Middletown, R.I. — Rite-Solutions was recently awarded three contracts by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT), Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), the company said in a release.  

Over the next three to five years, the three contracts total $68 million.  

Supporting NUWCDIVNPT’s Code 25 Combat Systems Department, Rite-Solutions will provide hardware and software engineering, systems engineering, system integration and testing, fleet support and administrative services supporting the AN/BYG-1 submarine combat control system modernization. The contract is worth $25 million. 

“We are thrilled to continue supporting the Code 25 Combat Systems Department in what has been a long and productive partnership for more than two decades,” said Rite-Solutions Sr. Vice President Laura Deady.   

Separately, NAVWAR awarded the company a $13 million follow-on contract under the Navy’s RAPDS Multi-Award ID/IQ for PEO MLB/PMW 250. Rite-Solutions will continue sustaining and maintaining the DoD IT Portfolio Repository (DITPR)-DoN and DoN Application and Database Management System (DADMS) IT Portfolio Management system. DITPR/DADMS is used by the DoD to maintain an inventory of all of its hardware, software, and their interfaces. 

NSWCDD awarded the third contract to Rite-Solutions, worth $30 million. The Rite-Solutions proposal included up to 60 full-time employees, annually. The company will be hiring up to 30 people in the Virginia and DC area.   

“The Dahlgren center provides the world’s best surface ship command and control systems and we’re very pleased to apply our experience in undersea warfare,” said Laurie Carter, Rite-Solutions’ senior vice president of Business Development and Strategy. 

Rite-Solutions will provide engineering and combat systems integration expertise to the NSWCDD Integrated Combat Systems Department to plan and execute combat systems operations activities in support of current and future Combat System Command and Control functions.   

“These contracts, on the heels of a $77 million contract awarded by NSWCDD earlier this year, are a testament to the expertise and dedication of Rite-Solutions’ employees and the value we provide our customers,” said Rite-Solutions President and CEO Dennis McLaughlin.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) recently began activation as a Department of Defense second depot source of repair (DSOR) for the F135 engine, the propulsion system that powers the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. The first DSOR for the F135 was designated in 2012 with activation complete in 2014 at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.  

“It’s great to be a part of the FRCSE Team as we prepare to activate the F135 engine product line,” said FRCSE’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Grady Duffey. “The new scope of work won’t just expand our support of the Joint Strike Fighter, but will help meet the sustainment demands of our military. I am confident that FRCSE will be ready to answer the call and commence repair of F135 engine modules in the near future, and at an even greater rate later as we expand infrastructure.”   

FRCSE officially activating as second DSOR doesn’t come without certain challenges. Before the command sees its first Power Module (PM), one of the five major modules that make up the F135 power plant, artisans will need to go through a three-phase Pratt & Whitney (P&W) training and maintenance qualification and certification process, which is set to begin in January 2023. 

The first two training phases focus on classroom and practical skills. The engine’s PMs and associated mini-modules (MMs) will be used to accomplish the hands-on portion of the training with artisans and P&W trainers working side-by-side. 

Once the practical hands-on phase is complete, qualification and certification will be the final step in the process. FRCSE is expected to induct its first PM by April 1, 2023, with a second arriving about two weeks later. 

After certification is achieved, F135 engine line artisans will work only on the PM and its four MMs — the high-pressure compressor, high-pressure turbine, low-pressure turbine and diffuser combustor — in designated areas called cells. The current plan is to have nine PM cells and 22 mini-module cells. 

While FRCSE’s Crinkley Engine Facility complex currently performs work on four other engines (F404, F414, TF34 and J85), expansion is a must to support the full anticipated F135 workload.  

“In preparation of this engine workload, we had to make multiple facility improvements along with purchasing new industrial plant equipment and machinery unique to the F135,” said Rick Eveson, FRCSE’s F135 production line director. “New high-capacity bridge cranes, a new entrance, floor paint and Andon lighting have all been procured to support the F135 engine maintenance process, which will also benefit our other engine programs. In addition, we’ve developed a custom shelving unit to more efficiently store parts, tooling and gear.” 

FRCSE won’t just accommodate this new workload through the optimization of shops and processes in its current state, but also through the renovation of its existing engine test cell and construction of an entirely new engine facility by way of military construction (MILCON). A MILCON will be utilized in order to renovate FRCSE’s engine test cell as well as a whole new engine facility to streamline workflow. The new building is expected to break ground in 2026 with completion in 2028, and it will significantly increase the plant’s capacity for F135 work.   

