ARLINGTON, Va. — In the future, a commission in the U.S. Space Force may be a possibility for a few new graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). 

“USNA graduates select commissions into the Navy or Marine Corps,” said Cmdr. Alana Garas, a Naval Academy spokeswoman, in a statement to Seapower.  “All midshipmen are eligible to request interservice commissions into other services. This is separate from the service assignment process.  We expect future graduates of USNA to be able to request commissions in the U.S. Space Force, although it remains unclear if the Department of the Air Force will accept any Space Force interservice commission requests from the class of 2021.” 
 
Garas said there are no quotas for any service regarding interservice commissions, “although there is a ceiling of 3% of the graduating class which can be accepted.” 

She said the “U.S. Air Force Academy will serve as the primary commissioning service academy for the U.S. Space Force (both Department of the Air Force) in the same manner as the U.S. Naval Academy is the primary commissioning service academy for the U.S. Marine Corps (both Department of the Navy).” 
 
USNA graduates have long been eligible to request commissions in the U.S. Air Force. 

“USNA graduates will continue to be able to request interservice commissions into the U.S. Air Force,” Garas said.  “The last U.S. Air Force commission from USNA was one graduate in the class of 2020.” 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy will commission the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Port Canaveral, Florida, the Defense Department said in a Sept. 25 release. 

Due to public health and safety concerns related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the commissioning is a private event, rather than the traditional public commissioning ceremony. 

The ceremony’s principal speaker is Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russel L. Smith. 

“Commissioning a ship after the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy is an honor without equal. The Navy has always been and will always be indelibly influenced by the leadership of our senior enlisted sailors epitomized by Delbert Black,” said Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite. “They are the ones who teach both our junior enlisted as well as our junior officers what it means to lead. They lay the keel by which the Navy operates and as such this ship named for one of the most influential master chiefs ever to wear three stars will be a visible reminder of their importance to our Navy. As MCPON, Master Chief Black fought for increased sea-pay, family support programs, expanded uniform guidance and a host of other issues that improved the quality of life of not only junior enlisted, but all sailors and officers. By making life better for sailors, he made our Navy stronger for us all. This ship will undoubtedly continue on his great legacy of service above self.” 

USS Delbert D. Black is named for the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, the highest possible enlisted rank and the enlisted representative to the Chief of Naval Operations. Established by the Navy in 1967, Black oversaw the establishment of the senior enlisted advisor position, which eventually became known as Command Master Chief. Black was the first Navy enlisted man to receive the Distinguished Service Medal. Upon retirement from active duty, Black continued his involvement with the Navy through retired and active duty organizations. He still serves as an enduring example for the Chief’s Mess, with his service, character and performance demonstrating the highest ideals of a Navy chief petty officer in the world’s finest Navy. 

Mrs. Ima Black, MCPON Delbert D. Black’s widow and a former Sailor, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. Mrs. Black served during World War II in the Navy WAVES – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. During the time-honored ceremony, Mrs. Black will give the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life.” 

Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Delbert D. Black is the 68th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer to be delivered to the Navy and the first to bear his name. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security. 

Following commissioning, USS Delbert D. Black will be homeported in Mayport, Florida, with sister ships USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), USS Lassen (DDG 82), USS Farragut (DDG 99), USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) and USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117). 

The event will be livestreamed to offer maximum viewing by the general public at https://allhands.navy.mil/Live-Stream. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Lockheed Martin, tapped as one of six companies to provide a study for a proven, integrated and capable payload ship, able to patrol for extended durations, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition, is partnering with Portland, Oregon-based Vigor Works LLC as the team’s shipbuilder. 

As prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will manage the program, deliver platform integration, systems engineering, combat management, automation and cyber solutions, Lockheed Martin said in a Sept. 17 release. 

“The Lockheed Martin team brings together nearly 200 years of combined experience in shipbuilding, integration, automation and autonomy,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems. “Our team is energized by and focused on delivering the Navy what they’ve asked for – a design for an affordable, low-risk ship capable of bringing the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) vision to life.” 

The Lockheed Martin team’s design uses a proven commercial ship that will be augmented with automation, autonomy and cybersecurity elements to house a payload. The design leverages Lockheed Martin’s autonomy and automation experience, including its platform-agnostic Sikorsky MATRIX technology that’s been used to fly a helicopter from a wireless tablet, and its AXIS control technology, used on more than half of U.S. Navy surface ships to manage engineering and machinery controls. 

