Release from Austal USA 

***** 

JUNE 19, 2023

MOBILE, Ala. – Austal USA hosted a keel laying ceremony late last week for the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard.  Ship sponsor Larissa Thune Hargens, with the assistance of Hon Tran – a 13-year Austal USA veteran A-class welder, authenticated the keel by welding her initials into a keel plate that will be welded to the hull of the ship. 

The future USS Pierre is the final Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship being built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.  LCS 38 is the second U.S. Navy ship named for the South Dakota capital city. The original USS Pierre (PC-1141) was a submarine chaser built during World War II. 

“Keel laying represents a major milestone in the construction of a ship,” said Dave Growden, vice president of new construction. “While every keel laying we celebrate is special, this one has added significance as it starts to close the line of a highly successful program.”  

The ceremony was widely attended by community and Navy leaders and Austal USA shipbuilders. Notably, in a strong statement of support for the future USS Pierre, from the South Dakota delegation, Senator John Thune and Senator Mike Rounds attended the event along with the Mayor of Pierre, Mayor Steve Harding. 

“This is a special honor for the city of Pierre and all of South Dakota,” said Thune. “It’s also a good day for the Navy and the men and women of our joint forces. I’m particularly humbled, of course, to have had the privilege of introducing my daughter Larissa as the ship’s sponsor – a proud dad moment.” 

Hargens, a native of South Dakota, graduated from Bethel University. The call to serve runs deep in her family, Hargens is involved with a non-profit incentive program that helps limited-income pregnant women in Sioux Falls, her father is U.S. Senator John Thune and her grandfather was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in Fighting Squadron 18 (VF-18) on the USS Intrepid (CV-11) during World War II. 

“I am so honored and grateful for this incredible opportunity to sponsor the future USS Pierre,” stated Hargens. “It is a privilege to be a part of this time-honored tradition and to have my initials welded to a plate that will become a part of the ship’s keel. I look forward to participating in the important milestones throughout the life of the USS Pierre, and to building a lifelong relationship with the ship and the sailors that will make up her crew. May God bless the USS Pierre.” 

Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. Austal USA has delivered 17 LCS to the Navy since 2009, most of which have been deployed with the Pacific Fleet. The shallow-draft Independence-variant LCS have been opening up places for the Navy to operate where they had not been for years. The ship’s steerable water jets allow for effective maneuverability in and out of austere ports. With the capacity to deploy Naval Strike Missile and employ mine counter measure the ship can conduct key missions throughout the Pacific making them a highly functioning platform.  

Pierre is planned for delivery in fiscal year 2025 and will be homeported in San Diego, Calif., along with the other Independence LCSs that have been delivered to the fleet.  

Release from Elbit America

***** 

The company’s autonomous system of systems prototype will be used to find, fix and track maritime targets 

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – JUNE 26, 2023 – Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) has been awarded a prime contract by the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) to develop and demonstrate an autonomous maritime target tracking capability as part of the United States Navy’s Information Warfare Research Project (IWRP). The company will test its prototype in a series of at sea demonstrations over the next twelve months.  

The IWRP supports implementation of the Naval Operational Architecture to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2), and ensure connectivity of U.S. and allied forces across land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace. Elbit America’s autonomy prototype will extend the reach of those forces by leveraging attritable systems to covertly find, fix and track maritime targets, as directed by operational commanders.  

Elbit America’s prototype includes various solutions and expertise from across its enterprise, including Sparton and Logos Technologies subsidiaries, as well as partners, Alare Technologies, and Nauticus Robotics. The prototype leverages unique autonomy, artificial intelligence, automatic target recognition, and undersea payload delivery capabilities.  

“Elbit America’s advanced prototype will enhance distributed maritime operations by employing attritable multi-domain unmanned systems that can collaborate autonomously to identify and report targets of interest, while operating in contested environments,” said the company’s Vice President of Maritime Business Jeff Hoyle.  

