Last year’s fatal collisions of guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) and USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) began a chain of investigations, accountability actions and reform efforts. The following is a summary of the major events that have occurred since the early morning June 17, 2018, incident between Fitzgerald and the merchant ship ACX Crystal. Read More
USS Farragut (DDG-99) passes under the Great Belt Fixed Link during its transit through the Danish Straits on April 26, 2018. US Navy Photo
A comprehensive test of seamanship skills of 164 junior surface warfare officers found an alarming lack of basic navigation and ship handling knowledge, according to a message sent from the head of U.S. Navy surface forces and obtained by USNI News. Read More
Students at Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) train on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Full Mission Bridge (FMB) simulator in 2016. US Navy Photo
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) is pushing a trio of legislative reform efforts to professionalize surface warfare officer training and simplify command and control for forward forces in an effort to prevent avoidable mishaps like the two fatal collisions the U.S. Navy suffered in 2017. Read More
Quartermaster Seaman Diamond S. Copes uses a sextant to measure the distance between celestial bodies from the bridge wing of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88) on March 14, 2018. US Navy Photo
ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND USS BUNKER HILL, IN THE PERSIAN GULF – Even as top Navy and congressional leadership in Washington continue to negotiate a path forward for the surface fleet in the aftermath of last year’s two fatal destroyer collisions, some surface leaders are already taking action to ensure their crews are more ready and operating at a higher level of proficiency than the Navy requires.
A wave crashes over the forecastle of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG-64) while underway in the Mediterranean Sea on Jan. 22, 2018. US Navy Photo
Two top Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans have introduced legislation that covers a wide swath of Navy-suggested reforms for the surface forces. Read More
Moon over U.S. Capitol on Nov. 13, 2016. NASA Photo
Both houses of Congress will vote Thursday on a bill that will fund the Pentagon to the tune of $1.4 trillion for this year and next, giving the Pentagon a boost in cash flow not seen in over a decade, while ditching controversial budget caps, at least for the time being. Read More
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2017.
The following is part of a series. Please also see Top Stories: International Acquisition, Navy Operations, Marine Corps Operations, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Acquisition, International Operations and New Administration.
2017 began with the promise of planning for a larger fleet: at the end of 2016, the Navy announced a 355-ship requirement, and the incoming Trump Administration expressed its support for a larger military and a heftier Navy. Few concrete steps were taken this year, though, to begin a buildup – though many programs that will be pivotal to the 355-ship fleet of the future reached significant programmatic milestones in 2017.
Thomas Modly, James Geurts
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted Thursday to submit Thomas Modly, nominee to be the Under Secretary of the Navy, and James Geurts, nominee to be the Navy’s top weapons buyer, for votes before the full Senate. Read More
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
If confirmed, provide an audit of acquisitions or risk cuts and delays in funding, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) warned a pair of nominees to be top civilian leaders in the Navy. Read More
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Bob Woodward of The Washington Post. USNI News Image
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, Md. — Convincing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear arsenal would require the U.S. to somehow guarantee that country’s survival, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in a video interview on Thursday. Read More