Under the $7 million contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver the study within 12 months in advance of the next phase of the competition – the Navy’s LUSV Detailed Design & Construction competition. 

“We are honored to be part of the Lockheed Martin team and to leverage our extensive fabrication expertise, including previously building 16 USVs of various designs and sizes,” said Richard McCreary, Vigor vice president, business development. “We are ready to deliver a concept design that will help the Navy deploy a safe, efficient and affordable LUSV fleet for the future.”  

The Navy’s vision for USVs will enable the fleet to fight as a distributed, networked and more lethal force. USVs will provide extended presence across the globe with reduced risk to sailors and increased obstacles and complications for adversaries. 

LOCKPORT, La.–Bollinger Shipyards LLC (“Bollinger”) will construct a state-of-the-art, floating dry dock for General Dynamics Electric Boat to support the construction and maintenance of the United States’ new Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines, the company said in a Sept. 16 release. 

“Bollinger Shipyards is pleased to expand our current relationship with Electric Boat and to play a critical role in increasing the number of U.S. built dry docks to meet the expanding need to modernize and refurbish our nation’s aging fleet,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and chief executive officer. “We’re honored to have been selected to build this dry dock, which will be a national asset, to meet the complex needs of our Navy’s fleet modernization plans. To build 21st century American vessels, it requires 21st century American tools and equipment manufactured here in the United States. Bollinger is committed to continuing to be a leader in pushing our industry forward and ensuring that the U.S. industrial base is fully self-sufficient.” 

The detail design engineering will be performed at the Bollinger facility in Lockport, Louisiana. The concept and contract design for the 618-foot-by-140-foot dry dock was performed by the Bristol Harbor Group in Rhode Island.  The dry dock is scheduled to be delivered to Electric Boat’s Groton Connecticut shipyard in 2024.  

Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the design and build of the of the Columbia Class submarine, which will replace the aging Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. 

This is Bollinger Shipyards’ second contract awarded with General Dynamics Electric Boat. In late 2019, Bollinger Shipyards was selected to construct the 395ft x 100ft Ocean Transport Barge for Electric Boat, scheduled to be delivered in 2021.  

LONDON — BAE Systems has been awarded a contract worth up to £87 million by the U.S. Department of Defense to manufacture and deliver Archerfish mine neutralizers for the U.S. Navy. 

This is the fourth consecutive Archerfish contract awarded to BAE Systems since 2003 and will see the company deliver to the U.S. Navy over the next seven years. 

Archerfish is a remote-controlled, underwater mine neutralizer which can be launched and operated from a surface ship, helicopter or an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). Its fiber-optic data link relays real-time, high resolution, low-light video and high-frequency sonar pictures of targets of interest from its on-board sensors. The design reduces the time it takes to identify and neutralize targets, meaning clearance missions can be completed more quickly. Archerfish also protects personnel by eliminating the need to put divers into the water. 

Archerfish is used by the U.S. Navy’s MH-60S Helicopter squadrons (AN/ASQ-235) as part of the Airborne Mine Neutralization capability, deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship. 

Under the new contract, Archerfish will continue to support the U.S. Navy in live mine clearance operations and also provide capability to conduct training exercises between now and 2027. 

The contract also includes the supply of fiber optic spool kits, support equipment, surveys, repairs and program management and support, which will be provided by the Archerfish project team based in Portsmouth, U.K.  

Dr Brooke Hoskins, Director of Products and Training Services for BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, said, “This contract builds on our strong partnership with the U.S. Navy which has seen BAE Systems supporting its minesweeping operations for almost two decades. Archerfish not only helps to keep sailors safer, it also reduces the number and cost of mine clearance missions. Its world-leading capability and outstanding service with the U.S. Navy makes Archerfish a highly attractive proposition to other major naval forces around the world.”  

Developed by BAE Systems under its own investment, Archerfish draws on the company’s extensive expertise in underwater effectors. Archerfish uses a flexible, open architecture command and control system that can be operated on its own or integrated into a higher-level command management structure. Wireless communications mean it can be deployed remotely. 

Investments continue to be made to enhance Archerfish to meet future mine countermeasure challenges and reduce the through-life cost of the system. Innovative fusing will allow it to be recovered and reused and an automatic target recognition function is being developed that will allow concurrent multi-shot Archerfish operations, enabling mines to be neutralized in waves.  