Furthermore, the engine test cell modification project will make significant changes to the existing structure, as the facility must be upgraded to accommodate the F135 engine’s 50,000 pounds of thrust and over 18-foot size. The building’s anticipated completion date is 2027. 

“We expect engine production to ramp up through 2034 to the max production requirement — roughly 600 MMs and 120 PMs annually, correlating to about 600,000 man-hours,” Eveson continued. 

From repair of the F135’s PM and its MMs to establishing depot capability for the F-35 airframe and associated systems, the command is certainly on its way to becoming the go-to facility in support of fifth and future generations of aircraft.   

“The entire FRC Southeast team is excited to begin work on the F135 and showcase our world-class facility,” said Duffey. “We are unequivocally committed to this program’s success and to activating the U.S. Navy’s first F135 engine product line.” 

MANAMA, Bahrain — On Nov. 8, U.S. 5th Fleet intercepted a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman smuggling lethal aid, including a large quantity of explosive material, from Iran to Yemen, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs said in a Nov. 15 release. 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) and guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) interdicted the vessel as it transited international waters. Patrol coastal ship USS Hurricane (PC 3) and Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians from U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 56 also assisted during a weeklong effort to fully search the vessel and verify the type of material found. 

U.S. forces discovered more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives. This is U.S. 5th Fleet’s first ever interdiction of ammonium perchlorate. 

“This was a massive amount of explosive material, enough to fuel more than a dozen medium-range ballistic missiles depending on the size,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “The unlawful transfer of lethal aid from Iran does not go unnoticed. It is irresponsible, dangerous and leads to violence and instability across the Middle East.” 

The search also found more than 100 tons of urea fertilizer. Urea is a chemical compound with agricultural applications that is also known for use as an explosive precursor. 

The vessel and its four Yemeni crewmembers were intercepted while transiting from Iran along a route historically used to traffic weapons to the Houthis in Yemen. The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law. 

U.S. forces sank the vessel Nov. 13 in the Gulf of Oman after determining it was a hazard to navigation for commercial shipping. The four crewmembers were transferred to Yemen for repatriation Nov. 15 when The Sullivans completed an at-sea exchange in the Gulf of Aden with the Yemen Coast Guard. 

“Alongside our partner forces, CENTCOM is committed to security and stability of the region and to deterring the illegal and destabilizing flow of lethal material into the region over land, in the air and the sea,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, U.S. Central Command commander. 

U.S. 5th Fleet previously seized 40 tons of urea fertilizer Jan. 18 when guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) and patrol coastal ship USS Chinook (PC 9) interdicted another fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman that had attempted to smuggle illicit weapons off the coast of Somalia months earlier. 

The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal. 

ATLANTIC OCEAN — USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, joined six NATO allies for exercise Silent Wolverine in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean on Nov. 8, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Public Affairs said Nov. 9. 

Silent Wolverine tests the first-in-class aircraft carrier capabilities through integrated high-end naval warfare scenarios alongside participating NATO allies. Exercise participants include Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States. 

“The challenges of tomorrow are upon us — in the here and now. Silent Wolverine demonstrates our commitment to deepening interoperability with our allies and partners, while testing the advanced, cutting-edge warfighting capabilities of the Ford-class aircraft carrier in a highly relevant operational environment,” said Adm. Stuart B. Munsch, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, and Allied Joint Force Command Naples. 

Gerald R. Ford is a first-in-class U.S. aircraft carrier that incorporates 23 new technologies comprised of significant advances in propulsion, power generation, ordnance handling and aircraft launch systems. The Ford-class aircraft carrier generates an increased aircraft launch and recovery capability with a 20 percent smaller crew than Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.  

“We are honored to be sailing alongside some of the most capable navies in the world during our first deployment as we increase our proficiencies and demonstrate the warfighting capabilities that Ford brings to the fight,” said Rear Adm. Greg Huffman, commander, Carrier Strike Group 12.  

The Gerald R. Ford CSG consists of the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS McFaul (DDG 74), and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116).  The Gerald R. Ford CSG is conducting their first deployment to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility to exercise with allies. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — HII’s Mission Technologies division has developed a new generation of medium unmanned underwater vehicle (MUUV) — the REMUS 620 — that leverages advances incorporated in its smaller REMUS 300 UUV, the company said in a Nov. 7 press conference and news release.  

