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Warfare Systems News

12 Dec 2023

US Issues Sweeping Sanctions Targeting Russia Over Ukraine War

© Alexey Bakharev / Adobe Stock

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on hundreds of people and entities, including in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, as it targets Russia's sanctions evasion, future energy capabilities, banks and its metals and mining sector.The U.S. Treasury and State departments targeted more than 250 individuals and entities in Washington's latest action attempting to crack down on Russia and its evasion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies over the war in…

18 Oct 2023

Converted OSV Enters Service in the UK as an Underwater Surveillance Ship

RFA Proteus (Photo: UK Royal Navy)

A converted offshore support vessel has taken on a new life as a dedicated underwater surveillance ship for the U.K.'s Royal Navy.Christened during a ceremony in London on October 10, RFA Proteus will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a launchpad for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a home to a suite of specialist capabilities similar to those found in the offshore oil and gas industry.The ship, built in 2017 as a subsea construction vessel named Topaz Tangaroa, was acquired by the U.K.

07 Feb 2023

Schlosser Joins Gnostech as VP of Innovation and Research

© VideoFlow / Adobe Stock

Gnostech, an applied engineering company specializing in cybersecurity, software development, C4ISR systems and GPS, announced it has hired James “Jamie” Schlosser as Vice President of Innovation and Research at its San Diego office.Schlosser brings over 44 years of experience in Naval Information Warfare operations and acquisition both on active duty and as a civil servant. He recently retired from Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) after more than 23 years of service.

20 Jan 2023

UK Defense Ministry Buys Offshore Construction Vessel for Subsea Cable, Pipelines Protection

The UK defense ministry has acquired a subsea construction vessel that used to work in the offshore energy industry. The vessel, Topaz Tangaroa, will undergo a period of military modification and will be used to protect subsea cables and oil and gas pipelines.The Topaz Tangaora, to be renamed as it joins the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet, is the first of two future undersea surveillance ships, and it arrived at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. Thursday.Once operational, the ship will be used to protect seabed telecommunications cables and oil and gas pipelines. "The 98-meter-long, adaptable offshore patrol vessel – the length of Big Ben – will act as a ‘mother ship’…

15 Dec 2022

U.S. Navy: Building the Architecture Framework for New Guided Missile Frigates

An artist’s rendering of the new Constellation (FFG 62)-class guided-missile frigate. Marinette Marine Illustration. (U.S. Navy Photo/Released)

“If we desire to secure peace,” President George Washington once observed, “it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.” During the late 1790s, the U.S. government commissioned naval engineers and shipbuilders to design and build large warships capable of agile maneuvering and stowing an excess amount of weapons.With the passing of the Naval Act of 1794, Washington secured the authorization to procure the Navy’s first six frigates – a wooden-hulled, three-masted warship with either a 38 or 44-gun capability.

21 Dec 2021

Fincantieri to Build Logistic Support Ship for Italian Navy in $462M Deal

Credit: Fincantieri

Fincantieri-led consortium Raggruppamento Temporaneo di Impresa (RTI) has won a contract to build a second Logistic Support Ship (LSS) for the Italian Navy, which also includes the option for a third ship.The consortium signed the contract with OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement) the international organization for joint armament cooperation.The LSS will be fully built at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in Italy, with delivery scheduled for 2025. The value of the contract is around  410 million euros ($462,3 million) including the combat system.

01 Jul 2021

Interview: Chris Deegan, President & Chief Executive, Gibbs & Cox

Chris Deegan (Photo: Gibbs & Cox)

In 1985, Chris Deegan was hired out of Penn State as a nuclear submarine cost estimator by the Naval Sea Systems Command and retired nearly 28 years later as the Executive Director of PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, with the last 10 as a member of the Senior Executive Service. He’s been with Gibbs & Cox since 2013, first as the Vice President of Engineering, and as President and Chief Executive since 2016.Please give a “by the numbers” look at Gibbs & Cox today.Since our founding in 1929…

22 Jun 2021

From Protecting National Sovereignty to Protecting the Reef

AIMS Technology Development Engineering Team Leader Melanie Olsen driving QUT's WAM-V at ReefWorks Marine Operations Test Range. (Photo: Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Melanie Olsen is harnessing 10 years of missile defense and electronic warfare systems expertise to drive rapid technological innovation in marine research and monitoring. Today, on International Women in Engineering Day, the AIMS Team Leader for Technology Development Engineering shares her unique journey.Growing up in a third-generation farming family near the small settlement of El Arish in north Queensland, Melanie Olsen thought engineers were train drivers.When a James Cook University engineering lecturer visited her small rural high school with a quad helicopter…

