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The 7th fleet, for some odd reason, seems to be having an awful year.
Fat Leonard, didn't help either
US Armed Forces
- Thread starter Jaeger
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Fat Leonard, didn't help either
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They are stationed in the most sensitive area so these kind of incidents are expected. I would say it is intentional but no way the US is going to disclose that to the public. Let's see what Mr Trump is going to say about this, probably tweeted already just did have the chance to check twitter.
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8 rescued, 3 missing after U.S. Navy cargo plane crashes off Japan
By Sara Shayanian | Nov. 22, 2017
Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. Navy aircraft with 11 people on board crashed into the Philippine Sea off Japan on Wednesday, authorities said.
The C2-A "Greyhound" crashed about 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa Wednesday afternoon, on its way to the USS Ronald Reagan from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
The Navy said the C2-A, a high-wing transport aircraft, was conducting a routine flight with passengers and cargo when it crashed.
Navy officials said 8 people were rescued and in "good condition." They were transferred to the USS Ronald Reagan for medical evaluation.
Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense forces are looking for the remaining three.
The Reagan was participating in a drill with Japanese forces, but it's unclear whether the aircraft carrier was also searching for the missing passengers.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered prayers and said he's paying attention to the search.
The C2-A is assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Three Zero, Detachment Five, forward deployed in NAF Atsugi, Japan, the Navy said. Its mission includes transporting "high-priority" cargo, mail, duty passengers and visitors between the Reagan and shore bases in the west Pacific and Southeast Asia.
The cause is under investigation, but Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters Wednesday that engine trouble may have been a factor.
Grumman introduced the propeller-driven C2-A "Greyhound" for Navy use in 1966.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...go-plane-crashes-off-Japan/2601511349977/ph2/
By Sara Shayanian | Nov. 22, 2017
Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. Navy aircraft with 11 people on board crashed into the Philippine Sea off Japan on Wednesday, authorities said.
The C2-A "Greyhound" crashed about 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa Wednesday afternoon, on its way to the USS Ronald Reagan from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
The Navy said the C2-A, a high-wing transport aircraft, was conducting a routine flight with passengers and cargo when it crashed.
Navy officials said 8 people were rescued and in "good condition." They were transferred to the USS Ronald Reagan for medical evaluation.
Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense forces are looking for the remaining three.
The Reagan was participating in a drill with Japanese forces, but it's unclear whether the aircraft carrier was also searching for the missing passengers.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered prayers and said he's paying attention to the search.
The C2-A is assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Three Zero, Detachment Five, forward deployed in NAF Atsugi, Japan, the Navy said. Its mission includes transporting "high-priority" cargo, mail, duty passengers and visitors between the Reagan and shore bases in the west Pacific and Southeast Asia.
The cause is under investigation, but Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters Wednesday that engine trouble may have been a factor.
Grumman introduced the propeller-driven C2-A "Greyhound" for Navy use in 1966.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...go-plane-crashes-off-Japan/2601511349977/ph2/
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If they crashed into water they would survive mostly. Hope they recover soon. The US need to pull out of Asia and limit the mission to logistic support to Japan and South Korea.
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Navy Suspends Search for Sailors Missing in Plane Crash
Fox News | 24 Nov 2017 | by Samuel Chamberlain
A C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft assigned to the 'Rawhides' of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 prepares to land on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) on March 7 in the Mediterranean Sea. (US Navy photo via Getty Images)
The U.S. Navy suspended the search for three sailors who had been missing since a transport plane crashed in the Western Pacific more than 36 hours earlier.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with our lost shipmates and their families," Rear Adm. Marc Dalton said in a statement released late Thursday. "As difficult as this is, we are thankful for the rapid and effective response that led to the rescue of eight of our shipmates, and I appreciate the professionalism and dedication shown by all who participated in the search efforts."
Eight sailors were rescued after the C-2A Greyhound transport aircraft went down about 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa, as it was bringing passengers and cargo from Japan to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
A former Navy C-2 pilot told Fox News on Thursday that the fact that eight of the 11 people on board were rescued indicates the pilots performed a feat similar to Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who safely landed a crippled airliner in the Hudson River in January 2009.
Military sources told Fox News that Navy officials are investigating several possible causes of the crash, including an extremely rare dual engine failure. Investigators are also looking at the plane's fuel and oil sources.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/...sing-after-plane-crash.html?ESRC=eb_171124.nl
Fox News | 24 Nov 2017 | by Samuel Chamberlain
A C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft assigned to the 'Rawhides' of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 prepares to land on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) on March 7 in the Mediterranean Sea. (US Navy photo via Getty Images)
The U.S. Navy suspended the search for three sailors who had been missing since a transport plane crashed in the Western Pacific more than 36 hours earlier.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with our lost shipmates and their families," Rear Adm. Marc Dalton said in a statement released late Thursday. "As difficult as this is, we are thankful for the rapid and effective response that led to the rescue of eight of our shipmates, and I appreciate the professionalism and dedication shown by all who participated in the search efforts."
Eight sailors were rescued after the C-2A Greyhound transport aircraft went down about 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa, as it was bringing passengers and cargo from Japan to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
A former Navy C-2 pilot told Fox News on Thursday that the fact that eight of the 11 people on board were rescued indicates the pilots performed a feat similar to Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who safely landed a crippled airliner in the Hudson River in January 2009.
Military sources told Fox News that Navy officials are investigating several possible causes of the crash, including an extremely rare dual engine failure. Investigators are also looking at the plane's fuel and oil sources.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/...sing-after-plane-crash.html?ESRC=eb_171124.nl
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Navy Pilot Lost in C-2 Crash 'Flew the Hell Out of That Airplane'
28 Nov 2017
by Hope Hodge Seck
File photo of Lt. Steven Combs, assigned to the Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
A Navy lieutenant who lost his life while working to save his passengers in a C-2 Greyhound crash last week may be recommended for an award, an official said Monday.
Lt. Steven Combs, the pilot of the aircraft, was one of three sailors who died when the aircraft crashed Nov. 22 in the Pacific Ocean en route to the carrier Ronald Reagan from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Eight other sailors, including the co-pilot, were rescued from the water.
Combs managed to execute a landing on the water, giving the four aircrew and seven passengers the best opportunity to get clear of the aircraft and reach safety. The difficulty of such a landing with the cargo aircraft was compounded by high seas, which by some reports reached 10 to 12 feet, said Cmdr. Ronald Flanders, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces.
"They did not have a lot of notice that they were going to have to ditch just miles from the carrier," Flanders told Military.com. "To use the words of his co-pilot who told us, '[Combs] flew the hell out of that plane.'"
Flanders added that the possibility of a posthumous award for Combs in light of his actions was under discussion.
Combs, who was commissioned in 2011 and reported to Fleet Logistics Squadron 30 in 2015, had served aboard Ronald Reagan as a detachment assistant operations officer and administrative officer, according to a Navy release. During his career, he had logged more than 1,200 flight hours and 100 carrier-arrested landings.
Navy personnel were able to rescue the eight survivors within an hour of the C-2 going down southwest of Okinawa. On Nov. 25, the Navy identified those lost as Combs, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.
Multiple sources have reported that engine failure is suspected as a cause of the crash, though an investigation is still underway.
"Clearly there was something amiss with the aircraft and basically they were not close enough to the carrier to try to bring it in," Flanders
said.
On Saturday, the Ronald Reagan held a memorial service to commemorate the lives of Combs, Chialastri and Grosso.
Capt. Michael Wosje, the commander of the Reagan's Carrier Air Wing 5, paid special tribute to the fallen pilot.
"The loss of one of our pilots weighs heavily on the entire Carrier Air Wing Five team. Lt. Combs will always be remembered as a hero," Wosje said, according to a news release. "I am proud to have flown with him."
The commander of the carrier, Capt. Buzz Donnelly, also honored the sailors who died.
"The loss of these crew members hits across the entire ship with great significance," said Capt. Buzz Donnelly, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer. "On behalf of the entire crew of USS Ronald Reagan, I extend heartfelt prayers and sincere condolences to the families and friends of the three shipmates we lost."
Less than a week after the tragic crash, the Navy has not moved to suspend or pause flight operations for the aging Greyhound, the service's carrier onboard delivery platform for personnel and logistics.
Flanders noted that the current batch of the aircraft, C-2A(R), which began flying for the Navy in the mid-1980s, has an almost unprecedented safety record. There has been only one previous fatality -- a tragic 1988 mishap in which an individual walked into the aircraft's prop arc.
"This mishap was the first of its kind in several decades," Flanders said of the most recent crash.
The Greyhounds now flying for the Navy recently underwent a service-life extension program that was completed in 2015. The transports are set to be retired and replaced by Navy-variant CMV-22 Ospreys in the mid-2020s.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/...hell-out-that-airplane.html?ESRC=eb_171128.nl
28 Nov 2017
by Hope Hodge Seck
File photo of Lt. Steven Combs, assigned to the Providers of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
A Navy lieutenant who lost his life while working to save his passengers in a C-2 Greyhound crash last week may be recommended for an award, an official said Monday.
Lt. Steven Combs, the pilot of the aircraft, was one of three sailors who died when the aircraft crashed Nov. 22 in the Pacific Ocean en route to the carrier Ronald Reagan from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Eight other sailors, including the co-pilot, were rescued from the water.
Combs managed to execute a landing on the water, giving the four aircrew and seven passengers the best opportunity to get clear of the aircraft and reach safety. The difficulty of such a landing with the cargo aircraft was compounded by high seas, which by some reports reached 10 to 12 feet, said Cmdr. Ronald Flanders, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces.
"They did not have a lot of notice that they were going to have to ditch just miles from the carrier," Flanders told Military.com. "To use the words of his co-pilot who told us, '[Combs] flew the hell out of that plane.'"
Flanders added that the possibility of a posthumous award for Combs in light of his actions was under discussion.
Combs, who was commissioned in 2011 and reported to Fleet Logistics Squadron 30 in 2015, had served aboard Ronald Reagan as a detachment assistant operations officer and administrative officer, according to a Navy release. During his career, he had logged more than 1,200 flight hours and 100 carrier-arrested landings.
Navy personnel were able to rescue the eight survivors within an hour of the C-2 going down southwest of Okinawa. On Nov. 25, the Navy identified those lost as Combs, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.
Multiple sources have reported that engine failure is suspected as a cause of the crash, though an investigation is still underway.
"Clearly there was something amiss with the aircraft and basically they were not close enough to the carrier to try to bring it in," Flanders
said.
On Saturday, the Ronald Reagan held a memorial service to commemorate the lives of Combs, Chialastri and Grosso.
Capt. Michael Wosje, the commander of the Reagan's Carrier Air Wing 5, paid special tribute to the fallen pilot.
"The loss of one of our pilots weighs heavily on the entire Carrier Air Wing Five team. Lt. Combs will always be remembered as a hero," Wosje said, according to a news release. "I am proud to have flown with him."
The commander of the carrier, Capt. Buzz Donnelly, also honored the sailors who died.
"The loss of these crew members hits across the entire ship with great significance," said Capt. Buzz Donnelly, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer. "On behalf of the entire crew of USS Ronald Reagan, I extend heartfelt prayers and sincere condolences to the families and friends of the three shipmates we lost."
Less than a week after the tragic crash, the Navy has not moved to suspend or pause flight operations for the aging Greyhound, the service's carrier onboard delivery platform for personnel and logistics.
Flanders noted that the current batch of the aircraft, C-2A(R), which began flying for the Navy in the mid-1980s, has an almost unprecedented safety record. There has been only one previous fatality -- a tragic 1988 mishap in which an individual walked into the aircraft's prop arc.
"This mishap was the first of its kind in several decades," Flanders said of the most recent crash.
The Greyhounds now flying for the Navy recently underwent a service-life extension program that was completed in 2015. The transports are set to be retired and replaced by Navy-variant CMV-22 Ospreys in the mid-2020s.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/...hell-out-that-airplane.html?ESRC=eb_171128.nl
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US Navy deploying deep water salvage team to search for crashed C-2A Greyhound
December 08, 2017
The US Navy announced it would be sending a team of deep water salvage experts to start a renewed search for the crashed C-2A Greyhound aircraft.
The C-2A with 11 crew and passengers crashed in the Philippine Sea on the way to USS Ronald Reagan on November 22.
While the aircraft’s last position on the surface of the water is known, the depth of water in that area exceeds 16,000 feet (4,870 m), beyond the capabilities of salvage assets in theater.
In the coming days, a team of deep water salvage experts led by United States Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) will deploy from Washington D.C.. The salvage team will embark a US Navy-contracted salvage vessel in Japan and proceed to the crash site at sea. Once on station, the operators will search for the aircraft’s emergency relocation pinger with a US Navy-owned towed pinger locator (TPL-25) system.
If the search is successful, additional deep water salvage assets will deploy to survey and recover the aircraft.
The navy said every effort would be made to recover the fallen sailors.
Assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC 30) forward deployed to Japan, the C-2A aircraft was carrying 11 crew and passengers when it crashed. Eight personnel were recovered immediately by US Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC 12). For the next three days, Ronald Reagan led combined search and rescue for three sailors with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), covering nearly 1,000 square nautical miles before ending the search.
https://navaltoday.com/2017/12/08/u...o-search-for-crashed-c-2a-greyhound/?uid=1067
December 08, 2017
The US Navy announced it would be sending a team of deep water salvage experts to start a renewed search for the crashed C-2A Greyhound aircraft.
The C-2A with 11 crew and passengers crashed in the Philippine Sea on the way to USS Ronald Reagan on November 22.
While the aircraft’s last position on the surface of the water is known, the depth of water in that area exceeds 16,000 feet (4,870 m), beyond the capabilities of salvage assets in theater.
In the coming days, a team of deep water salvage experts led by United States Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) will deploy from Washington D.C.. The salvage team will embark a US Navy-contracted salvage vessel in Japan and proceed to the crash site at sea. Once on station, the operators will search for the aircraft’s emergency relocation pinger with a US Navy-owned towed pinger locator (TPL-25) system.
If the search is successful, additional deep water salvage assets will deploy to survey and recover the aircraft.
The navy said every effort would be made to recover the fallen sailors.
Assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC 30) forward deployed to Japan, the C-2A aircraft was carrying 11 crew and passengers when it crashed. Eight personnel were recovered immediately by US Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC 12). For the next three days, Ronald Reagan led combined search and rescue for three sailors with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), covering nearly 1,000 square nautical miles before ending the search.
https://navaltoday.com/2017/12/08/u...o-search-for-crashed-c-2a-greyhound/?uid=1067
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U.S. Navy Commissions Fifth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship
USS Little Rock enters active service after ceremony on Buffalo River
BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 16, 2017 -- The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Little Rock (LCS 9) –– the nation's fifth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) –– on the Buffalo River on Dec. 16. This milestone officially places the ship, which was designed and built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine into active service.
USS Little Rock completed its acceptance trials in August and was delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 25. She joins four other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Detroit (LCS 7). Collectively, Freedom-variant littoral combat ships have sailed over 250,000 nautical miles and successfully completed two overseas deployments.
http://news.lockheedmartin.com/2017...ns-Fifth-Freedom-variant-Littoral-Combat-Ship
USS Little Rock enters active service after ceremony on Buffalo River
BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 16, 2017 -- The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Little Rock (LCS 9) –– the nation's fifth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) –– on the Buffalo River on Dec. 16. This milestone officially places the ship, which was designed and built by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine into active service.
USS Little Rock completed its acceptance trials in August and was delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 25. She joins four other Freedom-variant ships in the fleet: USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and USS Detroit (LCS 7). Collectively, Freedom-variant littoral combat ships have sailed over 250,000 nautical miles and successfully completed two overseas deployments.
http://news.lockheedmartin.com/2017...ns-Fifth-Freedom-variant-Littoral-Combat-Ship
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Air Force solidifies options for B-52 engine replacement
By: Valerie Insinna
23 Dec 2017
The clock is ticking as the Air Force considers whether to re-engine its B-52 Stratofortresses. Age, obsolescence and diminishing sources for spare parts could make current engines unsustainable as early as 2030. (Mike Dey/Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The Air Force has laid out three potential plans for replacing the B-52’s engines, a key step for keeping its oldest bomber in service into the 2050s.
For almost two decades, the Air Force has studied whether and how to replace the B-52’s Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103 engines, eight of which have powered each Stratofortress since the 1960s.
Now the clock is counting down for the Air Force to make a decision, as age, obsolescence and diminishing sources for spare parts could make current engines unsustainable as early as 2030, according to slides presented at a Dec. 12 industry day.
The service appears to have settled on broad requirements for the engines.
First, it wants new — not refurbished — systems and intends to maintain an eight-engine configuration on each B-52, knocking out competitors who have floated a four-engine solution. The engines must be able to be integrated without having to significantly rework the B-52’s wings, although the service expects some design changes to structures such as struts and nacelles may be necessary.
Additionally, the service wants improved reliability and at least 20% greater fuel efficiency over the current TF33, while maintaining its takeoff performance and combat ceiling. It also is interested in a new power architecture that could support an increased number of power generators, as well as new digital engine control wiring, the document stated.
While the service has not solidified whether it will move onto a program of record, it has requested “initial seed money” in the 2018 budget and has done market research that could inform a final acquisition strategy. The service is considering three ways of procuring the engines.
First, it could contract with the engine integrator, and have that company choose the engine . Another option is for the Air Force to award contracts to the engine integrator and engine manufacturer in parallel.
It could also move forward with a more complicated two-step plan, where the government would award a contract to an engine integrator and require the engine integrator to work together with potential engine providers on what the service calls an “engine integration approach.” Eventually, engine manufacturers would submit proposals based on that work, and the government would downselect to a single vendor.
After choosing an engine manufacturer and integrator, the Air Force could begin outfitting two B-52 test aircraft with engines as early as fiscal year 2022, according to a notional schedule. From there, it would acquire 74 more engines sets from FY2026 to 2034, enough to equip the entire inventory of 76 B-52s.
Air Force Global Strike Command believes it will need to continue flying the Stratofortress as late as the 2050s, and the platform will be a key testbed for the service’s Long Range Standoff Weapon, a new air-launched cruise missile that can be outfitted with either a nuclear or conventional warhead.
Because the Air Force’s budget continues to be constricted, the service had considered using an alternative funding strategy, such as leasing, to procure new engines for the B-52. The service did not discuss potential paths forward during the industry day, but in a Dec. 2 interview with Defense News, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the service’s top uniformed acquisition official, said the service is still considering its options.
“We’re going to look at is there some kind of a lease that we can do. Do we want to continue to just buy? What are all those strategies we went to do and what’s the most economical way and most effective way to modernize to get the mission done?” he said.
Historically speaking, the Air Force has little experience using alternative funding agreements to procure aircraft engines, he added. “If we go down this path, it would be a new approach. it would be different.”
The industry day was attended by B-52 prime contractor Boeing, who will likely be vying for the systems integrator position. Also in attendance were the three engine primes most likely to compete for the contract — Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and GE Aviation — and a number of other industry participants, including Northrop Grumman, United Technologies Corp. and Safran USA, which makes turbofan engines and engine components.
Pratt & Whitney has historically promoted an overhaul of its TF34 as a lower-cost alternative to new engines. However, the company could put forward a new engine if the service makes that a requirement, Matthew Bromberg, Pratt & Whitney’s military engines business, told Defense News in September.
