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Architect of the Capitol photo.
With a focus on restoring readiness and lethality to the military, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday, approving their funding plan for the military and mapping out some policy priorities.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) begins the transit to Newport News, Va., on Aug. 4, 2017, to begin a refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) maintenance at Newport News Shipyard. US Navy photo.
USS George Washington (CVN-73) will return to Japan as the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier once it completes a four-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding, USNI News has learned.
The galley deck is lowered into place on board the carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN79). Newport News Shipbuilding photo.
This post has been updated to include statements from Huntington Ingalls Industries President Mike Petters and House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee chairman Rep. Rob Wittman.
THE PENTAGON – The Navy today moved towards signing the first two-carrier contract since the Reagan Administration, asking builder Newport News Shipbuilding for additional data on the cost-savings potential for buying CVNs 80 and 81 together.
The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) departs Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) on July 21, 2017 — one day early — following a 10-month planned incremental availability. Harry S. Truman will conduct sea trials and return to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – The Navy will rely more on private industry to help with aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance work at public shipyards, as the service seeks to keep up with growing maintenance needs and awaits a much-needed public shipyard renovation effort. Read More
Newport News Shipbuilding cut a 35-ton steel plate to kick off advance construction of the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80) on Aug. 24, 2017. Ship’s sponsors and U.S. Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles (left) and Katie Ledecky (center), along with Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin (right), signed the steel that will become part of Enterprise’s foundation. Newport News Shipbuilding photo.
The upcoming contract award for the future aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-80) will be part of a Defense Department pilot program to award major contracts faster, and Navy leadership is eyeing it as an opportunity to save money by buying two carriers instead of one. Read More
Launch of guided-missle destroyer Delbert Black (DDG-119). HII Photo
Chances are the Navy’s leaders of a proposed 355-ship fleet have not even finished high school yet, according to Pentagon estimates. Read More
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is towed by tug boats to its new homeport in Newport News, Va., on Aug. 4, 2017. George Washington changed homeports to support the ship’s refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) maintenance at Newport News Shipyard. US Navy photo.
Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) began a 48-month Refueling and Complex Overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding earlier this month after serving for seven years as the forward-deployed carrier in Japan, creating a somewhat unique work package for the Navy’s sixth-ever RCOH. Read More
A crane moves the lower stern into place on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) at Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. on June 22, 2017. HII Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Spending more money now to increase the Navy’s fleet size will signal to potential adversaries their victory at sea is not possible, but accomplishing this is neither cheap nor quick, a quartet of experts told a Senate panel on Tuesday. Read More
Littoral Combat Ships USS Freedom (LCS-1) and USS Coronado (LCS-4) sit at the pier at Naval Station San Diego on Feb. 17, 2016. USNI News photo.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated where a nuclear reactor the Trump administration delayed to free up funds for a second Littoral Combat Ship would be used. The reactor will be installed as part of a yet to be determined carrier overhaul, not on USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).
The Trump administration is pushing back the purchase of a reactor core for a future carrier overhaul carrier, savings on amphibious ship modernization and deferring a radar for a destroyer upgrade to pay about $500 million for second Littoral Combat Ship hull in the second budget. Read More
Four F-35B Lightning II aircraft perform a flyover above the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on Nov. 20, 2016. US Navy Photo
The Senate Armed Services Committee version of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act piles on more ships and aircraft over the Pentagon’s request in a plan that spends more than $20 billion above the Trump administration’s request, according to an executive summary of the legislation that the SASC issued on Wednesday night. Read More
