Ocean Surveillance News

Founded as the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and renamed Military Sealift Command in 1970, MSC today not only support the Navy, but we are the Department of Defense's provider of all sealift. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently interviewed Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, U.S. Navy, for insights on the service today and it’s needs to grow in the future.What makes MSC so vital to the Navy’s fleet and our military forces around the world?When we  look at the history of contested logistics in World War II…

Austal USA earlier this month celebrated the start of construction on the first of three LCU 1710 Landing Craft Utility vessels for the U.S. Navy at the company’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard.Austal USA, a subsidiary if the Australian shipbuilding group Austal, was awarded a US$91.5 million (A$143.4 million) contract in September 2023 that includes three LCU 1710 vessels and associated support efforts.Austal CEO Paddy Gregg said the start of construction on Austal USA’s latest steel…

Shipbuilder Austal USA announced it is planning to boost capacity at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard with the addition of a new manufacturing facility.The infrastructure expansion, which will be to the south of Austal USA’s current waterfront facility, will include a new assembly building, waterfront improvements, and a new Pearlson-designed shiplift system. Start of construction on the project is planned for summer 2024.The construction of this new building and waterfront support area continues the expansion Austal USA began in March 2021 with the groundbreaking of the steel panel line.

A converted offshore support vessel has taken on a new life as a dedicated underwater surveillance ship for the U.K.'s Royal Navy.Christened during a ceremony in London on October 10, RFA Proteus will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a launchpad for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a home to a suite of specialist capabilities similar to those found in the offshore oil and gas industry.The ship, built in 2017 as a subsea construction vessel named Topaz Tangaroa, was acquired by the U.K.

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans:…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA has been awarded a $71,706,745 fixed-price incentive contract option from the U.S. Navy for the construction of an additional Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 15).With the award, the company is now under contract for five T-ATS, having received awards for T-ATS 13 and 14 in July 2022 and T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA's Australian parent company Austal, said the contract award again highlights Austal USA’s growing steel shipbuilding capability…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced it has been awarded a contract potentially worth more than $3 billion for the detail design and construction of new TAGOS-25 class ocean surveillance ships for the U.S. Navy.The $113.9 million fixed-price incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed-price contract includes options for detail design and construction of up to seven T-AGOS 25 class ships which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $3.195 billion.Austal…

The UK defense ministry has acquired a subsea construction vessel that used to work in the offshore energy industry. The vessel, Topaz Tangaroa, will undergo a period of military modification and will be used to protect subsea cables and oil and gas pipelines.The Topaz Tangaora, to be renamed as it joins the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet, is the first of two future undersea surveillance ships, and it arrived at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. Thursday.Once operational, the ship will be used to protect seabed telecommunications cables and oil and gas pipelines. "The 98-meter-long, adaptable offshore patrol vessel – the length of Big Ben – will act as a ‘mother ship’…

In the early morning hours of September 26, 2022, seismologists located throughout northern Europe detected two disturbances originating in the Baltic Sea that were consistent with underwater explosions. Within hours, an aerial image captured by a passing Danish F-16 showed an expanse of frothy seawater, suggesting that the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines had experienced a catastrophic event. Within days, an investigation by the Swedish Security Service concluded that both pipelines had sustained extensive damage due to an act of gross sabotage.

As a rudderless U.S. Navy debates maritime strategy, fleet futures and platform performance, America’s naval shipbuilding industry can look forward to another year of relative stasis.Barring a major geopolitical incident or unexpected maritime provocation, government shipbuilding isn’t going to change course. With Admiral Michael Gilday approaching the final “lame duck” year of his four-year term as Chief of Naval Operations and the 2024 election season looming, the prospect for major changes in the Navy’s demand signal seems limited.Aside from the U.S.