Meanwhile, Rolls Royce has already tapped its BR725, a variant of the F130 that powers the E-11 and C-37 aircraft, as a potential offering.
https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...22/17&utm_term=Editorial - Daily News Roundup
By: Valerie Insinna
23 Dec 2017
The clock is ticking as the Air Force considers whether to re-engine its B-52 Stratofortresses. Age, obsolescence and diminishing sources for spare parts could make current engines unsustainable as early as 2030. (Mike Dey/Air Force)
WASHINGTON — The Air Force has laid out three potential plans for replacing the B-52’s engines, a key step for keeping its oldest bomber in service into the 2050s.
For almost two decades, the Air Force has studied whether and how to replace the B-52’s Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103 engines, eight of which have powered each Stratofortress since the 1960s.
Now the clock is counting down for the Air Force to make a decision, as age, obsolescence and diminishing sources for spare parts could make current engines unsustainable as early as 2030, according to slides presented at a Dec. 12 industry day.
The service appears to have settled on broad requirements for the engines.
First, it wants new — not refurbished — systems and intends to maintain an eight-engine configuration on each B-52, knocking out competitors who have floated a four-engine solution. The engines must be able to be integrated without having to significantly rework the B-52’s wings, although the service expects some design changes to structures such as struts and nacelles may be necessary.
Additionally, the service wants improved reliability and at least 20% greater fuel efficiency over the current TF33, while maintaining its takeoff performance and combat ceiling. It also is interested in a new power architecture that could support an increased number of power generators, as well as new digital engine control wiring, the document stated.
While the service has not solidified whether it will move onto a program of record, it has requested “initial seed money” in the 2018 budget and has done market research that could inform a final acquisition strategy. The service is considering three ways of procuring the engines.
First, it could contract with the engine integrator, and have that company choose the engine . Another option is for the Air Force to award contracts to the engine integrator and engine manufacturer in parallel.
It could also move forward with a more complicated two-step plan, where the government would award a contract to an engine integrator and require the engine integrator to work together with potential engine providers on what the service calls an “engine integration approach.” Eventually, engine manufacturers would submit proposals based on that work, and the government would downselect to a single vendor.
After choosing an engine manufacturer and integrator, the Air Force could begin outfitting two B-52 test aircraft with engines as early as fiscal year 2022, according to a notional schedule. From there, it would acquire 74 more engines sets from FY2026 to 2034, enough to equip the entire inventory of 76 B-52s.
Air Force Global Strike Command believes it will need to continue flying the Stratofortress as late as the 2050s, and the platform will be a key testbed for the service’s Long Range Standoff Weapon, a new air-launched cruise missile that can be outfitted with either a nuclear or conventional warhead.
Because the Air Force’s budget continues to be constricted, the service had considered using an alternative funding strategy, such as leasing, to procure new engines for the B-52. The service did not discuss potential paths forward during the industry day, but in a Dec. 2 interview with Defense News, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the service’s top uniformed acquisition official, said the service is still considering its options.
“We’re going to look at is there some kind of a lease that we can do. Do we want to continue to just buy? What are all those strategies we went to do and what’s the most economical way and most effective way to modernize to get the mission done?” he said.
Historically speaking, the Air Force has little experience using alternative funding agreements to procure aircraft engines, he added. “If we go down this path, it would be a new approach. it would be different.”
The industry day was attended by B-52 prime contractor Boeing, who will likely be vying for the systems integrator position. Also in attendance were the three engine primes most likely to compete for the contract — Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and GE Aviation — and a number of other industry participants, including Northrop Grumman, United Technologies Corp. and Safran USA, which makes turbofan engines and engine components.
Pratt & Whitney has historically promoted an overhaul of its TF34 as a lower-cost alternative to new engines. However, the company could put forward a new engine if the service makes that a requirement, Matthew Bromberg, Pratt & Whitney’s military engines business, told Defense News in September.
Meanwhile, Rolls Royce has already tapped its BR725, a variant of the F130 that powers the E-11 and C-37 aircraft, as a potential offering.
https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...22/17&utm_term=Editorial - Daily News Roundup
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Littoral combat ship Manchester (LCS 14) completes acceptance trials
December 25, 2017
The US Navy’s future littoral combat ship USS Manchester (LCS 14) completed acceptance trials after undergoing a series of tests with the navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey.
The Independence-variant LCS passed the trials on December 15, the US Naval Sea Systems Command announced.
Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the navy. During trials, the navy checked the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling abilities and auxiliary systems. While underway, the ship performed launch-and-recovery operations of the 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, completed surface and air self-defense detect-to-engage exercises and demonstrated the ship’s maneuverability through high-speed steering and a four-hour full power run.
“The navy/industry trials team in Mobile has found their stride and, with stability in the serial production line, are taking ships to trials with consistently improved performance at decreased cost,” said Capt. Mike Taylor, LCS program manager. “Manchester will be an exceptional addition to the rapidly growing in-service LCS fleet.”
Following delivery, a post-delivery maintenance availability and crew training and familiarization exercises in Mobile, Alabama Manchester (LCS 14) will sail to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for commissioning.
The ship will be homeported in San Diego, California with sister ships USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Montgomery (LCS 8), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and the future USS Omaha (LCS 12).
Several more Independence variant ships are under construction at Austal USA in Mobile. Tulsa (LCS 16) and Charleston (LCS 18) were christened and launched earlier in 2017. Other sister ships, Cincinnati (LCS 20), Kansas City (LCS 22), Oakland (LCS 24) and Mobile (LCS 26) are in varying stages of construction. In addition to these hulls, contracts for LCS 28 and LCS 30 were awarded to Austal in 2017.
https://navaltoday.com/2017/12/25/l...-lcs-14-completes-acceptance-trials/?uid=1067
December 25, 2017
The US Navy’s future littoral combat ship USS Manchester (LCS 14) completed acceptance trials after undergoing a series of tests with the navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey.
The Independence-variant LCS passed the trials on December 15, the US Naval Sea Systems Command announced.
Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the navy. During trials, the navy checked the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling abilities and auxiliary systems. While underway, the ship performed launch-and-recovery operations of the 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, completed surface and air self-defense detect-to-engage exercises and demonstrated the ship’s maneuverability through high-speed steering and a four-hour full power run.
“The navy/industry trials team in Mobile has found their stride and, with stability in the serial production line, are taking ships to trials with consistently improved performance at decreased cost,” said Capt. Mike Taylor, LCS program manager. “Manchester will be an exceptional addition to the rapidly growing in-service LCS fleet.”
Following delivery, a post-delivery maintenance availability and crew training and familiarization exercises in Mobile, Alabama Manchester (LCS 14) will sail to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for commissioning.
