MONTEREY, Calif. — The Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, and Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet are joining forces to harness educational and research knowledge and expertise specifically as it pertains to the Indo-Pacific region with a new effort, the Nimitz Research Group.

Nimitz Research Group will fall under NPS’ Naval Warfare Studies Institute, which will provide NPS faculty and students who will “serve as an extension of the PACFLT staff in Hawaii by participating in fleet exercises and events and providing additional research capacity and subject matter expertise,” according to an Naval Postgraduate School press release.

The Nimitz Research Group was launched Feb. 16 by the NPS president, retired Vice Adm. Ann E. Rondeau, and Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

“The establishment of the Nimitz Research Group marks a further evolution in our outstanding partnership with the U.S. Pacific Fleet,” said Rondeau. “We have always seen NPS as a center of excellence and innovation, a place where our faculty and students work together to solve the operational challenges of our fleet and force. Through the Nimitz Research Group, we will be able to provide those solutions by deploying our talent and our experience in direct support of our Pacific Fleet partners.”

According to NPS spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Ed Early, the Nimitz Research Group is modeled after Naval Warfare Studies Institute’s Bucklew Research Group, which already provides similar support to Naval Special Warfare. Early said the Navy SEAL officers who are Bucklew scholars attending NPS on a two-year master’s degree program serve as an extension of Naval Special Warfare Group commands, who in turn benefit from the SEALs’ education, research efforts, interactions with the academic community, and proximity to Silicon Valley.

“The example set by the Bucklew Research Group proved to be an ideal model for PACFLT’s requirements.,” Early said. “As a result, the Nimitz Research Group was conceived with the goal of providing coherence and unity of action for NPS’ support to PACFLT.”

Paparo, himself a graduate of NPS’ Systems Analysis program, wanted to leverage the Bucklew Research Group model to focus the unique capabilities of Naval Postgraduate School faculty members as well as the operational experience of NPS’ 2,500 mid-career officers, senior noncommissioned officers and civilians to support the commander of Pacific Fleet’s priorities and research needs.

“The Nimitz Research Group links the intellectual rigor of NPS, its key location in the nation’s hub of technical innovation and the expertise of innovative warfighters in the Pacific Fleet to research, develop and implement new and dynamic combat capabilities,” said Paparo. “Together we will build critical advantages over our competitors to maximize our strengths — battlespace awareness, agility, maneuverability and collective capabilities of the joint forces.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday met with his U.K. counterpart, Royal Navy First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff Adm. Sir Ben Key, at the Pentagon, Feb. 15, the CNO’s public affairs office said in a release.  

During the meeting, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation and discussed a wide range of issues including strategic competition, interoperability, capabilities and innovation.  

“Today’s global challenges and security environment emphasize the importance of partnerships and interoperability,” said Gilday. “Our enduring and strong partnership with the United Kingdom helps us to ensure security, stability and prosperity.”  

This meeting marked the first between the First Sea Lord and CNO and was emblematic of the strong partnership between the two countries.  Discussions were substantive and productive.   

Gilday and Key exchanged views about security issues in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, underscoring the importance of the U.S.-U.K. bilateral relationship and defense cooperation, as well as NATO alliance.  

“I am delighted to be in Washington to see my U.S. counterparts. As the Chief of Naval Operations has said, our two navies share an incredible bond, which was most amply demonstrated last year with the many miles we sailed together on the Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment,” said Key. “We train, exercise and operate together because of our shared outlook, our shared values and our shared desire for peace and prosperity across the globe.”  

“The strength of our alliances and partnerships has never been more important and will continue to be imperative to take on the challenges of the 21st century,” said Gilday.  “I look forward to the continued cooperation between our two countries and our two navies.”  

The two leaders emphasized their navies shared commitment to uphold and advance the rules-based international system.  

The U.S. and Royal Navy operate together around the globe regularly. Most recently, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) took part in a six-month deployment as part of Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) with HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08). Both navies also conducted multilateral naval training with Australia and Japan during Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) 2021 in October.  

Key took office in November. The Navy Chiefs spoke via video conference on Key’s first day in office.  

SAN DIEGO — The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group returned to San Diego on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, marking the end of an eight-month deployment to U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleets areas of operation, said U.S. 3^rd Fleet Public Affairs. 

