Vice Adm. Bill Merz delivers remarks to the audience during the change of command ceremony for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet at the Fleet Theater on board Yokosuka Naval Base on Sept. 12, 2019. US Navy Photo
A P-8A Poseidon aircraft assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 is parked on the flight line of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland in 2016. US Navy Photo
Parts of the Atlantic fleet will reduce their flying hours for the remainder of the fiscal year to address a funding shortfall within the naval aviation flight hour budget, a Navy official told USNI News. Read More
Admiral John Aquilino, left, Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Vice Admiral Phillip Sawyer, right, Commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, pose for a photo with award recipients on of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) during an awards ceremony, July 10, 2019, at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. US Navy photo.
The Navy honored 50 sailors today for their efforts to save lives and save the ship after USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) collided with a merchant ship two years ago. Read More
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG-86) pulls into the Port of Suva, Fiji during a port visit Oct. 14, 2018. Navy photo.
Despite a shared history of fighting in World War II, the 16 Pacific Island nations think high ranking U.S. government policymakers suffer from “collective amnesia” when considering differing definitions of security, Fiji’s ambassador said Wednesday.
Amphibious assault vehicles depart the well deck aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 (DB-15).
US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to note that USS New Orleans would be the fifth amphibious ship forward-deployed to Japan. USS Germantown (LSD-42) is also homeported in Japan and was not included in the original version of this story. The future amphibious force in Japan will include two LSDs, two LPDs and an America-class LHA.
The Navy is adding a fifth amphibious ship to its forward-deployed fleet in Japan and is bringing home one of the destroyers that has been forward-deployed the longest, the service announced. Read More
Sailors attend an all-hands call aboard USS Porter (DDG-78) in celebration of Independence Day July 4, 2016. US Navy Photo
CAPITOL HILL – The Navy is short about 6,200 sailors to meet its at-sea requirements for its current force, and that gap could grow as the service adds new ships to the fleet, the head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command told a House panel on Tuesday. Read More
Sailors heave in line aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO-200) on Nov. 16, 2018. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated to include an additional statement from U.S. Pacific Fleet.
CAPITOL HILL – The Navy’s Pacific and Atlantic fleet commanders have increased their ability to understand surface ship readiness at the individual ship level and have shown their willingness to cancel or delay deployments if a ship has not proven it can safely conduct that mission, the two fleet commanders told lawmakers today. Read More
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) transits the Western Pacific on Nov. 12, 2017. US Navy photo.
Two U.S. Navy ships passed through the Taiwan Strait today for the fourth time in recent months, in a move that is allowed under international law but usually provokes a negative reaction from China. Read More
USS McCampbell (DDG 85) departs U.S. Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka and transits into Tokyo Bay, May 14, 2018. Navy photo.
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG-85) steamed past the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Monday in a freedom of navigation operation that drew the ire of Chinese government officials.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) as the ship transits the Strait of Gibraltar on Dec. 4, 2018. US Navy Photo
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of a series; please also see U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps Operations.
If 2018 made anything clear, it’s that the U.S. Navy noticed the increased Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic and won’t let it go unaddressed.