The ship will be homeported in San Diego, California with sister ships USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Montgomery (LCS 8), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and the future USS Omaha (LCS 12).
Several more Independence variant ships are under construction at Austal USA in Mobile. Tulsa (LCS 16) and Charleston (LCS 18) were christened and launched earlier in 2017. Other sister ships, Cincinnati (LCS 20), Kansas City (LCS 22), Oakland (LCS 24) and Mobile (LCS 26) are in varying stages of construction. In addition to these hulls, contracts for LCS 28 and LCS 30 were awarded to Austal in 2017.
https://navaltoday.com/2017/12/25/l...-lcs-14-completes-acceptance-trials/?uid=1067
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General Atomics receives more than $328.8M for drone systems
By James LaPorta
Dec. 26, 2017
An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing rests on the flightline as an A-10 Thunderbolt II flies overhead at the 2017 Aviation Nation Air and Space Expo, Nov. 10, 2017, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Photo by Senior Airman Christian Clausen/U.S. Air Force.
An MQ-1 Predator flies a training mission Dec. 12, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. An MQ-1 aircrew destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device heading toward approximately 850 friendlies. Photo by Senior Airman Christian Clausen/U.S. Air Force.
(UPI) -- General Atomics has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force for support and services of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial systems.
The contract, announced on Dec. 22 by the Pentagon, is worth more than $328.8 million under a cost-plus-fixed-fee agreement, which is a cost-reimbursement contract that would provide payment to General Atomics of a negotiated fee that is determined at the inception of the contract.
The deal will provide for "core management, logistics support, configuration management, technical manual and software maintenance, contractor field service representative support, inventory control point management, flight operations support, depot repair, and depot field maintenance," the Department of Defense said.
The MQ-1 Predator is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that has seen action in Iraq, Afghanistanand Yemen. The aircraft is used as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance asset, and can be used to conduct pattern-of-life analysis, as well as targeted and signature strikes on targets.
Similarly, the MQ-9 Reaper can conduct multi-missions, and as a medium-altitude range and long-endurance that is remotely piloted. The Reaper, however, is larger and more heavily-armed than the MQ-1 Predator and is used to conduct time-sensitive strikes on targets.
The Reaper is also used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
Work on the contract will occur in Poway, Calif., and is expected to be completed by December 2018.
More than $32.3 million has been obligated to General Atomics from fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds.
https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/20...an-3288M-for-drone-systems/5491514301305/ph2/
By James LaPorta
Dec. 26, 2017
An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing rests on the flightline as an A-10 Thunderbolt II flies overhead at the 2017 Aviation Nation Air and Space Expo, Nov. 10, 2017, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Photo by Senior Airman Christian Clausen/U.S. Air Force.
An MQ-1 Predator flies a training mission Dec. 12, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. An MQ-1 aircrew destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device heading toward approximately 850 friendlies. Photo by Senior Airman Christian Clausen/U.S. Air Force.
(UPI) -- General Atomics has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force for support and services of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial systems.
The contract, announced on Dec. 22 by the Pentagon, is worth more than $328.8 million under a cost-plus-fixed-fee agreement, which is a cost-reimbursement contract that would provide payment to General Atomics of a negotiated fee that is determined at the inception of the contract.
The deal will provide for "core management, logistics support, configuration management, technical manual and software maintenance, contractor field service representative support, inventory control point management, flight operations support, depot repair, and depot field maintenance," the Department of Defense said.
The MQ-1 Predator is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that has seen action in Iraq, Afghanistanand Yemen. The aircraft is used as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance asset, and can be used to conduct pattern-of-life analysis, as well as targeted and signature strikes on targets.
Similarly, the MQ-9 Reaper can conduct multi-missions, and as a medium-altitude range and long-endurance that is remotely piloted. The Reaper, however, is larger and more heavily-armed than the MQ-1 Predator and is used to conduct time-sensitive strikes on targets.
The Reaper is also used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
Work on the contract will occur in Poway, Calif., and is expected to be completed by December 2018.
More than $32.3 million has been obligated to General Atomics from fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds.
https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/20...an-3288M-for-drone-systems/5491514301305/ph2/
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US Army awards BAE contract to build full-rate production howitzers
By: Jen Judson
23 Dec, 2017
U.S. Soldiers with Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conduct a Fire Coordination Exercise with M109A6 Paladins at the 7th Army Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Aug. 21, 2017. M109A7 howitzers will replace the M109A6 variant. (Gertrud Zach/U.S. Army)
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract potentially worth up to $1.7 billion to build the full-rate production version of the M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer and companion M992A3 ammunition carrier vehicles, according to the company’s vice president and general manager of combat vehicles in the United States.
The contract awarded Thursday covers the final lot of low-rate initial production (LRIP) vehicles ― a total of 48 howitzers and 48 ammunition carriers ― for $413.7 million and includes options to buy 60 full-rate production vehicle sets per year for three years following. If all options are exercised, the total contract amount could reach just shy of $1.7 billion, Adam Zarfoss told Defense News.
Under the Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) program, BAE was tasked to field sets of LRIP howitzers and ammunition carriers. When LRIP began, the order covered 65 sets. BAE delivered its first production sets to the Army in the spring of 2015.
To date, according to Zarfoss, BAE Systems has delivered 37 howitzers and 36 ammunition carriers under LRIP. The vehicles were used to complete all production qualification testing, driving toward FRP, he added.
The PIM is the successor to the M109A6 155mm howitzer and continues to use the same gun as the older artillery piece and has the same cab structure. But aside from those similarities, the PIM is essentially a new weapon system, one that comes with digital displays and a 70 kilowatt, 600-volt on-board power system. The new design also allows for the integration of the drive-train and suspension that are common to the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
There is one final test to complete ― the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation or IOT&E ― which will determine the Army’s decision to move to full-rate production. The test will take place in the first quarter of next year, according to Zarfoss.
BAE will start fabricating the last of the LRIP systems in the spring and expects the Army to approve full materiel release and equip the first unit starting in the spring or early summer, he added.
Zarfoss noted there have been no major configuration changes between the LRIP version and what will be built during FRP and expects no surprises to come from the IOT&E happening soon.
In the summer of 2016, the Pentagon’s inspector general wrote in a report about the PIM program that he wanted the Army to address what the DoD test community perceived as deficiencies with the howitzer’s maximum rate of fire and problems with the automatic fire extinguisher that could potentially endanger the crew.
In response to that report, Zarfoss said, “they identified some vulnerabilities. We made some changes to sensor location, but the automatic fire extinguishing system remained as part of the vehicle. There have been some tweaks to the breach mechanisms that is a legacy component that the Army is working on to address some issues with the current fleet that is related to PIM as well.”