After an accelerated departure from San Diego, the Carl Vinson CSG supported integrated operations in the Hawaiian Islands operating area with the U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard as part of the Defense Department’s ongoing presence in the Indo-Pacific region. They continued into the western Pacific demonstrating U.S. commitment to partnerships and alliances in the region while upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific. 
 
“The tireless dedication and professionalism of our Sailors, through a global pandemic, challenging operational tempo, and sacrificed time away from family, is truly humbling,” said Capt. P. Scott Miller, commanding officer of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the strike group’s flagship. “Their efforts have demonstrated flexibility and resiliency and ensured mission success in every task. They have directly supported a free and open Indo-Pacific and have underscored our Navy’s readiness, strength, and lethality.” 
 
Ships in the Carl Vinson CSG sailed more than 80,000 nautical miles while underway for 262 days, conducted dual carrier operations and multinational exercises, including maritime security operations, integrated training between surface and air units, long-range maritime strike, anti-submarine warfare, information warfare operations, maritime interdiction operations, personnel recovery, air defense operations, multiple ship navigation and formation maneuvering and refueling-at-sea operations. While deployed, the strike group operated in some of the most heavily navigated waters of the Indo-Pacific including the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. 
 
Carl Vinson is the first aircraft carrier to deploy with a combination of fourth- and fifth-generation platforms within Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 that predominantly represent the “Air Wing of the Future,” including the F-35C Lightning IIs of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, the CMV-22B Ospreys of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets of VFAs 2, 113, and 192, the EA-18G Growlers of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes of Airborne Command & Control Squadron (VAW) 113, the MH-60R Sea Hawks of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78, and the MH-60S Sea Hawks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4. The complete Air Wing of the Future will also include the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aircraft system, which is planned to be incorporated into carrier air wings in 2025. 
 
During the deployment, the air wing executed more than 15,000 fixed-wing and helicopter flight hours comprising of 7,791 sorties, 7,702 launches and 7,761 aircraft arrestments. 
 
The strike group successfully completed operations and exercises alongside multiple partners and allies including navies from Australia, Canada, Germany, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom as well as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. 
 
Notable multinational, bilateral, and U.S.-only exercises included Large Scale Exercise 2021 in August, Operation Malabar and Maritime Partnership Exercise 2021 in October, Annual Exercise 2021 in November, U.S. and Australia’s bilateral exercise in December and Expeditionary Strike Force and dual carrier operations in January 2022. 
 
“Alongside our partners and allies, we have aggressively pursued every opportunity to elevate our combat readiness in a drive to continue upholding regional stability,” said Rear Adm. Dan Martin, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. “We’ve been doing this for 75 years and I’m proud to say that our team has relentlessly paid tribute to this legacy with many long hours of sweat and determination that started well before we left San Diego.” 

The Carl Vinson CSG consists of Carl Vinson, embarked staffs of CSG 1, CVW-2 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1; nine embarked air wing squadrons; guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57); and DESRON 1 guided-missile destroyers USS Chafee (DDG 90), USS O’Kane (DDG 77), USS Stockdale (DDG 106), and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112). 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is set to deliver the first two operational next-generation landing craft, air cushion 110-class ship-to-shore connectors on Feb. 11 to an assault craft unit in Little Creek, Virginia, Navy officials said.  

The two SSCs are on board the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) inside the ship’s well deck en route to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia, after having completed well deck interoperability testing in Panama City, Florida. The two craft will be delivered to ACU-4, which has long operated the SSC’s predecessor, the LCAC 01 class, said Thomas Rivers, executive director, Amphibious, Auxiliary and Sealift Ships, Program Executive Office-Ships, speaking Feb. 10 at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Expeditionary Warfare Conference. 

Four LCAC 100s have been delivered to the Navy so far, with delivery of three or four more expected in 2022, said Capt. Scot Searles, program manager, Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, PEO-Ships, also speaking at the conference. A total of 24 are on contract, with 12 under construction.  

Rivers said initial operational capability of the LCAC 100 class will be reached when the ACU is equipped with six craft. 

