United States Special Operations Command News

United States Marine, Inc. (USMI) has been awarded a $108 million contract to produce vessels for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).The Gulfport, Miss. based shipbuilder will use the five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contact to build combatant craft assault vessels to support the USSOCOM missions around the world.USMI Chief Executive Office Barry Dreyfus, Jr., indicated the contract would allow the company to retain and possibly expand its workforce.“USMI looks forward to continuing our work on behalf of the warfighter and we appreciate the confidence the United States Special Operations Command continues to have in us. We are also proud to work with the tremendous members and Staff of the Mississippi delegation.

Diversification is the key at Oregon-based North River Boats. Listening closely to the customer’s needs recently won the day on a multi-hull U.S. Navy contract, but that’s not all that’s happening in Oregon. Roseburg, Ore.-based North River Boats has, over time, thrived by delivering one of the most diverse vessel portfolios in North America. Those offerings include both domestic and foreign deliveries, as well as recreational, commercial and military hulls. And, if that formula has taught them just one thing, then that metric would be that different customers need different features. And, for a firm known initially for cranking out a well-known brand of nearly identical recreational craft, it has also learned that flexibility in design and offerings can also win the day.

A little-known annual American commemoration is coming up again on May 22 - National Maritime Day. It was declared by Congress in 1933 to call attention to America’s proud maritime heritage and to honor the men and women who serve and have served as U.S. merchant mariners. It’s also a day to recognize and reflect on the rewards that America’s ports bring the country in terms of jobs, economic development, goods movement and international competitiveness. For the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)—the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas—National Maritime Day offers the nation’s ports a great opportunity to showcase the value of their facilities, operations and personnel to their respective communities.

Host of U.S. A little-known annual American commemoration is coming up again on May 22: National Maritime Day, declared by Congress in 1933 to call attention to America’s maritime heritage and to honor the men and women who serve and have served as U.S. merchant mariners. It’s also a day to recognize and reflect on the rewards that America’s ports bring the country in terms of jobs, economic development, goods movement and international competitiveness. For the American Association…

Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition – AeroVironment, Inc. has announced the United States Navy plans to deploy its “Blackwing,” a small, tube-launched unmanned aircraft system that deploys from under the surface of the sea, on manned submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. Blackwing builds on AeroVironment’s extensive operational experience with small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and its Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) to provide the Navy with a low cost, submarine launched unmanned aircraft system optimized for Anti-Access/Aerial Denial (A2/AD) environments. AeroVironment developed the Blackwing…

Dutra Dredging Company, Calif. was awarded a $19,869,500 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging in the Thimble Shoal Federal Navigation Channel and the Cape Henry Federal Navigation Channel, Norfolk Virginia. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity. Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Ala., was awarded an $8,247,342 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-2301) on Nov. 27, 2013, to exercise an option for littoral combat ship (LCS) core class services. The company will assess engineering and production challenges as well as evaluate the cost and schedule risks from affordability efforts to reduce LCS acquisition and lifecycle costs. Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala. (60 percent), and Pittsfield, Mass.

Trinity Yachts, L.L.C., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Trinity Offshore, L.L.C., has delivered the first of two aluminum 82 ft. patrol craft it is building in New Orleans under a sub-contract to United States Marine, Inc., (U.S.M.I.) of Gulfport. The craft design is similar to those built for United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in the late 1990’s by the Trinity Marine Group. These vessels are still in service today. The first hull was recently delivered to U.S.M.I. for outfitting and the second hull is scheduled for delivery to U.S.M.I. in late March 2009.

Admiral Robert Natter, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and Vice Adm. Thad Allen, Commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, jointly announced the assignment of four Cyclone-Class Navy Patrol Coastal (PC) ships in support of the nation’s homeland security Operation Noble Eagle. Two additional PCs will be assigned to the Pacific Coast. For the first time, U.S. Navy ships will be employed jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard to help protect our nation’s coastline, ports and waterways from terrorist attack. “The Atlantic Fleet is working closely with the Coast Guard to ensure the security of our Gulf and east coast ports,” said Admiral Natter. “These ships will be used for coastal patrol and interdiction efforts with the Coast Guard.

As increasing attention is paid to ensuring the nation is secure from attacks - whether direct or covert - via the waterways, companies that supply vessels and equipment to the Coast Guard and Navy are quickly planning for an expected upturn in business. Last month Admiral Robert Natter, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and Vice Adm. Thad Allen, Commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, announced the assignment of four Cyclone-Class Navy Patrol Coastal (PC) ships in support of the nation's homeland security Operation Noble Eagle. Two additional PCs will be assigned to the Pacific Coast. For the first time, U.S. Navy ships will be employed jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard to help protect the nation's coastline, ports and waterways from terrorist attack.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments, LP, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded $44,339,800 for firm fixed priced delivery order #0004 under previously awarded contract for the purchase of 89 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle Category I United States Special Operations Command Variants and vehicle sustainment Integrated Logistic Support. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected to be completed by March 2008. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

On Friday April 14, United States Marine, Inc., (USMI), celebrated the delivery of two of their 36-ft. NSW RIBs to the United States Special Operations Command, USSOCOM, marking the 99th and 100th craft delivered by USMI to USSOCOM to date. This delivery marked a number of occasions, including USMI’s first scheduled deliveries since hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This celebration also marked the first deliveries of new craft from their new Gulfport, Miss., facility. Powered by a pair of 470 hp Caterpillar 3126 diesel engines driving a pair of Kamewa water jets, the NSW RIB performs at speeds in excess of 40 knots.