NEWPORT NEWS,
Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division has
received a $290 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to continue
planning for the refueling and complex overhaul of the aircraft carrier USS
John C. Stennis, the company announced Aug. 1.

The contract
funds the second and third years of planning, long-lead-time material
procurement, shop fabrication, shipboard inspections and facilities readiness
for the overhaul. As part of the planning contract, Newport News also will
perform some shipboard work, which will take place in Norfolk. The initial year
of planning was funded at a base value of $187.5 million.

“The second
and third year of planning is important to the overall success of a project of
the magnitude of [the overhaul],” said Chris Miner, Newport News’ vice
president of in-service aircraft carriers.

“This
contract allows us to continue our critical planning for each step of the
process so we’re ready to begin execution when the ship arrives in the first
quarter of 2021.”

Stennis will be the seventh Nimitz-class carrier to undergo a major life-cycle overhaul at Newport News, representing 35% of all maintenance and modernization completed during its service life.

The overhaul, a RCOH, is an extremely complex engineering and construction project that involves more than 680 suppliers from 40 states providing material and services critical to the overhaul process.

Once completed, a recapitalized carrier can support current and future warfare doctrine and continuing to operate as the centerpiece of the Navy’s fleet and national defense for another 25 years.

PACIFIC
OCEAN — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy aided
the U.S. Coast Guard in the interdiction of a drug-smuggling craft, the U.S.
4th Fleet said in a release.

While
conducting routine operations in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations, an
MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to the “Easyriders” of Helicopter Maritime
Strike Squadron 37, embarked aboard the Michael Murphy, sighted a low-profile
vessel on July 25.

As the
helicopter approached the craft, a hatch opened on the top of the vessel and
three passengers were seen jettisoning objects from the boat. Assisted by
vectoring from helicopter, Michael Murphy’s interceptor boat collected the
jettisoned items and approached alongside the low-profile vessel.

Michael
Murphy was able to communicate with the vessel, informing them to remain in sight,
and remained alongside the suspicious vessel until Coast Guard Cutter Midgett arrived.

The Coast Guard boarding team determined the jettisoned material was cocaine. About 2,100 pounds of the drug — some that was jettisoned and retrieved by Michael Murphy’s crew and some found aboard by the Coast Guard — was seized. The Coast Guard took the three suspected smugglers into custody.

“From our air detachment and interceptor boat team to the men and women aboard the ship, everything came together to conduct the identification, interception and approach,” said Cmdr. Christopher Forch, commanding officer aboard USS Michael Murphy. “The handoff to USCGC Midgett was smooth and successful — a true team effort by two agencies.”

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy will commission its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Billings (LCS 15), during an Aug. 3 ceremony in Key West, Florida, the Navy’s information office said in a release.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, ranking member of
the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, will deliver the commissioning
ceremony’s principal address. Tester’s wife, Sharla, is the ship’s sponsor. The
ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives
the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

“The future USS Billings and her crew
will play an important role in the defense of our nation and maritime freedom,”
said Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer, who is also performing the duties of deputy
secretary of defense. “She stands as proof of what teamwork — from civilian to
contractor to military — can accomplish. This fast, agile platform will deliver
her motto, ‘Big Sky Over Troubled Waters’ worldwide thanks to their efforts.”

The ship is named in honor of Billings,
the largest city in Montana, as well as the people and military veterans of the
state. The future USS Billings will be the first ship of its name in naval
service.

Montana has a heritage of naval
service, with 30 ships named over the years in honor of state places and
people, including the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Helena (SSN
725) and the Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Montana (SSN 794), which
is under construction. The state of Montana also has one of the highest per
capita populations of veterans, according to the U.S. Veterans Administration.

The future USS Billings is a platform
designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean
operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats
such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. The ship will be
homeported in Mayport, Florida.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom-variant team is led by Lockheed Martin of Marinette, Wisconsin (the odd-numbered hulls) while the Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).

The ceremony, using hashtag #USSBillings, can be viewed here on the Navy live blog starting at 10 a.m. on Aug. 3.

