delivering warships back to operators in the fleet.” 

Release from BAE Systems 

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FAST Labs^TM research and development organization awarded a $5 million contract from the Office of Naval Research 

NASHUA, N.H. — Nov. 8, 2023 — The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has awarded BAE Systems’ FAST Labs^TM research and development organization a $5 million contract for the COALESCE (Common-architecture Amplifier for Low-cost, Efficient, SWaP-Constrained Environments) program. 

In this effort, BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, will develop advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and module electronics. The program’s objective is to develop the world’s highest efficiency high power amplifier module in its frequency band. The radio-frequency (RF) modules will then transition to small form factor U.S. Navy payloads, enabling longer range and greater effectiveness in active electronic warfare applications.  

“The COALESCE program closes the gap between commercial electronics and customized electronics to meet the Department of Defense’s space and power requirements and enable next-generation solutions,” said Ben McMahon, technology development manager at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs. “Together with the Office of Naval Research, we will deliver these electronic solutions to increase survivability for our warfighters.”  

BAE Systems will provide capabilities above and beyond what can be found commercially, and its solution is designed specifically for harsh DoD operating environments. The technology’s high power and ultra-small form factor will enable next-generation radar, electronic warfare, and communication applications.  

MMICs and modules for the program will be fabricated at BAE Systems’ Microelectronics Center Foundry in Nashua, New Hampshire. The FAST Labs organization in Merrimack, New Hampshire will work to ensure the technology is relevant across multiple DoD branches, applications, and businesses. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Nov. 7, 2023 

By Team Ships Public Affairs 

NEW ORLEANS  –  The Navy accepted delivery of the next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 108, from Textron Systems, Nov. 3. 

The delivery comes after successful completion of acceptance trials conducted by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey, which tested the readiness and capability of the craft to effectively meet its requirements. Delivery represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. 

“These next-generation craft provide our Navy and Marine Corps team with essential agility and speed to complete their missions,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager for Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “SSC provides the fleet with agility and speed to assist with current and future mission requirements.” 

LCACs are built with configurations, dimensions, and clearances similar to the legacy LCACs they replace – ensuring that this latest air cushion vehicle is fully compatible with existing, well deck-equipped amphibious ships, the Expeditionary Sea Base and the Expeditionary Transfer Dock. LCACs are capable of carrying a 60 to 75-ton payload. They primarily transport weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and assault element personnel through a wide range of conditions, including over-the-beach. 

Textron Systems is currently in serial production on LCACs 109-120. 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft.