The Avenger News

The U.S. Navy embarked the first Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) aboard USS Canberra (LCS 30), April 18, service officials announced. With the MCM mission package now onboard LCS 30, the Navy anticipates the first MCM Mission Package deployment in Fiscal Year 2025.As part of the embark process, the Navy installed sensors, unmanned vehicles, support containers and the software that enables Sailors to execute MCM operations from an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship.

When it comes to war, the old adage that the best defense is a good offense rings true. Nowhere is this more the case than naval warfare, where initiative can make the difference between victory and defeat. As an integral part of naval warfare, mine warfare – both mine countermeasures and mine laying, or “offensive” mine warfare - will continue to influence naval operations. Yet the latter of these sub disciplines - the “other” mine warfare, as Admiral James Winnefeld, Jr. calls it - has often been missing from mine warfare discussions.

Fincantieri Marine Systems North America (FMSNA) has been awarded the maintenance contract for the U.S. Navy’s “Avenger”-class minesweepers. The program has a combined value up to more than $78 million.The Navy operates eight “Avenger”-class vessels, which are homeported in Bahrain and Japan. All of the vessels have diesel engines produced by Isotta Fraschini Motori, another Fincantieri’s subsidiary, of which FMSNA technicians are experts. All of the “Avenger”-class vessels were made in Marinette and Sturgeon Bay…

The U.S. Navy decommissioned the mine countermeasures ship USS Champion (MCM 4) during a ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday.Due to public health safety and restrictions of large public events related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, plankowners and former crew members of the Avenger-class ship virtually celebrated its distinguished history.Commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center, Rear Adm. Scott Robertson was the guest speaker, with Capt. Hank Kim…

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…

1777 - The frigate, USS Raleigh, commanded by Thomas Thompson, captures the British brig, HMS Nancy, while en route to France to purchase military stores. 1864 - During the Civil War, the 8-gun paddle-wheeler, USS Naiad, engages a Confederate battery at Rowes Landing, La., and silences it. 1940 - As the Battle of Britain intensifies, U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull agrees to the transfer 50 warships to the Royal Navy. In exchange, the U.S. is granted land in various British possessions for the establishment of naval or air bases, on ninety-nine-year rent-free leases.

“While replenishments-at-sea are routine, astern refueling is unique and requires precise navigation and coordination,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jason Ileto, fleet replenishment scheduler for Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific. An astern replenishment-at-sea was conducted by Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship Pioneer and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) in waters south of Japan, August 24. During normal replenishment evolutions, ships fueled at sea typically connect to each other alongside.

Refineries from India to the United States are backing away from buying Nigerian oil amid heightened uncertainty about deliveries as the country squares up to militants in the restive Delta region. Their reluctance to buy is limiting the prices Nigeria can get for its oil even as there is less of it - another hit to the finances of a country battling its worst economic crisis in decades. A group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers has staged a number of attacks on oil installations belonging to Shell , ENI and Chevron, pushing output in what is usually Africa's largest crude exporter down past 20-year lows last month. Some oil facilities have clawed back output, but the Avenger attacks have continued and the group has vowed to bring Nigerian production to "zero".

1848 - U.S. Navy expedition to explore the Dead Sea and the River Jordan, commanded by Lt. William F. Lynch, reaches the Dead Sea. 1906 - U.S. Navy assists in relief operations during the San Francisco earthquake and fire. Sailors and Marines fight fires and ships carry the homeless and injured to Vallejo, where medical personnel established emergency facilities. 1942 - The Doolittle Raid begins with 16 Army Air Force B-25 bombers launching earlier than expected from USS Hornet (CV 8), approximately 650 miles off Japan, after being spotted by enemy ships. It is the first attack by the U.S. of the Japanese mainland since Pearl Harbor. Most of the 16 B-25s, each with a five-man crew, attack the Tokyo area, with a few hitting Nagoya.

1776 - The Continental brig Lexington, commanded by John Barry, captures the British tender Edward near the Virginia Capes after a fierce fight that takes nearly an hour. 1944 - USS Saufley (DD 465) sinks the Japanese submarine I 2, west-northwest of New Hanover, while USS Champlin (DD 601) is damaged after intentionally ramming German submarine U-856 380 miles off Nova Scotia, Canada. Champlin then teams with USS Huse (DE 145) to sink U-856. 1944 - USS Gustafson (DE 182) sinks the German submarine U 857 off Cape Cod, Mass.

Shipbuilder CTruk Boats, a manufacturer of composite wind farm support vessels (WFSV), has delivered the second workboat in a two-craft order from CWind. The MPC22 WFSV CWind Spirit was officially named at a ceremony in Ipswich and is the latest addition to a stable of nearly 30 WFSVs built by CTruk. Like her sister vessel CWind Artimus, which was handed over in June, the latest MPC22 features a a Volvo Penta Integrated Propulsion System (IPS) that reduces fuel consumption, produces less CO2 emissions…

CTruk Boats formally handed over the first new craft built at its River Colne production facility in Colchester when the latest MPC22 offshore wind farm service vessel (WFSV) was officially named by owner CWind at the Seawork show in Southampton. Utilizing the CTruk flexible pod system that allows the vessel’s payload to be reconfigured in a matter of hours, the MPC22 is based on a proven workboat design. CWind Artimus, named by Jemma Eaton, Commercial Director of CWind, is the first of the two latest boats being built by CTruk for CWind…

Interactive software that can dramatically cut the time it takes to plan safe submarine missions is crossing over to the surface fleet and is being installed this month on the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), officials announced Dec. 16. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the technology adds speed and precision the process of finding the best routes around hazards in waterways around the world. Sailors spend days or even weeks planning a successful navigation route for a mission. They collect maps and charts, analyze them, double check them and cross reference information that comes in various hard copy and digital forms.

