Seawolf 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…

With the rise of China and her global ambitions, the military importance of Guam in the Indo-Pacific theater has become apparent. The force levels on the island had drawn down from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. Today, that's changing. Guam's defense posture is growing.Guam's proximity to major population centers in East Asia underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. All of the armed services have a presence on Guam.

In August, 2021, after years of delays, cost overruns, and rising tensions, the Australian government canceled a A$90 billion order with France’s Naval Group for 12 conventionally powered submarines intended to replace the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)’s aging fleet of six Collins-class attack subs. Overnight, the future of the RAN’s undersea warfare capability was cast into uncertainty. The very next month, however, the United States and the United Kingdom announced a plan to help Australia fill the void…

As a rudderless U.S. Navy debates maritime strategy, fleet futures and platform performance, America’s naval shipbuilding industry can look forward to another year of relative stasis.Barring a major geopolitical incident or unexpected maritime provocation, government shipbuilding isn’t going to change course. With Admiral Michael Gilday approaching the final “lame duck” year of his four-year term as Chief of Naval Operations and the 2024 election season looming, the prospect for major changes in the Navy’s demand signal seems limited.Aside from the U.S.

A passenger vessel lost steering and went a drift in a highly trafficked area near Galveston, Texas, on Saturday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call on VHF-FM channel 16 at about 11 a.m. from the captain of the Baywatch Too stating the dolphin sightseeing vessel had lost steering and was drifting toward a dredge pipe near Seawolf Park with 33 people on board.The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat–Medium (RB–M) crew.

A ferry passenger who fell into the water off Galveston, Texas, was rescued on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a report at 11:30 a.m. over VHF-FM channel 16 from personnel aboard the John W. Johnson, a nearby passenger vessel, who saw an adult male fall off the Gibb Gilchrist ferry in the vicinity of Seawolf Park.Sector Houston-Galveston command center personnel issued an urgent marine information broadcast while an already on-scene 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boat crew from Coast Guard Station Freeport diverted to assist.The RB–M boat crew located the person in the water, pulled the individual aboard and transferred the man to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Coast Guard Station Galveston.

The world's leading exporter of thermal coal on Saturday banned the shipments because of concerns it could not meet its own power demand, prompting President Joko Widodo on Monday to threaten to revoke business permits for any miners who failed to meet domestic market requirements.In turn, Indonesian coal miners want a quick resolution as fuel prices rise and and potential disruptions to the energy supplies of some of the world's biggest economies loom.The wider risk is of a knock-on impact on economic linchpins China…

Greek commercial ship management company Signal Maritime Services and tanker vessel trader Heidmar join forces to deliver commercial management to the global tanker market.Both companies have agreed a milestone partnership, under which Signal will manage a joint tanker fleet using its proprietary technology and analytical approach, said a press release.Signal’s Artificial-Intelligence-backed solution to pool management has consistently delivered superior earnings to its pool members since its launch in 2018.Commercial management of 18 Aframax vessels in Heidmar’s Sigma Pool will be handled by Signal with immediate effect, with a transition period of one month.Signal will also be working with the Heidmar team to manage the LR2 vessels in its Sigma Pool…

Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia (N64498-19-D-0001); Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia (N64498-19-D-0002); and General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut (N64498-19-D-0003), are being awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity multiple award contracts with firm-fixed-priced ordering provisions for Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) and Level I engineering and technical services in the amounts of $827,674,072; $874,341,811; and $1,110,350,671, respectively. This requirement is for management and technical services for the support installation, troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance of main and auxiliary weapons…

An interview with Rear Admiral Ronald A. Boxall, Director, Surface Warfare (N96), conducted by Capt. Edward Lundquist, U. S. Navy (Ret.)The theme of the recent SNA West Coast Symposium was “Take a Running Fix.” So what’s your “fix” right now about where we are regarding surface warfare?The SWO Boss is thinking about that from a man/train/equip standpoint, and being able to ensure that we’re trained to the best we can, that we’re manned properly, and have the equipment we need.

One-on-one with Suzanne Beckstoffer, an accomplished engineering leader and business woman, the first woman president in SNAME’s 125 year history.As the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2018, it will celebrate another historical milestone at the start of 2019 when Suzanne M. Beckstoffer takes the helm of SNAME as president, the first woman to hold this position in the association’s history. We met recently with Beckstoffer to discuss her distinguished shipbuilding career…

A pair of U.S. Navy submarines recently surfaced in the Arctic Circle as part of multinational maritime exercise north of Alaska. Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) and Seawolf-class fast attack submarine, USS Connecticut (SSN 22) surfaced in the Arctic Circle March 10 during the multinational maritime Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2018. Both submarines, as well the UK Royal Navy submarine HMS Trenchant (S91), are participating in the biennial exercise in the Arctic to train and validate the warfighting capabilities of submarines in extreme cold-water conditions. "From a military, geographic and scientific perspective…

Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR) officially kicked-off Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2018 in the Arctic Ocean with the construction of temporary Ice Camp Skate and the arrival of two U.S. Navy fast-attack submarines and one U.K. Royal Navy submarine March 7. ICEX 2018 is a five-week biennial exercise that allows the Navy to assess its operational readiness in the Arctic, increase experience in the region, advance understanding of the Arctic environment and continue to develop relationships with other services, allies and partner organizations. The Seawolf-class fast attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) from Bangor, Washington, the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) from Groton…

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 Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced the appointment of 10 Board Members to the Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Donald Winter. “The establishment of the Advisory Board is an important milestone in the Government’s naval shipbuilding strategy, ensuring expert, independent advice to Government on all aspects of this historical national endeavour,” Minister Pyne said. Mr Martin Bean, CBE – Vice Chancellor and President of RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and former Vice Chancellor of The Open University in the United Kingdom. Mr Mike Burgess – After leaving the position of Chief Information Security Officer for Telstra, he is now a Strategic Cyber Security Adviser and Consultant.

1803 - Commodore John Barry dies at Philadelphia, Pa., having served in numerous commands and over vessels in the Continental Navy during the American Revolution and in the newly formed U.S. Navy. 1814 - During the War of 1812, the British bomb Fort McHenry at Baltimore Harbor for 25 hours. The sight of Fort McHenrys flag and the British withdrawing from Baltimore the next morning inspires Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner. 1847 - During the Mexican-American War, Chapultepec - the gateway to Mexico City - is successfully stormed by Marines.

BAE Systems has received a $72 million contract from the U.S. Navy to produce and deliver propulsor systems for Block IV Virginia-class (SSN 774) submarines. The award continues the company’s current position as the premier provider of propulsors to the U.S. undersea fleet. “The propulsor contributes significantly to the overall stealth and effectiveness of a submarine,” said Joe Sentfle, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems. The contract’s value could eventually amount to $162.9 million if all options are exercised. The company has delivered more than 20 propulsors to the Navy for both Seawolf-class (SSN 21) and Virginia-class submarines. The Virginia-class attack submarines represent a shift in undersea warfare.

Webb Institute has appointed Benjamin H. Scott as the Assistant Professor of Marine Engineering. Scott is a design engineer with over 30 years of experience in thermal and hydraulic analysis, heat exchanger design, thermal performance testing and fluid system design. Scott recently retired from Exelon Corporation as the senior manager of design engineering at their Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Md., where he oversaw a staff of 60 multidiscipline engineers responsible for all plant modifications and improvements…

Huntington Ingalls  has received a $109.4mln contract modification to carry out support services for the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarines. The company will work to engineer, design, configure and update various classes of submarines, special mission submersible interfaces, support facilities and submarines for foreign military sales programs, the Defense Department said. Huntington Ingalls will perform work in Newport News, Virginia through September 2017. Support services will be provided for Los Angeles, Seawolf, Virginia, and Ohio-class submarines; special mission submersible interfaces; and submarine support facilities. The contract also involves potential foreign military sales programs. Recently, Huntington Ingalls won another contract worth $57.9 million from the U.S.

Fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton August 21, following a six-month Arctic deployment during which it conducted routine submarine operations, including under-ice transits and under-ice operations. "The crew performed superbly on multiple operations in the 6th Fleet area of responsibility," said Cmdr. Jeff Bierley, Seawolf's commanding officer, from Birmingham, Alabama. "We conducted two polar transits, including a routine surfacing at the North Pole. The U.S.

Tanker shipper Ardmore Shipping Corporation’s latest newbuild vessel, Ardmore Seawolf, was delivered by SPP Shipbuilding from the Sacheon shipyard in Korea on August 13, 2015. The addition of the 49,999 DWT IMO 3 product and chemical tanker increases the number of Ardmore vessels on the water to 22, joining sister ships, Ardmore Sealion and Ardmore Seafox. Technical management of the Ardmore Seawolf will be provided by Univan Ship Management. Commenting on Ardmore Seawolf’s delivery…

General Dynamics received a $20 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to continue modernizing the AN/BYG-1 Weapons Control System (WCS) Technology Insertion and Advanced Processing Build software for U. S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy submarines. The AN/BYG-1 software analyzes and tracks submarine and surface-ship contact information, providing tactical, situational awareness for submarine crews including the capability to target and employ torpedoes and missiles. “The AN/BYG-1 software program is an exceptionally cost-effective way for the Navy to quickly update and add capabilities to submarine weapon systems,” said Carlo Zaffanella, vice president and general manager of Maritime and Strategic Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems.

Russia is going to complete building a series of seven Yasen-class nuclear submarines by 2023, says Vladimir Dorofeyev, CEO of the Malakhit Marine Engineering Design Bureau. According to previous reports, the state armaments program for the period until 2020 envisaged construction of 8 Yasen class submarines. In addition, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Viktor Chirkov said that after that the series would be continued. "In accordance with the state armaments program, the project to build a series of 7 submarines will be completed after 2023," Dorofeyev said. It is believed that the Yasen-class vessels are the “stealthiest submarines” in the world. The submarines will be 13.5 meters wide, 119 meters long and 9.4 meters high.