“Our selection as a prime contractor for the Navy’s Information Warfare Research Project validates that our company’s portfolio is in alignment with the U.S. National Defense Strategy. We are committed to strengthening our country’s national security and we’re investing in critical maritime technologies such as unmanned systems and sensors, attritable payloads, and undersea connectivity solutions to ensure that we can continue to innovate capabilities most needed by our customers,” said the company’s President and CEO Raanan Horowitz.   

Release from the U.S. Navy Office of Information 

***** 

23 June 2023 

The Navy will commission its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), during a 10:00 a.m. EDT ceremony on Saturday, June 24, in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Remarks will also be provided Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations; the Honorable Justin Williams, deputy mayor of the City of Baltimore; and Mr. Charles F. Krugh, president, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.  The ship’s sponsors are Senator Levin’s daughters, Kate Levin Markel, Erica Levin, and Laura Levin. 

The ship’s namesake served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years from 1979-2015. As the longest serving senator in Michigan state history, Levin became a staunch supporter of the armed services through his work and leadership as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Levin passed away on July 29, 2021. 

The ship, which will be homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, will be the 72nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be commissioned, with 17 additional ships currently under contract for the DDG 51 program. The ship is configured as a Flight IIA destroyer, which enables power projection and delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for anti-air warfare. The USS Carl M. Levin is 509.5 feet long and 59 feet wide, with a displacement of 9,496 tons. It will be homeported in San Diego.  

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on guided-missile destroyer programs can be found at:  https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169871/destroyers-ddg/ 

The ceremony will be live streamed at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/31729. The link becomes active approximately ten minutes prior to the event (9:50 a.m. EDT) 

Release from Northrop Grumman 

***** 

MAGNA, Utah. – June 22, 2023 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has successfully manufactured two thousand solid rocket motors for the U.S. Navy’s Trident II D5 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) system with the completion of first-stage A1000 and second-stage B1000 motors. 

Northrop Grumman has manufactured: 

• More than 800 first-stage tactical motors 
• More than 800 second-stage tactical motors 
• More than 370 third-stage tactical motors since assuming the scope of work in 1996 
• And successfully cast over 86 million pounds of propellant for D5 motors 

The system is provided to the U.S. Navy by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, which develops and produces the missile and support equipment. It has completed 190 successful flight tests since deployment with no motor failures. The Trident II D5 missile will continue to serve as the seaborne leg of the U.S. Nuclear Triad for decades to come. 

Expert: 
Wendy Williams, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman: “Our customers rely on our solid rocket motors to conduct their most important missions. The unmatched reliability, record-breaking mission success and planned life expectancy of the Navy’s SLBM system speaks to the design of the propulsion and our ability to consistently produce critical motors.” 

Details on Trident II D5: 
The Trident II D5 SLBM is a three-stage, solid-fuel, inertially guided missile with a range of 4,000 nautical miles. The missile is launched by the pressure of expanding gas within the launch tube. When the missile broaches the waterline, it enters the boost phase, expending its first, second and third-stage rocket motors. Northrop Grumman manufactures solid-propulsion boost motor systems for all three stages of the Trident II missile under a contract from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. 

For nearly 70 years, Northrop Grumman has partnered with Lockheed Martin and the Navy to provide solid rocket motors for the SLBM system. Completion of motors A1000 and B1000 represents the longevity of the Trident II D5 program, the nation’s commitment to deterrence and the role of the company’s solid rocket propulsion as an essential national security asset. 

As part of the celebration of this milestone, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe, Director for Strategic Systems Programs, visited Northrop Grumman’s Bacchus, Utah, campus where the Trident II D5 motors are cast and assembled. 

“The unmatched reliability and performance of our sea-based nuclear deterrent is made possible by a dedicated team of military, civilian and industry partners who bring expertise and dedication to a truly extraordinary mission,” said Vice Admiral Wolfe. “The propulsion systems and their performance are critical to the success of that mission.” 

Northrop Grumman and its legacy companies have supported the Navy’s deterrence mission for over six decades, supplying propulsion for the nation’s Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine-launched systems starting with Polaris, Poseidon C3, Trident I C4 and then Trident II D5, which is less than halfway through its expected service life. 