While debate continues about the most efficient way to serve offshore wind installations farther out to sea, CTruk has been quietly forging ahead with a new OWSV designed to safely deal with rougher seas, longer transits and tougher assignments without neglecting the comfort of passengers and crew, the company said. Based on a proven workboat design concept, the CTruk EVOC22 is a 22m composite twin-hull with 7.5m beam and 1.25m draft. This workboat will have a 20-metric-ton flexible payload capability and the ability to carry 24…

The U.S. Navy announced Feb. 5 that newer, more capable mine countermeasure ships will forward deploy to Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan, to become part of the U.S. Navy's Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). The Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships USS Pioneer (MCM 9) and USS Chief (MCM 14) will report to the U.S. 7th Fleet as part of the FDNF in Sasebo in May 2014. They will respectively replace the mine countermeasure ships USS Avenger (MCM 1) and USS Defender (MCM 2), which have both faithfully served in the FDNF since 2009.

Six vessels and two individual mariners were recognized for courageous acts at sea at the 44th annual United Seamen's Service (USS) 2013 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) attended by more than 700 guests at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel in New York City. The AUTOS award was presented to Philip W. J. Fisher, President of Chas. Kurz & Co; U. S. Representative Peter King, Republican of New York; and Emanuel Rouvelas, maritime attorney and partner at K & L Gates. The Honorable…

Vice Adm. Tom Copeman , Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet fittingly remembers USS Guardian, now being scrapped. "During times of war and while operating in international exercises for nearly a quarter of a century, the crew and ship remained at the highest levels of readiness, serving our nation well," noted Admiral Copeman. "A significant moment during a ship commissioning ceremony occurs when there is a call to 'bring this ship to life,' and the crew sprints from their positions pierside…

The mine counter-measures ship 'USS Guardian' (MCM 5) still sits on the Tubbataha Reef. Operations to safely recover the ship while minimizing environmental effects are being conducted in close cooperation with allied Philippines Coast Guard and Navy. Prior to leaving port in Subic Bay, Guardian canceled a scheduled fuel stop to Puerto Princesa, thus  the  Guardian departed Olongapo City en route to Indonesia and was transiting the Sulu Sea when the grounding occurred at approximately 2:25 a.m. Thursday, 17, January.

All 79 crew members have been taken off the mine countermeasures ship, grounded onTubbataha Reef, off Subic Bay, Philippines. Crew members have been temporarily removed and safely transferred by small boat to the nearby support vessels USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 62) and MSV C-Champion. After the Sasebo-based Guardian ran aground Jan. 17, initial efforts to free the ship on high tide were not successful. The ship remains stuck on the reef, approximately 80 miles east-southeast of Palawan Island.

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- No one was hurt when the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5) ran aground on Tubbataha Reef at 2:25 a.m. local time, Jan. 17, while transiting the Sulu Sea. The Avenger-class ship had just completed a port call in Subic Bay, Olongapo City and was en route to her next port of call when the grounding occurred. The ship is currently stuck on the reef, approximately 80 miles east-southeast of Palawan Island. The crew is currently working to determine the best method of safely extracting the ship. The cause of the grounding is under investigation. Guardian, forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan, was commissioned Dec. 16, 1989, and has a crew of about 80.   (Source: U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs)

CTruck-built offshore wind farm support vessel 'CWind Alliance' delivered an impressive 363 days of operation on the London Array during 2012. Peter Jørgensen, CWind managing director, commented “We are delighted to have achieved such a high level of performance with this vessel. She is a core part of the fleet at CWind, allowing our teams to efficiently undertake the varied and complex tasks demanded by the industry whilst also reducing their carbon footprint with the inherent fuel savings.

ESAB Cutting Systems is exhibiting a wide range of their innovative products at Fabtech 2012 expo in Las Vegas. The range of the company's products exhibited includes software features, plasma beveling system, a new drill station and improved plasma cutting capabilities. The Avenger X large gantry CNC cutting system will be the centerpiece of ESAB Cutting Systems display. The rugged, accurate Avenger X is the flagship machine in ESAB’s wide range of automated cutting machines, and is available with straight cutting tools, bevel cutting tools, and plate marking systems. The Avenger X will be plasma bevel cutting on ESAB’s exclusive Continuous Cleaning Downdraft table. The Avenger X will also be equipped with the Plasma VBA Global , the latest plasma bevel cutting system from ESAB.

Navy, Industry partner for research; sharing costs, risks, and rewards to reduce total ownership costs . America’s shipyards are fierce competitors, but they can also be close collaborators. The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) is a cooperative effort for American shipbuilders and the U.S. Navy, with the aim of improving efficiency and economy to reduce the cost of Navy ship construction and repair in American shipyards. According to the Navy’s NSRP program manager Connie Bowling of the Naval Sea Systems Command…