The following is the Department of Defense Inspector General January 2020 report, Audit of Surge Sealift Readiness Reporting. Read More
Category Archives: Surface Forces
Panel: China Now Well Positioned to Bully Neighbors in South China Sea
A naval soldier of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) views through a pair of binoculars onboard China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning as it visits a military harbor on the South China Sea. Xinhua Photo
China’s recent activities in the South China Sea, which include bullying Vietnam and Malaysia over ocean drilling and ramming Philippine fishing vessels near Scarborough Shoals, top the list of Asian security concerns, a panel of experts said last week. Read More
Navy Rethinking Fundamental Training for SWO Skills, Crafting More Complex Pre-Deployment Exercises
Chief Master-at-Arms Michael Thom, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), works with Sailors on the bridge to locate surface contacts during a basic surface warfare exercise while participating in a surface warfare advanced tactical training (SWATT) in the Atlantic Ocean onJuly 28, 2019. SWATT is designed to increase war fighting proficiency, lethality and interoperability of participating units. US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to correct the acronym Tactical Flag Communication Center, and to clarify that the SWATT events last 16 days.
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Navy’s surface warfare community wants to increase the proficiency of its officers and its ship crews by reassessing how it teaches fundamental warfighting skills and adding more complexity to pre-deployment training. Read More
Navy MH-60S Helicopter Crashes in the Philippine Sea off Okinawa, Crew Rescued
An MH-60S helicopter from the ‘Golden Falcons’ of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 launches from the flight deck of U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) on Jan 21, 2020. US Navy Photo
Five sailors are in stable condition following the crash of their MH-60S helicopter in the Philippine Sea, U.S. 7th Fleet said on Saturday. Read More
DoD Stays Quiet About FY 2021 Funding For Expanding Navy Fleet
THE PENTAGON — Defense Department leadership is staying mum about whether they think the Pentagon will get enough money to build and sustain a 355-ship Navy while top Navy and Army leaders argue over their share of the budget.
Navy Striving for 71% On-Time Ship Maintenance This Year, No Extensions By End of 2021
Tugboats maneuver the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) in position for dry-docking in preparation for the ship’s Extended Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) on March 5, 2019. US Navy photo.
ARLINGTON, Va. – The chief of naval operations gave the Navy an aggressive goal to eliminate lost operational days from overrun maintenance availabilities by next year, and surface navy and maintenance community leadership believe they’re on track to do just that. Read More
Coast Guard Icebreaker Polar Star Breaks Out McMurdo Station in Antarctica
The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star moves through pack ice Dec. 28, 2019, about 200 miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The 43-year-old Polar Star is the nation’s only heavy icebreaker. This year marks the 64th iteration of the operation known as Operation Deep Freeze. U.S. Coast Guard photograph
The nation’s only heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) finished bashing a 23-mile channel through pack ice on Wednesday to reach the National Science Foundation’s research facility, McMurdo Station, in Antarctica.
Document: Report to Congress on Gerald R. Ford Carrier Program
The following is the Jan. 21, 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
Textron’s Common USV Ready for Production, Experimenting with Lethal Surface Warfare Payloads
Textron’s Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle. Textron photo.
ARLINGTON, Va. – Even as Textron is awaiting a decision to move from development of its Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) into production, the company also has its eye on using the vessel for missions such as surface warfare and amphibious operations. Read More
Officials: U.S.-Japan Iron Fist Amphib Exercise ‘Extremely Important’ as China’s Navy Expands
U.S. Marines with 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers with Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade stand in formation during the opening ceremony of Exercise Iron Fist 2020 on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California on Jan. 17, 2020. US Marine Corps Photo
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Sailors and Marines kicked off an annual bilateral Iron Fist exercise with Japanese soldiers on Friday that’s designed to help Japan’s fledgling amphibious force become ready to operate. Read More
