SYDNEY – The Navy’s Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Canberra (LCS 30), will be commissioned, July 22 at the Royal Australian Naval Base Garden Island, in Sydney Harbor — a rare commissioning abroad for the U.S. Navy. Behind the scenes, an all-civilian committee of Navy League members have worked for months to support the ship and its crew ahead of this historic event that both celebrates and exemplifies the strong relationship between the two nations. “We have begun another important in the relationship between these two great nations. The new USS Canberra (LCS 30) demonstrates the strong alliance between the United States and Australia,” said Ward Cook, Commissioning Committee Chairman in Kansas City.

Quoting Alfred Thayer Mahan who said, “navies are instruments of international relations,” Commissioning Committee member Patricia Du Mont in Fort Lauderdale, Florida underscored the importance of the relationship, stating, “As the first U.S. Navy international ship commissioning, the commissioning of USS Canberra (LCS 30) in Sydney, Australia, exemplifies people-to-people diplomacy.”

The Navy League of the United States, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia whose mission is to advocate, educate, and support the sea services, is routinely involved in the commissioning process of U.S. Navy ships. President and CEO of the Hampton Roads, Virginia Navy League Council, Maryellen Baldwin explained that her council has commissioned 28 ships to date and stated, “Navy League-provided ship enhancements add character and context to a warship, which exerts its presence through port visits and other peacetime pursuits [while also] improving quality of life for those aboard.”

The USS Canberra Commissioning Committee, made up of eleven individuals from across the United States, have extensive experience bringing new ships to life. With more than 50 combined ship commissioning between them, these individuals came together 20 weeks ago to support the crew and families of the future USS Canberra (LCS 30).

When the Navy receives delivery of a ship from the contractor, the ship is only given the bare essentials to conduct business at sea. The civilian Commissioning Committee raises funds to support the crew’s additional needs while on board the ship. There are important morale items that need to be purchased for the crew to use during their down time on board, such as media like books and TVs, and gym equipment This critical support for the ship and her crew are an important part of any ship commissioning effort, but this unique international commissioning this some both challenges and great opportunities.

“Working with on the commissioning of the USS Canberra has been the most challenging yet rewarding experience. Dealing with the women and men from around the globe to not only make all the events leading up to the commissioning happen, but being able to support the crew and their families in many ways will always make this a memorable experience for me,” said Commissioning Committee member Ronald Spence in the Rocky Mountain region, who has worked on multiple commissioning committees.

It will be up to the ship’s crew, its sponsor, the commissioning committee, and the City of Canberra to strengthen the relationship between the ship and its namesake for the life of the ship. The ship’s sponsor is Australian Senator, the Honourable Marise Payne, the former Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The commissioning ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Ms. Payne will give the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

Built by Austal USA, LCS 30 will be the twenty sixth littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the fifteenth of the Independence variant. Former Austal employee and Commissioning Committee member Jenny Beam Klein of Mobile, Alabama said, “it was an honor to witness the construction of future USS Canberra (LCS 30) for the past five years here in Mobile, Alabama.” She discussed the importance of the relationship with Austal, stating, “It has been a privilege to be part of the LCS 30 Commissioning Committee under the leadership of Mr. Ward Cook and Mr. Ernie Conner and we are thrilled to watch her join the U.S. Navy fleet this weekend on the other side of the world. This ship and ceremony are creating stronger ties between our Gulf Coast shipbuilding community, the Navy and Australia. Congratulations to the Officers and the Crew!”

Austal is also hosting watch party for the event at their facility in San Diego to, “keep the families involved,” said Commissioning Committee member CWO4 David Miller, USN (Ret.) of Kansas City, Missouri. “What an honor to be part of this challenging, but highly rewarding event, planning and conducting the commissioning of a ship in Sydney,” he said.

This will be the first US Navy ship in an allied port, and the second US Navy Combat ship named after Australian’s capitol city. Independence-variant LCS pride themselves on being fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS integrates with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

USS CANBERRA (LCS 30) will be homeported in San Diego, California. The ceremony will be live streamed at: http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/32033. The link will become active approximately five minutes prior to the event (Friday, July 21^st 8:55 p.m. EST). Please contact Editor-in-Chief of Seapower magazine, Ann Tropea with questions: [email protected]

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s only helicopter squadron dedicated to support of special operations forces has made its final flight.