25 Jun 2020

For the Royal Australian Navy, Technological Leap Starts Small

Photo: Thales Australia

Driven by the need to organically protect maritime Task Groups from the threat of sea mines, the Royal Australian Navy is introducing a deployable Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) capability under the first phase of Project SEA 1778.The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) SEA 1778 deployable Mine Counter-Measures (MCM) capability is both a small step forward in the spiral development process and a “technological leap” into autonomy.”The RAN is looking to replace its four legacy Huon-class minehunter coastal ships (MHCs) with a new deployable MCM capability.

20 Aug 2019

VT Group Awarded U.S. Navy Contract

VT Group, a premier middle-market technology integrator and C4ISR solutions provider, has been named by Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) as one of six award winners for an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract. VT Group will compete for work in the areas of Afloat installation and integrated Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems aboard the Navy’s growing Fleet of surface ships and submarines. The contract vehicle has a ceiling value of $2.45 billion over a five-year base period and one five-year option period.VT Group has a 50-year history providing the U.S.

16 Jul 2019

LCS Commissioning Scheduled for Indiana Port

Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor will host Indiana’s first U.S. Navy vessel commissioning ceremony when it commissions the USS Indianapolis littoral combat ship on Saturday, Oct. 26 at its facility on Lake Michigan.The commissioning of USS Indianapolis will mark the fourth time a U.S. Navy vessel will bear the name of Indiana’s capital city. The name has a rich heritage, dating back to World War I. The most notable vessel, USS Indianapolis (CA 35), was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1945 in the closing days of World War II. Only 317 of the 1,196 men on board survived.

29 Apr 2019

Navantia to Build F-110 Frigates for Spain

Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia and the Ministry of Defense have signed the contract for the construction of five F-110 frigates for the Spanish Navy.The new generation of F-110 frigates, whose construction will begin shortly in Ferrol, stands out for having its own Spanish design and a high degree of industrial and technological sovereignty. About 80% of purchases and supplies will be made to Spanish companies.The design of this new frigate will incorporate remarkable technological advances, such as the new integrated mast configured with different solutions of sensors and antennas, the incorporation of a multi-space…

10 Mar 2018

U.S. Navy Assesses Fleet Structure

Following the release of new national security and defense strategies, the Navy is undertaking a new Fleet Structure Assessment that could alter its stated goal of a 355-ship fleet, senior service officials told Congress this week. A new FSA would take a look at the mix of surface ships and submarine in the service and could change assumptions on the look and size of the future fleet, Vice Adm. Bill Merz, deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems (OPNAV N9), told the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee on Tuesday. “We intend to do another FSA with the new National Defense Strategy. There’s a series of events that have to happen before we do the FSA…

11 Oct 2017

Inside the USS Gerald R. Ford

An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 flies over USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The aircraft carrier is underway conducting test and evaluation operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Erik Hildebrandt)

President Donald Trump addressed the more than 10,000 people attending the ceremony where the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was commissioned on Saturday, July 22 in Norfolk, Va. “Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong,” said Trump. Acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley recalled President Theodore Roosevelt, who used to say, “Walk softly, and carry a big stick.” Stackley then turned to Trump and said, “Mr.

22 Sep 2017

Navy Awards Contract for Columbia Class Submarine Development

The Navy awarded a $5.1 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) of the Columbia Class submarine Sept. 21. The IPPD contract award is for the design, completion, component and technology development and prototyping efforts for the Columbia Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs). This work will also include United Kingdom unique efforts related to the common missile compartment. "The Columbia class submarine is the most important acquisition program the Navy has today," said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. The contract award follows a successful Milestone B (MS B) approval Jan. 4 2017. MS B formally initiated the Columbia Program entry into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase.

20 Jul 2017

US Navy to Commission Gerald R. Ford

The Navy will commission its newest aircraft carrier, the future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, July 22, at Naval Station Norfolk. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is the lead ship of the new Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carrier, the first new class in more than 40 years and will begin the phased replacement of Nimitz-class carriers when the ship is commissioned. CVN 78 honors the 38th president of the United States and pays tribute to his lifetime of service in the Navy, in the U.S. government and to the nation. During World War II, Ford attained the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy, serving on the light carrier USS Monterey (CVL 26). Released from active duty in February 1946, Ford remained in the Naval Reserve until 1963.

