Camp Pendleton News

Not every vessel in the U.S. Navy is built for major combat operations on the high seas. There are large numbers of boats and service craft that provide essential services to the sea services, the nation and its partners.The U.S. Navy procures about 100 small boats per year. Some of these boats are based on commercial designs, procured to a Navy developed specification that tailors the requirements to the end user needs. They are procured and managed by two Naval Sea Systems Command program offices—PMS 300 and PMS 325.Compared to warships and auxiliaries…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District began its annual dredging of the Oceanside Harbor inlet starting April 19.Manson Construction Company of Seattle is dredging the channel to its authorized federal depth of 20 feet. Dredging is expected to be completed prior to Memorial Day weekend.About 250,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand will be removed from the harbor’s entrance channel and placed along Oceanside’s beaches. The project’s local sponsor is the City of…

Seven U.S. Marines and a Navy sailor missing since a training accident off the Southern California coast were presumed dead on Sunday after the military concluded an extensive 40-hour search.The service members had been missing since their amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) sank during an exercise on Thursday. Seven other Marines were rescued while one was killed, the Marine Corps had said previously.The search included a U.S. Navy destroyer and a Coast Guard cutter but failed to find the missing Marines and sailor and the AAV…

Dominion Energy and Ørsted have said that the turbine components and monopiles for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project have started their journey to North America. The foundations, consisting of the turbines' monopiles, transition pieces and anode cages fabricated by EEW SPC, have been loaded onto the Bigroll Beaufort cargo ship in Rostock, Germany. The components for the two, 6-megawatt Siemens Gamesa turbines were loaded in Esbjerg, Denmark, before the vessel embarked in mid-April on the approximately two-week transatlantic journey to Halifax…

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Lance Cpl. Sean P. Neal, 19, of Riverside, California, died Oct. 23, in Baghdad, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, whose headquarters element deploys from Camp Pendleton, California.

Is a $22,231,067 firm-fixed-priced contract for the service life extension program (SLEP) for four landing craft, air-cushioned (LCAC) craft in fiscal 2014, 2015 and 2016. The LCAC SLEP will extend the service life from 20 to 30 years, sustain/enhance craft capability, replace obsolete electronics, repair corrosion damage, reduce life cycle cost by improving reliability and maintainability, increase survivability, and establish a common configuration baseline. The LCAC SLEP scope of effort includes repair and upgrade of the buoyancy box, gas turbine engine replacement, installation of a new skirt, installation of an integrated C4N equipment package, and accomplishment of selected craft alterations and repair work.

The SeaFox mine neutralization system, delivered by ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA), a subsidiary of the German-based ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, once again proved its effectiveness in performing unmanned mine countermeasure missions, when participating in Trident Warrior 2012 U.S. Navy Fleet Experiment, July 9-20. During the Fleet Experiment, Textron/AAI used its Fleet Class Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV) with a L-3 Klein 5000 V2 Side Scan Sonar to investigate a suspected minefield.

BAE Systems to help U.S. Marine Corps determine the future of its amphibious vehicle fleet under two contracts. The contracts are in regard to the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) and Marine Personnel Carrier (MPC). The work includes conducting a trade study to evaluate improvements to the AAV and delivering MPC sample vehicles and hulls to be used for demonstrations of water mobility, blast protection and Human Factors Engineering. The AAV trade study will allow BAE Systems to…

USNS William McLean, the newest ship in the U.S. Navy's Lewis and Clark-class of dry cargo/ammunition ships, slid into the water for the first time April 16 during a nighttime launch and christening ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. With a blast from the ship’s horn, McLean’s sponsor, Margaret Taylor, niece of the ship’s namesake, broke the traditional bottle of champagne against the bow as a colorful fireworks display lit up the night sky. “I am honored to represent then 9…

L-3 Unidyne announced that it has been awarded a $14m firm fixed-price contract to execute the U.S. Navy’s Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for LCACs 63, 72 and 74. The award includes provisions for additional work, which if exercised, would bring the total value of this contract to approximately $17m. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August 2012. The LCAC SLEP scope of work includes repair and upgrade of the buoyancy box and fuel system, installation of more powerful gas turbine engines, installation of a deeper skirt, and completion of selected craft alterations and repair work.

