Mine Warfare
Navy Rolls Out New Mine Warfare Mission Package
The Navy rolled out its new Mine Warfare Mission Package for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in a ceremony on Sept. 14 at the ARINC Engineering Services facility near Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City, Fla. Congressman F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (D-Fla.-2), leader of the Mine Warfare Caucus, Dr. Delores Etter, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, and James Thomsen, Program Executive Officer Littoral and Mine Warfare, all spoke at the event. "These mission modules will revolutionize warfighting in the littorals and will fill critical requirement gaps that exist in the fleet today. We urgently need them as we continue to fight the Global War on Terrorism," said Etter. "I am extremely proud to be here for the rollout of the first Mine Warfare Mission Package. This is a momentous occasion." The Mine Warfare Mission Package is composed of sensors, weapons, unmanned vehicle technology and aircraft to locate, identify and destroy mines. It is designed to allow the Navy to clear sea mines, land U.S. Joint forces on hostile shores and operate ships in coastal areas known as the littorals. The Mine Warfare Mission Package is modular, scalable and allows the Navy to stay ahead of the threat and assure safe passage for commercial and military vessels. The LCS seaframe hosts a single focused Mission Package to counter Mine Warfare (MCM), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) or Surface Warfare (SUW) littoral threats.
Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center Established
The Navy established the Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center (NOMWC), Oct. 26, at Stennis Space Center (SSC) with Cmdr. Paul Oosterling as its first commanding officer. Oosterling is a native of Ontario, N.Y., and a graduate of Florida Institute of Technology, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Naval War College. He was the executive officer of the Naval Oceanography Operations Command before he was named NOMWC Commanding Officer.
Maritime Interdiction Leaders Join to Improve Capabilities
Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWC PC)hosted organizational leaders at a conference Nov. 28-29 to organize the development of Expanded Maritime Interdiction Operations (EMIO)-related communications capabilities. EMIO refers to national and international partnerships of military and maritime law-enforcement entities which detain, divert, disrupt, or destroy vessels used to conduct illegal or hostile activities.
Navy Takes Delivery of RMMV
By Program Executive Office Littoral and Mine Warfare The Navy took delivery of the third low-rate production model Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) on Dec. 21. Formerly known as the Remote Minehunting Vehicle (RMV), the RMMV was originally designed to detect and classify sea mines. The name was changed because RMMV missions are being expanded to include anti-submarine warfare applications and maritime reconnaissance.
Navy Prepares Remote Minehunting System as Future Asset
The Navy completed technical evaluation and training of the Remote Minehunting System (RMS) aboard USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) in Panama City on July 28. The evaluation enables the Navy to continue training on the system, designed as part of the mine warfare mission package for the littoral combat ship. "This is all in preparation for the operational evaluation (OPEVAL) to be conducted in the South Florida Test Facility this September
LCS 1 Leaves Marinette
The trip from Marinette to will be the first leg in the ship’s transit to , where the ship will undergo fleet testing and evaluation. Last month, the Navy officially accepted delivery of Freedom from the Lockheed Martin/Marinette Marine/Gibbs and Cox team. Prior to delivery, the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) conducted Acceptance Trials aboard LCS 1 Aug. 17-21. INSURV recommended that the Chief of Naval Operations authorize delivery of the ship.
Bluefin Wins BPAUV Contract
Bluefin Robotics Corp., Cambridge, Mass., is being awarded a $6,591,406 cost-plus-award-fee/cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Battlespace Preparation Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (BPAUV) design and development. The BPAUV is a system capable of bottom-mapping and gathering other oceanographic data to support the Littoral Combat Ship Mine Warfare Mission Module. The BPAUV is intended as an autonomous unmanned system capable of meeting clandestine intelligence,
U.S. Military Charters Bollinger/Incat TSV
The U. S. Military Sealift Command has chartered a 319-ft. (97.22M), high speed catamaran theater support vessel (TSV), now under construction at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from Bollinger/Incat USA, LLC, for use as a test platform by the U. S. Navy’s Mine Warfare Command. The one-year lease has options for up to an additional 47 months and is the third similar vessel chartered from Bollinger/Incat by elements of the U. S. Department of Defense.