The REMUS 620 is based on the design of the REMUS 300, which has been selected by the U.S. Navy as its new Lionfish small UUV. The REMUS 620 will feature longer range and endurance, capable of a battery endurance of up to 110 hours and a range of 275 nautical miles. With a synthetic-aperture sonar installed, the REMUS 620 will have a battery life of 78 hours and a range of 200 nautical miles. The MUUV can sprint up at 8 knots and will have a navigation accuracy of 0.1% of distance travelled, said Duane Fotheringham, president of Mission Technologies’ Unmanned Systems business group.  

The 12 ¾-inch-diameter REMUS 620 has the same size and weight as the REMUS 600, of which the company has delivered 175 to customers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Japan. The REMUS 600 is the basis for the U.S. Navy’s MUUVs currently used by mine countermeasures squadrons (Mk18 Mod 2 Kingfish), Naval Oceanographic Office (Littoral Battleship Sensing-Autonomous Undersea Vehicle) and submarine force (LBS-Razorback). The REMUS 620 is designed for such missions as mine countermeasures, hydrographic surveys, intelligence collection, surveillance, cyber warfare and electronic warfare. 

The REMUS 620, developed with HII’s internal funding, features modern core electronics and navigation and communications systems and modular, open architecture interfaces to accommodate wet or dry payloads, including towed payloads and custom payloads developed by customers. The UUV includes HII’s Odyssey suite of advanced autonomy solutions for intelligent, robotic platforms, including the Odyssey Mission Management Software. 

Mission data can be offloaded from the UUV by a removable hard drive, WiFi and Iridium satellite link, with other options including line-of-sight RF, high-data rate transmission, acoustic modems, optical modems and plug-in ethernet, Fotheringham said.   

The REMUS 620 features several interchangeable batteries that can be quickly exchanged for fully charged batteries. 

The REMUS 620 can be deployed from submarines, surface combatants, amphibious warfare ships, small manned or unmanned craft and helicopters. The new UUV can also be a platform from which to launch small UUVs or UAVs. 

Fotheringham said that the U.S. Navy has said it has launched and recovered REMUS 600 Razorbacks from the dry-deck shelters of submarines and out of torpedo tubes. 

“Recently there has been quite a bit in the press about the Navy’s efforts for launch and recovery of UUVs back into the torpedo tubes,” he said. “Those stories indicated the Razorback vehicles are being tested with that capability of recovery back into a torpedo tube.” 

He said the capability to recover UUVs back into a torpedo tube is being worked by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where the REMUS technology originally was developed. 

“That solution that [Woods Hole] is developing for torpedo tube recovery is also compatible with the REMUS 620,” Fotheringham said. 

“Retaining a forward strategic advantage requires the ability to deliver a multitude of effects from under the sea,” Fotheringham said. “The REMUS 620 is the first medium UUV designed to accurately deliver this range of advanced above-and-below water effects at long range.” 

“We are prototyping and building the first vehicle now,” Fotheringham said. “We expect the first vehicle to be completed and in the water in 2023 with customer delivery in late ’23 or early ‘24.” 

He said HII was in discussions with the U.S. Navy about the REMUS 620 but was not free to offer details. 

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Chicago (SSN 721) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a seven-month deployment, Nov. 2, 2022, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a Nov. 4 release. 

It was the submarine’s final deployment before decommissioning, which is scheduled to begin in 2023 following 37 years of service. 
 
Chicago departed Pearl Harbor March 28, 2022, for a regularly scheduled deployment, during which the submarine and its crew performed a full spectrum of operations, to include anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare in the Indo-Pacific region. 
 
“I’m extremely proud of not only the Chicago Sailors but the Chicago families and supporters,” said Chicago’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Andrew Kopacz, from Hartford, Wisconsin. “Being gone from home is a challenge for the crew and we could not have remained focused on the mission without knowing our families were strong back at home. This crew demonstrated the fortitude, resiliency, and enthusiasm that make this country great. We are eager to reunite with our families and enjoy some down time in their company.” 
 
Chicago’s crew trained to be combat-ready prior to departure and maintained those high standards throughout the deployment. 
 
“The toughness and positive attitude displayed by the entire Chicago crew has been extraordinary,” said Master Chief Information Systems Technician (Submarines) Christopher Kyser, from Warner Robins, Georgia, Chicago’s Chief of the Boat. “The work put in by Chicago Sailors to maintain a presence at sea has been impressive. I couldn’t be more proud of the work our Sailors have put in over the last seven months to keep the oldest submarine in the force in top shape during her last deployment. Special thanks to all the families for keeping the home front secure and enabling us to accomplish our primary mission. None of this would be possible without your sacrifice.” 
 