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 (HSC-85), a reserve squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island, California, made its final flight on June 30, 2023, prior to its deactivation ceremony, according to a release from Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve.

HSC-85 was equipped with MH-60S Seahawk helicopters to support “Naval Special Warfare forces and other special operations forces training and readiness,” according to the Department of the Navy’s 2023 budget highlights book. The Navy proposed retirement of the squadron with the service’s 2023 budget request. The Navy estimates the program savings would amount to $312.5 million over the Future Years Defense Plan.  

HSC-85 originally was established as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 85 (HS-85) in 1970 at NAS Alameda, California, and equipped with the SH-3A Sea King helicopter, later upgrading to the SH-3D and SH-3H versions. The squadron moved to NAS North Island in 1993 and in October 1994 was redesignated Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 85 (HC-85), shifting to the roles of search and rescue, logistics and range support. 

The squadron was redesignated HSC-85 in February 2006 and equipped with MH-60S helicopters. In 2011, special operations support became its primary role, and it was equipped with an older version of the Seahawk, the HH-60H. The Navy planned in 2016 to deactivate HSC-85 and its East Coast counterpart, HSC-84, but HSC-85 survived. The squadron in 2018 upgraded to the Block III version of the MH-60S. 

Release from Commander, Navy Region Southeast

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By CNRSE PAO

18 July 2023

MIAMI (July 14, 2023) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro joined with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to announce the inaugural Fleet Week Miami in 2024.
 
The two dignitaries made the announcement July 14 at PortMiami along with other military and civilian officials.  Fleet Week Miami will be held May 7-14, 2024 at PortMiami, and will bring in excess of 800 service members to south Florida whose primary mission will be to contribute to a growing understanding of the Navy’s importance in our country’s national defense.  The week-long event is expected to feature both US Navy and US Coast Guard vessels to showcase military technology to the public.
 
“We are honored the U.S. Navy has accepted Miami-Dade County’s invitation to host Fleet Week at PortMiami in 2024,” Levine Cava said. “Residents and visitors will be able to see ships up close, board them and take tours as well as participate in community events. We are also excited the visiting sailors and marines will be able to enjoy our attractions, engage in community projects and experience all of Miami-Dade’s unique cultural offerings.”
 
Other speakers at the news conference included the Honorable Oliver G. Gilbert, III, Chairman, Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners; the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy; and Hydi Webb, PortMiami Chief Executive Officer.  
 
Senior military present for the announcement included: Rear Adm. Douglas Schofield, Coast Guard Commander District 7; Rear Adm. Allan Thomas, Director of Operations SOUTHCOM; and Capt. Ian Johnson, Commander Navy Region Southeast.
 
The U.S. Navy visited Miami through its Navy Week program in January. The successful event was one of 15 Navy Weeks nationwide to take place in 2023, and it brought a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Miami Navy Week gave the community an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its sailors and its importance to national security and prosperity, and its success helped spur the Fleet Week Miami initiative.
 
“Thank you Mayor Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami for continuing to host our service members, and for opening up your port to our fleet,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “Fleet Week in Miami will be an unforgettable opportunity for Miamians and tourists alike to learn about the incredible people who make up our Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and their importance to our national security and prosperity.”  

Release from SAIC

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Heavyweight Torpedo Contributes to U.S. Navy’s Undersea Dominance

• The MK48 torpedo is the U.S. Navy’s sole submarine-launched anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare weapon.
• SAIC serves as the prime integrator for the MK48, providing integration as well as test support for the torpedo’s subsystems.  
• Integration of the MK48’s afterbody/tailcone involves more than 500 piece parts.

The MK48 torpedo is the U.S. Navy’s sole submarine-launched anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare weapon. All classes of Navy submarines use it for achieving sea control and neutralizing or destroying threats to high-value vessels.