Archerfish is manufactured in the United Kingdom at BAE Systems’ Broad Oak facility in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and Hillend facility in Dunfermline, Fife. The contract with the U.S. Department of Defense secures 30 highly skilled jobs in BAE Systems in Portsmouth and Fife and further jobs in the U.K. supply chain. 

NORFOLK, Va. — Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 received its first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter on Sept. 15 aboard Naval Station Norfolk, the squadron announced.

HSC-22 marks the first East Coast squadron to operate the MH-60S Knighthawk, MQ-8B Fire Scout and MQ-8C Fire Scout. The new added capability of the MQ-8C combines the capabilities of the MQ-8B with the MH-60S Knighthawk to improve the Navy’s ability to investigate and target hostile surface contacts, the squadron said. Both Fire Scouts are built by Northrop Grumman.

“Incorporating the MQ-8C will represent a significant improvement in our unmanned air vehicle mission capability,” said Cmdr. Matthew Wright, HSC-22’s commanding officer. “The ‘Charlie’ is bigger, faster, can carry more mission equipment, and remain airborne over twice as long as our already-proven MQ-8Bs.”

MQ-8B and C Fire Scout variants can be operated from ships or land, extending the ability to support distributed maritime operations. Most of the software is similar across both systems, but the crew must adapt to the C’s new capabilities and obtain additional qualifications to operate it.

“The MQ-8C Firescout is the latest step toward increasing the duration that UAS has on the battlefield as well as the impact,” said Lt. Ryan Jaenke, an MH-60s and MQ-8B/C pilot. “It advances the reliability of UAS as well as leaves a larger impact on the battlefield in missions that are not new to today’s warfighter.”

HSC-22’s mission is to provide manned and unmanned maritime attack and combat support capabilities to the fleet. HSC-22’s inherent versatility provides full-spectrum warfighting support across multiple mission sets and diverse and distributed platforms.

LITTLE CREEK, Va. — Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) announced the official name change for all Coastal Riverine Forces to Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces (MESF) Sept. 16. 

While history and tradition are important to the U.S. Navy there are times when a name does not capture the role and mission of a force.  The new name captures the MESF growing blue-water fleet integration and contributions to the high-end fight in an era of Great Power Competition, which are more robust than the legacy riverine roles. 

“As we maintain a connection to our legacy we must honor those warriors that come before us and learn from their heroism,” said Rear Adm. Joseph DiGuardo, commander of NECC, “we must continuously evolve to meet the needs of the Navy and the Nation for Great Power Competition, crisis, and conflict.  The change to Maritime Expeditionary Security Force clearly articulates the mission of our sailors to reinforce lethality in the blue water and dominate in the littorals.” 

“Navy Expeditionary Combat Force Sailors assigned to the MESF reinforce lethality and support the Navy-Marine Corps team in naval power projection ashore,” said Capt. David Rowland, commodore, Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 2, “as well as in the littorals and open ocean, through missions such as port security/high-value asset escort and embarked security teams. Our mission is important and our name needs to match the mission we do today, in a time of Great Power Competition.” 

The Maritime Expeditionary Security Force provides a core Navy capability with littoral operations in contested environments through port and harbor security, high value asset security, and maritime security operations in the coastal and inland waterways. 

“Our crafts are very advanced and specialized to provide all facets of maritime security operations,” said Senior Chief Raymond Hoke. “The force protection we provide supports and enables the fleet to project power around the world.  The name change reflects the nesting of the force’s capabilities within the Navy Strategy and in support of national-level objectives.” 

Hoke is a boat captain for the Mark VI and second in charge of the Mark VI Team for Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 3, which falls under MESG 1 in San Diego. 

When asked about the training that boat crews go through Hoke as he explained that all Sailors receive the same small arms and crew-served weapons training.  The Sailors qualify as basic and advanced weapon operators and go through extensive communication equipment training, navigation training and medical training.  

“We train as one unit in realistic scenarios that better prepare us for mission tasking, said Hoke, “because of our extensive training and expertise of our seasoned operators, Sailors here, no matter what their rate is, will learn and possess specialized skills that enables the fleet to be a more resilient force.”  