Capt. Kevin Lane, the Navy’s resource sponsor for Amphibious Warfare, also speaking at the conference, said IOC is expected in 2023, with first deployment of the craft expected in 2024. 

The deck operability testing “was conducted as part of the first phase of ship interface testing and helped validate user requirements by performing multiple well deck entries and exits from USS Carter Hall,” said Team Ships Public Affairs in a release. “LCACs are built with similar configurations, dimensions, and clearances to the legacy LCAC — ensuring the compatibility with existing well deck equipped amphibious ships.” 

“The success of the well deck testing and other recent evolutions validates these modernized craft will be a game changer for the Navy-Marine Corps team as they execute various missions in the maritime domain,” Searles said. 

The test event, a collaboration between, PEO Ships, USS Carter Hall, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division and other stakeholders, was the culmination of months of preparation. The testing also has historical significance, as Panama City is the location of the Navy’s Air Cushion Vehicle Center of Excellence with the first-ever well deck operations occurring off Panama City in 1985 between legacy LCAC 01 and USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41). 

FORT WORTH, Texas — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, and visited Lockheed Martin on Feb. 10, with Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), the CNO’s Public Affairs Office said in a release.   

Gilday and Granger toured facilities and received updates about F-35C Lightning II advancements and capabilities, joint all-domain operations, anti-surface warfare and weapon technology. 

“The work that we’re doing here in Fort Worth in partnership with Lockheed Martin is delivering cutting edge capabilities for the Navy now and into the future,” said Gilday. “These advanced capabilities will ensure the U.S. Navy will maintain our warfighting advantage against increasingly competitive adversaries and ensure tomorrow’s Sailors will have what they need to win the fight.” 

The F-35C is an aircraft that redefines the multirole fighter. It is a fifth-generation aircraft that integrates advanced stealth technology that provides unprecedented situational awareness to the pilot, as well as lethality and survivability. Major advances in network enabled mission systems, reliability and interoperability make this platform powerful and effective.   

“Today’s visit from Admiral Gilday highlights the role played by Texas, and North Texas in particular, at the forefront of our nation’s strong national defense,” Granger said. Our visit gave us greater insight on the incredible capabilities of the F-35 and the advancements being made to ensure we have the best fighter fleet in the world. I will always remain the F-35 program’s staunchest advocate.” 

The aircraft, satellites, ships and ground vehicles Navy forces operate have the ability to collect information from air, sea, space, land and cyber, but processing and analyzing that amount of data can be a difficult task, Gilday added.   

Gilday explained the industrial base plays a key role in maintaining the current fleet as well as developing and building platforms and capabilities for the future fight. “We will seek opportunities to accelerate the development and fielding of needed capabilities ahead of our rivals,” he said.  

Playing a large role in joint all-domain operations, the F-35C fighter brings increased situational awareness, information sharing and connectivity to the naval force, as well as our allies and partners.  

This visit marked CNO’s second trip to Fort Worth. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The coronavirus pandemic may have disrupted normal operations and planned training exercises over the last two years, but it drove U.S. Navy and Marine Corps units in the Indo-Pacific to work together and solve problems under trying conditions, a former 7^th Fleet commander says.

Outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus sidelined some warships, like the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, and extended at-sea deployments for all the rest, “but a lot of good came out of it if you put it in context,“ Vice Admiral William Merz, the deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5), told the National Defense Industrial Association’s virtual Expeditionary Warfare Conference Feb. 9.

Merz, who commanded the 7^th Fleet before assuming his N3/N5 role, told online viewers they should be “celebrating the Sailors, how they just came alive under those oppressive conditions, coming together against this common enemy. I’ll tell you, COVID’s probably the best thing that’s happened to 7^th Fleet, at least in recent memory. It allowed us to stay together as a fleet, we pretty much stayed at sea the entire time, undistracted.”

Because of COVID restrictions on travel, Merz said he cut his routine trips  to Washington way back, “so it allowed me to engage very heavily” with all parts of the fleet. He kept the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), usually based at Japan’s Yokosuka Naval Base, at sea for a total of 200 days during his last 15 months at 7^th Fleet, using its flight deck to helicopter around his command.

Once counter-virus practices were in place aboard ships, Merz said he was able to move his expeditionary force around the 7^th Fleet area of responsibility at sea undistracted. Other U.S. and allied naval vessels kept China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy from taking advantage of the Roosevelt’s absence from the sea, he noted.

