USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) conducts routine operations near the Panamanian flagged drill ship, West Capella on May 12, 2020. US Navy Photo
While Washington acknowledges its allies and partners are willing to back a “free and open” Indo-Pacific policy, the keys to American success in confronting Chinese bullying is having smaller nations see a “consistent and reliable” presence from the U.S., according to a former senior diplomat. Read More
Amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) sails alongside Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10). US Navy photo.
USS Gabrielle Giffords’ (LCS-10) recently completed 17-month deployment to the Pacific will refine how the Navy thinks about operating and maintaining the Littoral Combat Ship forward, the ship’s gold crew captain told USNI News.
USS Benfold (DD-65) is at anchor off Koror, Republic of Palau in 2012. US Navy Photo
Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite visited Palau during a weeklong swing through the Pacific, making him the second high-ranking Defense Department official to visit to the small island nation in the last two months as the Second Island Chain is being eyed to play an even larger role in military plans and operations going forward. Read More
USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) transits the Pacific Ocean during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020 on Aug. 22, 2020. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy and partner nations have so far not encountered a Russian or Chinese maritime presence during the Rim of the Pacific 2020 exercise, according to a Navy official. Read More
Lee Hsien Loong at the G20 on Dec. 1, 2018
The relationship between Washington and Beijing has sunk to such a “very dangerous” level with no sign of tensions easing after the next U.S. presidential election, the prime minister of Singapore said Tuesday. Read More
The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) returns to homeport at Naval Base San Diego following the successful completion of a 12-month rotational deployment. Montgomery operated in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force. US Navy photo.
USS Montgomery (LCS-8) recently wrapped up its maiden deployment – and the ship class’s first since a restructure of the Littoral Combat Ship program – and the head of LCS operations said the ship leveraged lessons learned from earlier deployments to avoid readiness problems and make the most of its operational capabilities. Read More
Quartermaster 1st Class Byron Johnson, from Atlanta, notates in the decklog on the bridge of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) on May 22, 2020. US Navy Photo
The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is resuming operations in 7th Fleet three years after a devastating collision killed 10 sailors. Read More
Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo
The former commander of a guided-missile destroyer that was involved in a fatal collision in 2017 will retire at his current rank and will be eligible for retirement and medical benefits, his lawyer confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday. Read More
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) departs Fleet Activities Yokosuka to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing on Oct. 28, 2019. US Navy Photo
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is back at sea after completing repairs from a fatal 2017 collision off the coast of Singapore, U.S. 7th Fleet announced on late Sunday. Read More