During the deployment, more than 50 Chicago Sailors became fully qualified in submarines, earning their submarine warfare specialist designation dolphins. 
 
“The most memorable part of deployment has been seeing my junior Sailors qualify for their dolphins,” said Torpedoman’s Mate 1st Class Devon Schilling, from Sacramento, Calif. “I have been on board Chicago for five years, and I have never been more proud than I am now, seeing the boys I trained turn into men. I am always proud to gain a new brother or sister of the ‘fin.” 
 
Chicago was commissioned Sept. 27, 1986. Chicago is the thirty-fourth Los Angeles-class submarine and the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named for the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is 360 feet long with a beam of 33 feet. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has installed a 3D printer capable of producing metal parts for ships on the amphibious ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) in an experiment that could be expanded to across the fleet, a Navy official told Seapower in an interview. 

The Navy has already experimented with 3D-printing parts, but they have used polymer printers in the past. But since most of the parts that need replacing are metal, they have limited utility — hence the impetus for this test, said Jim Pluta, additive manufacturing program manager at Naval Sea Systems Command. The Navy completed installation of a metal 3D printer on the Bataan on Nov. 3. 

“When sailors deploy forward and they’re out on a ship at sea and something breaks, that’s when you know you need a replacement part,” Pluta said. “Sometimes they have it on ship, and sometimes they don’t.” 

As a result, if a part breaks and there is no replacement immediately available, the crew has to wait for a part to be delivered or has to make do until the ship returns to port. 

“If there’s a failure of a smaller subcomponent, rather than order that larger assembly or larger system, they can print that smaller subcomponent that failed,” Pluta said. “They reverse engineer or design it using CAD [computer-aided design] and create a replacement part that maybe didn’t exist or existed only from the manufacturer. Instead, they print that part on demand and put it into the larger system, and it can be brought up to fully mission capable again.” 

Pluta said the research and development into this system has been going on for about four years, starting with the polymer printers that are fairly inexpensive to install. But a 3D printer for metal has been the main goal, he said. 

“Most everything aboard ship is made of metal and not plastic,” he said. “We’re looking at this as a fairly permanent installation.” 

Pluta says it’s possible this technology will go on the entire fleet, although it is much better suited at the moment for larger ships like aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. But it could go on other vessels, such as submarines, as long as the Navy can find printers that can handle the shipboard motion, vibration and acceleration. Printers can also have a large footprint, so the space it takes up is also a factor. 

Pluta said even if printers couldn’t be placed on every ship, there could be a model where a printer is shared among a carrier strike group that is underway, with a printer on one ship producing parts that are shared between the vessels. 

“Ideally those larger vessels could take requests from ships that accompany it,” he said. “They’ve demonstrated that recently where we installed a printer on [aircraft carrier USS John C.] Stennis [CVN 74] and used the printer for prototyping with a polymer printer. So, they’ve demonstrated that capability.” 

BUSAN, Republic of Korea — Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday and his wife Linda Gilday visited the Republic of Korea (ROK), Nov. 3-4, to meet with U.S. Sailors and military leaders, as well as ROK officials, the CNO’s Public Affairs Office said in a Nov. 4 release.  

Adm. Gilday met with the Chief of Naval Operations of the Republic of Korea Navy Adm. Lee, Jong-Ho, and Commander, Republic of Korea Fleet Vice Adm. Kang, Dong Hoon.  

“The alliance and close relationship between our naval forces is a linchpin of security in Northeast Asia,” said Gilday.  “Our alliance provides a stabilizing and deterring presence and our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea remains ironclad.”  

“Lately, the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] is raising levels of provocation by launching missiles and artillery shells, flying warplanes and seriously threatening peace and security in the international community,” said Lee. “We have to bolster the two navies’ military engagement and combined defense posture to prepare for the current, critical security situation.” 

“The U.S. remains committed to peace and prosperity through the region in order to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Gilday added.   

CNO visited Seoul, Busan and Gyerong, ROK. At each engagement, Gilday emphasized the significance of presence and the strength of the partnership between the U.S. and ROK navies, as well as the importance of forward-deployed naval forces. Throughout his visit, Adm. Gilday spoke with U.S. Sailors, as well as service members assigned to the ROK navy. 

He also offered his sympathies to ROK following the recent tragedy in Seoul. 

“With great sorrow, my wife Linda and I grieve alongside the people of Korea,” said the CNO. “Our hearts are heavy. We will never forget the strength of the families and the community with whom we met over the past two days.”  

