Program Executive Office News

The U.S. Navy’s newest Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel Vanguard (OUSV3), was recently launched from Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Vanguard is the first USV for the Navy purpose-built for autonomous operations from the keel-up.Vanguard is being jointly developed by a team led by Austal USA and L3Harris. Once outfitting and testing is completed, Vanguard will autonomously transit to San Diego, joining sister ships, OUSV2 Ranger and OUSV4 Mariner, as part of the Navy’s USV Division 1.

The U.S. Navy took delivery of the next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 108, from Textron Systems."These next-generation craft provide our Navy and Marine Corps team with essential agility and speed to complete their missions,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager for Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “SSC provides the fleet with agility and speed to assist with current and future mission requirements.”LCACs are built with configurations…

The U.S. Navy announced it accepted delivery of the next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 105, March 8.LCACs are built with configurations, dimensions, and clearances similar to the legacy LCACs they replace – ensuring that this latest air cushion vehicle is fully compatible with existing well deck-equipped amphibious ships, the Expeditionary Sea Base and the Expeditionary Transfer Dock. LCACs are capable of carrying a 60-75 ton payload.

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future guided missile destroyer USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Jan. 26.Delivery represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. Prior to delivery, the ship conducted a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to demonstrate its materiel and operational readiness.“Delivery of this ship will provide critical capacity to our surface fleet today and well into the future,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

The future USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) completed acceptance trials on December 9, returning to General Dynamics Corp’s Bath Iron Works (BIW) Bath shipyard after spending two days at sea.During acceptance trials, the ship and its crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). These demonstrations are used by INSURV to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy specifications and requirements prior to delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of the next generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 106 following the completion of Acceptance Trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements.“We are excited to deliver this next generation craft to the Navy and Marine Corps team,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager, Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

The future USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) is performing a series of planned test events assessing autonomous capabilities integrated into the shipboard configuration, demonstrating that a large ship can become a self-driving platform.Known as Unmanned Logistics Prototype trials, each test event increases the perception capabilities and complexity of behaviors demonstrated by the autonomous systems. Test evolutions to date include point-to-point autonomous navigation, vessel handling…

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

The Navy is known for its big ships. It has a lot of smaller boats and craft, too—3,200 of them.The three primary stakeholders for these craft are the Surface Fleet, Commander Navy Installations Command and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. Other stakeholders include Submarine Forces; Air Forces (which own the aircraft carriers); Naval Special Warfare; the Coast Guard; Naval Facilities Command and the Naval Warfare Centers.Boats and craft are procured and managed by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Program Executive Office for Ships (PEO Ships)…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA said on Tuesday it has named long-time business development executive Larry Ryder as the company’s new vice president of business development and external affairs.In this role, Ryder is responsible for all of Austal’s business development efforts, state and federal legislative activities, customer relations with the U.S. military as well as coordinating external communications and media relations.Ryder joined Austal USA in 2014 as the company’s senior director of business development and customer relations.

The future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) completed acceptance trials February 4 after spending a day underway off the coast of Maine.INSURV inspected the ship during a series of demonstrations while pier side and underway. Many of the ship’s onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, were tested to validate performance and met or exceeded Navy specifications.“Following an outstanding Combined Alpha and Bravo trials this past December…

The U.S. Navy’s first Yard Tug (YT) 808 class tug recently delivered to Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton Annex. Only 17 days after delivery, YT 808 was in the water assisting USNS Richard Byrd (T-AKE 4) as it moved away from the dock at Naval Magazine Indian Island.“Narrowing the gap between delivery and providing operational support is a priority for our team,” said Mike Kosar, program manager of Support Ships, Boats, and Craft Program Office within Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships).

