The following reports the results of every Special and General Court-Martial convened within the United States Navy from January through June 2013. The cases are separated by the Navy Region in which they were tried. The publishing of court-martial information is part of a wider push inside the Navy to be more transparent in the service’s prosecution of offenders in the military justice system. Read More
USS Port Royal (CG-73) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in 2012. US Navy Photo
The Navy is revising how badly a Ticonderoga-class (CG-47) cruiser the service wants to scrap was damaged in a 2009 grounding.
Damage to USS Port Royal (CG-73) — which ran aground in 2009 near Hawaii— is, ”not as extensive as previously believed,” according to a May Naval Sea Systems Command report to Congress obtained by USNI News. Read More
The following is a May 2013 Naval Sea Systems Command report to Congress, obtained by USNI News, outlining the material condition of USS Port Royal (CG-73). The report’s findings indicate the ship — which suffered a grounding in 2009 —was not as damaged as the Navy previously believed. Read More
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos speak at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as part of their national defense speakers series on July 11, 2013. US Navy Photo
The commandant of the Marine Corps and the chief of naval operations made the case for forward presence in an era of declining defense spending at a Washington to a national security forum think tank last week as events in Egypt threaten to spiral out of control.
Adm. Jonathan Greenert explained how the Navy and the Marine Corps can react quickly to situations citing the movement of USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and USS San Antonio (LPD-17) into the Red Sea following the Egyptian military’s removal of President Mohamed Morsi from office as an immediate example of forward presence’s value and tailored forces. The ships were sent closer to the conflict, “because we don’t know what’s going to happen” in Egypt. “We can’t garrison and respond. It will be too late,” to handle a possible evacuation of Americans from the country, Greenert said. Read More
Retired Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn speaks at the Earth Day Rally in Washington, DC, April 22, 2012. Earth Day Network Photo
The Obama administration has selected a renewable energy advocate and retired admiral to be the Navy’s new energy chief, according to an announcement from the White House.
Retired Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn — former president and chief executive of the American Council of Renewable Energy — has been nominated to be the Navy’s assistant secretary for energy, installations, and environment. Read More
Adm. Jonathan Greenert testifies before the Senate on the Navy’s budget on Wednesday. US Navy Photo
The Chief of Naval Operations said the Ohio-class replacement is his “number one program of concern,” although it remains “on track with all the R&D” to begin construction in 2021, with delivery expected in 2029.
Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on 24 April, Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus expressed concern about its cost, the impact of sequestration on the program and the impact of building it on the rest of the shipbuilding program.
Mabus said, “Sequestration holds the potential to impact this in a significant way.” Read More
From the document’s forward by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert:
The U.S. Navy is the world’s most lethal, flexible, and capable maritime force. As they have throughout our Nation’s history, every day our Sailors operate forward to provide American leaders with timely options to deter aggression, assure allies, and re- spond to crises with a minimal footprint ashore. Read More
Man Transportable Robot System “Talon” Mark 2 approaches a suspected bomb maker’s building during an exercise. US Navy Photo
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has constructed a neuromorphic device—the functioning structure of a mammalian brain—out of artificial materials. DARPA’s project, SyNAPSE (Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics) signals a new level for biomimicry in engineering. The project team included IBM, HRL, and their subcontracted universities. Read More
Artists concept of the Ohio Replacement ballistic nuclear missile submarine. US Navy Photo
The Ohio Class Replacement nuclear ballistic submarine (SSBN) program will not be delayed due to Navy budget cuts from mandated sequestration budget cuts, program manager Capt. Bill Brougham said Tuesday at a briefing at Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2013 at National Harbor, Md. Read More
Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla. US Navy Photo
The Navy’s personnel chief says the service has been making steady progress in reducing the 10,000 skill-set gaps between sea and shore billets by incentivizing people “to return to sea” and increasing the recruiting mission in undermanned ratings.
Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, speaking on 9 April at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2013 at National Harbor, Md., said 7,000 gaps at sea remain and asked the Fleet “to be patient” as the recruits move through the schoolhouse. “We still have to do some cross-decking” to keep the appropriately rated sailors on board ships. Read More
