Category Archives: Education Legislation

Esper: Unmanned Vessels Will Allow the Navy to Reach 355-Ship Fleet

Esper: Unmanned Vessels Will Allow the Navy to Reach 355-Ship Fleet

Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks to sailors aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on Sept. 17, 2020, during a visit to California. USNI News photo.

ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS CARL VINSON, OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA – Defense Secretary Mark Esper told sailors today that heavy investment in unmanned systems would be key to the Navy reaching 355 or more ships and having the lethality and survivability needed if a conflict were to break out with China. Read More

Thornberry: Final NDAA Bill Won’t Be Ready Until After Election

Thornberry: Final NDAA Bill Won’t Be Ready Until After Election

Rep. Mac Thornberry, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, met with journalists from the Defense Writers Group, an association of news outlets with reporters that cover national security issues, at the George Washington University on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. GWU Photo

The final conference report on the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act won’t be ready until after the Nov. 3 election, the outgoing ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee said on Wednesday. Read More

Geurts: Early Contract Awards During Pandemic Giving Navy Bandwidth to Plan for Possible Continuing Resolution

Geurts: Early Contract Awards During Pandemic Giving Navy Bandwidth to Plan for Possible Continuing Resolution

Attack boat Vermont (SSN-792) float-off on March 29, 2019. General Dynamics Electric Boats Photo

The Navy has created stability for the defense industrial base during the coronavirus pandemic by awarding contracts early to create a plentiful backlog of work, and the service’s acquisition chief said he doesn’t want to lose that stability heading into the new fiscal year, which could kick off with a continuing resolution. Read More

'Valkyrie' Blood Transfusion System Hopes to Give Marines, Sailors Fighting Chance on the Battlefield

‘Valkyrie’ Blood Transfusion System Hopes to Give Marines, Sailors Fighting Chance on the Battlefield

U.S. Navy Corpsmen with I Marine Expeditionary Force inspect the intravenous blood transfusion equipment and attend to a simulated patient during Valkyrie Emergency Whole Blood Transfusion Training program at Camp Pendleton, Calif., on May 14, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo

Front-line expeditionary forces are getting a new capability that officials say will save lives by enabling small units to have an emergency, on-demand, fresh blood supply to treat battlefield casualties. Read More

Geurts: Navy Modernization At Risk Without COVID-19 Acquisition Relief Funds

Geurts: Navy Modernization At Risk Without COVID-19 Acquisition Relief Funds

USS Detroit (LCS-7) receives regularly scheduled maintenance and upkeep during a scheduled dry-dock maintenance availability phase at BAE Systems shipyard in Jacksonville, Fla., March 29, 2019. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated with additional context on the Pentagon’s COVID-19 acquisition memo.

The Navy may have to sacrifice modernization efforts if it does not receive adequate relief funding to cover acquisition costs sustained due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a top service official. Read More

Petters: Virginia-Class Subs Facing Most COVID-19 Delays at Newport News Shipbuilding

Petters: Virginia-Class Subs Facing Most COVID-19 Delays at Newport News Shipbuilding

Virginia-class submarine Delaware (SSN 791) was moved out of a construction facility into a floating dry dock using a transfer car system in 2018. HII Photo

Newport News Shipbuilding has seen a disproportionate amount of its COVID-19-related delays and inefficiencies hit its Virginia-class attack submarine production line, as the yard has prioritized its available workforce on supporting maintenance for in-service submarines and aircraft carriers, the company’s CEO told investors today. Read More

Columbia SSBN Program Doing Land-Based Testing to Avoid Past Shipbuilding Mistakes

Columbia SSBN Program Doing Land-Based Testing to Avoid Past Shipbuilding Mistakes

Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite tours the General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) Quonset Point Facility with EB Manager of Operations Walter Taft on July 8, 2020. US Navy Photo

Past ship design and acquisition mistakes, such as those with the Ford-class carrier and Littoral Combat Ship programs, are leading to some extra steps in today’s shipbuilding programs to ensure no time or money is wasted again, two speakers said at a virtual naval engineering symposium this week. Read More

Senate Passes FY 2021 Defense Authorization Bill by Large Margin

Senate Passes FY 2021 Defense Authorization Bill by Large Margin

The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) departs Pearl Harbor on May 10, 2020, after completing a scheduled extended dry-docking selected restricted availability (EDSRA). Missouri’s routine maintenance and modernization work was completed five days ahead of schedule after successful sea trials and certification. US Navy photo

The Senate passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act with an 86 to 14 vote, following the House passing its version of the bill on Tuesday. Read More