The new howitzer gets the Army on its path to “real commonality within the formations because our howitzers are going to have the same basic automotive platform as the Bradleys,” Zarfoss said. “And then we are going to follow on this with the [Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle] that is going to have the same stuff as well so there is some real benefits coming to the Army in terms of not just the tactical implications of this but also logistics.”
Also on Thursday, General Dynamics Land Systems was awarded a $2.7 billion contract from the U.S. Army to upgrade 786 Abrams tanks from the M1A1 to the M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3.
https://www.defensenews.com/land/20...ract-to-build-full-rate-production-howitzers/
By: Jen Judson
23 Dec, 2017
U.S. Soldiers with Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conduct a Fire Coordination Exercise with M109A6 Paladins at the 7th Army Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Aug. 21, 2017. M109A7 howitzers will replace the M109A6 variant. (Gertrud Zach/U.S. Army)
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract potentially worth up to $1.7 billion to build the full-rate production version of the M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer and companion M992A3 ammunition carrier vehicles, according to the company’s vice president and general manager of combat vehicles in the United States.
The contract awarded Thursday covers the final lot of low-rate initial production (LRIP) vehicles ― a total of 48 howitzers and 48 ammunition carriers ― for $413.7 million and includes options to buy 60 full-rate production vehicle sets per year for three years following. If all options are exercised, the total contract amount could reach just shy of $1.7 billion, Adam Zarfoss told Defense News.
Under the Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) program, BAE was tasked to field sets of LRIP howitzers and ammunition carriers. When LRIP began, the order covered 65 sets. BAE delivered its first production sets to the Army in the spring of 2015.
To date, according to Zarfoss, BAE Systems has delivered 37 howitzers and 36 ammunition carriers under LRIP. The vehicles were used to complete all production qualification testing, driving toward FRP, he added.
The PIM is the successor to the M109A6 155mm howitzer and continues to use the same gun as the older artillery piece and has the same cab structure. But aside from those similarities, the PIM is essentially a new weapon system, one that comes with digital displays and a 70 kilowatt, 600-volt on-board power system. The new design also allows for the integration of the drive-train and suspension that are common to the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
There is one final test to complete ― the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation or IOT&E ― which will determine the Army’s decision to move to full-rate production. The test will take place in the first quarter of next year, according to Zarfoss.
BAE will start fabricating the last of the LRIP systems in the spring and expects the Army to approve full materiel release and equip the first unit starting in the spring or early summer, he added.
Zarfoss noted there have been no major configuration changes between the LRIP version and what will be built during FRP and expects no surprises to come from the IOT&E happening soon.
In the summer of 2016, the Pentagon’s inspector general wrote in a report about the PIM program that he wanted the Army to address what the DoD test community perceived as deficiencies with the howitzer’s maximum rate of fire and problems with the automatic fire extinguisher that could potentially endanger the crew.
In response to that report, Zarfoss said, “they identified some vulnerabilities. We made some changes to sensor location, but the automatic fire extinguishing system remained as part of the vehicle. There have been some tweaks to the breach mechanisms that is a legacy component that the Army is working on to address some issues with the current fleet that is related to PIM as well.”
The new howitzer gets the Army on its path to “real commonality within the formations because our howitzers are going to have the same basic automotive platform as the Bradleys,” Zarfoss said. “And then we are going to follow on this with the [Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle] that is going to have the same stuff as well so there is some real benefits coming to the Army in terms of not just the tactical implications of this but also logistics.”
Also on Thursday, General Dynamics Land Systems was awarded a $2.7 billion contract from the U.S. Army to upgrade 786 Abrams tanks from the M1A1 to the M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3.
https://www.defensenews.com/land/20...ract-to-build-full-rate-production-howitzers/
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- Nov 17, 2017
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Boeing to produce 6,000 Small Diameter Bombs
The Air Force's $193 million contract with Boeing will provide the SDB to Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea and Singapore.
By James LaPorta
Jan. 03, 2018
UPI -- Boeing has been awarded a $193 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb Increment 1, or GBU-39 SDB-1, to several foreign nations.
The terms of the deal, announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense, enlist Boeing to provide production on Lots 12-14 with the modified contract to procure an additional 6,000 GBU-39 SDB-1s.
Under the terms of an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, the project's cost ceiling increases from $700 million to more than $893.6 million, the Pentagon said.
The SDB-I is preferred for American and foreign jet fighters when compared to the 2,000-pound Mark-84 general purpose bomb because a pilot can carry a pack of four SDBs in place of a single Mark-84.
The countries that will benefit from this deal include Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Singapore.
Work on the contract will occur in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed by December 2020.
The Air Force has obligated $99.7 million to Boeing at the time of award, which has been allocated from fiscal year 2015 and 2016 missile procurement funds and foreign military sales.
https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/20...000-Small-Diameter-Bombs/9821514989035/?nll=1
The Air Force's $193 million contract with Boeing will provide the SDB to Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea and Singapore.
By James LaPorta
Jan. 03, 2018
UPI -- Boeing has been awarded a $193 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb Increment 1, or GBU-39 SDB-1, to several foreign nations.
The terms of the deal, announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense, enlist Boeing to provide production on Lots 12-14 with the modified contract to procure an additional 6,000 GBU-39 SDB-1s.
Under the terms of an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, the project's cost ceiling increases from $700 million to more than $893.6 million, the Pentagon said.
The SDB-I is preferred for American and foreign jet fighters when compared to the 2,000-pound Mark-84 general purpose bomb because a pilot can carry a pack of four SDBs in place of a single Mark-84.
The countries that will benefit from this deal include Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Singapore.
Work on the contract will occur in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed by December 2020.
The Air Force has obligated $99.7 million to Boeing at the time of award, which has been allocated from fiscal year 2015 and 2016 missile procurement funds and foreign military sales.
https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/20...000-Small-Diameter-Bombs/9821514989035/?nll=1
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Single engine failure damages five E-8C JSTARS
Three of the five damaged aircraft returned to flight status at Warner Robins AFB, Georgia within three days, and a fourth aircraft is expected to be repaired shortly after the New Year’s Day, says the 116th Air Control Wing. The status of the fifth aircraft with the failed engine was not immediately available, but it appears to remain grounded.
The incident caused no damage to any of the Northrop APY-7 radars installed inside a belly canoe fairing on each of the JSTARS aircraft, a spokesman for the 116th Wing tells FlightGlobal.
The incident on 21 December is now under review by a Safety Investigation Board, the Air Force says.
