Aegis Combat System News

The Navy wants, and needs, more ships; but it can’t build them fast enough.While the U.S. Navy aims to achieve a 355-ship fleet, it is decommissioning older (and some not so old) ships at about the same rate it's adding new ones.A Congressional Research Service report stated that, as of April 17, 2023, the Navy included 296 battle force ships. "The Navy projects that under its FY2024 budget submission, the Navy would include 293 battle force ships at the end of FY2024 and 291 battle force ships at the end of FY2028."But there is progress…

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future guided missile destroyer USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Jan. 26.Delivery represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. Prior to delivery, the ship conducted a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to demonstrate its materiel and operational readiness.“Delivery of this ship will provide critical capacity to our surface fleet today and well into the future,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

The Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer - The world’s most successful post-war surface combatantsThe USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class of guided missile destroyers can rightfully be called the most successful class of surface combatants in the post-World War II era. The lead ship was commissioned in 1991, and the Navy is still building them at Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. A total of 89 have been procured through FY2022…

In producing a column for the Marine Design issue, I considered a number of subjects, but in starting to write about them, somehow my mind connected to “Beam is Cheap.” I have a faint memory of being made aware of this during a discussion of a ship design by a design luminary very early in my career, but I don’t remember who it was.When first putting pencil to paper on some design, I always think about that when I make my first rough sketch. It is a very powerful truism, and over…

When he served as the commander of NWSC Carderock, Mark Vandroff woke every morning knowing that his counterpart in China had just gone to bed and had spent that day trying to make China’s Navy superior. His job, he figured, was to “get cracking and work to make our Navy even better.” Now the CEO at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), Vandroff brings that passion for navy shipbuilding – and delivering on the new USN Constellation-class frigates contract – to work every day.Introducing a new class of warship usually comes with a heaping helping of pain, from cost overruns to technical glitches.

Introducing a new class of warship can be fraught with pain, and the first ship is always the hardest – almost always behind schedule and over budget. And trying something new and transformational is even harder.The U.S. Navy knows this from experience. That’s one reason why the Navy is opting for a lower risk design for its next class of guided missile frigates (FFGs).Just about every new class has experienced a rough start. Although the USS Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs) today represent the largest and most successful class of warships…

Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. said it has been awarded a contract from Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) for the design, development and manufacture of the auxiliary propulsion unit (APU) on the U.S. Navy’s future guided missile frigate (FFG 62). Thrustmaster will be supplying the complete APU package consisting of the 1MW retractable azimuthing thruster, controls, prime mover electric motor, variable frequency drive and steering and retraction power unit. The APU package will…

The name of the first ship in the U.S. Navy's new guided missile frigate (FFG(X)) class will be USS Constellation (FFG 62), Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite announced Wednesday while aboard the museum ship Constellation in Baltimore.The warship will be the fifth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name Constellation. Braithwaite said the name was selected in honor of the first U.S. Navy ships authorized by Congress in 1794: six heavy frigates named United States, Constellation, Constitution, Chesapeake, Congress and President.

The Royal Australian Navy welcomed its newest Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Sydney, into the fleet in the first commissioning of an Australian warship at sea since World War II.Commissioned during a ceremony off the coast of New South Wales on Monday, Sydney is the last of three Hobart Class vessels built for Navy at Osborne in South Australia and is based on the Navantia F100 frigate design.The 147-meter-long guided missile destroyer is equipped with advanced combat systems, providing…

Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard has been selected to build a class of up to 10 multimission guided-missile frigates (FFGs) for the Navy’s FFG(X) program, the U.S. Navy announced on Thursday.The Navy awarded a $795 million contract to the Marinette, Wis. shipbuilder for the design and production of one base ship plus nine option vessels, as well as post-delivery availability support, engineering and class services, crew familiarization, training equipment and provisioned item orders…

The future USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) completed builder’s trials February 22 after spending three days underway in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Navy said. The trials were conducted by the shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Ingalls Shipbuilding Division.The ship was previously underway for Alpha trials in December, and will be underway again in March for acceptance trials, which will be conducted by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey.“The Navy and our dedicated shipbuilders have continued to make strides towards delivering this exceptional capability to the fleet…

BAE Systems has received a $78.8 million contract for the maintenance and modernisation of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Shoup.The value of the competitively awarded contract could reach $87.6 million if all options are exercised, said a press release.According to the release, the scope of the depot modernisation period availability includes dry-docking the ship and performing underwater hull preservation works. BAE Systems will also upgrade the ship’s Aegis combat system and its command and control equipment, and rehabilitate crew living spaces.“The Shoup availability is a large, complex repair job,” said David M. Thomas Jr., vice president and general manager of BAE Systems’ San Diego Ship Repair.

Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the Navy finds itself trying to build up again. The expansion of Russian and Chinese naval power has changed the calculus. While there will always be a debate about the final number of ships to build, we can all agree on one thing: the Navy must get bigger and the demand signal is to start building now,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, in testimony before Congress regarding the sea service’s 2019 budget request.

BAE Systems said it has been awarded a $146.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy to modernize the USS Gettysburg (CG 64).The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser will undergo about 15 months of work at the company’s shipyard in Norfolk, Va., the ship’s homeport. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $151.3 million.Starting in January 2019, the Gettysburg will undergo extensive repair and upgrade work that will return the ship to full capability after nearly four years of inactive status under the Navy’s cruiser modernization program.

BAE Systems announced it has delivered its 150th OE-120 Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) antenna to the U.S. Navy. The antenna is used by sailors to identify friendly aircraft and vessels, and supports shipboard air traffic management systems for both IFF and secondary surveillance radars. It is currently on about 150 U.S. and allied ships worldwide, from frigates to aircraft carriers.Originally designed to support the Aegis Combat System, the OE-120 antenna is the only electronically scanned IFF antenna used by the U.S. Navy.

On Monday, May 14, shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works held a keel laying ceremony for the U.S. Navy’s future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118). The $642.5 million Arleigh Burke-class destroyer DDG 118 has been under construction since October 2014 and is now over half completed. The 3,000-ton keel unit was moved onto the building ways from the Maine shipyard’s Ultra Hall earlier this year, signifying the start of hull integration and the precursor to integration, test and trials. The U.S. Navy named the ship in honor of Sen.

BAE Systems said it has received contracts from the U.S. Navy for the modernization of guided missile destroyers USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) and USS Howard (DDG 83), valued at $41.6 million  and $47.8 million respectively. Oscar Austin will undergo 12 months of work at the company’s shipyard in Norfolk, Va., the ship’s homeport. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $117.1 million. Under the depot maintenance period (DMP) contract…

The Navy will christen the newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Saturday, Nov. 4, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The future USS Delbert D. Black is the first ship to bear the name of a master chief petty officer of the Navy (MCPON) and is named for the first person to hold that office. Black began his 30-year Navy career in the spring of 1941. After completing recruit training, he reported to his first assignment, USS Maryland (BB 46) in Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed the Japanese attack that drew the United States into World War II. Over the next 26 years, he rose through the ranks to Gunner's Mate Master Chief before his selection in 1967 to serve as the first MCPON.

The future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) successfully completed acceptance trials Dec. 16 after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine. The U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) reviewed the ship and its crew during a series of demonstrations while underway. INSURV evaluates the ship's construction and compliance with Navy specifications and is the governing body that recommends the ship be delivered to the Navy. The trials were conducted both pier-side and underway. Many of the ship's onboard systems tested to validate performance, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, met or exceeded Navy specifications.

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, a $59 million contract for the continuation of Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) Lead Yard Services and Flight III Upgrade design efforts. This contract extends the services for engineering, technical support, special studies and Flight III design work for Arleigh Burke-class ships through December 2017. The Flight III upgrades include a more powerful missile defense radar, increased shipboard power production and hull enhancements. More than 200 highly skilled engineers, designers and planners work on this contract. Since 1987, Bath Iron Works has provided design and technical assistance for design upgrades and major changes for DDG 51-class destroyers.

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $59 million contract for the continuation of Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) Lead Yard Services and Flight III Upgrade design efforts. This contract extends the services for engineering, technical support, special studies and Flight III design work for Arleigh Burke-class ships through December 2017. The Flight III upgrades include a more powerful missile defense radar, increased shipboard power production and hull enhancements. More than 200 highly skilled engineers, designers and planners work on this contract. Since 1987, Bath Iron Works has provided design and technical assistance for design upgrades and major changes for DDG 51-class destroyers.

Royal Australian Navy officers were amongst the first to graduate from the new AEGIS combat systems course delivered at the Combat Systems Engineering Development Site in Moorestown, New Jersey after completing a thorough and rigorous two months of training. Dr Darrell Tatro, director, Center for Surface Combat Systems International Programs, presided over the ceremony. “Today’s milestone event is the result of CSCS partners coming together to develop the Combat Systems Officer course that provides a combination of functional and operational systems instruction with warfighting applications applied for the newest Air Warfare Destroyers, which are equipped with the AEGIS Combat System,” Dr Tatro said.

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.