Tag Archives: Strategic Readiness Review

New Surface Forces Instruction Restricts Who Can Earn a SWO Pin

New Surface Forces Instruction Restricts Who Can Earn a SWO Pin

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Capt. John F. Meier, then commanding officer USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), and Susan Ford Bales, ship’s sponsor, pin on Lt. j.g. Nicole Oliver’s surface warfare officer device, held inside the ship’s in-port cabin in 2016. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated to specify that there are no restrictions on who an individual ship commander could qualify as an officer of the deck.

The Navy is tightening up who can be qualified as a surface warfare officer and reserving time on the bridge for officers who are on a path to command warships, the commander of Naval Surface Force told USNI News this week. Read More →

Navy Asks Hill for $64M for Short-Term Surface Warfare Reforms

Navy Asks Hill for $64M for Short-Term Surface Warfare Reforms

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Ens. Samantha Rados stands watch as junior officer of the deck in the pilot house of the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) on June 26, 2018. US Navy Photo

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK – The Navy is asking Congress for a $64-million adjustment in its budget to begin work on a series of reforms to the surface force following the fatal collisions of two warships in 2017, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran confirmed to USNI News on Monday. Read More →

New Surface Warfare Officer Career Path Stresses Fundamentals; More Training Before First Ship, More Time At Sea

New Surface Warfare Officer Career Path Stresses Fundamentals; More Training Before First Ship, More Time At Sea

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Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer observes training in the littoral combat ship simulator during a visit to Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) Command June 12, 2018. US Navy Photo

The U.S. Navy is retooling the career path for surface warfare officers in the aftermath of last year’s fatal guided-missile destroyer collisions. The plan requires more school for new officers before they report to their first ships, institutes a new testing regime through major commands and shapes the career path so SWOs spend more time at sea. Read More →

Two Fleets or One? HASC Settles on Single Readiness Generator After Lengthy Debate

Two Fleets or One? HASC Settles on Single Readiness Generator After Lengthy Debate

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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) undergo routine maintenance at Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka on June 16, 2017. Stethem is forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. US Navy photo.

The House Armed Services Committee debated how to balance ensuring that all forces throughout the Navy are equally ready for battle when they deploy versus ensuring the U.S. Pacific Fleet is nimble enough to respond to whatever military crisis or natural disaster may arise – with the majority of lawmakers ultimately deciding they wanted the Navy to enforce a single standard of readiness. Read More →

CNO: Navy Can Learn From Syria Strikes to Prepare for Higher-End Conflicts

CNO: Navy Can Learn From Syria Strikes to Prepare for Higher-End Conflicts

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USS Monterey (CG 61) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 13, 2018 against land targets in Syria. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Navy is studying its recent strikes on Syria to understand how the fleet performed well in a real-world event and how it may need to perform differently in a future higher-end engagement, the chief of naval operations said on Wednesday. Read More →

Navy Creates Permanent Readiness Command To Monitor Japan-Based Ships

Navy Creates Permanent Readiness Command To Monitor Japan-Based Ships

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Water is drained from a dry dock at U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF JRMC) Yokosuka preparing the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG-67) for a scheduled maintenance availability in July 2015. US Navy photo.

The Navy’s Japan-based ships are the pointed end of the spear and keeping them sharp falls to the recently created Naval Surface Group Western Pacific, CNSG WP that was just made a permanent command.

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Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group Training to Tougher Standards Underway Ahead of Formal Navy Policy Changes

Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group Training to Tougher Standards Underway Ahead of Formal Navy Policy Changes

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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.

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Adm. Swift: Pacific Fleet Should Both Train and Operate Forces

Adm. Swift: Pacific Fleet Should Both Train and Operate Forces

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Adm. Scott H. Swift, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, delivers remarks during a change of command and retirement ceremony as Vice Adm. Nora W. Tyson prepares to relinquish command of U.S. 3rd Fleet. US Navy Photo

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet pushed back against recent discussions that he shouldn’t both prepare and operate ready forces and that force-generation should be concentrated at U.S. Fleet Forces Command on the East Coast. Read More →

Navy, Congress Looking to Clarify Command and Control of U.S. Pacific Fleet

Navy, Congress Looking to Clarify Command and Control of U.S. Pacific Fleet

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The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), left, and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) conduct dual aircraft carrier strike group operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. US Navy photo.

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy and lawmakers are considering how to clarify the chain of command for forward-deployed surface forces to ensure future readiness and accountability while service leadership insists it has done a sufficient job holding accountable those who contributed to last year’s fatal destroyer collisions. Read More →

VADM Rowden Calls Naval Surface Group Western Pacific an Advocate for Ship Training Needs

VADM Rowden Calls Naval Surface Group Western Pacific an Advocate for Ship Training Needs

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Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden, Commander of Naval Surface Forces. US Navy photo.

This post has been updated to include additional comments from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.

ARLINGTON, VA – The commander of Naval Surface Forces expressed support for the new Naval Surface Group Western Pacific as an important addition that gives voice to training and certification needs in the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) in Japan, despite some pushback from the secretary of the Navy over the group’s formation. Read More →

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