Construction projects and test concepts like unmanned undersea vehicles kept on track even more efficiently because exercises and other distractions were canceled during the height of the pandemic, Merz said.

“Probably most revealing was the time period that I had the Theodore Roosevelt in Guam coordinating her recovery,” he said. “The whole world is benefiting from the lessons we learned from that large scale but very focused recovery, and we had doctors from all over the globe coming to study how we moved through that.”

Commander, Task Force 75, based in Guam, built two expeditionary hospitals on the island and reopened the hotels closed by the pandemic, to treat, quarantine and house the 5,000 crew members disembarked from the Roosevelt while it was sanitized. CTF 75 also provided security and logistics for those facilities, Merz said.

CTF 75 also constructed two bubble liberty ports on Guam and Okinawa, as well as a backup one in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. “This just proved to be a life saver” and not just for the 7^th Fleet, Merz said. Naval vessels from South Korea, Japan, France, Britain and Malaysia also made stops at the COVID-free bubbles to enjoy beer, pizza and the beach facilities.

“It just became this wonderful resetting for the crews, who were heavily stressed, not just by the virus or what was going on at home, but the much longer at-sea periods that we levied on them to make sure that once they were cleaned, they stayed clean,” Merz said.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The current world geo-political climate is evidence of the need for urgency in the fielding of new systems, a Navy program executive officer said. 

“It shouldn’t take 18 months to get [a new system] on contract; it should take 90 days,” said Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, the Navy’s program executive officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs, speaking Feb. 9 at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Expeditionary Warfare Conference. 

Gahagan discussed several ongoing and future programs such as a replacement for the MH-60 helicopters; the Next-Generation Air Dominance program to replace the FA-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter; the fielding of the Block III of the F/A-8E/F, and the life-extension program for the F/A-18E/F.  

“The pressure is the idea to pull all that to the left,” he said, stressing the need to accelerate development and field systems sooner in order to counter the rapid development weapons and other systems by potential adversaries such as China and Russia. 

LOS ANGELES — Northrop Grumman Corp. announced Feb. 7 the successful completion of the second flight test of its AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range.

The U.S. Navy launched the missile from an F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft Jan. 21 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the coast of southern California. The missile performed an extended range profile, engaging a land-based, emitter target staged at the range on San Nicholas Island. 

“This second flight test verified AARGM-ER’s ability to detect, identify, locate and engage a land-based air defense radar system from an extended range,” said Captain A.C. Dutko, Navy Program Manager for Direct and Time Sensitive Strike (PMA-242). “Through the exceptional efforts of our government-industry team, we are another step closer to delivering capability to suppress the most advanced adversary air-defense systems without putting our warfighters in danger.” 

Since achieving a milestone C decision (authorization for low-rate initial production) in September 2021, AARGM-ER prime contractor Northrop Grumman has continued to lead its industry team in developing the system. Northrop Grumman is currently under contract to deliver production units of AARGM-ER to support a 2023 initial operational capability fielding.  In December 2021, Northrop Grumman received a $45.6 million contract for the second lot of AARGM-ER LRIP. 

AARGM-ER leverages existing state-of-the-art AARGM sensors, electronics and digital models with the addition of a new high-performance air vehicle, solid rocket motor propulsion system and advanced warhead. 

“AARGM-ER provides the U.S. Navy with the capability to stay ahead of evolving threats,” said Mary Petryszyn, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Defense Systems. “This flight test further demonstrated the critical capability of AARGM-ER to precisely engage long-range threats, while enabling launching aircrew to remain at a safe distance.” 

AARGM-ER is being integrated on the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft as well as F-35A/B/C aircraft. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s program to build a force of light amphibious warships faces challenges, including an uncertain amphibious warfare fleet force structure requirement and a risk of requirements creep, according to analysts.

Eric Labs, senior analyst for Naval Forces and Weapons, Congressional Budget Office, and Ron O’Rourke, naval affairs analyst for the Congressional Research Service, spoke Feb. 8 at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Expeditionary Warfare Conference, addressing Navy shipbuilding plans with a focus on amphibious warfare ships.