As the prime integrator of the MK48 torpedo, SAIC builds, integrates and tests the afterbody/tailcone sections and fuel tanks of the MK48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedo for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

Often considered the torpedo’s engine room, the afterbody/tailcone controls the torpedo’s propulsion, starts and applies the power necessary to drive it from the time it is launched until it reaches its target, and steers it on its course to the mark.

The afterbody/tailcone comprises 26 major sub-assemblies requiring the integration of greater than 500 piece parts.

SAIC‘s team of MK48 subject matter experts works primarily in Bedford, Ind., near Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, where the majority of the torpedo integration work takes place. The contract’s program and engineering management team is based in Middletown, R.I., near Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport. SAIC completed the design, development and delivery of an automated electrical power system test set, which is used to test the torpedo’s alternator/regulator assembly, in Indianapolis. 

Building on past success

For more than a decade, SAIC has provided engineering, technical and management services in support of NUWC’s propulsion test facility. Our team performs facility operations, maintenance, upgrades and testing in support of the Navy’s only land-based torpedo testing facility. In this capacity, SAIC’s engineers and technicians routinely integrate MK48 afterbody/tailcones in preparation for tests.

The facility can test torpedoes across their full speed and depth envelopes. Our team runs these tests to capture very unique performance data for NAVSEA.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s operational climate is generating a growing need for the Navy Information Forces, challenging the capacity of the forces to meet that need.

The Navy’s information warfare forces include personnel specializing in intelligence, electronic warfare, cyber warfare, oceanography, nuclear command and control, and information warfare.

Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach, commander Naval Information Forces—known informally as the “I-Boss” — speaking July 18 with retired Rear Admiral Frank Thorp IV in the U.S. Naval Memorial’s SITREP series, said the Navy’s intelligence and cryptologic specialists were not as busy in the maritime environment during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as they have now become with the great power competition with China and Russia.

“We were really not challenged in the maritime, and our global competitive environment has changed substantially, and we are now facing a near-peer competition — in some areas, we are being outpaced by our competitors — that I think demands now that you need information warriors to deliver our capability full-time,” Aeschbach said.

The admiral cited the Navy’s submarine force as an example where what is now information warfare was a collateral duty for a submarine officer, but now, with the increased demands of high-end warfare, the capabilities of information warfare specialists are needed to handle the flood of information and allow the other personnel to concentrate on the areas in which they excel.

“We’re a better team for it, if we’re there bringing the detailed information warfare capability,” she said. 

With the increasing demands on information warfare forces, the Navy is challenged to prevent burn-out of the force, which—unlike ship or aircraft crews—does not have a routine sustainment cycle.

“We are operating all the time, and so one of the challenges we have as a type commander is: how do you do the care and feeding and re-generation of a force that is always in demand,” Aeschbach said. “So that has challenged us in terms of how we maintain an appropriate operational tempo for our personnel, effectively train them, and afford them enough time to re-charge and be most effective and most ready for the missions for the missions they’re supporting.”

Aeschbach is working to develop and use live virtual constructive technology to provide realistic training for information warfare forces, which, because of the nature of their capabilities, are more difficult to exercise realistically in a peacetime environment.

Release From Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE Public Affairs Office

Courtesy Story, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE Public Affairs

SYDNEY (July 18, 2023) Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) arrived in Sydney, Australia, July 18, ahead of the ship’s ceremonial commissioning.

USS Canberra entered Sydney Harbour in formation with Canberra-class landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra before mooring pierside at the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Base East.

“We are thrilled to be here in Sydney this week, and to show this city our fast, optimally-manned ship that sails across the seas as a symbol of our navies’ dedication to each other,” said Capt. Marc Crawford, Commodore of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE. “For more than one hundred years, our nations have stood side-by-side; today is no different.”

The U.S. ship is named for Australia’s capital and the original HMAS Canberra that was sunk at the Battle of Savo Island during World War II while fighting alongside the U.S.

“To sail last night and rendezvous with USS Canberra was an absolute privilege, not just for myself but for the Army, Navy and Air Force crew members on HMAS Canberra,” said. Capt. Brendan O’Hara, commanding officer of HMAS Canberra. “Having another ship named Canberra, there is an automatic bond as mariners between those ships straight away. We look forward to supporting their ship’s company throughout the course of this week, particularly for the commissioning ceremony this Saturday.”