The MESF consists of two groups; one in San Diego and one in Virginia Beach. With deployed units around the globe that include both active duty and reserve Sailors. This includes two expeditionary security detachments in Guam and Bahrain; seven Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadrons, and thirty-one Maritime Expeditionary Security Companies. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The admiral in charge of developing the U.S. Navy’s unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned underwater vessels (UUVs) said the maintenance strategy for the vessels may require different approaches to maintenance, particularly at the operational level (O-level).    

Speaking Sept. 17 at a webinar panel of the Virtual Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium of the American Society of Naval Engineers. Rear Adm. Casey Moton, program executive officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants, said that “for USVs, [that] probably puts a whole different take on O-level maintenance.”  

Moton said that “We are just in our initial prototype stage, so we haven’t actually picked what the maintenance strategy is going to be but looking at the maintenance strategy is part of our prototyping effort. So [Surface Development Squadron One] in San Diego is including looking at maintenance and helping us look at all that. The same is happening on the UUV side with [UUV Squadron One] up in Keyport [Washington].”  

For small USVs and UUVs, Moton said that a likely outcome for O-level maintenance would be like that performed by an aircraft squadron.” 

As for the Intermediate- and Depot-levels, “We still have to sort that out,” he said. “My personal thoughts are that it goes from a range of making sure that a LUSV, MUSV in particular, are maybe not much different from other surface ship classes in terms of the [Regional Maintenance Centers] doing their role.”  

Moton pointed out that the Navy also has “craft-level [UUVs and USVs] that are treated like a craft and [the question] is, “how are we going to maintain and modernize those?” 

The admiral noted that “the prototypes are going to make that really interesting and we will figure that out in the next couple of years. … We’ll try to make sure unmanned is not singled out as an aberration. I also don’t want to close the door to innovation. It’s more of a range of solutions.” 

He also said that lots of companies that are working the USV efforts, and that many “smaller and mid-sized yards able to participate. I’m really excited about that.” 

WASHINGTON —The admiral in command of the nation’s strategic deterrent forces defended the new W76-2 low-yield nuclear warhead before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in a hearing on Capitol Hill and praised the agile process that rapidly deployed the weapon.  

The requirement for a submarine-launched low-yield warhead became a requirement noted in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. The result was the W76-2 warhead, which was deployed in 2019 on the tips of some Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles carried by Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines.   

“I think it’s an example that shows that we can move fast,” said Adm. Charles A. Richard, commander, U.S. Strategic Command, testifying Sept. 17 before the SASC. “We still know how to do this. That is an example of where the threat changed, new capability was needed, we provided on an operationally responsive timeline [and] closed a potential hole in our deterrence strategy. We should be able to do that more.” 

Richard said the rapid development and deployment of the W76-2 was “a type of hedging strategy that enables you to react inside what somebody is attempting to do. That enhances a nation’s deterrence by a nation’s ability to do that.” 

Richard stressed that the strategic climate was changing as China and Russia began surging on their way to becoming peer competitors “that have to be deterred differently.”   

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and unmanned systems are enabling surface and undersea activities even while COVID-19 hampers the ability to put humans on ships, maritime leaders said during a webinar on Sept. 17.

Retired Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, deputy administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the former Oceanographer of the Navy, said COVID has put ship deployments on hold for months, but the agency has leveraged autonomous systems to keep the work going.

For instance, NOAA sent Sail Drones to Alaska to perform a critical fishery survey and for coastal mapping.

“We were able to map in pretty shallow areas that would have been hazardous for ships,” Gallaudet said in the webinar, hosted by the Marine Technology Society’s Washington section and the company Oceaneering.

NOAA was also able to use underwater gliders to measure water temperatures, which helped accurately predict the track of Hurricane Laura. This was done with the deployment of just a few operators on small boats in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

The agency is leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous systems, data management and other advances and “applying those technologies in everything we do,” he said, including setting up a NOAA AI center.

The U.S. Navy is also leaning into these technologies, said Adm. Bill Houston, director of the Undersea Warfare Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (N97).

His unmanned underwater vehicle portfolio alone is worth $2.8 billion, he said, including the MK18 and the Knifefish, as well as the larger Orca, Razorback and Snakehead UUVs that are being developed. AI and machine learning are going to be key in using these systems and maintaining U.S. overmatch against adversaries, he said.

“We’re not going to be a leader in AI, industry is, [and] we need to go ahead to be able to leverage that with academia,” he said.