The Gildays also toured Commander, Naval Forces Korea headquarters, attended an awards ceremony and reenlisted Sailors. 

The U.S. and Republic of Korea navies regularly operate together for many bilateral exercises and operations. Joint exercise Vigilant Storm started this week and focuses on building interoperability and readiness. Recently, both navies participated in the Korean-led exercise Hoguk, an annual exercise conducted by ROK marines. The ROK recently also hosted the 2022 Multinational Mine Countermeasures Exercise and Symposium at Busan Naval Base, which was an opportunity for leaders from multiple nations to meet and share knowledge about mine countermeasures. 

This past September, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) pulled into Busan, for the first time since 2017, marking the Japan-based carrier’s first trip to the ROK in nearly four years. CNO Gilday visited ROKS Marado (LPH 6112) over the summer during exercise Rim of the Pacific 2022.  

Gilday’s visit to ROK precedes a trip to Japan for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force International Fleet Review and Western Pacific Naval Symposium. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The admiral in charge of the U.S. Navy’s attack submarine program gave an update on the SSN(X) program while talking about the root causes of challenges the service faces from maintenance backlogs during an address at the Naval Submarine League’s annual symposium in Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 2. 

Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, program executive officer for attack submarines (PEO SSN), said that the Navy was in the midst of looking at the trade space for SSN(X), which involves technology assessments and capability reviews leading up to an analysis of alternatives. 

“This is really a team effort,” he said. “We’re working with the shipbuilders, we’re working across government, we’re working across industry to see what technologies are going to make the most sense. 

“We want to learn from other platforms, so we put in the most capability we can but obviously we will not set [ourselves] up for capability that will not deliver,” he added. 

He noted that the program has delivered 21 Virginia-class submarines to date with another 17 under contract or in construction, with two planned for delivery this year and two next year as well. 

But the main struggle he highlighted had to do with the maintenance backlog the fleet faces, particularly when it comes to submarines. Of the 57 attack submarines in the fleet, 18 of them are unavailable because of maintenance. 

“We should be down much lower,” Rucker said. “We should be at 10. … So we’re not where we need to be. That’s just a fact.” 

He identified three main causes for this: planning, material and shipyard throughput. 

With regard to planning, he noted that 30% of maintenance is unplanned, which is a major driver of maintenance time. The program’s goal is to reduce that figure to 10% by 2026, he said. 

Rucker also said that about half of the material for maintenance isn’t ordered until the start of the submarine’s availability, leading to delays because there is often a long lead time associated with that material. 

He vowed to take efforts to address all three areas in order to get the maintenance backlog under control. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The commander of U.S. submarine forces in the Pacific Fleet struck a defiant tone in discussing the challenge posed by China at the Naval Submarine League’s annual symposium in Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 2, vowing that the United States would “not yield any ground to our competitor.” 

Competition between the United States and China has increased in recent years due to U.S. naval drills in China’s backyard and U.S. involvement in Taiwan, and U.S. officials in recent years have taken an even sterner tone with how the growing naval power operates in the East and South China seas. Rear Admiral Jeffrey T. Jablon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet submarine force, told symposium attendees that his “No. 1 focus” is the People’s Republic of China (PRC), despite Russia’s more acute and immediate activity in Ukraine, and he vowed that the United States would only increase its presence off the coast of China. 

“The PRC’s rapid growth in military capability reinforces the critical importance of not only maintaining but … expanding our reach,” Jablon said. “We will maximize our strength in the undersea domain.” 

He said that he would ensure the Pacific submarine fleet would be “ready at all times for full-spectrum cross-domain operations,” adding that his office had established a campaign plan for submarine forces that he described as “warfighting first, people always and safety is the bedrock of everything we do.” 

The most important line of effort in that plan, he said, is modernizing the Navy’s fleet of ballistic missile submarines armed with nuclear weapons, pointing to efforts to maintain the Ohio-class SSBNs out until the 2040s while building the follow-on Columbia-class program. 

Another line of effort is to “prepare for the fight in the ‘decade of maximum danger,'” Jablon said. 

“That specifically refers to the PRC,” he said. “We’ve heard ‘we’re in an inflection point,’ ‘it’s a critical decade,’ ‘it’s a decisive decade.’ And it’s true. That’s my No. 1 concern. … China has built the largest Navy in the world, guaranteeing its numerical advantage in the South and East China seas. 

“We will intensify our efforts to prepare our undersea force to deter and, if necessary, to beat the PLAN [People’s Liberation Army Navy],” he continued. “We will not yield any ground to our competitor.”