Release from U.S. Strategic Command 

***** 

Sept. 18, 2021 

This successful test was part of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation, designated DASO-31. The primary objective of a DASO is to evaluate and demonstrate the readiness of the SSBN’s Strategic Weapon System (SWS) and crew before operational deployment following the submarine’s engineered refueling overhaul. 

“The DASO test, and others like these, underscore our readiness and capability for 21st Century Strategic Deterrence,” said Rear Adm. Thomas E. Ishee, USSTRATCOM director of Global Operations. “SSBN crews undergo constant training and regularly planned testing to ensure the weapons systems remain ready and reliable. The Sailors and support element who make up the silent service prove every day they are capable and prepared to protect America and its allies.” 

This launch marks 184 successful missile test flights of the Trident II (D5 & D5LE) SWS. 

“Today’s [Sept. 17] test demonstrates the unmatched reliability of our sea-based nuclear deterrent, which is made possible by a dedicated team of military, civilian and industry partners who bring expertise and dedication to the mission that is truly extraordinary,” said Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe, director of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs. Further, “This same team is now developing the next generation of the Trident Strategic Weapon System, which will extend our sea-based strategic deterrent through 2084.” 

The Trident strategic weapon system is highly accurate and reliable. The Trident II (D5) missiles recently underwent a life extension program to address potential impacts from aging and obsolescence. The life-extended missiles – Trident II (D5LE) – are now being deployed to the Fleet and will serve for the remaining service life of U.S Ohio-class and United Kingdom Vanguard-class SSBNs, and as the initial load-out for the U.S. Columbia-class and U.K. Dreadnought-class SSBNs. 

USS Maine (SSBN-741) successfully executed the Navy’s last DASO in February 2020 off the coast of San Diego, California. The Navy’s most recent flight test – a Commander’s Evaluation Test – was a series of four launches in February 2021 off the coast of Florida.  Each of these flight tests were of the life-extended Trident II (D5LE) missiles. 

Flight test missiles are not armed, and safety of the public and the crew conducting the mission is paramount.  The launches were conducted from the sea, the missile flew over the sea, and landed in the sea. At no time did the missile fly over land.  

The missile test was not conducted in response to any ongoing world events, nor as a demonstration of power. Test launches – including DASOs – are scheduled years in advance. 

A credible, effective nuclear deterrent is essential to our national security and the security of U.S. allies. Deterrence remains a cornerstone of national security policy in the 21st century.   

Strategic Systems Programs is the Navy command that provides cradle-to-grave lifecycle support for the Navy’s strategic weapon systems. This includes training, systems, equipment, facilities and personnel responsible for ensuring the safety, security- and effectiveness of the nation’s Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) Trident II (D5LE) strategic weapon system.  

SLBMs are the sea-based leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear deterrent Triad that also includes the U.S. Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and nuclear-capable bombers.  Each part of the Triad provides unique capabilities and advantages.    

The sea-based leg makes up the majority – approximately 70 percent – of the U.S.’s deployed strategic nuclear deterrent Triad. The SLBM is the most survivable leg of the triad, provides a persistent presence, and allows for flexible concepts of operations. 

Release from Littoral Combat Ship Squadron TWO 

***** 

MAYPORT, FL, UNITED STATES 

06.21.2023 

Story by Lt. Anthony Junco  

MAYPORT, Fla. – The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS 7), along with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, detachment 11, got underway June 21 to support operations in U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. 
 
Detroit will support counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Detroit’s operations will involve practical exercises and exchanges with partner nation maritime services, supporting U.S. 4th Fleet interoperability and reinforcing the U.S. position as the regional partner of choice. 
 
“We look forward to building upon the successes of USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Little Rock (LCS 9) in our return to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility,” said Cmdr. Kyle Hickman, commanding officer of Detroit. “The crew has been extremely dedicated in its preparation and is ready for 4th Fleet tasking.” 
 
The deployment of an LCS to the region aims to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to regional cooperation and security. The LCS’s shallow draft provides unparalleled opportunities for port access, making the ship an ideal vessel for these types of engagements. 
 
Detroit will initially be manned by its crew of more than 100 Sailors, including a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment; and an aviation detachment, who will operate an embarked MH-60 helicopter. 
 
“The crew executed a very difficult training cycle,” said Cmdr. Bruce Hallett, executive officer of Detroit. “They exceeded all expectations.” 
 
LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. It is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. 

Release from the Office of Naval Research 

***** 

New CNR Takes Helm at Office of Naval Research

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2023
By Warren Duffie, Jr., Office of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, Va.—The Office of Naval Research (ONR) ushered in a new era of leadership on Friday, June 16, as Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus — was sworn in as the new Chief of Naval Research (CNR).

The change-of-command ceremony took place at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. Remarks were given by  the Hon. Frederick Stefany, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, as well as Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

ONR supports science efforts around the world, from basic and conceptual research to applied research and quick-turnaround technologies requested by Sailors and Marines. Established in 1946 by public law, ONR’s mission is to “plan, foster and encourage scientific research in recognition of its paramount importance as related to the maintenance of future naval power, and the preservation of national security.”

“I’m excited by the opportunity to serve the Navy and nation as chief of naval research,” said Rothenhaus. “ONR is a vital organization ensuring the Sailors and Marines we have the privilege of serving have the weaponry and technology needed to prevail, now and in years to come. I feel a sense of urgency, as we face increasingly capable potential adversaries.”

Concurrent with the duties of CNR, Rothenhaus will also serve as the Naval STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Executive.

He takes ONR’s helm after serving as the program executive officer, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I).

Rothenhaus succeeds Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, himself a decorated submarine commander, naval engineer and acquisition officer, who is retiring after a distinguished naval career.

“ONR has an inspiring history of groundbreaking scientific achievements,” said Rothenhaus. “I’m honored to join the team — its sense of mission and passion for innovation are exceptional. I look forward to continuing the terrific work and strategic agility that Rear Adm. Selby and the ONR team have accomplished during his time as CNR.”

Selby had a remarkable tenure as CNR. He assumed his role in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and he implemented a vision for reimagining naval power — “the small, the agile and the many,” which involves small, unmanned, autonomous platforms that can be constructed, tested and adapted quickly; can be built in large numbers; and are less expensive than larger platforms.

To spur faster, more collaborative and more effective testing and experimentation, Selby promoted the ONR-sponsored SCOUT initiative, a multiagency campaign to identify new ways to bring novel capabilities to warfighter challenges, experiment with them in realistic operating conditions, and operationalize them in partnership with the fleet and force.

Selby also helped lead efforts to revitalize the Department of the Navy’s Naval STEM Coordination Office, and he emphasized greater virtual and remote-learning activities in order to remove geographic barriers, increase the number of students reached, and bolster its commitment to diversity.

Warren Duffie Jr. is a contractor for ONR Corporate Strategic Communications.

Release from Raytheon Missile and Defense

***** 

June 19, 2023 

TUCSON, Ariz., June 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — RTX (NYSE: RTX) was awarded a $264 million modification to a production Lot 23 contract originally awarded in December 2022. Under the modification, Raytheon, an RTX business, will produce and deliver 571 AIM-9X® SIDEWINDER® missiles and associated parts for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and foreign military sales customers. 

“AIM-9X is the world’s most advanced, combat-proven infrared missile, providing advanced capabilities to the U.S. and our international allies,” said Kim Ernzen, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “The weapon’s versatility and inherent growth potential makes it a triple-threat missile offering an unmatched level of lethality and survivability to counter threats.” 

Included in the modification, Raytheon will also provide captive air training systems, containers, spare assets, and related kits and support equipment. The majority of work will be performed within the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed in August 2026. 

The AIM-9X SIDEWINDER missile is a triple-threat missile that can be used for air-to-air engagements, surface-attack, and surface-launch missions without modifications. A U.S. Navy-led joint program with the U.S. Air Force, the AIM-9X SIDEWINDER also has 31 Foreign Military Sales partners. The advanced infrared-tracking, short-range missile is combat proven in several theaters around the world. 

Release from General Dynamics Electric Boat 

****** 

GROTON, Conn. (June 17, 2023) – General Dynamics Electric Boat christened the Virginia-class submarine Iowa (SSN 797) today at its shipyard in Groton, Conn. Electric Boat is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). 

“I am proud of Electric Boat’s shipbuilders, and thank them for the skills, capabilities and commitment they bring to their work every day, resulting in this magnificent ship,” said Kevin Graney, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat. “Along with their dedication and hard work, Electric Boat’s shipbuilders have a long history of innovation. We invest in cutting-edge tools and technology to deliver advanced capabilities in acoustic superiority, enhanced stealth, innovative weapons and new missions. We are committed to helping the U.S. Navy outpace our adversaries and ensure our nation’s continued dominance in the undersea domain.”  

Christie Vilsack, an Iowa educator and advisor with a 50-year career in education and public service, serves as the ship’s sponsor.  

“In the name of the United States, I christen thee Iowa. May God Bless her and all who sail in her,” she declared before breaking a bottle of sparkling wine from Iowa on the ship’s hull to commemorate the christening.  

The christening took place in the shipyard’s Virginia-class assembly building in front of an audience of more than 3,000 people, including Electric Boat shipbuilders, members of the ship’s crew, U.S. Navy personnel and government officials. The event was viewed live at numerous watch parties across the state of Iowa. 

The keynote address was delivered by Under Secretary of the Navy Eric Raven. 

“The Iowa will join the fleet at a critical time when our nation will need the most capable, most ready, most agile, and most lethal undersea fighting force to strengthen our nation’s ability to keep the peace, or restore it, through decisive action,” he told the crowd. “Iowa will add next-generation capabilities to our Joint Force. She will also be one of the first specifically designed and built to accommodate female and male service members, a commitment to supporting a culture of inclusion.” 

Iowa is the 24th submarine in the Virginia class, designed for the full range of 21st-century mission requirements, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare and special operations support.  

Electric Boat and its partner Newport News Shipbuilding share constriction of the Virginia class in a teaming agreement. Iowa is the 12th submarine in the class to be delivered by Electric Boat. 

The submarine will be the fourth U.S. Navy warship to carry the name Iowa and succeeds the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61). Commissioned in 1943, the ship transported President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to numerous international conferences before transferring to the Pacific Theatre to support the island-hopping campaigns and the Japanese Surrender at Tokyo Bay. The ship is now a museum vessel at the Port of Los Angeles.   

A video of the ceremony along with more information on the Iowa is available at ebchristenings.com. 

General Dynamics Electric Boat designs, builds, repairs and modernizes nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy. Headquartered in Groton, Connecticut, the company employs more than 20,500 people. More information about General Dynamics Electric Boat is available at www.gdeb.com. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

***** 

June 16, 2023 

NSWC Panama City engineers help Republic of Korea develop air-cushion vehicle 

By Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Public Affairs 

Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) is helping cement relationships with U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region via Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Programs that also help our own Navy innovate. 

NSWC PD Expeditionary Systems Division, FMS, Air Cushion Vehicles Program is supporting the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy as they develop an Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV). The ROK “Landing Ship Fast II (LSF-II),” shares size and design features of the U.S. Navy’s Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC). 

The LSF-II is a 90-metric ton hovercraft with a top speed of 40 knots. LSF-II crafts 633 and 634 will join two earlier LSFs already in service with the ROK Navy. As first-in-class for the LSF-II, crafts 633 and 634 serve as prototypes of the redesigned LSF concept; a total fleet of 18 LSF-IIs is planned. 

NSWC PCD personnel helped modify the Navy’s LCAC Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Navigation (C4N) System for use on ROK’s domestically produced LSF-II. 

ROK’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) first requested modified Navy C4N systems for LSF-II craft 633 and 634, funded under FMS case KS-P-GRL, from the NAVSEA International Fleet Support Program Office in 2018. Due to similarities between the ROK Navy LSF-II and the U.S. Navy LCAC, the modified C4N system was feasible from a technical perspective. In April 2019, the NSWC PCD team used the mature baseline of the USN’s LCAC C4N system to begin redesigning a C4N system for the LSF-II craft. 