WASHINGTON —
The newest nominee for chief of naval operations listed his top three
technology priorities to the Senate Armed Services Committee during his July 31
confirmation hearing, with artificial intelligence coming in as No. 1.

“On the top
of the list I would put artificial intelligence,” Vice Adm. Michael M. Gilday said
in response to a question from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

MORE FROM THE CNO NOMINEE: Gilday says weapons elevator problems aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford are a “Navy failure.”

“I think that
that there are capabilities resident in industry that we can harness to our
advantage. What I am particularly interested in is how we use data in a more
innovative way to give us a quicker flash to bang, from decision-making to
action. There is a lot of information at our fingertips every single day; it’s
getting the right information to the right people at the right time so you can
make the right decisions faster than your opponent.”

“I think
there is great promise there,” Gilday added. “We are doing some experimenting
now that I’m very excited about.”

Gilday said
that hypersonics — his second technology priority — “is a must that we have to
get after quickly. Industry is our best partner as we work through this.”

His third
technology priority is unmanned systems.

“That is the future,” he said. “We have to look more deeply at how we would operate with unmanned vessels, whether they are on the sea, or under the sea, or in the air.”

Gilday said he “would take a look at wargaming, concept development and with experimentation. We’ve almost doubled the number of exercises we’re doing in the next year from 97 to 171. We’re going to look at these new technologies. If they’re going to fail, they can fail fast. If it’s something we want to invest in, then we put heat on it and field it quickly.”

WASHINGTON
— Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer has announced that the newest towing, salvage
and rescue ship (T-ATS 8) will be named Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek in honor of
the history, service and contributions of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of
Michigan, Spencer’s public affairs office said July 26.

The
Saginaw Chippewa people are made up of Saginaw, Black River and Swan Creek
bands. Ojibwe is also referred to as Chippewa and Anishinabek means “original
people.”

“I am
deeply honored to announce that the history of the Saginaw Chippewa people will
once again be part of Navy and Marine Corps history,” Spencer said. “The future
USNS Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek honors the original people of modern-day
Michigan, with their original name, and will carry the proud Ojibwe legacy for
decades to come.”

This is
the first ship to bear the name Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek, and the fifth U.S.
ship to be named in honor of the Saginaw Chippewa people.

“It’s a
great honor to have the name and language of our people on a Navy ship,” said Ronald
Ekdahl, chief of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of Michigan. “We hold our veterans
in high regard, and we have a proud tradition of having many of our men and
women provide service to our country. ‘Chi Miigwetch’ (thank you) to the U.S.
Navy for recognizing the culture in such a distinct way.”

Gulf
Island Shipyards was awarded a $64.8 million contract option for the detail
design and construction of the new ship, which will be based on existing
commercial towing offshore vessel designs and will replace the current T-ATF
166 and T-ARS 50 class ships in service with the U.S. Military Sealift Command.
The future USNS Cherokee Nation is the second ship in the new class of towing, salvage
and rescue Ships and will be designated T-ATS 7.

The
contract includes options for potentially six additional vessels, and each
additional ship will be named in honor of prominent Native Americans or Native
American tribes.

The T-ATS will serve as
open ocean towing vessels and will support salvage operations and submarine
rescue missions. The ship will be built at the company’s shipyard in Houma,
Louisiana, and is expected to be completed in July 2021.

LOUISVILLE,
Ky. — BAE Systems has received a follow-on contract to produce 28 more payload
tubes for the U.S. Navy’s Block V Virginia-class attack submarines, the company
said in a July 25 release.

Under the
contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat, a builder of the Virginia class,
BAE Systems will deliver seven sets of four tubes each for the Virginia Payload
Modules (VPM).

The Navy
is adding significant capability to the latest Virginia-class boats by
increasing the firepower and payload capacity of the Block V submarines. The
VPM extends the length of Block V subs over previous versions of the Virginia
class by adding a midbody section to create more payload space. Each
large-diameter payload tube can store and launch up to seven Tomahawk and
future guided cruise missiles.

