Dock Landing Ship 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…

Not every vessel in the U.S. Navy is built for major combat operations on the high seas. There are large numbers of boats and service craft that provide essential services to the sea services, the nation and its partners.The U.S. Navy procures about 100 small boats per year. Some of these boats are based on commercial designs, procured to a Navy developed specification that tailors the requirements to the end user needs. They are procured and managed by two Naval Sea Systems Command program offices—PMS 300 and PMS 325.Compared to warships and auxiliaries…

Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship namesake, USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) held a decommissioning ceremony at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. on July 22 before its inactivation next month.The ship’s decommissioning ceremony was held on the quay wall, alongside the moored USS Whidbey Island. The ceremony was attended by nine of her previous Commanding Officers and over 50 plankowners. “The last crew of Whidbey Island performed with great dignity and resiliency,” said Cmdr. Matt Phillips, the ship’s final commanding officer.

The City of Los Angeles welcomed more than 1,200 Sailors and Marines to the Los Angeles and San Pedro area for a week-long tribute to the sea services during the fourth annual Los Angeles Fleet Week Aug. 27-Sept. 2.Los Angeles Fleet Week offers the public an opportunity to tour Naval ships, engage with service members, and enjoy a variety of displays and events throughout the week. It also gives the public an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the sea services and how they support our country’s national defense strategy.“The port of LA is the largest port in the country…

BAE System’s San Diego yard is a critical player in keeping U.S. Navy ships operatingWalk with David M. Thomas, Jr., VP & GM, San Diego Ship Repair, BAE Systems, and a few things become immediately clear: Dave Thomas is passionate about cleanliness and order, as the San Diego yard is compact and bustling with work, yet impeccably clean. Dave Thomas is passionate about safety, and he takes the health and welfare of every employee, colleague, client and guest personally. Most of all, Dave Thomas is passionate about everything U.S. Navy. Following a distinguished U.S.

The U.S. Navy may follow up October’s carrier strike group operations in the Arctic with another foray into the icy High North, with leadership considering sending a group of ships into a trans-Arctic shipping lane this summer, the Navy secretary said.Much has been made of potential Arctic shipping lanes opening up as ice melts and more areas become navigable, said a press release from USNI NEWS.An expected uptick in commercial shipping and tourism in the Arctic region has put some urgency on the U.S. Coast Guard’s plans to build a fleet of icebreakers, as well as the Navy’s interest in having a more visible presence in the region.Navy Secretary Richard V.

The U.S. Navy commission its newest amphibious transport dock ship during a ceremony Saturday, April 21, at the Port of Portland, Marine Terminal 2 in Portland, Ore.Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., USS Portland (LPD 27) is the 11th ship in the San Antonio class designed to support embarking, transporting, and landing elements of more than 800 Marines with both a flight deck, which accommodates CH-53E Sea Stallion, and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and a well deck…

The Navy will commission its newest amphibious transport dock, the future USS Portland (LPD 27), during a 10 a.m. PDT ceremony Saturday, April 21, at the Port of Portland, Marine Terminal 2 in Portland, Oregon. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Bonnie Amos, wife of the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, retired Gen. James F. Amos, serves as the ship's sponsor. "USS Portland enters service in a period of dynamic security challenges, and I am confident this ship and crew will conquer these and future challenges because of the strength and talent of the Sailors and Marines who will serve aboard this ship," said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer.

The Sasebo-based amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) rendered assistance to two distressed mariners, Oct. 25, whose sailboat had strayed well off its original course. The mariners, Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiaba, both from Honolulu, and their two dogs had set sail from Hawaii to Tahiti this spring. They had an engine casualty May 30 during bad weather but continued on, believing they could make it to land by sail. Two months into their journey and long past when they originally estimated they would reach Tahiti, they began to issue distress calls. The two continued the calls daily, but they were not close enough to other vessels or shore stations to receive them. On Oct. 24, they were discovered 900 miles southeast of Japan by a Taiwanese fishing vessel.

The amphibious assault ships USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) along with the Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are supporting the lead federal agency in providing humanitarian relief efforts for Hurricane Irma. Wasp, the first Navy platform to arrive in the vicinity of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is providing medium and heavy lift helicopters to transport people and supplies. Wasp's helicopters are conducting medical evacuations for intensive care patients from St. Thomas to St. Croix and conducting site assessments on the initial damage in St. Thomas. Wasp departed for Sasebo, Japan, Aug. 30, to assume duties as the forward-deployed flagship of the amphibious force of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

The U.S. Navy has a balanced fleet, but it wants to grow bigger and better. Will the budget allow both? Maritime Reporter's March 2017 cover story on the U.S. Navy was all about the numbers. There exists several plans to grow the fleet beyond the current number of 308 ships, the Mitre recommendation of 414 ships, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment 340-ship proposal, and the Navy’s decision to grow the fleet to 355 ships, and the Trump administration’s 350. With so many numbers being bandied about, there are even more suggestions on how to get there.

The amphibious Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall has entered the Black Sea, the Naples-headquartered US 6th fleet press service said. "The amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and embarked Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, arrived in the Black Sea March 17, to participate in bilateral training exercise Spring Storm 17 with Romania," the press service said in a statement. Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) is participating in the Romanian-led maritime exercise SPRING STORM 17, taking place in the vicinity of Constanta, Romania, March 18-21, in the Black Sea. Carter Hall will work alongside Romanian maritime forces to develop interoperability and proficiency. U.S.