Each E-8C -- a modified Boeing 707-300 -- is powered by four Pratt & Whitney TF33-102C engines, a 1950s design derived from the once ubiquitous P&W JT-3.
The engine failed during a maintenance test run on a crowded ramp by the runway, spewing debris from the engine around the ramp and parking areas.
Four airmen were evaluated for injuries but released. The 116th Wing grounded JSTARS flight operations briefly to clear debris from the failed engine off the airport.
Despite the damage caused to five of the 16 operationally-coded JSTARS aircraft, the air force says that there was no disruption to surveillance flights requested by field commanders.
“Our maintenance personnel are phenomenal,” says Col Thomas Grabowski, 116th Air Control Wing commander. “Their ability to restore these aircraft to flight status in such a short period of time demonstrates the combat mission ready posture of this unique organization.”
The incident occurs as top Air Force leaders consider whether to cancel a competition to select a business jet platform to replace the E-8C fleet. Another option under review is to re-start the competition in the future using a platform that could survive in contested airspace.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/single-engine-failure-damages-five-e-8c-jstars-444491/
- 27 DECEMBER, 2017
- BY: STEPHEN TRIMBLE
- WASHINGTON DC
Three of the five damaged aircraft returned to flight status at Warner Robins AFB, Georgia within three days, and a fourth aircraft is expected to be repaired shortly after the New Year’s Day, says the 116th Air Control Wing. The status of the fifth aircraft with the failed engine was not immediately available, but it appears to remain grounded.
The incident caused no damage to any of the Northrop APY-7 radars installed inside a belly canoe fairing on each of the JSTARS aircraft, a spokesman for the 116th Wing tells FlightGlobal.
The incident on 21 December is now under review by a Safety Investigation Board, the Air Force says.
Each E-8C -- a modified Boeing 707-300 -- is powered by four Pratt & Whitney TF33-102C engines, a 1950s design derived from the once ubiquitous P&W JT-3.
The engine failed during a maintenance test run on a crowded ramp by the runway, spewing debris from the engine around the ramp and parking areas.
Four airmen were evaluated for injuries but released. The 116th Wing grounded JSTARS flight operations briefly to clear debris from the failed engine off the airport.
Despite the damage caused to five of the 16 operationally-coded JSTARS aircraft, the air force says that there was no disruption to surveillance flights requested by field commanders.
“Our maintenance personnel are phenomenal,” says Col Thomas Grabowski, 116th Air Control Wing commander. “Their ability to restore these aircraft to flight status in such a short period of time demonstrates the combat mission ready posture of this unique organization.”
The incident occurs as top Air Force leaders consider whether to cancel a competition to select a business jet platform to replace the E-8C fleet. Another option under review is to re-start the competition in the future using a platform that could survive in contested airspace.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/single-engine-failure-damages-five-e-8c-jstars-444491/
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Navy must break the mold to build up to 355-ship fleet
By Harlan Ullman, Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist | Jan. 8, 2018 at 8:41 AM
Thomas Modly (R) is sworn in as undersecretary of the Navy by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer during a ceremony in Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. on J anuary 5, 2018. Modly was confirmed as the 33rd undersecretary of the Navy by the U.S. Senate in November 2017. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond D. Diaz III/U.S. Navy
In the U.S. Naval Academy's Memorial Hall dedicated to Navy and Marine heroes, Thomas B. Modly took the oath of office Friday as the 33rd undersecretary of the Navy and Marine Corps.
In his remarks, Modly eloquently combined naval lore with a cogent understanding of the challenges lying ahead and a plan to deal with them. Using the academy motto of "from knowledge seapower" as his theme, Modly warned of the dangers of a "hollow force" and the singular importance of people drawing on the father of the American Navy John Paul Jones' dictum that "men are important than guns in the rating of ship."
He further took Capt. James Lawrence's dying order on the decks of USS Chesapeake of "don't give up the ship" in the War of 1812 as a commitment that he and Navy Secretary Richard Spencer would honor in strengthening naval forces. And he made the administration's goal of procuring a Navy of 355 ships a top priority. Currently, the Navy and Marine Corps number about 275.
Numbers have defined naval needs since the Reagan administration set a "600-ship" Navy as its objective. Under the forceful leadership of then-Secretary John Lehman, the goal was largely achieved. Now, three decades later, the Navy is struggling to keep a fleet of less than half that size ready for action.
While numbers are arbitrary, three separate studies analyzed the current requirements and demands on the fleet. Three hundred fifty-five was the level recommended to fill theses commitments. But there are only two ways for this buildup to take place.
First is the old-fashioned way. Spend more money. However, given the growing debt and deficits and the strangling impact of the Budget Control Act, barring a crisis, that spending increase will not happen. Hence, innovation, imagination and, as the new undersecretary persuasively argues, knowledge and creativity must break the mold if 355 is to be remotely achievable.
Since the end of World War II, this dramatic transformation of the naval services occurred only once. When Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt became chief of naval operations in 1970, he initiated Project 60 that revolutionized the Navy. Taking 75 rather than the intended 60 days, Zumwalt literally cut the 1,000-ship largely World War II Navy in half, using the savings to recapitalize and modernize the naval services.
Today, a similarly dramatic plan is needed to break the mold and rebuild the Navy. First, to increase ship numbers, the unthinkable option of buying foreign-made hulls that would be cheaper and quicker to procure and outfitting each with American weapons systems should be considered. Of course, this violates the Jones Act, long outdated, and Buy America legislation. However, if 355 ships is to be achieved, Congress must be presented with this option.
Second, smaller combatants, say 150 to 200 feet in length and about 1,000 tons in displacement, more heavily armed than the current Littoral Combat Ship and designed to operate in the Mediterranean, Baltic, Persian Gulf and other coastal zones should be procured. These ships would carry large numbers of air, surface and subsurface unmanned vehicles, along with a squad or two of Marines. And these ships should operate in teams of at least three to maximize lethality.
At a cost of about $50 million each, 80 could be procured for the price, ironically, of one Zumwalt class warship, which is about $4 billion. That would quickly get to 355. Further, to recapitalize, placing large combatants in a reserve or cadre status for extended periods that would allow rapid regeneration if needed, saves considerable amounts of money for operations and maintenance that could be used elsewhere.
Specifying that half the submarine force be diesel electric is also viable, as these boats are quieter than nuclear-powered ships and less expensive to build and man. This applies to ballistic missile submarines whose long range weapons could be fired from home waters. Clearly, opposition would be fierce to breaking this mold.
Since the Russians are increasing their submarine force, reconstituting perhaps the most effective anti-submarine weapon of World War II -- the blimp or airship also should be examined. No merchant ship escorted by a blimp was lost to a U-boat in that war. And there is no reason that these could not be considered ships as well in the 21st century.
