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Assault Craft Unit News

13 Nov 2015

Essex Amphibious Ready Group in S. China Sea

The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) transited the Straits of Malacca and conducted routine operations in the South China Sea as part of a deployment to the Western Pacific Nov. 7-10. The ARG's flagship, the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), conducted the patrol as the amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) prepared for bilateral training exercises with Brunei and Malaysia. On Nov. 10, Rushmore began offloading troops for the 2015 iteration of Malaysia-U.S. Amphibious Exercise (MALUS AMPHEX 2015), in which U.S. personnel will train with Malaysian amphibious units ashore to instruct and develop core competencies and enhance interoperability with a key partner nation in the region.

29 Apr 2014

Huntington Ingalls Appoints Jonathan Padfield as Corporate Director

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that Capt. Jonathan Padfield (U.S. Navy, Ret.) has joined the company as Corporate Director of Customer Affairs for amphibious programs. Padfield, whose last assignment for the Navy was commanding officer, Assault Craft Unit Five, began his new position on Monday. "Jon brings a wealth of leadership and maritime experience to our company, and he is going to be an excellent fit for our team," said Dan Holloway, HII's corporate Vice President, customer affairs. "His extensive naval career provides him with a vast understanding and at-sea knowledge of amphibious warships and how they operate and support U.S. Marine Corps and Navy missions.

15 Mar 2010

USS Fort McHenry Completes Haiti Mission

Photo courtesy U.S. Navy

The USS Fort McHenry arrived in Haiti Jan. 18, six days after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean nation. The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship's Sailors and embarked Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) provided critical medical, distribution, rubble removal and construction assistance during Operation Unified Response. The ship provided over 3,500 pounds of medical aid and the medical team treated 850 patients, both on the ship and ashore…

23 Nov 2009

New Navy Contact

Propulsion Controls Engineering, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $11,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the maintenance and Class "B" overhauls on Cummins brand diesel engines on small boats and crafts for the Navy. The engines to be overhauled are from the small boats and crafts of Assault Craft Unit One, whose mission is to operate, maintain and provide assault craft as required by the amphibious task force commander for waterborne ship to shore movement during and after an amphibious assault. Class "B" overhauls restore the engines to its original design and technical specifications. Work is to be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by November 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

07 Apr 2009

Eye on the Navy

April 1, 2009, a landing craft air cushion from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5 leaves a beach during an exercise near Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. ACU-5 is currently assigned to the USS Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group supporting Combined Task Force-151 (CTF-151), a multinational task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jesse B. Awalt/Released)

31 Dec 2008

Eye on the Fleet: Assault Craft Unit

On Dec. 24, in the Persian Gulf, a landing craft air cushion (LCAC) from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 prepares to embark aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17). San Antonio is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Goodwin.

15 Dec 2008

Comms Balloon Tested Aboard USS Boxer

Members of the Arizona Air National Guard embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4) demonstrated an advanced communication platform, the Combat SkySat balloon Dec. The most modern communication balloon platform available, the Combat SkySat is larger than a weather balloon, and has the potential to provide communications between ship and helicopter, ship to shore, and between those on shore. "There are some places between leaving ships and during insertions or raids where communication can be problematic," said Arizona Air National Guard Master Sgt. Kris Errett.

21 Dec 2007

Navy Modernizes Amphibious Ships and Hovercraft

Invisible to approximately 5,000 people witnessing the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) commissioning ceremony, Dec. 15, a newly modernized landing craft air cushion (LCAC) 39 sat certified and ready for transport within the well deck of the Navy's newest amphibious ship. Mesa Verde had already finished its requisite LCAC certification Dec. 7, which qualify the ship to recover an LCAC and embark on the ship's mission of transporting Marines, their supplies, and equipment, according to Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City Division Project Engineer Rhett Plash. Plash works with NSWC PCD LCAC in-service engineering activity and operations. "We're actually a part of the team that performs well deck certifications," Plash said.

