Usns Washington News

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.

Military Sealift Command accepted delivery of its newest dry cargo/ammunition ship, USNS Washington Chambers, during a short ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO Ship Yard San Diego on Feb. 23. The ship, which was christened and launched Sept. 11, 2010, in San Diego, honors Navy Capt. Washington Irving Chambers, a pioneer in Navy aviation who arranged the world's first airplane flight from a warship Nov. 14, 1910. The flight confirmed the potential for carrier-based naval aviation.

USNS Washington Chambers, the Navy's newest ship in the Lewis and Clark-class of dry cargo/ammunition ships, was christened and launched Sept. 11, during a morning ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. The 689-ft Chambers, designated T-AKE 11, slid into the water for the first time as the ship's sponsor broke the traditional bottle of champagne against the bow. Chambers' sponsor is Loretta Penn, wife of former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment and former Acting Secretary of the Navy, B.J. Penn.

The U.S. Navy’s newest resupply ship, USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11), will be christened and launched into San Diego Bay. The chrestening ceremony will take place on Saturday, September 11, 2010, beginning at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public. The main gate (28th Street and East Harbor Drive) to the shipyard will open at 9 a.m. Rear Admiral Richard J .O'Hanlon, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, is the ceremony’s principal speaker. Loretta A. Penn, senior vice president of Spherion Corporation and president of its Staffing Services division and the ship’s sponsor,  will ceremonially name the ship by breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against its hull. Also speaking will be Rear Admiral David H. Lewis, PEO Ships; Rear Admiral Robert O.

General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), laid the keel for USNS Washington Chambers, the eleventh ship of the Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo-ammunition ships (T-AKE).  Construction of the Washington Chambers began in March.  The ship is named in honor of the naval officer who oversaw the development of the U.S. Navy’s aviation program.  NASSCO is scheduled to deliver the ship to the Navy in the first quarter of 2011. NASSCO has delivered seven T-AKE ships to the Navy and is under contract to build five additional T-AKE ships, including the Washington Chambers.  The Navy has also provided long-lead material funding to NASSCO for two more ships for a total class of 14 T-AKE vessels.  (www.nassco.com)

General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) , on March 17 laid the keel for USNS Charles Drew, the tenth dry cargo-ammunition ship in the U.S. Navy's T-AKE program. Construction of the Charles Drew began in October. The ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the third quarter of 2010. The ship is named in honor of the African-American physician who was a pioneer in blood preservation and storage. On March 19, NASSCO will begin construction of USNS Washington Chambers, the eleventh ship of the T-AKE class. The Washington Chambers is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the first quarter of 2011. The ship bears the name of the Navy officer who oversaw the early development of U.S. naval aviation.

General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) , has been awarded a $940m contract from the U.S. Navy for the construction of two T-AKE dry cargo-ammunition ships and to purchase long-lead construction materials for two additional T-AKE ships. Under the contract, NASSCO receives full funding for the construction of USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) and USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12). Earlier this year, NASSCO received a total of $200m to purchase the long lead materials for these ships. Construction of the Washington Chambers and the William McLean is scheduled to begin in the first and fourth quarters of 2009, respectively.