Naval Base

HMS Lancaster To Get New Lease Of Life

Portsmouth, United Kingdom: The Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate, HMS Lancaster, is undergoing an extensive refit at Portsmouth Naval Base as part of a £17.9 million contract with BAE Systems, reflecting the Company’s continued growth in support services.   The mid-life upkeep will significantly upgrade the capability of the 20 year old frigate to ensure she is ready to fulfil future operational commitments. The work includes upgrades to the ship’s Seawolf guided missile system, command system, communications and the installation of a small calibre 30mm gun system, which can be remotely operated. This will boost her air defence capability, improve the ship’s situational awareness and make it easier to enable future systems upgrades as operational requirements evolve.   A significant amount of work will also be undertaken on the ship’s hull as well as its power and propulsion machinery. This includes a new coating of underwater paint, which will deliver greater operational efficiency and reduced fuel consumption, refurbishment of her diesel generators and replacement of shafts and propellers.   Captain Tim Chidley, Superintendent Fleet Maintenance at Portsmouth Naval Base, said: “HMS Lancaster’s refit shows how even well founded relationships can learn and be strengthened

MCPON Visits Navy Region Northwest

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Angela Grube, Fleet Public Affairs Center Detachment Northwest Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa Jr. traveled to the Pacific Northwest for a series of visits, ceremonies and all hands calls April 28 and 29. Campa, who served as Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay senior enlisted advisor before taking office last July, spent several hours outside Seattle at Fort Lewis where Sailors receive three weeks of

USS Jimmy Carter Arrives at New Home

By Journalist 3rd Class Adam Vernon, Naval Base Kitsap Public Affairs The last of the Seawolf-class submarines, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), arrived at its new home of Naval Base Kitsap Nov. 9 from Groton, Conn., to the delight of more than 300 family members and Navy personnel waiting pierside. Carter replaced USS Parche (SSN 683), which was decommissioned in October 2004. “They’re finally here,” said the wife of Capt. Robert Kelso, commanding officer

Nassau ESG Returns to Norfolk

Elements of the USS Nassau (LHA 4) Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) including the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), amphibious transport dock USS Austin (LPD 40) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), carrying more than 2,700 Sailors, returned to Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek May 4, following a six-month deployment is support of the global war on terrorism.

USS Seawolf Makes New Home In Pacific Northwest

Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton Sailors on Delta Pier heave line in order help moor the fast attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) which transferred from Groton, Connecticut to her permanent duty station in Bremerton. Seawolf; second of her class to arrive and reside in Washington was designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and special operation forces, carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions

U.S. Carrier Docks In New Singapore Pier

U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk docked at Singapore's new deep-draft naval pier on Thursday, the first giant American warship to use the facility. The pier, at Singapore's Changi Naval Base, is one of only two in the region large enough to berth a carrier. The other is at Port Klang in Malaysia. The pier will help speed up re-supply of large warships and improve mission turnarounds, said Rear-Admiral Mark J. Edwards, who heads the Logistics Group, Western Pacific

VT Shipbuilding and Merwede Sign MoU

VT Shipbuilding and Netherlands company Merwede Shipyard - have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on naval warship procurement programmes outside the UK. The agreement will see the pair combine their expertise in design and manufacturing to address programmes around the world. VT Shipbuilding, part of the support services and shipbuilding company VT Group, is one of the world’s premier builders of naval vessels

SNA Meeting Offers China Navy Insights

Though China’s navy is generally a mystery to the west, and its build-up and intentions are often characterized as lacking transparency, a Chinese navy official insists that the country’s intentions are purely defense orientated. In translating an explanation from a superior officer, Liu Hongwei, Senior Captain, Naval Attache at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the U.S., explained: We will not fire the first shot, but when fired upon, the aggressor will not fire a second shot

Kongsberg Chosen for Navy Simulation Test

The United States Navy selected Kongsberg Maritime to supply simulation training tools for its Navigation, Seamanship, and Shiphandling Training (NSST) programs. The contract is for Kongsberg Maritime to supply and install ‘demonstration simulator systems’ to be tested and evaluated toward determining the feasibility of new simulator configurations and their integration with the NSST programs. Kongsberg Maritime will supply a cross section of its simulation systems

Raytheon Wins Contract with Royal Navy

Raytheon Systems Limited, Harlow together with Raytheon Anschütz has been awarded the contract for the In-Service Support (ISS) of the Integrated Bridge and Navigation Systems for the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 Daring class destroyers . Raytheon Anschütz will be responsible for total maintenance and repair of these systems on board the vessels until at least 2016. The Type 45 destroyers are being built by the British company BVT Surface Fleet