“The VPM
is critical to the Virginia class because it offers not only additional strike
capacity, but the flexibility to integrate future payload types, such as
unmanned systems and next-generation weapons, as threats evolve,” said Joe
Senftle, vice president and general manager of weapon systems at BAE Systems.

“We’ve
invested heavily in the people, processes and tools required to successfully
deliver these payload tubes to Electric Boat and to help ensure the Navy’s
undersea fleet remains a dominant global force.”

BAE
Systems is also providing nine payload tubes under previously awarded VPM
contracts. As the leading provider of propulsors and other submarine systems,
the company has a long history of supporting the Navy’s submarine fleet. In
addition to payload tubes, BAE Systems is also providing propulsors, spare
hardware and tailcones for Block IV Virginia-class vessels and is prepared to
do the same for Block V.

Work under this contract
will be performed at the company’s facility in Louisville, Kentucky, with
deliveries scheduled to begin in 2021.

CINCINNATI
— The U.S. Navy has approved the commissioning date for the future littoral
combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), the commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S.
Pacific Fleet, said in a July 25 release.

The Navy
will commission Cincinnati on Oct. 5 in Gulfport, Mississippi. The
commissioning ceremony signifies the acceptance for service and the entrance of
a ship into the active fleet of the U. S. Navy.

Former
U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker is the ship’s sponsor. As the sponsor,
Pritzker leads the time-honored Navy tradition of giving the order during the
ceremony to “man our ship and bring her to life!” At that moment, the
commissioning pennant is hoisted, and Cincinnati becomes a ship of the fleet.

An Indianapolis
native, Cmdr. Kurt Braeckel, is the commanding officer of Cincinnati.

Former Navy
Secretary Ray Mabus announced LCS 20 would be named for Cincinnati at the
Cincinnati Reds baseball game on July 19, 2015.

LCS 20
will be the fifth ship in naval history to be named Cincinnati. The first
played an integral part in the Civil War; the second enforced neutrality laws
during the Cuban Revolution and saw service during the Spanish-American War;
the third acted as a patrol and flagship during World War II; and the fourth, a
Los Angeles-class submarine, was commissioned in 1978 and served during the
Cold War.

LCS is a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship designed to support focused mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant. Cincinnati is a Freedom variant.

The future Cincinnati will be homeported at Naval Base San Diego.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy will
commission its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the future
USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony on July 27 at Port
Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to a Defense Department release.

The ship is named in honor of Paul
Robert Ignatius, who served in the Navy during World War II and later
during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson as assistant secretary
of defense for installations and logistics from 1964 to 1967 and secretary of
the Navy from 1967 to 1969. 

Current Navy Secretary Richard V.
Spencer, who is also performing the duties of deputy secretary of defense, will
deliver the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Ignatius’ wife, Nancy,
who passed away earlier this year, is the ship’s sponsor. Elisa Ignatius,
granddaughter of Nancy Ignatius, will serve as the ship sponsor’s
representative. Elisa Ignatius will honor naval tradition when she gives the
first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

“The future USS Paul Ignatius
stands as proof of what the teamwork of all our people — civilian, contractor
and military — can accomplish together,” Spencer said. “From the
start of the acquisition process, to the keel laying and christening, to
today’s commissioning and the many missions she will fulfill going forward,
this destroyer enhances our capabilities for air, undersea, surface, strike and
ballistic missile defense.”

The future USS Paul Ignatius will be the 67th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and is one of 21 ships under contract for the DDG 51 program. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of missions from peacetime presence and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief to sea control and power projection.

Built in the Flight IIA configuration, the ship delivers rapid reaction time, high firepower and improved electronic warfare capabilities. The ceremony, using hashtag #USSPaulIgnatius, can be viewed on the Navy Live blog here.

ARLINGTON,
Va. — The Sailors file into the room, their weapons ready and their adrenaline
flowing. They operate as a team in a seamless manner. Their mission: to secure
an active-shooter situation and apprehend the holographic perpetrator. Commands
are given to the shooter, within the augmented-reality (AR) headset. The
shooter surrenders, and the Sailors’ mission is accomplished.

The Office
of Naval Research (ONR) Global TechSolutions program has teamed with Naval
Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command and two industry partners, Magic Leap Horizons and Haptech
Inc., to develop an AR training environment.