01 Jun 2007

USS Bonhomme Richard Off-Loads 13th MEU

Marines assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) offload a Landing Craft Utility (LCU) after disembarking USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) The LCU is assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 1 Det Delta. U.S. By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Ryan Tabios, U.S. The USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) off-loaded the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) here May 25-28. The four-day offload saw the departure of more than 2,200 Sailors and Marines from BHR, USS Denver (LPD 9) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47). The offload also included 300,000 pounds of equipment and heavy artillery and the MEU’s Aviation Combat Element. “This was a calculated and well executed movement of personnel and equipment from ship to shore,” said Marine Gunnery Sgt.

07 Jun 2007

U.S. Navy Ships Conduct FAC/FIAC Exercises

USS Antietam (CG 54), USS O'Kane (DDG 77) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits through the Gulf of Oman. All the ships are part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. U.S. By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico, USS John C. U.S. Navy ships conducted a fast attack craft (FAC)/fast inshore attack craft (FIAC) exercise June 4 in the North Persian Gulf. USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), USS Antietam (CG 54), USS O'Kane (DDG 77), USS Denver (LPD 9) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) participated in the exercise.

12 Apr 2007

USS Bataan Launches, Recovers LCUs

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Michael Raines signals to the load master of a Landing Craft Utility (LCU) to raise the bow ramp prior to departure from the well deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) is conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) which help set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment, as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ken J. The crew aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) successfully conducted their first landing craft utility (LCU) operations in almost a year while underway in the Persian Gulf on April 7.

13 Mar 2007

Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron 4 Completes Deployment to Guatemala

Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron (NCWS) 4 completed a six-week deployment to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, on March 4. The mission focused on providing landward and seaward security for three high value assets (HVA) and more than 1,300 Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen participating in Humanitarian Support Over the Shore 2007 (HSOTS-2007). Exercise HSOTS 2007 simulated a disaster relief assistance response to Puerto Quetzal that involved off-loading and transporting equipment to Joint Task Force (JTF) Belize and JTF Guatemala. More than 400 pieces of humanitarian assistance equipment were brought ashore and trucked to various locations throughout the region. The equipment will be used in the rural areas of Belize and Guatemala where schools and clinics will be built.

15 Feb 2007

USS Oak Hill Kicks Off Image Nautilus

The dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) and Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) began Image Nautilus 2007 on Feb. 5 by successfully offloading the MEU and their supplies in Djibouti on the northeast coast of Africa. The two-week operation, which also includes Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 and Beachmaster Unit (BMU) 2, allows the Sailors of Oak Hill and the embarked Marine assets the chance to work and train together. Oak Hill successfully offloaded the MEU and many of their supplies to the beach, including M1A1 Abrams tanks, trucks and HMMVVs, with the assistance of two landing craft air cushions (LCACs) from ACU 4. “The amphibious projection of power from ship to shore is one of Oak Hill’s primary missions,” said Cmdr. Ray Stapf, Oak Hill’s commanding officer.

25 Jan 2007

ESG 5 Comes Together for Integrated Exercise

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) brought its Navy and Marine Corps team back together Jan. 22 to participate in a pre-deployment integrated training exercise, one of the final preparations for the ship's upcoming deployment. Ships assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 5, including USS Denver (LPD 9), USS Rushmore (LSD 47), USS Milius (DDG 69), USS Chosin (CG 65) and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) got underway to kick off the pre-deployment training evolution. ESG Integration Training (ESGINT) is one of three pre-deployment, at-sea training exercises that give ESG 5 the opportunity to work together as a team and test out plans for the first time, according to Operations Department leading chief petty officer Master Chief Operations Specialist Gerard Sprewell.

22 Aug 2006

L-3 Titan Wins LCAC SLEP Contract

L-3 Communications Titan Corporation Unidyne Division, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $16,731,438 firm-fixed-price contract for the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) of the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 29 and 32. LCAC SLEP extends the service life of the LCAC from 20 to 30 years. LCAC SLEP modifications include repair/refurbishment of the hull, main engine upgrades, installation of a new skirt system, and upgrades to the communication/navigation systems. The LCAC provides heavy lift capability to perform amphibious assaults and operational maneuvers from the sea. LCAC is a high-speed, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 60-ton payload (75 tons in overload) at speeds in excess of 40 knots and a nominal range of 200 nautical miles.