The U.S. Navy on Monday awarded a $34,999,948 to L3 Technologies, Inc. for the development of a single medium unmanned surface vehicle (MUSV) prototype, with options to procure up to eight additional MUSVs. The award follows a full and open competitive procurement process.Funding is in place on this contract for the initial prototype. With all options exercised, the contract is valued at $294,508,976 if additional funding is provided in future budget years.“The award of Medium USV is the culmination of a great dialogue with industry to right-size the requirements for a capable…

The U.S. Navy’s first Yard Tug (YT) 808 class vessel was launched at Dakota Creek Industries' (DCI) shipyard on May 16. The Navy and DCI plan to conduct acceptance trials for the vessel in July, followed by planned delivery in August.The new tug is the first in a series of six being built by the Anacortes, Wash. shipbuilder for scheduled delivery through early 2022. The YT 808 vessels are designed by Robert Allan Ltd. after the Navy’s existing YT 802 Valiant-class tugs to perform towing and ship-handling duties for carriers, surface ships, submarines and barges.

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of its first Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) on April 24 following Combat Systems Activation.The ship will transition to the next phase of developmental and integrated at-sea testing. This event marks a major milestone of the dual delivery approach for USS Zumwalt, which achieved Hull Mechanical & Electrical delivery from shipbuilder General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works in May 2016. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems was the prime contractor for the Zumwalt Combat System…

The U.S. Navy's future guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) completed acceptance trials on March 12, returning to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Ingalls Shipbuilding Division after spending two days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.During acceptance trials, the ship's crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). These demonstrations are used to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy specifications and requirements prior to delivery of the ship to the U.S.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division delivered the newest America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) to the U.S. Navy on Friday. Tripoli will be commissioned later this year before sailing to its homeport of San Diego.Amphibious assault ships project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the amphibious ready group or expeditionary strike group. These ships transport elements of the Marine expeditionary unit or Marine expeditionary brigade with a combination of aircraft and landing craft.

The future USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) completed builder’s trials February 22 after spending three days underway in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Navy said. The trials were conducted by the shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Ingalls Shipbuilding Division.The ship was previously underway for Alpha trials in December, and will be underway again in March for acceptance trials, which will be conducted by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey.“The Navy and our dedicated shipbuilders have continued to make strides towards delivering this exceptional capability to the fleet…

Gulf Island Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony for the USNS Cherokee Nation (T-ATS 7) on Thursday afternoon (February 13) at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.Cherokee Nation is the second ship of the Navy's Navajo class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue vessels.According to a press note from the Navy, the keel laying ceremony formally marks the start of a ship's life and the joining of the ship's modular components. The keel serves as the symbolic backbone of the ship.In attendance to authenticate the keel was Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, The Honorable Chuck Hoskin, Jr. and the ship's sponsor and Deputy Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council…

The Navy accepted delivery of USNS Miguel Keith (T-ESB-5), the expeditionary sea base that was damaged while under construction when its dry dock flooded in July 2018 and subsequently set back by about six months.Delivery marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. The Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) 5 will be owned and operated by Military Sealift Command."The Navy and industry team overcame significant setbacks in the construction of this ship, and I'm extremely proud of the urgency and determination displayed on everyone's part to deliver a high-quality ship that will support our operational requirements in the 7th Fleet area of operations," said Capt. Scot Searles, Strategic Sealift and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office Ships.

U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO has begun building the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the first ship for the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis fleet replenishment oiler program.Representatives from the shipyard and the U.S. Navy gathered in San Diego on September 20 for a steel cutting ceremony signifying the start of construction for the first of six vessels in the John Lewis-class.Construction of the first ship is scheduled to be complete in November 2020. John Lewis will be operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) and is the first ship named after the civil rights leader and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient."As the first ship of its class…

The U.S. Navy’s 10th Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, Burlington, completed acceptance trials, August 3 after two days of underway evaluation in the Gulf of Mexico.The ship demonstrated the readiness of its equipment and systems for operations, both dockside and underway, for the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey. The ship returned to the Austal USA shipyard in Mobil Ala. and will now begin preparations for delivery to the Navy later this year.“Acceptance trials are a major step towards delivering Burlington to the Navy,” said Capt.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) started fabrication of the 13th LPD-17 San Antonio class ship, LPD-29, July 30, at its Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Pascagoula, Miss. The start of fabrication signifies that the first 100 tons of steel have been cut."We are excited to commence fabrication on the 13th and final ship of the LPD-17 Flight I class," said Capt. Brian Metcalf, LPD 17 class program manager for Program Executive Office Ships. "We continue to benefit from the maturity of this program…