The Navy, in response to the need of the Marine Corps for a large number of smaller amphibious warfare ships for distributed maritime operations and expeditionary advance base operations, is planning to design and build the light amphibious warship to augment the amphibious lift fleet. The LAW would be able to beach and discharge Marines and their vehicles on a shore. 

Labs pointed out that the future of amphibious forces is “facing challenging times for the next five years,” and finds that there is “no natural constituency” for the LAW. 

Labs said the number of LAWs needed by the fleet has not been refined. Recent shipbuilding plans, he pointed out, have variously assumed a build range of 24-35 LAWs. The requirement for large and medium-sized amphibious warfare ships — amphibious assault ships (LHA/LHDs) and amphibious transport dock ships (LPDs) — is no longer 38 ships, but over the last year variously is said to be 24 to 32 ships. The Navy has not provided to Congress a 30-year shipbuilding plan for two years. 

O’Rourke warned against requirements creep that could increase the cost of the LAW program and threaten the Navy’s estimate of a LAW’s cost of $130 million to $150 million. 

“The LAW represents an effort to break that price trend,” O’Rourke said. 

He noted the success of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG) in its beginnings, when the Navy determined to build five DDGs in one fiscal year, designing ships not just with capabilities in mind but also with numbers of ships in mind, and was able to meet its goal of five in one year.  

O’Rourke noted there is some pushback in Congress about the LAW concept because of concerns about the survivability of the ship and of the ability to resupply Marines inside an island chain where the Marines would be delivered. 

O’Rourke also noted a suggestion as an option that a small number U.S. Army’s logistic support vessels — similar in size to that envisioned for the LAW — be used as surrogates for the LAW, as a bridge to the LAW. The Army LSVs are equipped with a bow ramp to discharge vehicles on shore.  

SAN DIEGO — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) returned home to Naval Base San Diego on Feb. 6, completing an eight-month independent deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation, said U.S. 3rd Fleet public affairs. 

O’Kane deployed in June 2021 in support of national tasking, serving as the ballistic missile defense commander for Carrier Strike Group 1 while operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet and the primary ballistic missile defense asset while in the U.S. 5th Fleet. 

The Sailors aboard USS O’Kane lead the way in demonstrating resiliency and dedication to support the mission and each other,” said Cmdr. Michelle R. Fontenot, O’Kane’s commanding officer. “As an independent deployer serving in both the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets, O’Kane met each mission with success.” 

While operating in U.S. 5th Fleet, O’Kane escorted multiple high-value units through 30 strait transits, including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal. O’Kane participated in several high-end exercises such as maritime security operations in support of the International Maritime Security Coalition, collaborating with seven partner nations for security and the free flow of commerce.

O’Kane also participated in Indigo Defender, a bilateral maritime exercise between Saudi naval forces and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. In addition, O’Kane conducted maritime interdiction operations; board, search, and seizure operations; and operated alongside international navies, including the Egyptian naval force, Royal Saudi navy and the Indian navy.

Following Israel’s transition from the U.S. European Command theater to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in September, O’Kane Sailors were able to enjoy a visit to Haifa, further strengthening the U.S.partnership with Israel.

O’Kane served as a key facilitator in a highly successful seizure of illicit cargo from a stateless fishing vessel during a flag verification boarding in accordance with customary international law in the North Arabian Sea on Dec. 20. O’Kane worked alongside the Cyclone-class coastal patrol ships USS Tempest (PC 2), USS Typhoon (PC 5), and the U.S. Coast Guard Advanced Interdiction Team to seize 1,400 AK-47s and 226,000 rounds of ammunition. 

Upon completion of the missions in U.S. 5th Fleet, O’Kane entered U.S. 7th Fleet and took part in expeditionary strike force operations with the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The U.S. force of more than nine ships conducted underway replenishments, including vertical and connected replenishments. O’Kane executed anti-submarine warfare operations while escorting high-value assets through the South China Sea.

“O’Kane’s tireless commitment and unparalleled performance are above reproach. I am very proud of every O’Kane Sailor and what we have accomplished as a team,” said Fontenot. “O’Kane Sailors represent the Navy’s fighting spirit and it is an honor to serve them as their commanding officer.”