While in Sydney, the ships’ crews will partake in sports competitions, community relations activities, and learn more about the other country’s culture and traditions.

Those interested in viewing the ceremony live may do so on DVIDS at www.dvidshub.net/webcast/32033 beginning at 10:00 a.m. AEST on July 22, 2023.

Homeported in San Diego as a part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE, USS Canberra is a fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatant that operates in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS like USS Canberra integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

For more information on the USS Canberra commissioning, please visit
https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/CanberraCommissioning and http://images.defence.gov.au/S20232084.

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command

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By Team Ships Public Affairs

Washington Navy Yard – Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushions (LCAC) 105-107 received a lift of opportunity (LOO) aboard USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), on July 14.

LCACs 105-107 have been at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division for post-delivery test and trials following their delivery to the Navy by Textron Systems.

The leadership on the USS Gunston Hall worked with Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, and Assault Craft Unit FOUR (ACU 4) as LCACs 105-107 entered the well deck for transport.

“SSC LCACs are in serial production and actively providing much-needed agility and speed to our fleet,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager, Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, PEO Ships. “The flexibility of LCACs, combined with their technology, provide our Navy and Marine Corps team with capability for today and the future fight.”

Later this month, the Gunston Hall team will offload these three crafts to their new home at ACU 4 in Little Creek, Virginia. ACU 4 is the parent unit for LCACs on the east coast. LCACs 101-104 arrived at ACU 4 in February 2022.

SSC 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 74-ton payload. They primarily transport weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and assault element personnel through a wide range of conditions, including over-the-beach.

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.

Release from U.S. Fleet Forces Command

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By Ensign Blaise De Oliveira, USS James E. Williams Public Affairs

14 July 2023

NORFOLK, Va. — Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) returned to Naval Station Norfolk from a seven-month NATO deployment, July 14.

James E. Williams served as the flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 2, commanded by Rear Adm. Scott Sciretta.

James E. Williams deployed in December 2022 and relieved Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) as SNMG 2 flagship. As the flagship, James E. Williams led a multinational maritime group in joint operations through the Mediterranean Sea, providing forward presence, ensuring stability in the region, and supporting deterrence and defense of NATO territory.

The James E. Williams crew traveled more than 36,000 nautical miles, conducted more than 45 sea and anchor evolutions, transited 20 straight, logged more than 600 hours of flight operations, and conducted 22 replenishments-at-sea.

“As our deployment ends, I could not be more proud of the hard work, true dedication, pride and professionalism that our Sailors have demonstrated on this deployment,” said Cmdr. Robert Ireland, commanding officer of James E. Williams. “James E. Williams got real, got better, and provided Commander, NATO Allied Maritime Command and U.S. 6th Fleet with a tactically proficient, operationally ready, and strategically focused asset to project NATO’s united resolve to deter and defeat our nation’s and Alliance’s adversaries.”

While working with 12 countries on joint operations, the crew visited 12 different cities in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Spain and Türkiye. While in port, Sailors strengthened relationships with our critical Allies, participating in social events with Sailors from other navies and touring local regions.

Through this wide range of exercises, operations and port visits, the crew demonstrated their unrelenting commitment to the mission and to the region. They spent 225 days away from homeport, truly demonstrating the fulfillment of their ship’s motto: Lead from the Front.

HMS Duncan (D37), a Royal Navy Daring-class air-defense destroyer, properly relieved James E. Williams as SNMG 2 flagship during a ceremony in Taranto, Italy, June 30. With the completion of the hand-over

turn-over, the United Kingdom commenced a one-year rotation in command of SNMG 2 under the leadership of Cdre. Paul Stroude.

As a NATO task group, SNMG 2 prioritizes its mandate to enhance the collective readiness, responsiveness, deployable readiness, integration and interoperability of its forces. Its focus is on deterrence and defense against all adversaries in the maritime domain, upholding freedom of navigation, securing maritime trade routes and protecting the main lines of communication.

SNMG 2 is a multinational integrated task group that projects a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance’s solidarity and cohesion afloat. This continuous maritime capability performs a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict. SNMG 2 is one of four Standing Naval Forces that operate under NATO Allied Maritime Command, headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom.

