Maj. Gen. Robert Walsh.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Robert Walsh, currently the director of expeditionary warfare in the chief of naval operation’s office, will be promoted to lieutenant general and take over as commanding general of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), according to a defense department announcement. Read More
The following is the April 9, 2015 Congressional Research Service report, U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
Essex ARG consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), the San Antonio-class transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD-23), and the Whidbey Island-class amphibious landing dock ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) on Feb. 28, 2015. US Navy Photo
The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee wants changes allowing two upcoming ship classes to get off to a smoother start – allowing for more funding opportunities for the Ohio Replacement Program (ORP) and accelerating the start of the LX(R) amphibious dock landing ship replacement program. Read More
F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the Tomcatters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31, launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) on July 31, 2014. US Navy Photo
The House Armed Services tactical air and land subcommittee supports filling the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ unfunded requirements for additional Boeing F-18E/F Super Hornets and Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSF), committee aids told reporters on Wednesday. Read More
Marines aboard Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1655 approach the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) on Aug. 22, 2014. US Navy Photo
The Navy is doing preliminary design work on its Landing Craft Utility (LCU) replacement now to begin construction within about three years, in time to support one-for-one replacement on the surface connectors in 2022. Read More
Helicopters fly from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) on April 13, 2015. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated to include additional information from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).
Nine U.S. warships have moved closer to Yemen — including the bulk of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG) — pulling U.S. forces away from the ongoing airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) militants, U.S. Navy officials told USNI News on Monday. Read More
Sailors assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5 prepare to unload Humvees from a landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) during amphibious assault training as part of exercise Dawn Blitz in June 2013. US Navy photo.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Navy’s renewed focus on innovation will help the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab find ready and willing participants to both host and shape its live-force experiments, the lab’s commanding general told USNI News. Read More
The following is the April 14, 2015 memo announcing new policy on disinterring and identifying missing service members. Read More
An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighter conducts a touch and go landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68). US Navy Photo
This post has been updated to include a comment from Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.).
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will be “almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly,” signaling key assumptions in the Navy’s aviation future as the service prepares to develop follow-ons to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Read More
An MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163, Reinforced, approaches the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5) to transport an AV-8B Harrier jet engine to the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) during a replenishment-at-sea in October 2014. US Navy photo.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Navy has stood up an Auxiliary Platforms and Payloads Council at the Pentagon to look at “new, innovative methods to fulfill the missions” the Navy and Marine Corps struggle to efficiently meet with current platforms, director of expeditionary warfare Maj. Gen. Robert Walsh said Tuesday. Read More
