ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy secretary and chief of naval operations announced on June 13 these flag assignments:

Rear Adm. Kathleen M. Creighton will be assigned as director, information warfare integration, N2/N6F, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Creighton is serving as Navy Cyber Security Division director, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. John V. Fuller will be assigned as deputy director for force protection, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Fuller is serving as director, J-5, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

Rear Adm. James E. Pitts will be assigned as director, warfare integration, N9I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Pitts is serving as commander, Submarine Group 7; commander, Task Force 74; and commander, Task Force 54, Yokosuka, Japan.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Douglas W. Small, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego. Small is serving as program executive officer for integrated warfare systems, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) William E. Chase III will be assigned as senior military adviser for cyber policy to the undersecretary of defense for policy, and deputy principal cyber adviser to the secretary of defense, Washington, D.C. Chase is serving as deputy director, command, control, communications, and computers/cyber, J-6, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Leonard C. Dollaga will be assigned as commander, Submarine Group 7; commander, Task Force 74; and commander, Task Force 54, Yokosuka, Japan. Dollaga previously served as commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center, Groton, Connecticut.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas M. Henderschedt is assigned as senior defense official/defense attaché, China. Henderschedt previously served as naval attaché, U.S. Defense Attaché Office, Beijing, China.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Nicholas M. Homan will be assigned as director of intelligence, J-2, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Homan previously served as deputy, deputy chief of staff, intelligence, Resolute Support; and deputy director, J2, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Matthew N. Ott III will be assigned as executive director, operational contract support, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Washington, D.C. Ott is serving as special assistant for audit readiness, Office of the Assistant Navy Secretary (Financial Management and Comptroller), Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) William P. Pennington will be assigned as commander, Task Force 70; and commander, Carrier Strike Group 5, Yokosuka, Japan. Pennington served as special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy, N3/N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey S. Scheidt will be assigned as deputy chief, computer network operations, National Security Agency, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Scheidt is serving as commander, Naval Information Warfighting Development Center, Norfolk, Virginia. Rear Adm. (lower half) Philip W. Yu will be assigned as U.S. senior defense official/defense attaché, Moscow. Yu served as China branch chief, N5I1, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

MAYPORT, Fla. — The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Detroit returned to Mayport on July 11 following its maiden deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations, Lt. j.g. Miranda Rossum, U.S. 4th Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command public affairs, said in a release. 

Detroit, along with a detachment from the “Sea Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, deployed on March 15 to conduct U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s enhanced counter-narcotics operations missions in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. 

During their deployment, Detroit, with their embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), disrupted an estimated 1780 kilograms of cocaine, worth over an estimated street value of $124 million. 

“I could not have asked for more from the crew over the past several months. Our Sailors and Guardsmen have overcome equipment casualties, COVID-19 challenges, and losses back home to ensure the success of USS Detroit while deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations,” said Cmdr. Jiwan Mack, Detroit’s commanding officer. “I am proud to be a USS Detroit Blue Iron Warrior and can’t wait to sail with this extraordinary unit again in the near future.”  

Just as Detroit deployed, the crew adjusted quickly to the new COVID-19 environment. Detroit’s crew met the changes in guidance and procedures due to the pandemic, safeguarding Sailors while still meeting counter-drug mission requirements. 

“Detroit did a fantastic job while deployed, sending strong messages to our partners and our adversaries that the United States Navy operates globally and in all conditions,” said Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson, commander U.S. 4th Fleet. “Detroit did a great job adapting to our changing world, and their operational successes set a high bar for the next round of deployments. We are both grateful for and proud of Detroit’s accomplishments.” 

Detroit joined other U.S. Navy warships, numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperating in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. 

The Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, are all playing a role in counter-drug operations.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has selected L3 Technologies to design and build its first medium unmanned surface vehicle (MUSV). 

According to a July 13 Defense Department contract announcement, Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded to L3 Technologies Inc. of Camden, New Jersey, a $35 million fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract for the detail design and fabrication of a prototype MUSV. 

The MUSV is envisioned as a warship in the Navy’s future family of USVs to augment the fleet with sensor capabilities. It is intended to be an autonomous vessel that will be able to operate with a strike group and be capable of being refueled at sea. 

The prototype will be used to develop technology and concepts of operation for USVs and to refine the design for production. 

This contract includes options for up to eight additional MUSVs, logistics packages, engineering support, technical data, and other direct costs, which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $281 [million],” the announcement said.    

L3 is one of five companies that bid on the contract. Most of its MUSV work will be performed at Morgan City, Louisiana, and the prototype MUSV is expected to be completed by December 2022.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The chairman of the House Armed Service Committee reiterated his support for increasing construction of submarines for the U.S. Navy, as reported in the committee’s mark-up of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. 

