Changi Naval Base News

Austal USA has won a US$72.5 million contract with the US Navy to perform maintenance on Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the countries and ports in the region.The contract value could increase to US$215.9 million if options for further periods contained in the contract are exercised by the US Navy.Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Patrick Gregg said building Austal’s support business has been "a key plank" of the company’s growth strategy…

The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a sustainment execution contract (SEC) for repair, maintenance and modernization of all Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) homeported in San Diego. This includes all Austal-built Independence-variant LCS as well as the west-coast based Freedom-variant LCS.The SEC West award will enable the company to further expand its current San Diego service center while offering a greater range and depth of support available to the U.S. Navy. Austal USA is also expanding…

U.S. warship USS John S. McCain, which was involved in a collision with a cargo ship east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in August, has arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka for repair. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG 56 arrived in Tokyo Bay aboard heavy lift transport vessel MV Treasure on December 5, and arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on December 13 following several days of preparations. The vessel will be repaired by U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility-Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Yokosuka before returning to service in U.S. 7th Fleet.

U.S. warship USS John S. McCain, which was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in August, has departed Subic Bay, Philippines aboard heavy lift transport vessel MV Treasure en route to Fleet Activities Yokosuka for reapir. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) was diverted to Subic Bay October 22, due to poor weather conditions and to repair cracks in the ship's hull discovered after the ship departed Singapore aboard MV Treasure, the Navy said.

The guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) departed Changi Naval Base Oct. 5, to meet heavy lift transport vessel MV Treasure. Over the next few days, John S. McCain will be towed to deep water, where the heavy lift vessel will lower itself, secure the ship on a platform and then raise back up out of the water. After the process of loading the ship is complete, Treasure will transport John S. McCain to Fleet Activities Yokosuka, where the forward deployed ship will be repaired. In the weeks prior to departure from Singapore, crew members, technicians and divers prepared the ship for the journey by conducting damage assessments and placing key systems in layup maintenance. A patch was also installed over damaged sections of the hull to restore watertight integrity. John S.

U.S Navy and Marine Corps divers have recovered and identified a second body in the search for ten sailors missing after a collision between a guided-missile destroyer and merchant vessel near Singapore earlier this week, the U.S. Navy said on Friday. The USS John S. McCain collided with the merchant tanker in waters near Singapore and Malaysia on Monday, which led to an international search-and-rescue operation for the missing sailors. The navy recovered the first body from inside the hull of the warship earlier this week.

The U.S. Navy on Wednesday said it had removed Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin after a series of collisions involving its warships in Asia as the search goes on for 10 sailors missing since the latest mishap. Aucoin's removal comes after a pre-dawn collision between a guided-missile destroyer and a merchant vessel east of Singapore and Malaysia on Monday, the fourth major incident in the U.S. Pacific Fleet this year. "Admiral Scott Swift, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, today relieved the commander of Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," the U.S. Navy said in a press release.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott Swift on Tuesday said divers have found human remains inside the USS John S. McCain, which collided with a merchant vessel this week. "The divers were able to locate some remains in those sealed compartments during their search today," Swift told reporters at Singapore's Changi Naval Base, where the damaged vessel is docked. Swift also said the U.S. Navy was working to identify a body found by the Malaysian navy to see if it was one of 10 missing U.S. sailors in the accident. The USS John S. McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided on Monday while the U.S. ship was nearing Singapore on a routine port call. The impact tore a hole in the warship's port side at the waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area.

Amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) arrived Aug. 21 at Changi Naval Base, Republic of Singapore and is moored across the pier from the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56). While in Singapore, America will provide messing and berthing services to McCain crew members and to support damage control efforts on board. America will also support ongoing searches for 10 missing Sailors. Ship Repair Facility divers are on scene as well to assess the damage to the hull. McCain was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore early in the morning on Aug. 21 (as reported 6:24 a.m. Japan Standard Time) and arrived at Changi Naval Base in the afternoon.

Ten U.S. sailors were missing after a collision between a destroyer and a tanker east of Singapore on Monday, the second involving a U.S. warship and a merchant ship in Asia in about two months, triggering a fleet-wide probe of operations and training. The guided-missile destroyer John S. McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided while the warship was heading to Singapore for a routine port call. The collision tore a hole in the warship's waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. "Initial reports indicate John S.

The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) has arrived at Changi Naval Base following a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21. The collision was reported at 6:24 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Significant damage to the hull resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms. Damage control efforts by the crew halted further flooding. There are currently 10 Sailors missing and five injured. Four of the injured were medically evacuated by a Singapore Armed Forces helicopter to a hospital in Singapore for non-life threatening injuries. The fifth injured Sailor does not require further medical attention. A family assistance center has been established.