Release from Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs 

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July 13, 2023 

From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs  

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced, today, that a future Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship will be named USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11).   

The future T-ATS 11 honors Billy Frank Jr., who was a Nisqually tribal member and is an iconic Native American environmental leader and treaty rights activist. The name selection follows the tradition of naming towing, salvage, and rescue ships after prominent Native Americans or Native American tribes.   

“I am honored for the opportunity to name a naval ship after Billy Frank Jr., a man who was a proponent and leader for Native American rights,” said Del Toro. “Billy Frank Jr. spent his life serving others and his namesake ship will do the same as it travels around the world enabling humanitarian assistance and the maintenance of freedom.” 

William “Billy” Frank Jr. was born in 1931 as a member of the Nisqually tribe in Washington.  After serving as a military policeman in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, Frank returned to Washington where he became an electrical lineman and continued to fish on his traditional grounds.   

By the 1960s, the local salmon fishery was in decline due to increased sport and commercial fishing.  In response, state officials began targeting and arresting Native American fishermen like Frank, blaming the decline in salmon stock on them instead.  Escalating arrests and raids led to protests at the state capitol and “fish-ins” arranged by Frank and others.  Over the course of these demonstrations, Frank was arrested over 50 times and became the face of the movement.   

In 1974, the matter was taken up by the Federal District Court in Tacoma, Washington.  Judge George H. Boldt ruled in favor of the Native Americans for their right to fish in their “usual and accustomed places.”  Frank went on to serve as chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for over 30 years and received the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and the Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award, among other accolades.  He passed away in 2014. His son, Willie Frank III, serves as the chairman of the tribal council of the Nisqually tribe. 

The Navajo-class will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support Fleet operations. The current capabilities are provided by Powhatan-class T-ATF Fleet Tugs and Safeguard-class T-ARS Rescue and Salvage vessels, which reach the end of their expected service lives starting in 2020. Navajo-class ships will be capable of towing U.S. Navy ships and will have 6,000 square feet of deck space for embarked systems. 

More information on our towing, salvage, and rescue ship programs can be found here. 

Release from Philly Shipyard 

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July 12, 2023 

PHILADELPHIA – Philly Shipyard, Inc. (“Philly Shipyard”), the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA (Oslo: PHLY) today announced the contract award to conduct the T-AH(X) Hospital Ship Feasibility Study for Gibbs and Cox, a Leidos Inc. company. The six-month design study will cover a solution for preliminary designs to replace the two current hospital ships – USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort – owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by Military Sealift Command (MSC). Philly Shipyard will subcontract to Vard Marine Inc. (“VARD”) to provide engineering and technical services for this effort. 

“This contract win highlights our commitment to pursuing and securing work in the government market,” said Steinar Nerbovik, Philly Shipyard President and CEO. “Along with our current commercial and government backlog of shipbuilding projects, we have completed previous design studies for the U.S. Navy and are very interested in pursuing government opportunities that fit our production delivery cycles and skill sets. We are excited and grateful to team up, once again, with Vard Marine on this important industry study.” 

Philly Shipyard and VARD will leverage design work performed as part of a special study completed for the U.S. Navy’s Common Hull Auxiliary Multi-Mission Platform (CHAMP) program, which was won in 2019. 

 About Philly Shipyard 

Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) is a leading U.S. shipbuilder that is presently pursuing a mix of commercial and government work. It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as a preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships, having delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going Jones Act commercial ships since 2000.  PSI is the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA. Philly Shipyard ASA is listed on the Euronext Expand Oslo (Oslo: PHLY) and is majority-owned by Aker Capital AS, which in turn is wholly-owned by Aker ASA (Aker). Aker is an industrial investment company that exercises active ownership to create value. Aker has ownership interests in oil and gas, renewable energy and green technologies, maritime assets, marine biotechnology and industrial software, and its portfolio includes companies like Aker BP, Aker Horizons, Aker BioMarine, Cognite, and Aker Solutions. For more information about Philly Shipyard, visit www.phillyshipyard.com.