20 Apr 2017

Australian Navy's Electronic Warfare Training

In a collaborative project with Australian industry, the Royal Australian Navy is extending its use of simulation to electronic warfare training. A common electronic warfare sensor suite is planned across the future fleet and future electronic warfare sailors need to have the advanced skills to meet upcoming demand. Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne said a contract signed with the Australian company Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems would result in advanced new maritime training systems designed and developed in Australia. “The contract valued at around $4.4 million will see the development of a tactical electronic warfare training system to provide tuition…

30 Nov 2016

SEA to Upgrade CSH on Chile Navy Frigates

Cohort plc company SEA will start work in December on upgrading the Combat Systems Highway (CSH) infrastructure on the Chilean Navy’s three former Royal Navy Type 23 frigates. The upgrade on the Chilean frigates Almirante Cochrane, Almirante Condell and Almirante Lynch follows a similar obsolescence upgrade carried out on the RN’s 13 Type 23 ships. SEA has a support contract covering the CSH for RN frigates and also supports CSHs for various defence Primes. CSH manages data exchange messages, which are a vital and integral feature of the ship’s Combat System, enabling valuable operational assets such as the Combat Management System, surveillance, weapon and sonar systems to communicate in a reliable and deterministic manner.

08 Jul 2016

US Navy Ship Tests 100% Alternative Fuel

The ex-Paul F. Foster anchored off the southern coast of California. Paul F. Foster serves as the new Self Defense Test Ship for Naval Surface Warfare Center. (U.S. Navy photo by Timothy M. Black)

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division's (NSWC PHD) Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS), ex-Paul F. Foster went underway for final-phase testing of two alternative fuels, May 31. The SDTS traveled to San Diego, where it took on approximately 30,000 gallons of two types of alternative fuels. The ship then proceeded on a normal cruise, demonstrating that the alternative fuels could function as a drop-in replacement, requiring no changes to equipment or operating procedures.

23 Jul 2016

US Navy Tests Latest Aegis Weapon System

The U.S. Navy conducted a series of cooperative air defense test exercises with the Spanish navy that culminated in live missile firing events using the latest Aegis Weapon System baseline July 20-21. The event was not only the first interoperability test of the latest Aegis Baseline 9.C1 with a foreign ship, but also the first combined Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trial with that country's navy since 2007. Guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and Spanish frigate Cristobol Colon (F 105) participated in the testing. In addition to live missile firing events, Tactical Data Link interoperability exercises were held July 12-14. "While our combat systems suites are slightly different, the way we operate and execute missions are quite similar," said Cmdr.

30 Sep 2016

SeeByte Tapped for UK Navy’s Unmanned Warrior Exercise

Unmanned Warrior

SeeByte, creator of smart software for unmanned maritime systems, said it will demonstrate software solutions for unmanned systems as part of the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise. The exercise will feature more than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems and aims to demonstrate never-seen-before capabilities in the field of autonomy and unmanned systems. SeeByte’s software forms the core components of the Hell Bay 4 and MCM Challenge elements of Unmanned Warrior. The aim of these exercises is to develop and push the capabilities of autonomous systems…

04 Nov 2016

USN's MUOS-5 Satellite Reaches Orbit

The Navy's fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite has reached operational orbit and has successfully deployed its arrays and antennas. On Oct. 22, the MUOS team raised the MUOS-5 satellite to an operationally-suitable orbit. The team completed a series of deployments of the satellite's solar arrays and antennas, with the last occurring successfully Oct. 30. MUOS-5 launched June 24 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and experienced a failure of its orbit raising propulsion system that halted the satellite's transfer orbit maneuver to its geosynchronous test orbit. The MUOS team ensured the satellite remained stable, safe, and under positive control while it investigated the issue and examined options.

20 Nov 2016

DON Recognizes Acquisition Excellence

The Department of the Navy recognized more than 50 acquisition professionals for exceptional efforts in the acquisition field during a Pentagon ceremony Nov. 17. Hosted by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) Sean Stackley, the 2016 Acquisition Excellence Awards celebrated individuals and teams for upholding key tenets of acquisition including competition, affordability, technical expertise, innovative techniques and professional acumen. "Today, we recognize those who have distinguished themselves amongst the tens of thousands who are equally committed to ensuring that our Navy and Marine Corps is the most capable fighting force in the world," said Stackley. Undersecretary of the Navy, Dr.