Tag Archives: Comprehensive Review of Recent Surface Force Incidents

Navy, Marine Corps Had a Good Safety Record in 2020 But Have Plans to Get Better

Navy, Marine Corps Had a Good Safety Record in 2020 But Have Plans to Get Better

Boatswain’s Mate Petty Officer First Class Jarret Hal conducts a safety brief before a underway replenishment, on the Alreigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG-72) on Jan. 24, 2021. US Navy Photo

Navy leaders in all communities are taking a hard look at how they can use data to prevent training accidents and operational mishaps, even as 2020 proved to be a good year for safety amid a high operational tempo, the service’s vice chief told lawmakers this week. Read More

Navy Reverting DDGs Back to Physical Throttles, After Fleet Rejects Touchscreen Controls

Navy Reverting DDGs Back to Physical Throttles, After Fleet Rejects Touchscreen Controls

IBNS helm controls on USS Dewey (DDG-105). US Navy Photo

SAN DIEGO – The Navy will begin reverting destroyers back to a physical throttle and traditional helm control system in the next 18 to 24 months, after the fleet overwhelmingly said they prefer mechanical controls to touchscreen systems in the aftermath of the fatal USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) collision. Read More

Fleet Forces: Navy Short 6,200 At-Sea Sailors Now to Meet New Manning Requirements

Fleet Forces: Navy Short 6,200 At-Sea Sailors Now to Meet New Manning Requirements

Sailors attend an all-hands call aboard USS Porter (DDG-78) in celebration of Independence Day July 4, 2016. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy is short about 6,200 sailors to meet its at-sea requirements for its current force, and that gap could grow as the service adds new ships to the fleet, the head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command told a House panel on Tuesday. Read More

Fleet Commanders Holding Firm on Readiness Standards for Surface Ships

Fleet Commanders Holding Firm on Readiness Standards for Surface Ships

Sailors heave in line aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO-200) on Nov. 16, 2018. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated to include an additional statement from U.S. Pacific Fleet.

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy’s Pacific and Atlantic fleet commanders have increased their ability to understand surface ship readiness at the individual ship level and have shown their willingness to cancel or delay deployments if a ship has not proven it can safely conduct that mission, the two fleet commanders told lawmakers today. Read More

As Navy Moves Beyond Relearning the Basics to Focusing on Lethality, So Too Do Navy Trainers

As Navy Moves Beyond Relearning the Basics to Focusing on Lethality, So Too Do Navy Trainers

Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) participate in visual information training as part of virtual reality ship handling training at the Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling Trainer (NSST), on board Naval Base San Diego. US Navy photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – In 2018, the Navy stressed the basics of training, crew qualifications and readiness following two fatal ship collisions the year before. 2019 will be all about moving beyond the fundamentals and focusing on lethality, the commander of surface forces said. Read More

Top Stories 2018: U.S. Navy Operations

Top Stories 2018: U.S. Navy Operations

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) as the ship transits the Strait of Gibraltar on Dec. 4, 2018. US Navy Photo

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of a series; please also see U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps Operations.

If 2018 made anything clear, it’s that the U.S. Navy noticed the increased Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic and won’t let it go unaddressed.

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Navy Asks Hill for $64M for Short-Term Surface Warfare Reforms

Navy Asks Hill for $64M for Short-Term Surface Warfare Reforms

Ens. Samantha Rados stands watch as junior officer of the deck in the pilot house of the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) on June 26, 2018. US Navy Photo

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK – The Navy is asking Congress for a $64-million adjustment in its budget to begin work on a series of reforms to the surface force following the fatal collisions of two warships in 2017, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran confirmed to USNI News on Monday. Read More

Naval Safety Center Standing Up Data Analytics Office Amid Surface, Aviation Mishap Increases

Naval Safety Center Standing Up Data Analytics Office Amid Surface, Aviation Mishap Increases

An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 flies over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in the Persian Gulf. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL — The Naval Safety Center is standing up a new Knowledge Management and Safety Promotion directorate, which will use data analytics to help get ahead of potential future mishaps. Read More

Two Fleets or One? HASC Settles on Single Readiness Generator After Lengthy Debate

Two Fleets or One? HASC Settles on Single Readiness Generator After Lengthy Debate

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) undergo routine maintenance at Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka on June 16, 2017. Stethem is forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. US Navy photo.

The House Armed Services Committee debated how to balance ensuring that all forces throughout the Navy are equally ready for battle when they deploy versus ensuring the U.S. Pacific Fleet is nimble enough to respond to whatever military crisis or natural disaster may arise – with the majority of lawmakers ultimately deciding they wanted the Navy to enforce a single standard of readiness. Read More

CNO: Navy Can Learn From Syria Strikes to Prepare for Higher-End Conflicts

CNO: Navy Can Learn From Syria Strikes to Prepare for Higher-End Conflicts

USS Monterey (CG 61) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 13, 2018 against land targets in Syria. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Navy is studying its recent strikes on Syria to understand how the fleet performed well in a real-world event and how it may need to perform differently in a future higher-end engagement, the chief of naval operations said on Wednesday. Read More