1860 - Screw frigate USS San Jacinto, commanded by Capt. William M. Armstrong, captures the American slaver Storm King with 619 slaves on board, off the Congo River. A prize crew from the steam frigate sailed the captured slaver to Monrovia and turned 616 freed Negroes over to the United States agent there before proceeding to Norfolk with the prize. 1861 - During the Civil War, the frigate USS Santee commanded by Capt. Eagle captured the schooner C.P. Knapp in the Gulf of Mexico. 1863 - During the Civil War, the screw steam gunboat, USS Sagamore, commanded by Lt. Cmdr.

1830 - The sloop of war USS Vincennes becomes the first US Navy warship to circle the globe when she returns to New York. She departs on Sept. 3, 1826, rounds Cape Horn and cruises the Pacific protecting American merchantmen and whalers until June 1829. 1880 - Congress authorizes the Office of Judge Advocate General. Vice Adm. Nanette M. Derenzi currently serves as the 42nd Judge Advocate General of the Navy. 1937 - Capt. Julius F. Hellweg commands the Navy detachment that observes a total eclipse of the sun.

BAE Systems has been awarded contracts from the U.S. Navy for the repair and maintenance of two ships based in Jacksonville, Fla. The contracts come within days of one another and have a combined value of $61.7 million and a cumulative value of $68.6 million if all options are exercised. BAE Systems received a $32.5 million contract from the Navy on May 10 for the docking selected restricted availability of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99). The company will drydock the 509.5-foot-long destroyer this summer and will perform structural and tank repairs…

Now in its 28th year, New York Fleet Week has commenced, with ships from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy sailing into New York Harbor. The weeklong Fleet Week celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984, providing an opportunity for New Yorkers to witness firsthand the capabilities of today’s maritime services, as well as meet sailors, marines and coastguardsmen.

1860 - While off the Isle of Pines (now named Isla de la Juventud) near the south coast of Cuba, the screw gunboat Wyandotte captures the slaver William, which carries 570 Africans. 1926 - Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd and Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett report reaching the North Pole in their heavier-than-air-flight aircraft. Both receive the Medal of Honor for this event. 1942 - USS Wasp (CV 7) launches 47 RAF Spitfires, British carrier Eagle accompanies Wasp and launches 17 additional Spitfires.

A sailor on board the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) was reported missing April 9 as the ship was conducting routine training operations in support of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Composite Training Unit Exercise off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The Sailor was identified as missing at approximately 4:20 p.m. and the ship immediately launched a search and rescue operation. Several Navy and Coast Guard units are assisting in the effort. “We are continuing to search tirelessly with every asset at our disposal.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc Chief Executive Mike Petters urged the U.S. Navy to accelerate its new LX(R) dock landing ship program to fiscal 2018 from 2020 to avoid significant costs associated with restarting a production line. The production-line gap would occur when building of the LPD-28 warship ends about two years before the LX(R) is due to start. Petters told Reuters the move would save money by averting a costly break in production of the ships, which the Navy has decided to base on the LPD-17 amphibious dock warships also built by Huntington Ingalls.

The John C. Stennis Strike Group (JCSSG) is conducting routine operations in the South China Sea. The ships transited the Luzon Strait March 1 and have maintained a location in the eastern half of these international waters for four days. USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) all conducted a replenishment-at-sea today receiving advanced biofuel, aviation fuel and supplies from USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7). Flight operations have occurred daily with Carrier Airwing (CVW) 9 conducting 266 sorties. Numerous People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA(N)) vessels have remained in JCSSG's vicinity during this time period. "We have Chinese ships around us that we normally didn't see in my past experience," said Capt.

1822 - The schooner Porpoise captures six pirate vessels off Cuba and destroys their base, while USS Spark recaptures a Dutch sloop that had been taken as a prize by pirates. A landing party destroys the pirate's base in the West Indies. 1881 - Nathan Goff Jr., took office as the 28th Secretary of the Navy, serving until March. A World War II destroyer was named for him. 1945 - Destroyers Charles Ausburne (DD 570), Braine (DD 630), Russell (DD 414) and Shaw (DD 373) sink the Japanese destroyer Hinoki, 50 miles west-southwest of Manila Bay.

The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) transited the Straits of Malacca and conducted routine operations in the South China Sea as part of a deployment to the Western Pacific Nov. 7-10. The ARG's flagship, the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), conducted the patrol as the amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) prepared for bilateral training exercises with Brunei and Malaysia. On Nov. 10, Rushmore began offloading troops for the 2015 iteration of Malaysia-U.S. Amphibious Exercise (MALUS AMPHEX 2015), in which U.S. personnel will train with Malaysian amphibious units ashore to instruct and develop core competencies and enhance interoperability with a key partner nation in the region.

The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) flagship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) celebrated the Navy’s 240th birthday Oct. 13, 2015. The Kearsarge ARG team is comprised of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), and embarked Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which departed the U.S. on October 6, 2015. Kearsarge celebrated the event with 1MC announcements throughout the day, a cake cutting and singing during a ceremony aboard. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps.