About Otto Kreisher

Otto Kreisher writes regularly for Seapower, Naval Forces and Breaking Defense. He is a former enlisted Marine and Naval Flight Officer.


Recent Posts By the Author


Navy Moving Ahead to Create Special Cyber Office

Navy Moving Ahead to Create Special Cyber Office

US Navy Graphic

THE PENTAGON — The Navy Department will soon create a new office led by a special assistant to the secretary who will have sweeping authority to integrate and manage the critical areas of information management and security, aided by four deputies responsible for buying the right technology, determining strategies to better handle digital information and data and to enforce greater cybersecurity within the naval services and industrial suppliers. Read More

Navy Says Africa Mission More About Building Partnerships, Less About Countering China

Navy Says Africa Mission More About Building Partnerships, Less About Countering China

Master-at-Arms 1st Class Michael Welch, a tactical supervisor assigned to the Embarked Security Team deployed from Task Force 68 aboard the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7) stands watch as the ship departs Tema, Ghana, July 26, 2019. US Navy Photo

THE PENTAGON — The current African Partnership Station mission in the Gulf of Guinea aboard the USNS Carson City (T-EPF-7) seeks to help partner nations improve their security and prosperity, not to rival the economic encroachment of China in Africa, a leader of that mission said on Wednesday. Read More

Shipbuilding Industry Struggles to Recruit And Retain Workforce

Shipbuilding Industry Struggles to Recruit And Retain Workforce

William Mahan, a Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility worker from Puyallup, Washington, grinds a bulkhead on Aug. 04, 2017. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The shipbuilding and repair industry is facing increasing challenges from an aging workforce, lack of stability in the contract workload and a problem convincing young Americans that shipyard work is essential and well-paying, industry officials said.

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Navy Mulling How to Make Surface Fleet Flexible, Lethal

Navy Mulling How to Make Surface Fleet Flexible, Lethal

USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) and USS Carney (DDG-64) are moored abreast in Faslane, Scotland on May 7, 2019. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A panel of senior Navy civilian officials said the planning efforts for the future combat fleet was focused on making the fleet more flexible, interoperable and lethal. Read More

Selva Urges More Nations to Help Maintain Middle East Freedom of Navigation

Selva Urges More Nations to Help Maintain Middle East Freedom of Navigation

U.S. Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks to Military Representatives from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during a dinner in Washington, D.C., on March 13, 2019. DoD Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although the United States has taken on an international responsibility of maintaining freedom of navigation in the world’s sea lanes, “that doesn’t mean it’s a U.S.-only problem” to counter threats to the movement of oil through the Persian Gulf, the nation’s second highest military officer said. Read More

Arleigh Burke Program Manager: Flight III  Production 'On Track'

Arleigh Burke Program Manager: Flight III Production ‘On Track’

Artists rendering of the first planned Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer, Jack H. Lucas. HII Photo

Artists rendering of the first planned Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer, Jack H. Lucas. HII Photo

This post has been updated to clarify that a new program office for the large surface combatant has not yet been created. Capt. Casey Moton said the current Arleigh Burke program office has a major role in the development effort until a program office for LSC was stood up.

Arleigh Burke DDG-51 Flight III program is on track, with the first ship under construction and two more under contract. But making the transition from the earlier Arleigh Burke-class destroyers has required a significant number of design changes and challenges, driven mainly by the requirement to install the powerful new Raytheon AN/SPY-6 air and missile defense radar, the program manager said on Thursday. Read More

CNO: U.S., Chinese Navies Improving Working Relationships

CNO: U.S., Chinese Navies Improving Working Relationships

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson meets with People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Commander Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong and other senior Chinese defense officials at the PLAN headquarters in Beijing on Jan. 14, 2019. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Navy’s top officer stressed the importance of his personal relationship with his Chinese Navy counterpart and in continuing a dialogue to minimize the risks from the obvious tensions between the two most powerful Pacific naval forces. Read More

Shipbuilding Industry Pushing to Accelerate Amphibious Ship Construction

Shipbuilding Industry Pushing to Accelerate Amphibious Ship Construction

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $165.5 million contract to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for LPD 30, the first Flight II LPD. HII rendering

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – The Navy should accelerate the production of its two newest class of amphibious ships to avoid creating a cold construction line and to get the ships it needs cheaper, an industry official from Huntington Ingalls Industry told the Marine Corps and Navy last week. Read More

Rep. Courtney: U.S. Needs Comprehensive National Maritime Strategy Soon

Rep. Courtney: U.S. Needs Comprehensive National Maritime Strategy Soon

A sailor explains the layout and functionality of Ford’s flight deck to Rep. Joe Courtney in 2016. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States has not had a maritime strategy that would allow Congress to “look at maritime issues in a logical way” since the Roosevelt administration, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee said on Wednesday. Read More

Top Navy Acquisitions Official Wants Changes in Acquisition Process to Match New Threats

Top Navy Acquisitions Official Wants Changes in Acquisition Process to Match New Threats

Ongoing construction of the aircraft carrier John F Kennedy (CVN-79). Newport News Shipbuilding photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Defense Department has about two years to make some “fundamental changes” in acquisition to match the new National Defense Strategy, and buying the same things in the same way will not be acceptable, the Navy’s top acquisition official said on Wednesday. Read More