The Tactically
Reconfigurable Artificial Combat Enhanced Reality (TRACER) project was recently
tested at the Center for Security Forces (CENSECFOR) Detachment Chesapeake, on
Naval Support Activity Northwest Annex, in Currituck County, North Carolina.

TechSolutions
is ONR Global’s rapid-response science and technology initiative that develops
prototype technologies, to address problems voiced by Sailors and Marines,
within about 12 months.

The TRACER
system consists of a Magic Leap One AR headset, a backpack processor and a
Haptech instrumented weapon, designed to deliver realistic recoil. TRACER uses
software developed by Magic Leap Horizons as part of the U.S. Army’s Augmented
Reality Dismounted Soldier Training (ARDST) project, providing advanced weapons
tracking and allowing trainers to create multiple and adaptable simulation
scenarios for security personnel to experience.

“Our
training system is built mostly from commercial-off-the-shelf products, so we
are using widely available gaming gear,” said Patrick Mead, TRACER project
lead from the Human Systems Research and Development branch at NSWC Dahlgren.

“All
of these technologies combine … to give us extremely accurate weapon and
movement tracking capabilities as well as highly immersive simulation visual,
auditory and haptic (relating to the sense of touch) feedback. Ultimately,
TRACER provides Sailors with dynamic, engaging and less predictable training
scenarios that would otherwise be too costly or time consuming to create in the
real world.”

The
mission at CENSECFOR is to train Sailors from divergent career fields in U.S.
Navy security force fundamentals, code of conduct, anti-terrorism and expeditionary
warfare training to achieve maritime-interdiction and irregular-warfare
superiority.

“We
can integrate this AR, virtual training environment into our existing curriculum,
and it allows us to be very reconfigurable,” said Cmdr. Kim Littel,
CENSECFOR’s director of training innovation. “We can go in and we can change
the scenarios, or we can change the opposition forces and the threat that they
pose.”

For
Sailors who often must train and remain proficient while at sea, flexibility is
crucial.

According to Littel, the necessary space required to conduct training operations on a ship is limited and the opportunity to conduct training without impeding on regular operations is scarce. TRACER will help mitigate those issues and help increase proficiency and currency in more expansive training scenarios.

“In an environment where we’re taking students from the fleet, from their primary jobs, to train them, we need to maximize the limited time we have to make them as proficient as possible,” Little said.

“This technology provides a huge advantage by being quickly adaptable to different scenarios, geographic locations and opposition forces. Using this technology, we can conduct training almost anywhere, anytime.”

WASHINGTON
— The future USS Oakland (LCS 24) was launched July 21 at Austal USA’s ship
manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama, according to the Naval Sea System
Command’s Program Executive Office-Ships Unmanned and Small Combatants. This marked
the first time the ship floated in water as it is prepared for delivery next year.

The future
USS Oakland is the 12th of 19 Independence-variant littoral combat ships that
will join the fleet. Ship sponsor Kate Brandt, Google’s sustainability officer,
christened the vessel in Mobile on June 29. She previously welded her initials
onto a steel plate included in Oakland’s hull during a keel-laying ceremony last
July. Brandt is a recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award, the
highest award the U.S. Navy can give to a civilian.

Four
additional LCSs are under various stages of construction at Austal’s Alabama
shipyard. The future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) is preparing for sea trials. The
future USS Mobile (LCS 26), Savannah (LCS 28) and Canberra (LCS 30) are under
construction, and Austal has four more LCSs under contract.

The future USS Oakland
honors the long-standing history its namesake city has with the Navy. It will
be the third naval ship to bear the city’s name. The first, commissioned in
1918, was largely used to transport cargo. The second USS Oakland was
commissioned in 1942 during the height of World War II. While in service for
just seven years, it was key in many anti-aircraft missions in places such as
Pearl Harbor, Marshall Islands, Pagan, Guam, Iwo Jima, Rota, Peleliu and
Okinawa. After the war, Oakland performed two duty patrols off the coast of
China before being decommissioned.