“There were some concerns about some shortages in the shipbuilding budget that came out of the president; we restored that,” Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the chairman of the committee, said in a July 13 webinar, NatSec 2020: Coronavirus and Beyond, sponsored by the Navy League of the United States, the Association of the United States Army and Government Matters. 

Smith was referring to the addition of a second Virginia-class attack submarine for fiscal 2021.  

Also speaking was Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), also a member of the House committee, who said that it is important to make sure “that we are building and enhancing our undersea strike capabilities, adding the additional Virginia-class submarine, making sure we provide stability and the assurances that we are building the next two Columbia-class [ballistic-missile] submarines. Long lead-time purchase there helps maintain the industrial base, creates certainty there.” 

Wittman also emphasized sealift, “getting the Army and Marines where they need to go,” including recapitalizing the Ready Reserve Force. 

He also said the nation’s tanker fleet needs to be secured.  

Wittman also stressed the need for Congress to exercise strict oversight of the Navy’s plans to build large unmanned surface vessels. 

“Let’s make sure we get it right, how to integrate those into the fleet,” Wittman said. “As we’ve seen in other ship classes, if you build too many too quick, and they’re not quite doing what you expect them to do, you’re going to have a lot of ships that may not be useful. That has to happen at the right pace. We are going to make sure that happens the right way.” 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of 105 F-35 Lightning II strike fighters, including 42 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing versions that Japan could deploy onboard ships to significantly expand its naval aviation capabilities.  

Under a potential $23.11 billion deal, Japan would procure 63 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing versions and 42 F-35Bs, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a July 9 release. 

The F-35B is operated off of aircraft carriers or amphibious assault ships by the U.S. Marine Corps, U.K. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the Italian Navy. The F-35 is built by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. of Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft’s F135 engine is built by Pratt and Whitney Military Engines of East Hartford, Connecticut. 

The F-35As would replace the legacy F-4 Phantom II fighters in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.   

In addition to the 105 aircraft, the planned procurement also would include 110 F135 engines (including five spares) as well as mission systems, logistics support, spare parts, engineering and technical support, and other services

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of Mk54 lightweight antisubmarine torpedoes to Germany and Belgium, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in two July 9 releases. The procurement of the torpedoes, built by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, would be conducted as foreign military sales. 

Under a deal with an estimated value of $130 million, Germany plans to procure 64 Mk54 All-Up-Round lightweight torpedoes and 10 Mk54 conversion kits to be used with fleet exercise sections as Mk54 exercise torpedoes. Also included in the proposed sale “are torpedo containers; Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers; Fleet Exercise Section and fuel tanks to be used with Mk54 conversion kits; air launch accessories for fixed wing; torpedo spare parts; training, publications, support and test equipment; U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support,” the DSCA said in a release.   

The DSCA also said that Belgium requests to buy 29 All-Up-Round Mk54 Mod 0 torpedoes. Also included in the potential $33.3 deal are two Fleet Exercise Section conversion kits; torpedo support equipment, training and publications; U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.   

Germany would arm its P-3C maritime patrol aircraft with the torpedoes. The Belgian Navy, which is phasing out its inventory of Mk46 lightweight torpedoes, would deploy the Mk54s on its fleet of NH-90 helicopters and a new generation of multi-mission frigates.   

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department is taking another Defense Production Act Title III action to shore up the nation’s shipbuilding industrial base in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The action is one of seven announced July 10 by the Defense Department “to help sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities and defense-critical workforce. … These actions will help to retain critical workforce capabilities throughout the disruption caused by COVID-19 and to restore some jobs lost because of the pandemic,” the release said. 

DoD is investing $56 million in ArcelorMittal Inc. to sustain critical domestic industrial base shipbuilding capability and capacity. ArcelorMittal, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a steel and mining company with a major facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. 

“This investment will expand ArcelorMittal’s plate processing footprint and heat-treating capability, subsequently increasing its alloy steel plate production and ensure the U.S. Government gets dedicated long-term industrial capacity to meet the needs of the nation,” the release said, noting that the investment “will protect jobs in a region hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure critical capabilities are retained in support of U.S. Navy operational readiness.” 

SAN DIEGO — The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt returned to San Diego on July 9, marking the end of its deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, the commander of 3rd Fleet public affairs said in a release. 

More than 6,000 Sailors from Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 deployed Jan. 17 to conduct operations in the Indo-Pacific and maintain security and stability in the region. 

“I am incredibly proud of the Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group and all they’ve accomplished over the deployment,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander of Carrier Strike Group 9. “They operated in a variety of complex environments ranging from how to respond to an international pandemic to operating safely throughout the Indo-Pacific, including the South China Sea.” 