For the ROK variant, the NSWC PCD C4N system team remapped the communication links between the craft’s subsystems and the C4N system, and then modified all of the software to accept and process the inputs. The team also developed LSF-II- specific craft drawings. Even with an established Navy baseline, this extensive work required the USN and ROK teams work together to find and track all the changes needed to make the C4N system fit and operate within the LSF-II. 

Initial component deliveries started in early 2021, while Hanjin Shipbuilding and Construction (HJSC) was still constructing the craft at Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan, ROK. The Panama City C4N system team has provided onsite subject matter expertise to support HJSC with installation, software integration, and startup of the C4N systems since April 2022. The first two C4N systems were completed and delivered in mid-2022. 

Korea’s Hanjin Shipyard successfully initiated the main engines and inflated the bags within the skirting system on LSF-II Craft 633 for the first time December 9, 2022. This significant milestone demonstrated a core C4N capability for controlling the engine functions used to get up “on-cushion,” providing lift and propulsion for the craft. Panama City personnel Bill Chong and Randy Martin were there. 

“One of the more challenging parts of starting this project was more about terminology association. For instance, the USN views the Control, Alarm, and Monitoring System (CAMS) as a subset of the C4N system,” said Martin, NSWC PCD team electrical engineer. “ROK Navy’s CAMS terminology encompassed all of the USN C4N system, in addition to all electrical components inside the command module. It took some time before we saw eye-to-eye in terms of what we were providing to ROK Navy.” 

FMS Program Manager Robert Woodall, also from NSWC PCD, credited one engineer’s Korean language skills with helping overcome potential obstacles. 

“Some of the biggest barriers were language, cultural, and time differences that made communication with the Koreans difficult for reviewing and updating the C4N design package,” said Woodall. “For most of the modification program, we were doing this on a bi-weekly basis. Fortunately, we have an excellent electronics engineer, Chae “Bill” Chong, on the team who also happens to be fluent in Korean.” 

Chong played a vital role as the USN team’s main interpreter – an experience that also taught him about Korean business culture. 

“Working with the Koreans to provide C4N capabilities for their ACV [LSF-II] has been very rewarding and exciting. One of the most striking differences in working with them is the level of respect displayed by Koreans,” said Chong. “They always bowed and shook our hands – using both hands – as they greeted us. They always did their best to show their appreciation and gratitude working with U.S. Navy. Looking at the LSF-II Craft 633 going through a sea trial at Chinhae, Republic of Korea, I saw how far the project has come along with the many challenges we all had to overcome due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m so proud to be representing U.S. Navy support in this FMS effort and to be a part of this amazing NSWC PCD team.” 

With the continued success of the C4N system development, the U.S. / ROK partnership has grown into an expanded FMS purchase agreement for four additional systems; another 12 systems may be added in a follow-on FMS procurement. This long-term working partnership with the ROK team to mature the LSF-II’s C4N system, and the follow-on logistics support needed for continued upgrades, will strengthen collaboration for decades. 

Developing the C4N system for the ROK customer also benefits the USN LCAC program, by addressing hardware obsolescence issues that have been on the horizon for Navy logistics. 

“Obsolescence is a continuous problem we have to deal with,” said USN C4N Technical Area Expert Bill Buffkin. “With the C4N baseline we are using, we had already resolved some of those issues that would have impacted the Koreans, and since then, we have come up with other solutions that will benefit the U.S. Navy. It is much more efficient to have one team keeping up with this technology for both parties.” 

David Mercer, C4N software engineer, explained that this development has enabled exploration of new design alternatives for features and improvements to Navy hovercraft. 

“Working on the Korean system has given us an opportunity to perform improvements to our software implementation and processes,” said Mercer. “We are working with continuously evolving software and cybersecurity requirements, which are present for the Korean system as well, and by working on the Korean applications it has become a multiplier that benefits both Korea and the USN to keep to the forefront for both for performance and maintainability.” 

NSWC PCD will provide in-country technical support for integration and grooming of the C4N systems while the ROK shipyard completes construction and conducts sea trials for LSF-II 633 and 634 throughout Fiscal Year 2023.