Belgian Navy Awards Contract to IXSEA
IXSEA announced the signing of a contract with the Belgian Navy to provide an integrated survey solution for their mine warfare data center (MWDC), the company announced in Paris on November 15. The purpose of the MWDC is to collect hydrographic data and to produce electronic and paper charts with additional military layers. IXSEA's integrated survey solution (ISS) will be used onboard minehunters for route survey, homeland security and REA (rapid environment assessment)
FDGM, Inc. of Fincantieri Awarded Contract for Lockheed Martin Littoral Combat Ship
Fincantieri-Owned Isotta Fraschini to Provide Engines for Navy's Warship of the Future FDGM, Inc., a U.S.-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Fincantieri of Italy, was selected to supply Isotta Fraschini-powered Ship Service Diesel Generators (SSDG) to the Lockheed Martin Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) team. FDGM, Inc. is the supplier of Isotta Fraschini diesel engines in North America. Owned by Fincantieri, Isotta Fraschini specializes in the design and manufacture of specialized
Littoral Combat Ships Integral Part of US Navy's Future
Vice-Admiral Tom Copeman pronounces on 'Surface Forces Priorities in an Ever-Changing Maritime Environment', sees LCS playing crucilal Navy role. In an article for the US Navy News Service, the Admiral writes: "Twenty-five years ago
LCS 'USS Freedom' to Deploy Shortly
The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) is on track to begin its first deployment March 1, 2013. This milestone was announced by the LCS Council, a group established by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert to oversee continued fleet testing and the introduction of the LCS.
U.K. Royal Navy Visit Saab Seaeye
The Royal Navy visited Saab Seaeye to view the company’s range of underwater vehicle technology designed for maritime defense. A delegation led by Commodore Alex Burton, head of Maritime Capability, toured the facilities at Fareham, which have recently doubled in size since the opening of
GD to Take Next Step in 'Knifefish' Development
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems completes the critical design review for 'Knifefish', the surface-mine countermeasure unmanned undersea vehicle (SMCM UUV). Knifefish is an essential component of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mine countermeasure (MCM) mission package, providing U.S
British Minehunter Exercises with USN in Arabian Gulf
Royal Navy minehunter HMS Middleton exercised in Gulf waters with USN special minehunting helicopter MH-53E Sea Dragon As part of their regular practice searching for mines in the warmer waters of the Gulf, the ship's company worked alongside their coalition counterparts to exercise their
Unmanned Undersea Minehunter Model Displayed
General Dynamics, US Navy, unveil 3/4 model of minehunting, heavyweight, unmanned undersea vehicle at 'Sea-Air-Space' expo Representatives from the U. S. Navy's Program Executive Office, Littoral Combat Ships Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office and General Dynamics unveiled a
Goodrich Deliver Composite Sail Cusps for USN Sub Newbuildings
Goodrich delivers first composite sail cusp for Virginia Class submarine Goodrich Corporation recently delivered its first composite sail cusp to Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Goodrich is under contract to manufacture lightweight
USS Mississippi Commissioned in Namesake State
The Navy's newest addition to the submarine force was commissioned June 2, in its namesake state. USS Mississippi (SSN 782), the ninth Virginia-class attack submarine, joined the fleet following a commissioning ceremony held at the Port of Pascagoula.
U.S. Navy Treading Water on Shipbuilding
Fleet, Force put Warfighting First: U.S. Navy still the World's “preeminent maritime force,” At the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, and with a new Chief of Operations at the helm, the U.S. Navy continues to provide credible combat power with persistent presence around the
Thales, ASV Develop Unmanned Minewarfare Vehicle
Thales UK has signed a contract with Autonomous Surface Vehicles Ltd (ASV Ltd) to develop a re-configurable Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) to meet the challenges of future off-board Mine Countermeasures (MCM) operations. The vessel has been jointly designed to meet a number of key requirements
US Warship Leaves Builder's Yard for Commissioning
The Navy's littoral combat ship, the future USS Fort Worth sails from Marinette Marine's shipyard for Galveston, Texas. Fort Worth is the third littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy, and the second LCS of the steel, semi-planing, mono-hull Freedom variant is scheduled to be commissioned on
Pacific Naval Exercise Fleet 2,000-Personnel Strong Sets Sail
Fifteen ships with about 2,000 Defence personnel from seven Pacific nations set sail from Darwin Harbour for the military training Exercise Kakadu. Maritime elements from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand will focus on aspects of maritime warfare common to
US Navy to Commission Littoral Combat Ship
The Navy is to commission the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship Fort Worth (LCS 3) in a ceremony at the Port of Galveston, Texas. Fort Worth, the third LCS delivered to the Navy and the second of the steel, semi-planing monohull Freedom variant
Atlas North America Awarded Contract
Under contract to Naval Surface Weapons Center (NSWC) Indian Head, Md., Atlas North America (Atlas NA) will deliver the Atlas Portable SeaFox Mine Neutralization Systems (PMNS) to address an urgent operational need from U.S. Navy Central Command for a more effective mine countermeasures system.
A Boxed Set In Denmark Mine Warfare Capability Comes as a Boxed Set
The Danish Navy is the expert when it comes to flexible, modular combat capability. It created the StandardFlex modules for the Flyvefisken class of patrol vessels in 1995 that was built specifically to operate with the containerized modules