The newest Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel is ready for delivery to the Navy after successfully completing sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The Newport, the latest EPF build by Austal USA, boasts main propulsion in the form of four MTU 20V8000 M7 11 diesel engines producing 12,203 hp each.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter participated Monday in an unannounced joint Navy-Air Force exercise over the Black Sea. "The purpose of this training event was to exercise command and control in a joint training environment with our US Air Force brothers and sisters to increase our tactical proficiency, and Porter's crew did just that," said Cmdr. Craig Trent, Porter's commanding officer.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard completed missile operational sequence testing aboard the Ohio-class ballistic submarine USS Wyoming in eight weeks during an engineered refueling overhaul, breaking the previous record of 10 1/2 weeks. "The team effectively handled all challenges as they arose and this lead to the successful active inert missile load, tube-to-tube transfer, and operational sequence of missile tubes," said Code 290 Combat Systems Division head Eric Kieffer.
SAIC will perform mission engineering and integration services for the Navy's Global Deterrence and Defense Department in Crane, Ind., under a $63.5 million task order with a one-year base period. The company will provide expertise, facilities, equipment and administration support for hypersonic technologies.
Many Ohio-class submarines are well past their original 30-year services lives but the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia is keeping them operational as it prepares for the new Columbia class. The new class will feature fly-by-wire control systems and will have different maintenance and modernization needs.
Curtiss-Wright will provide support for Navy submarine and carrier programs under contracts totaling more than $220 million. The work for Bechtel Plant Machinery and General Dynamics Electric Boat includes propulsion valves, pumps and instrumentation and control systems for a Virginia-class submarine and Columbia-class submarine as well as Ford-class carriers.
The Navy is learning from its design and testing issues with littoral combat ships and the Ford-class carrier by conducting early land-based work for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, Rear Adm. Jason Lloyd said. "I think it would have been significantly cheaper to build a prototype back then than it would to go through what we're going through now with those weapons elevators on Ford," he said.
The Navy could opt to turn the fire-gutted hulk of the USS Bonhomme Richard into a test bed for the latest unmanned sea-based weapons systems, writes The Heritage Foundation's Brent D. Sadler. Such a plan could save billions of dollars while also serving to augment fleet size and effectiveness.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is working with Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and the state of Wisconsin to ensure compliance as it prepares to enhance its shipyard equipment and facilities this year. The company will assist its sister shipyard with work on the Navy's first-in-class guided-missile frigate.
Attention U.S. active duty personnel and U.S. federal government employees! Now is the time to Attend, Succor, Network and Engage. The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) is offering a limited-time annual membership promotion for federal government employees and active duty uniformed service personnel. Available now until December 31, 2020, become a member of our esteemed Society and enjoy the benefits, such as digital access to 131 years of the NEJ, discounted symposia proceedings, member-only registration rates for event/webinars, on-demand professional development courses, and networking opportunities with top community leaders! Join at the low rate of $50.00 for federal government employees (GS/ST/SL/SES and Active Duty O-3 and above) and $25.00 for Active Duty service members (E-1 through O-2). Don't miss the boat. Visit our website and join today!
Thank you to all who joined ASNE for our Virtual Technology, Systems & Ships event this week! On August 4, hundreds of attendees virtually gathered for special remarks from Admiral Karl L. Schultz, USCG, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Jason Lloyd, USN, Chief Engineer and Deputy Commander for Ship Design, Integration and Naval Engineering, NAVSEA-05, and U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01). We hope this taste of TSS: Virtual First was enough to wet your whistle to attend the TSS: In-Person Second networking symposium in Arlington, Va., this November! For more details on In-Person TSS, please visit our website.