1864 - LT William Cushing, USN, sinks Confederate ram Albemarle with a spar torpedo attached to the bow of his launch. 1922 - Navy League of U.S. sponsors first annual celebration of Navy Day to focus public attention on the importance of the U.S. Navy. That date was selected because it was Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 1943 - First women Marines report for duty on West Coast, Camp Pendleton. 1944 - Fast Carrier Task Forces attack Japanese shipping and installations in Visayas and northern Luzon. 1967 - Operation Coronado VIII begins in Rung Sat Zone. (Source: Navy News Service)

Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded an $11,984,265 firm-fixed-price contract for the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) service life extension program (SLEP) for the LCACs 30 and 56. The LCAC SLEP will extend the service life of LCAC from 20 to 30 years, sustain/enhance craft capability, replace obsolete electronics, repair corrosion damage, reduce life cycle cost by improving reliability and maintainability, increase survivability, and establish a common configuration baseline. The LCAC SLEP scope of effort includes repair and upgrade of the buoyancy box, gas turbine engine replacement, installation of a new skirt, installation of an integrated C4N equipment package, and accomplishment of selected craft alterations and repair work.

In remembrance for his valiant and dedicated efforts to his fellow soldiers, the U.S. Navy last year named its fifteenth Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer in honor of COL Donald G. Cook. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage while a prisoner of war (POW), Cook is noted as a heroic figure for his rescue efforts during the Vietnam War. As an observer from Communications Company on a 30-day tour of duty, then Captain Cook was stationed at Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. After being wounded on New Year's Eve 1964, Cook was captured by Viet Cong forces near Binh Gia, Phouc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. He had been out on a search for an American helicopter that had gone down in the area when he was seized.

Amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) steams in formation during a photo exercise near Guam. Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group consists of Amphibious Squadron 7, USS Bonhomme Richard, amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9), dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), guided missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69), guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), guided missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65), and 2,200 combat ready Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. U.S. The Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG) entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) May 19. The San Diego-based ship's arrival demonstrates the United States’ steadfast resolve to enhance security and support long-term stability in the region.

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.

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.

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.

As first reported in the July edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, Lockheed Martin's Sea SLICE advanced technology demonstration vessel recently provided the Navy a sneak peak of a small, fast, stable ship with multi-mission modularity in its role as a Littoral Combat Ship surrogate in the Navy's Fleet Battle Experiment - Juliet, which took place along the San Diego coast from July 24 - August 7. Arriving in San Diego with no combat systems aboard in early June, the ship was transformed in less than a month into a bristling littoral combatant complete with: the 35-mm Millennium Gun; NetFires missile launching system; FLIR Systems Inc.

From the Navy News Service 1864 - Lt. William Cushing sinks Confederate ram Albemarle with a spar torpedo attached to the bow of his launch. 1922 - Navy League of the United States sponsors first annual celebration of Navy Day to focus public attention on the importance of the U.S. Navy. That date was selected because it was Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 1943 - First women Marines report for duty on the West Coast, Camp Pendleton, Calif. 1944 - Fast Carrier Task Forces attack Japanese shipping and installations in Visayas and northern Luzon. 1967 - Operation Coronado VIII begins in Rung Sat Zone.

Almost 60,000 U.S. service members are aiding in rescue and recovery efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, Defense Department officials said Sept. Army Corps of Engineers personnel have closed the breaches in the levees surrounding New Orleans and have begun pumping out the water that has inundated the city, officials said. Roughly 41,500 National Guard personnel are on duty in the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Almost 17,500 active duty personnel are on ships or on the ground in the region. Joint Task Force Katrina is being relocated to USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). The amphibious ship is docked in New Orleans, and the shift will improve command and control of the rescue and recovery efforts, DoD officials said.