Brought to You by the Members of the U.S. Naval Institute
A composite photo illustration representing the Ford-class aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79). US Navy Image
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) $4.29 billion in contracts for the planned second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier — John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) — amid promises for improved cost performance for the second carrier’s construction Read More
A Harpoon missile is launched from the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG-67) during a live-fire exercise on Sept. 15, 2014. US Navy Photo
During the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis (1995–96), United States naval dominance was demonstrated through the deployment of two carrier battle groups as a show of force within 100 miles of the Chinese mainland. Then-Secretary of Defense William Perry could state that while the Chinese “are a great military power, the premier—the strongest—military power in the Western Pacific is the United States.” Read More
An artist’s conception of the AMDR AN/SPY-6(v) radar onboard an Arleigh Burke Flight III guided missile destroyer (DDG-51). Raytheon Image
The Raytheon-built Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) has successfully completed its Navy critical design review (CDR) ahead of more hardware development efforts later this summer, company officials told USNI News this week. Read More
Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88) underway on April 18, 2015. US Navy Photo
The House Armed Services Committee added $120 million to pay for a total of three Aegis combat system upgrades to the Navy’s Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers (DDG-51) as part of the chairman’s mark for the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. Read More
The deckhouse for the Aegis Ashore system at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. This is the test asset for the Aegis Ashore system on Jan. 8, 2014. US Navy Photo
Lockheed Martin is not currently studying adding an anti-air warfare (AAW) capability to the Navy’s two Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) installations in Romania and Poland for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the company said on Thursday correcting comments made by a company official last week during a briefing on the program. Read More
An artist’s conception of an Aegis Ashore battery. Lockheed-Martin Photo
Since the following story was posted, Lockheed Martin has said it was not currently studying adding an anti-air warfare (AAW) capability to Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) sites for the Missile Defense Agency. Read the follow-on story here.
Lockheed Martin is studying adding an anti-air warfare (AAW) capability to Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense (BMD) sites, company officials told reporters on Friday. Read More
An undated photo of a Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile in flight. Kongsberg Photo
ALEXANDRIA, VA. — The Norwegian manufacturer of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) has teamed with U.S. missile manufacturer Raytheon to pitch the anti-ship missile (ASM) to the Navy as the over-the-horizon (OTH) ASM for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), company officials told reporters in a briefing on Thursday. Read More
USS Porter (DDG-78) fires its MK 45 5-inch lightweight gun during a weapons training exercise on April 3, 2015. US Navy Photo
PENTAGON — The Navy is still interested in pursuing guided rounds for naval guns on its surface fleet but waiting for the technology to get cheaper before moving forward, the director of surface warfare said Wednesday in a press briefing with reporters. Read More
Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo
The Navy told Congress it would pursue a 10-ship multiyear procurement contract for its Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in Fiscal Year 2018 as part of its newest long-range shipbuilding plan, which also announced a nine-ship attack submarine block buy and delays in several auxiliary ship programs. Read More
USS Chafee (DDG-90) on 2014. Chafee is one of five Arleigh Burke destroyers that won’t receive a ballistic missile defense (BMD) upgrade due to a reduction of funding as part of the Navy’s FY 2016 budget request. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated from an earlier version to include a statement from Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) — chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee.
Five Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers (DDG-51) will forgo a combat system upgrade that would allow the ships to fight ballistic missile threats as part of a reduction in modernization funding included in the Navy’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget that will save the service $500 million over the next five years, USNI News has learned. Read More
