Wallops Island News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Monday announced more than $7.5 million in grants to nine Marine Highway projects. The funding, provided by MARAD’s America’s Marine Highway Program, will go toward enhancing existing services in Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington“This $7.5 million investment will improve our country’s vital fuel-efficient waterway transportation system, which makes an important contribution to exports and economic growth,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced the designation of nine Marine Highway Projects and a Marine Highway Route that will benefit Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington State and American Samoa. Marine highways are navigable waterways that can be used as alternate options to traditional shipping methods. “The designation of marine highways by Congress will help move cargo and people to help grow the economy and shift freight off of congested highways,” said Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to discontinue 166 navigational aids within the Virginia Inside Passage (VIP) due to shoaling and other navigational safety concerns throughout the area. Fixed aids to navigation will be removed as Coast Guard resources permit over the next several years and will be listed under an Advance Notice in future Local Notice to Mariners. The decision follows a 2013 proposal, which identified 241 navigational aids for removal. The Army Corps of Engineers completed water surveys in 2015…

It is the newest and most transformational warship ever built, and yet it has also had the longest gestation period. Whether you call it new or old, you have to call it different. The pedigree for DDG 1000 is not from the Spruance or Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers, but rather it comes from the SC-21 (Surface Combatant for the 21st century) concept from 1994. Like DDG 1000, SC-21 was not about anti-air warfare. It was all about strike. SC-21, along with the Maritime Fire Support Demonstrator (MFSD) “arsenal ship” concept…

It is the newest and most transformational warship ever built, and yet it has also had the longest gestation period. Whether you call it new or old, you have to call it different. The pedigree for DDG 1000 is not from the Spruance or Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers, but rather it comes from the SC-21 (Surface Combatant for the 21st century) concept from 1994. Like DDG 1000, SC-21 was not about anti-air warfare. It was all about strike. SC-21, along with the Maritime Fire Support Demonstrator (MFSD) “arsenal ship” concept…

The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completes the first ever carrier-based arrested landing on board 'USS George H.W. Bush' off the coast of Virginia. "It isn't very often you get a glimpse of the future. Today, those of us aboard USS George H.W. Bush got that chance as we witnessed the X-47B make its first ever arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "We have certainly come a long way in the 102 years since Eugene Ely made the first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier.

CACI Technologies, Inc. of Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $24,162,560 modification to previously awarded contract (N63394-04-D-1262) for systems engineering services in support of integrated ship self defense. This procurement is to provide professional engineering, technical, training, software, project service, logistics services, fleet modernization, internal communication systems, combat system switchboard and other in-service engineering agent products necessary to support the Ship Self Defense System of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, Calif. Services will be required at shore sites, land-based test facilities, shipyards, and aboard ships in port and at sea.

Raytheon Company, Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Mass., is being awarded a $57,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5346) for the procurement of selected Zumwalt Class Destroyer mission system equipment (MSE) which will be integrated at Wallops Island, Va. MSEs are required to mitigate production and integration risk, and conduct at-sea testing in support of the Zumwalt Class of destroyers Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) aboard the US Navy Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS). The equipment is being checked out at Wallops Island before being shipped to the SDTS. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Mass. (40 percent); Andover, Mass. (40 percent), Wallops Island, Va. (10 percent) and Portsmouth, R.I.

Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury , Mass., is being awarded an $8,976,435 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5346) for the non-recurring engineering effort to update selected Zumwalt Class Destroyer Mission Systems Equipment for initial integration efforts at Wallops Island, Va., and follow-on installation on board Navy's Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS) to mitigate production and integration risk and conduct at sea testing in support of the Zumwalt TEMP (test and evaluation master plan). The SDTS test will include the first missile firing with this advanced Mission System from a remote controlled shipagainst the most stressing targets available.

for systems engineering services in support of integrated ship self-defense. system of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, Calif. ports and at sea. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme, Calif. Wallops Island, Va. (20 percent); San Diego, Calif. (10 percent); Little Creek, Va. (10 percent); Crystal City, Va. Newport, R.I. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2009. funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. competitively procured and advertised via the Internet, with one offer received. (N63394-04-D-1262).

The DD(X) National Team, led by Northrop Grumman Corporation, has introduced the U.S. Navy's first shipboard active phased array multifunction radar, AN/SPY-3, designed to meet all horizon search and fire control requirements for the 21st century fleet. The SPY-3 multifunction radar, designed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and introduced in a ribbon-cutting ceremony here yesterday, combines the functions provided by more than five separate radars currently aboard Navy surface combatants. SPY-3 supports new ship design requirements for a reduced radar cross section, significantly reduced manning requirements, and total ownership cost reduction. "We've been making tremendous progress with all of the critical technologies in the DD(X) program," said Capt.

The U.S. Aegis Combat System upgrade ship-set for a cruiser modernization program. operational cost efficiency of up to 22 existing Aegis-equipped cruisers. installed aboard by USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). at Wallops Island and Dahlgren, VA. "The cruiser modernization program is critical to the sustainment of U.S. the Department of Defense," said Capt. Executive Office for Ships. the 1980s and early 1990s. incorporate commercial off-the-shelf equipment and open systems architecture. Deepwater programs. is supporting the U.S. surface ships. component of the sea-based element of the U.S. System. advanced computer-controlled radar system. threat environment in naval warfare.

With resolution of the DD(X) bid protest, Northrop Grumman is on track to complete the DD(X) system design and associated engineering development models (EDM) by 2005. The scope and complexity of the design work, which includes development and integration of new hull and ship systems as well as advanced combat systems, is unprecedented for a U.S. Navy surface combatant. Northrop Grumman is responsible for the total ship system design, as well as development and testing of 11 EDMs. While the DD(X) system design work is proceeding, the EDMs will be built and tested in parallel for key systems such as the integrated power system (IPS), the advanced gun system (AGS) and an integrated radar suite.