Theodore Roosevelt sailed over 31,835 nautical miles, deploying dynamically to support dual-carrier operations, expeditionary strike force operations, air defense exercises, and joint-service interoperability exercises. 

Theodore Roosevelt made a historic port visit to Da Nang, Vietnam, only the second time a U.S. carrier has visited the country since the Vietnam War, to commemorate 25 years of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations. 

Theodore Roosevelt had an outbreak of coronavirus in early March and pulled into Guam ahead of a scheduled port visit. The carrier responded and moved more than half of the crew off ship to quarantine at various locations on Guam, leaving enough Sailors aboard to stand critical watches and to clean and sanitize the ship. The crew members who met rigorous ‘operational units’ return to work criteria set forth by U.S. Pacific Fleet returned to the ship and were able to get underway and back to their mission on June 4. 

“The crew of TR persevered displaying uncommon fortitude and tenacity in the face of uncertainty to meet expectations in a crisis,” said Capt. Carlos Sardiello, the commanding officer of Theodore Roosevelt. “This recovery of the ship and the crew on deployment is a testament to the professionalism of the young men and women of the TR who turned a potentially demoralizing downward spiral into a symbol of inspiration and hope against adversity.” 

To ensure the success of the deployment extends beyond their return to homeport, Theodore Roosevelt conducted a variety of training classes promoting sound decisions and safety. The information provided in the classes helps individual Sailors and their families know what to expect after returning to homeport. Topics covered included drinking and driving, returning to children, traffic safety, motorcycle safety, car buying, and money management. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s official most heavily engaged in the development of directed-energy (DE) weapons said the service is focused on fielding the sea service’s family of laser systems to warfighters but is also working to improve the systems’ power and beam control.  

“We’ve been working hard for the last five to seven years to try to bring directed energy forward in a meaningful sense to the warfighter and the operational community while at the same time advancing the technology,” said Frank Peterkin, senior technologist for directed energy at the Office of Naval Research, speaking July 7 at a Directed Energy Summit webinar sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton. 

Peterkin said that lasers primarily would be installed on surface combatants, particularly Flight II Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers but also, potentially, amphibious transport dock ships and littoral combat ships.  “There have been discussions [about] even putting lasers on aircraft carriers,” he added. 

The Navy’s initial mission sets lasers will be dazzling sensors on enemy platforms and engaging and defeating unmanned aerial vehicles. Future missions likely include defeating incoming missiles, including swarms. 

Peterkin said the “exquisite optics” of a laser’s beam director system will augment situational awareness and better direct other weapons as well. 

He said the installation of the laser weapon on the amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland last October has gone well, with the ship’s crew accommodating of Navy engineers amidst the difficulties of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Portland’s laser weapon demonstrated its ability to defeat a drone earlier this year. He said the amphib’s crew is quickly learning how to operate and sustain the weapon, with which the ship will deploy in 2021. 

The Navy will install the ODIN [Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy] laser weapon system on eight ships over the next three years, Peterkin said. An ODIN already is installed on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey. 

He also stressed the need for more electrical power as the Navy develops its laser weapons to take on more than one target simultaneously. It was not just a matter of a more powerful beam, he said, but also of directing the weapon to more rapidly respond to incoming threats, such as swarms. “Power will get you faster kills,” he said, noting also that beam control also needed significant improvement.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy plans to inactivate nine ships in fiscal 2021, the service said in a message to the fleet.

According to a June 30 message from the chief of naval operations, four littoral combat ships (LCS), three coastal patrol ships (PC) and one dock landing ship (LSD) are to be decommissioned. The Military Sealift Command will remove from service one fleet ocean tug (T-ATF).

As planned in the Navy’s 2021 budget proposal, the service plans to decommission the first two Freedom-class LCSs — USS Freedom and USS Fort Worth — and first two Independence-class LCSs — USS Independence and USS Coronado. Three of these ships have made major deployments to the western Pacific and all have been used as development platforms to mature the type’s concept of operations. The four LCSs, all based in San Diego, will be placed in reserve status.

The three Cyclone-class PCs to be decommissioned are all based in Mayport, Florida, and used to train crews for the 10 PCs based in the Persian Gulf with the U.S. 5th Fleet. The three PCs being decommissioned — USS Zephyr, USS Shamal and USS Tornado — will be scrapped.

The Whidbey Island-class LSD being decommissioned is USS Fort McHenry, which will be placed in reserve. The move will leave seven ships of the class still in service.

The Powhatan-class T-ATF being removed from service is USS Sioux, which will be scrapped. Its removal will leave two T-ATFs in service. The class is being replaced by the Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ships.

All eight commissioned ships listed above are to be decommissioned by March 31, 2021. The Sioux is to be removed from service by Sept. 30, 2021.