Finally, the "1,000-ship Navy" designated by President George W. Bushshould be re-engaged. This meant relying on allied and friendly navies to fill certain operational needs to complement or offset U.S. Navy demands. A precursor during the Tanker War of the mid-1980s was when commercial ships were reflagged under the U.S. ensign to protect them.
For example, in European, waters where a U.S. four-star admiral commands both NATO and U.S. forces, warships from the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and other allies with U.S. liaison teams aboard could assume greater responsibilities.
To get this done, Task Force 355 should be created now directly headed by either the secretary of the Navy, chief of naval operations and c ommandant of the Marine Corps or by the undersecretary and the service vice chiefs. The aim of Task Force 355 is to build toward a 355-ship Navy. And to do so, certain old molds will have to be broken. Otherwise, the Navy will struggle to maintain its current 275 ships.
Harlan Ullman has served on the Senior Advisory Group for Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2004-16) and is senior adviser at Washington D.C.'s Atlantic Council, chairman of two private companies and principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. A former naval person, he commanded a destroyer in the Persian Gulf and led over 150 missions and operations in Vietnam as a Swift Boat skipper. His newest book, "Anatomy of Failure: Why America Has Lost Every War It Starts," is just out. Follow him on Twitter@harlankullman.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/Voices...ild-up-to-355-ship-fleet/4511515266116/?nll=1
By Harlan Ullman, Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist | Jan. 8, 2018 at 8:41 AM
Thomas Modly (R) is sworn in as undersecretary of the Navy by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer during a ceremony in Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. on J anuary 5, 2018. Modly was confirmed as the 33rd undersecretary of the Navy by the U.S. Senate in November 2017. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond D. Diaz III/U.S. Navy
In the U.S. Naval Academy's Memorial Hall dedicated to Navy and Marine heroes, Thomas B. Modly took the oath of office Friday as the 33rd undersecretary of the Navy and Marine Corps.
In his remarks, Modly eloquently combined naval lore with a cogent understanding of the challenges lying ahead and a plan to deal with them. Using the academy motto of "from knowledge seapower" as his theme, Modly warned of the dangers of a "hollow force" and the singular importance of people drawing on the father of the American Navy John Paul Jones' dictum that "men are important than guns in the rating of ship."
He further took Capt. James Lawrence's dying order on the decks of USS Chesapeake of "don't give up the ship" in the War of 1812 as a commitment that he and Navy Secretary Richard Spencer would honor in strengthening naval forces. And he made the administration's goal of procuring a Navy of 355 ships a top priority. Currently, the Navy and Marine Corps number about 275.
Numbers have defined naval needs since the Reagan administration set a "600-ship" Navy as its objective. Under the forceful leadership of then-Secretary John Lehman, the goal was largely achieved. Now, three decades later, the Navy is struggling to keep a fleet of less than half that size ready for action.
While numbers are arbitrary, three separate studies analyzed the current requirements and demands on the fleet. Three hundred fifty-five was the level recommended to fill theses commitments. But there are only two ways for this buildup to take place.
First is the old-fashioned way. Spend more money. However, given the growing debt and deficits and the strangling impact of the Budget Control Act, barring a crisis, that spending increase will not happen. Hence, innovation, imagination and, as the new undersecretary persuasively argues, knowledge and creativity must break the mold if 355 is to be remotely achievable.
Since the end of World War II, this dramatic transformation of the naval services occurred only once. When Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt became chief of naval operations in 1970, he initiated Project 60 that revolutionized the Navy. Taking 75 rather than the intended 60 days, Zumwalt literally cut the 1,000-ship largely World War II Navy in half, using the savings to recapitalize and modernize the naval services.
Today, a similarly dramatic plan is needed to break the mold and rebuild the Navy. First, to increase ship numbers, the unthinkable option of buying foreign-made hulls that would be cheaper and quicker to procure and outfitting each with American weapons systems should be considered. Of course, this violates the Jones Act, long outdated, and Buy America legislation. However, if 355 ships is to be achieved, Congress must be presented with this option.
Second, smaller combatants, say 150 to 200 feet in length and about 1,000 tons in displacement, more heavily armed than the current Littoral Combat Ship and designed to operate in the Mediterranean, Baltic, Persian Gulf and other coastal zones should be procured. These ships would carry large numbers of air, surface and subsurface unmanned vehicles, along with a squad or two of Marines. And these ships should operate in teams of at least three to maximize lethality.
At a cost of about $50 million each, 80 could be procured for the price, ironically, of one Zumwalt class warship, which is about $4 billion. That would quickly get to 355. Further, to recapitalize, placing large combatants in a reserve or cadre status for extended periods that would allow rapid regeneration if needed, saves considerable amounts of money for operations and maintenance that could be used elsewhere.
Specifying that half the submarine force be diesel electric is also viable, as these boats are quieter than nuclear-powered ships and less expensive to build and man. This applies to ballistic missile submarines whose long range weapons could be fired from home waters. Clearly, opposition would be fierce to breaking this mold.
Since the Russians are increasing their submarine force, reconstituting perhaps the most effective anti-submarine weapon of World War II -- the blimp or airship also should be examined. No merchant ship escorted by a blimp was lost to a U-boat in that war. And there is no reason that these could not be considered ships as well in the 21st century.
Finally, the "1,000-ship Navy" designated by President George W. Bushshould be re-engaged. This meant relying on allied and friendly navies to fill certain operational needs to complement or offset U.S. Navy demands. A precursor during the Tanker War of the mid-1980s was when commercial ships were reflagged under the U.S. ensign to protect them.
For example, in European, waters where a U.S. four-star admiral commands both NATO and U.S. forces, warships from the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and other allies with U.S. liaison teams aboard could assume greater responsibilities.
To get this done, Task Force 355 should be created now directly headed by either the secretary of the Navy, chief of naval operations and c ommandant of the Marine Corps or by the undersecretary and the service vice chiefs. The aim of Task Force 355 is to build toward a 355-ship Navy. And to do so, certain old molds will have to be broken. Otherwise, the Navy will struggle to maintain its current 275 ships.
Harlan Ullman has served on the Senior Advisory Group for Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2004-16) and is senior adviser at Washington D.C.'s Atlantic Council, chairman of two private companies and principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. A former naval person, he commanded a destroyer in the Persian Gulf and led over 150 missions and operations in Vietnam as a Swift Boat skipper. His newest book, "Anatomy of Failure: Why America Has Lost Every War It Starts," is just out. Follow him on Twitter@harlankullman.
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