With an effort to consolidate the Navy-to-Navy cooperation and to strengthen the relationship in tune with India’s Act East policy, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral RK Dhowan will be going on a five-day tour to Singapore and Thailand. Dhowan will be visiting Singapore from 20-22 July and Thailand from July 23-25. During the Singapore visit, Dhowan will meet various dignitaries, including that country’s defence minister, chief of defence forces and the Chief of Navy. He will also visit the prestigious Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI MI) to interact with the faculty and officers there. An overview of the operational facilities at the Changi Naval base is also planned besides briefings on the International Data Fusion Centre (IFC)…

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) conducted a bilateral maritime exercise, reports Channel News Asia. The 12-day Exercise Malapura involved about 600 personnel from Singapore Navy and Malaysia. Both navies carried out joint planning and training at Changi Naval Base (CNB), and conducted drills in conventional naval warfare and maritime security in the Malacca Strait. The Defence Ministry said Singapore's frigate, a missile corvette, a patrol vessel and a naval helicopter were part of the exercise. The RSN participated in the exercise with a frigate (RSS Stalwart), a missile corvette (RSS Victory), a patrol vessel (RSS Sovereignty) and a Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk Naval Helicopter.

Littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations Dec. 4, marking a key initial milestone in its 16-month rotational deployment in support of the Indo-Asia-Pacific rebalance. Building on USS Freedom's (LCS 1) inaugural 10-month deployment from March to December 2013, Fort Worth will expand LCS operations while in 7th Fleet, to include visiting more ports, engaging more regional navies during exercises like Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) and expanding LCS capabilities with tools like the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned autonomous helicopter. "Fort Worth will be a workhorse in 7th Fleet…

The 20th annual exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Singapore commenced with an opening ceremony at Changi Naval Base, says US Navy Task Force 73 Public Affairs. In its 20th year, CARAT Singapore is part of a series of bilateral naval exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations in South and Southeast Asia. Vice Adm. Robert Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, [pictured here] delivered remarks before several hundred participating U.S. Navy Sailors and members of the Republic of Singapore navy. Thomas noted that CARAT Singapore stood out as the premier navy engagement since the exercise series began in 1995.

The 19th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Singapore exercise commenced with an opening ceremony at Changi Naval Base, July 15. Continuing through July 26, CARAT Singapore 2013 consists of 12 days of shore-based and at-sea training events designed to address shared maritime security priorities, develop relationships, and enhance interoperability among participating forces. CARAT Singapore is part of a series of bilateral naval exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of nine partner nations in South and Southeast Asia.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean visited USS Freedom, July 12, while the ship was moored at Changi Naval Base. Mr. Teo, a former Republic of Singapore Chief of Navy, visited the U.S. Navy's first-of-class littoral combat ship as she prepares to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Singapore next week - an annual bilateral exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy in its 19th year. Mr. Teo also serves as Singapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs.

The Navy's first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), departed Changi Naval Base June 11 to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Malaysia 2013. CARAT Malaysia is among the key maritime exercises and exchanges Freedom will conduct with regional navies and U.S. 7th Fleet units while deployed to Southeast Asia. In May, Freedom participated in the International Maritime Defense Exhibition (IMDEX) and the Republic of Singapore Navy's Western Pacific Multilateral Sea Exercise (WMSX).

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. "This is very important as our deployment schedules are ever-changing," Edwards said. Singapore, at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, was also a strategic location for the U.S. Navy, he said. Admiral Vern Clark, chief of U.S.

Fifteen warships from nine countries around the world, including the latest patrol vessels, frigates, corvettes and destroyers, sailed into Singapore for the Warships Display at IMDEX Asia 2013, taking place at Changi Exhibition Center from May 14-16, 2013.The U.S. Navy’s first ever littoral combat ship, USS Freedom, in its maiden overseas deployment, was among the warships at Changi Naval Base. The warships, from Australia, France, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S., will be berthed at Changi Naval Base throughout the event.

The fourth phase of the 13th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series began July 13 in an exercise that will include an estimated 1,500 military personnel, 13 ships, a submarine and the newly-commissioned Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) frigate RSS Formidable (68). Members representing the combined armed services of both nations, dignitaries and local and national media gathered for the exercise's official kick off at the RSN’s Fleet Command Headquarters at Changi Naval Base. This year’s CARAT will maintain the tradition of previous CARATs with the primary focus on training that will enhance interoperability and professional cooperation between the armed forces of the United States and other participating nations.

Singapore's first Port Operations Control Room Centre (POCC) de-commissioned, as new upgraded centre takes over control. The decommissioning of the centre at at Tanjong Pagar Complex (POCC-TPC) marks the retirement of Singapore's first POCC after more than 28 years of faithful service in ensuring navigational safety of vessels in the Singapore Strait and Singapore's port waters. First commissioned on 1 May 1984, POCC-TPC initially used VHF radios to manage vessel traffic in Singapore until the first radar based Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) was installed in 1990.The VTIS allowed POCC officers to see the positions of vessels in real time on a screen and provide navigational assistance to these vessels.

The Singapore Navy's second 'Archer-class' submarine 'RSS Swordsman'  returns to Singapore after upgrading. The Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN)  Archer-class submarine, RSS Swordsman, has arrived at Changi Naval Base (CNB) from Sweden. Chief of Navy, Rear-Admiral Ng Chee Peng, and other senior naval officers were present at CNB to witness its return. Launched in Karlskrona, Sweden, on 20 October 2010, RSS Swordsman is one of two ex-Royal Swedish Navy Västergötland-class submarines that Singapore acquired in 2005.