Obangame Express Concludes in Tema
The Ghanaian portion of exercise Obangame Express 2018 (OE18) concluded yesterday in Tema, Ghana, with a closing ceremony. Participants from the Royal Canadian Navy, the German Navy, the U. S. Navy, the Ghanaian Navy and other partner and allied nations were in attendance. The guest of honor was Commodore Jo Kontoh, flag officer commanding, Eastern Naval Command. “I have been a part of Obangame Express exercises since the inception in 2011, said Kontoh. Over the past 11 days, the Ghanaian portion of OE18 has included many different and technical facets. Whether conducting an exercise at one of the maritime operations centers or conducting training with the Ghanaian Special Boat Service…
USNS Choctaw County in 'Exercise Bold Alligator'
Spearhead-class joint high speed vessel USNS Choctaw County (JHSV 2) is conducting proof-of-concept testing during Exercise Bold Alligator 2014 as an afloat forward staging base style platform. Bold Alligator 2014 is underway in multiple states and along the Eastern Seaboard. In addition to 18 other U.S. Navy and coalition ships, one of the Navy's newest platforms is getting an opportunity to test itself. "That includes the communications portion, launching of small boats and also helicopter operations," said Choctaw County's Chief's Mate Patrick Mullaney. In the last week, Choctaw County hosted members of Special Boat Team 20 (SBT 20) and critical skills operators from U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command to conduct scenario training.
New Navy Contracts
L-3 Services, Inc., Unidyne Division, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $46,670,682 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, cost plus fixed fee contract for engineering services to operate and maintain the Technology Center for Cables and Connectors (TC3) facility located at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division (NUWC), Newport. Efforts will include: TC3 facilities maintenance and operation, parts procurement and logistic services, fabrication services, research and development services, test and evaluation services, reliability maintainability availability services, programmatic support, and in-service engineering activity services in support of sensors and sonar systems.
Naval Special Warfare Special Boat Team Conducts MEATS Evolution
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Robyn B. Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) from Special Boat Team (SBT) 12, stationed at Naval Base Coronado, Calif., conducted a Maritime External Air Transportation System (MEATS) training evolution, Dec. 12, with the help of a Marine Corps CH-53 helicopter. Typically MEATS is a way to move an 11-meter rigid inflatable boat (RIB) or a special operations craft-riverine (SOC-R) from a point on land or in the water to somewhere else in the water. SWCCs rig the boat to the helicopter as it hovers 10 to 15 feet above their heads and then climb a rope ladder to board the helicopter before transiting to the drop zone, where they will rappel down a line to the boat and prepare to get underway.
Special Boat Operators Reach Milestone MCADS Drop
Special Warfare Boat Operators (SB) from Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20) reached a milestone on March 28 when they successfully completed the 100th and 101st insertion of the Maritime Craft Aerial Deployment System (MCADS) off the coast of North Carolina. Serving as a true force multiplier, the MCADS capability enables Naval Special Warfare Sailors to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world in a maritime environment. The system deploys an 11-meter RIB (rigid inflatable boat) rigged with four large parachutes from the back of a C-130 or C-17 at approximately 3,500-feet. Approximately four Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) immediately follow the boat out of the plane and parachute to the immediate proximity of where the boat lands.
