ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is installing a co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun on the mounts of its Mk38 chain gun systems, a Northrop Grumman official said. The Mk52 7.62 mm is gas-operated and uses recoil to eject spent cartridges…
Former Pacific Fleet Intel Director Warns of Widening Gap Between Chinese, U.S. Fleet Buildup
The Chinese navy already is larger than the U.S. Navy and is building ships four times as fast, with a firm goal of achieving sea control by 2030 and naval superiority by 2039, a former Pacific Fleet director of intelligence…
Naval Research Lab Debuts Newly Acquired Aircraft for Airborne Research
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Navy’s premier science and technology research squadron, Scientific Development Squadron ONE (VXS-1), unveiled on May 11 the UV-18 “Twin Otter” as the newest addition to the squadron’s fleet of aircraft…
First Navy CMV-22B COD Aircraft Delivery Set for Late 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. — The first two fuselages for the Navy’s CMV-22B Osprey carrier-onboard-delivery (COD) aircraft have been detailed for final assembly, the aircraft’s program manager said. “First delivery is later this year,” said Marine Col. Matthew Kelly, joint program manager…
Navy Secretary Names New Destroyer in Honor of U.S. Senator From Georgia
WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer named a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG 133, in honor of former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, who represented Georgia from 1972 to 1997, the secretary’s public affairs office said in…
Navy’s Next Tomahawk Missile: Block 5
ARLINGTON, Va.— Raytheon Missile Co. will build a new block upgrade of the Tomahawk cruise missile for the U.S. Navy even as the company takes older missiles into a recertification program to return them to service. “Tomahawk has returned to…
6 Littoral Combat Ships to be Commissioned This Year
It will be a busy 2019 for the Littoral Combat Ships, with six vessels set to be commissioned by the end of the year, a program official said at Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space symposium on Wednesday. Three of the commissionings…
Navy Infrastructure to Combat Cyber Threats Still a Work in Progress
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Rear Adm. Danelle Barrett began her May 8 presentation at Sea-Air-Space 2019 with a cost comparison. A Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier costs some $13 billion, she said. A troublemaker can build a capable hacking device…
Robots are Real, but AI’s Full Promise is Still on the Horizon
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Artificial intelligence in all its forms, from machine learning algorithms to unmanned systems, is a sure thing for the sea services and its partners, but there is still much to determine in terms of the technological…
Shipbuilding Starting to Come Out of ‘Readiness Divot,’ Navy Vice Admiral Tells Audience
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — U.S and Canadian sea service officers and industry leaders looked forward to more seamless coordination and better times for shipbuilding, which one U.S. Navy vice admiral said was just recently emerging from a “readiness divot.” “We’d…
