USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) during construction at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. BIW photo.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Navy’s new requirements process that brings industry in early to refine ideas and conduct prototyping may have prevented the service from going down a costly path with its Large Surface Combatant, the head of Naval Sea Systems Command said. Read More
Coast Guard Cutter Waesche prepares to refloat from drydock in Seattle, Wash., May 22, 2018. The Waesche is a 418-foot Legend-class National Security Cutter homeported in Alameda, California. US Coast Guard photo.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Coast Guard is struggling to get ship repair yards to bid on its work as the Navy is leaning on more of these same companies to help dig out of its own ship maintenance backlog – and with the Navy contracts being larger and more lucrative, the Coast Guard is realizing it must “change the way we do business,” its engineering official said. Read More
The following is the Jan. 31, 2020 Department of Defense Inspector General report, Audit of Readiness of Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers. The public report was released on Feb. 4. Read More
Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Boise (SSN-764) enters Souda Bay, Greece in 2014. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Navy and submarine builder Newport News Shipbuilding are committed to having a private industry submarine repair capacity for the long-haul, even if the first recent forays into the effort resulted in long delays and cost overruns. Read More
Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Lashavya Barber welds aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in 2018. US Navy Photo
CAPITOL HILL – The Navy is still working to reduce its ship maintenance backlog, but a number of small improvements at its four public shipyards and innovative applications of new technologies and processes are moving the needle in the right direction, top leaders say. Read More
USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) sits pierside the evening before its commissioning ceremony. US Navy Photo
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Navy is conducting wargames and prototyping efforts to better understand how unmanned surface vehicles will fit into the fleet and how the Littoral Combat Ship will expand its presence around the globe. Read More
The future USNS Miguel Keith (ESB-5) departs General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. shipyard in San Diego, Calif. During the weeklong acceptance trials, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey conducted comprehensive tests to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of all of the ship’s major systems. NASSCO photo.
The Navy accepted delivery of USNS Miguel Keith (T-ESB-5), the expeditionary sea base that was damaged while under construction when its dry dock flooded in July 2018 and subsequently set back by about six months.
A team of participants working on the high-pressure air compressor during Hack the Machine competition at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City on Sept. 7, 2019. US Navy Photo
NEW YORK – Two years ago, the Navy invited a group of civilian data experts to study how the service could better predict maintenance on surface ships. A short time into the exercise at MIT, a major problem popped up – the data was bad. Read More
Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Claus Moser communicates with sailors in the forecastle of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8) while off-loading the starboard anchor chain in 2017. US Navy Photo
SAN DIEGO, Calif – The Navy has a large backlog of surface ship maintenance it is trying to dig out of; that’s not new. And while the sea service and ship repair industry are making some progress in cutting back on administrative and other burdens that slow down maintenance availabilities, the contractors here in San Diego are so backed up that the Navy has received zero bids for several recent maintenance availabilities. Read More
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) transits the Arctic Circle Sept. 5, 2017. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the high latitudes, where presence increasingly equals power, the U.S. Coast Guard shoulders much of today’s mission load. But experts think the Arleigh Burke destroyers of the future could share the operational burden.