21 Jun 2006

Second CARAT Phase Underway in Thailand

The Thailand phase of the exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series officially began June 20 at the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) Lam Tien Naval Base Frigate Squadron 2 pier with a look back at the exercise’s unofficial and solemn beginning June 11. On that day, Sailors from the CARAT task group ship USS Salvor (ARS 52) began six days of dive operations on wreckage in the Gulf of Thailand believed to be that of the lost World War II submarine USS Lagarto (SS 371). “U.S. Navy divers from Salvor, along with a Royal Thai Navy diver, were able to visit the wreck, a necessary step toward positive identification, thereby helping us fulfill our commitment to honor our war dead,” Alexander A. Arvizu, deputy chief of mission at the U.S.

03 Apr 2006

USS Tortuga Arrives to Sasebo for Hull Swap

USS Tortuga (LSD 46) arrived on March 31 after completing an 11,000-mile voyage across two oceans and transiting the Panama Canal for a scheduled hull swap with USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). Tortuga is the sixth Whidbey Island-class ship and will join Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76, serving as an integral part of the Navy’s Forward Deployed Expeditionary Strike Group (FD-ESG) and Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). “We are very excited to be here in Sasebo. For many of us, this is our first time in Japan,” said Cmdr. Mark H. Scovill, Tortuga’s commanding officer. Hull swap, or ship rotation, is part of the Navy’s long-range plan to routinely replace older ships assigned to the Navy’s Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF) with newer or more capable ships.

15 Feb 2006

USS Fort McHenry, JDS Ohsumi Complete Transport Exercise 2006

USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) returned to its forward deployed base of Sasebo, Japan, Feb. 12, after successfully completing a four-day bilateral Transportation Exercise (TRANSPORTEX) 06 off the coast of Numazu beach with Japanese Defense Ship (JDS) Ohsumi (LST 4001). Sailors from Fort McHenry and Ohsumi participated in the second bilateral exercise Feb. 5-8 in waters off of Yokosuka, Japan, enhancing the maritime transport proficiency and interoperability of the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) in support of humanitarian relief missions. A plaque exchange ceremony by Fort McHenry commanding officer, Cmdr. Michael Talaga, and Ohsumi commanding officer, Capt. Masami Ohkoudo, officially began TRANSPORTEX.

01 Sep 2005

Norfolk Ships Deploy to Support Relief Efforts

Three amphibious ships and a rescue and salvage ship based in Hampton Roads are getting underway Aug. 31 and heading for the Gulf of Mexico to support relief operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast following widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and the amphibious transport dock USS Shreveport (LPD 12), both based at Naval Station Norfolk; the dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and the rescue and salvage ship USS Grapple (ARS 53), both based at Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Little Creek, Va., will join the Norfolk-based multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), which is already off the Gulf Coast.

25 May 2006

Vice President Thanks ESG 1 Sailors and Marines

Vice President Dick Cheney spoke to approximately 3,200 Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 1 Sailors, Marines and family members on May 23. While aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), where the event was hosted, Cheney thanked the ESG 1 service members for their hard work in supporting the war on terror and providing humanitarian aid to Pakistan after an October 2005 earthquake there killed more than 70,000 people. "This operation would not have been possible without the effort of ESG 1," said Cheney. Rear Adm. Michael LeFever, commander, ESG 1, said that helping out those in need in Pakistan was different because it was a non-combatant role, but it was a wonderful experience for him and the ESG 1 crew. "It was really a great opportunity to help out.

02 Feb 2006

Navy Ship Provides Assistance to Disabled Cargo Ship

A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1661, assigned to Assault Craft Unit Two (ACU-2) approaches the port beam of the distressed motor vessel Al Manara as a MH-60S Seahawk helicopter pass overhead. Nassau supplied the ship with 10 days of food and water using LCUs and Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) while the ship waited for a tugboat to pull it into port. Nassau is deployed as the flag ship for Expeditionary Strike Group Eight (ESG-8) supporting maritime security operations (MSO) in the 5th Fleet area of operations. MSO seek to preserve the free and secure use of the world's oceans by legitimate mariners and prevent terrorists from attempting to use the maritime environment as a venue for attack or as a medium to transport personnel, weapons or other material that could support their efforts.