Category Archives: warship

NAVSEA: Analysis of Ship Repair Processes Led to Better On-Time Rates, More Realistic Schedules

NAVSEA: Analysis of Ship Repair Processes Led to Better On-Time Rates, More Realistic Schedules

BAE Systems has received $170.7 million in contracts from the U.S. Navy to perform simultaneous maintenance and repair on two Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided-missile destroyers in its San Diego shipyard. Under the awarded contracts, the shipyard will tandem dry-dock the USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Decatur (DDG 73) in October. The synchronized two-ship docking will be a first for the company’s newest dry-dock in San Diego. The contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $185 million. BAE Systems photo

The chief of naval operations in January threw down an aggressive goal for surface ship maintenance: zero days lost to maintenance delays by the end of Fiscal Year 2021. Read More

SECDEF Esper Calls for 500-Ship Fleet by 2045, With 3 SSNs a Year and Light Carriers Supplementing CVNs

SECDEF Esper Calls for 500-Ship Fleet by 2045, With 3 SSNs a Year and Light Carriers Supplementing CVNs

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group transits in formation with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group while conducting dual carrier and airwing operations in the Philippine Sea on June 23, 2020. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated to include additional information from Secretary Esper’s rollout of Battle Force 2045.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced a new future fleet plan for the Navy that would grow the attack submarine force, supplement nuclear-powered aircraft carriers with light carriers to achieve greater day-to-day presence, and invest heavily in small and unmanned ships for distributed operations. Read More

Hudson Recommends 581 Ships, New Class of Corvette as Part of Input to Pentagon Fleet Plan

Hudson Recommends 581 Ships, New Class of Corvette as Part of Input to Pentagon Fleet Plan

USS Sterett (DDG-104) steams through the night in the Gulf of Oman on Sept. 17, 2020. US Navy Photo

The first of three inputs to the Pentagon’s Future Naval Force Study was released this week, the Hudson Institute is calling for a future U.S. Navy fleet of 581 battle force ships through the addition of 80 corvettes, 99 unmanned surface vessels, 40 unmanned submarines and 27 new small amphibious ships Read More

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

Austal Expanding Yard In Alabama as It Eyes New Unmanned, Amphibious Shipbuilding Programs

Austal Expanding Yard In Alabama as It Eyes New Unmanned, Amphibious Shipbuilding Programs

The future Savannah (LCS-28) is floated down the Mobile River on Sept. 2, 2020, just days after it was christened at the Austal USA shipyard. Austal USA photo.

Austal USA is expanding the capacity and capability of its Alabama shipyard, doubling down on investing in its future in a way reminiscent of 2009, just before it won the block buy of Littoral Combat Ships that secured the yard a spot in the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base. Read More

Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel 'Woody' Williams Makes Port Stop in Naples

Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams Makes Port Stop in Naples

Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams (ESB-4) leaving San Diego, Calif. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated to correct an incorrect photo caption indicating USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams (ESB-4) was arriving in Naples, Italy. It was leaving San Diego.

Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) pulled into Naples, Italy today for a stop on its first deployment. 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