Initial appropriations discussions are underway for Fiscal Year 2022, with a continued focus on federal shipbuilding programs. It has been rough going for the Navy as Congress raised questions about the President’s commitment to the Navy’s long-term shipbuilding program. Meanwhile, House appropriators are seemingly focused on continuing shipbuilding successes at the Maritime Administration and Coast Guard. With billions of dollars in the balance, the U.S. shipbuilding industry…

Bollinger Shipyards announced on Wednesday that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command to conduct a concept study and the preliminary design of the U.S. Navy’s Light Amphibious Warship (LAW).The LAW program envisions procuring a class of 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in implementing a new Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The Navy envisions the first LAW being procured in FY2023.“Bollinger Shipyards is honored and excited to continue participating in the LAW program,” said Bollinger president and CEO Ben Bordelon.

The UK Royal Navy is developing a "Multi Role Ocean Surveillance ship (MROSS)" aimed at protecting critical subsea infrastructure from threat.In a statement on Wednesday, the UK Ministry of Defence said the ship would come into service by 2024."[MROSS] will be a surface vessel, with a crew of around 15 people who will conduct research to help the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence protect our undersea critical national infrastructure and keep our lives and livelihoods secure from threat," the ministry said."Undersea cables are vital to the global economy and communications between governments.

Bollinger Shipyards will build four more Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) for the United States Coast Guard after U.S. President Trump last Sunday signed into law the omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2021, which included funding for four more such vessels.This increases the total number of funded boats to 64, Bollinger said.“It’s a great honor to have the confidence of the U.S. Congress to continue the work we’re doing in support of the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Bollinger Shipyards President & CEO Ben Bordelon.

Shipbuilder Halter Marine is teaming with naval architecture firm Gibbs & Cox, Inc., on the U.S. Navy’s contract to perform design studies for the development of the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV). The LUSV studies contract has an anticipated completion date of August 2021 with an option for additional studies, which would extend the forecasted completion date to May 2022.The LUSV will be a high-endurance ship able to accommodate various payloads for unmanned missions to augment the Navy’s manned surface force, according to the Navy’s program summary. Plans call for a vessel about 200 to 300 feet long that can function either partially or completely autonomously."We are honored to be part of the Gibbs & Cox team participating in the Navy’s LUSV studies contract…

Bollinger Shipyards said it has been awarded contracts to build four additional Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) for the U.S. Coast Guard, bringing the total number of FRCs awarded to the Louisiana shipbuilder up to 60 vessels since the program’s inception. The Coast Guard’s Program of Record is to procure 64 FRCs.All four of the newly awarded FRCs will be built at Bollinger’s Lockport, La. facility and are scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and 2023. Three of the four will be homeported in Alaska and the fourth in Boston.“It’s a great honor to have the confidence of the U.S.

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm BMT said it has been awarded a contract to conduct industry studies to advance the design of the next generation of U.S. Navy Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance Ship (T-AGOS(X)).The industry studies address technical solutions and design tradeoffs, provide recommendations to improve producibility and affordability, and include technical reviews of the Navy’s evolving ship design, said prime contractor BMT, who will partner with U.S.

Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine Inc. said Monday it has been awarded a contract for industrial studies for the auxiliary general ocean surveillance ship (T-AGOS(X)) program.The U.S. Navy awarded the $981,000 contract for the T-AGOS class series of vessels, which ultimately will replace the existing fleet of four T-AGOS 19 and one T-AGOS 23 small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) ships, which are reaching the end of their service lives. The contract is for a 12-month study to perform trade-off studies and analyses of the Navy design.“We have designed…

Crowley Government Services, Jacksonville, Florida, wasawarded a $20,771,542 firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements extension by invoking Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.217-8 “option to extend services” to continue the operation and maintenance of five Tactical Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) vessels; and two missile range instrumentation ships (T-AGM). This option includes a 365-day base period of performance, four one-year option periods, and a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.217-8 “option to extend services” option period for up to six months, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $375,202,948. Work will be performed at sea worldwide and is expected to be completed by July 21, 2020.

1862 - Union Flag Officer David G. Farraguts fleet sails into New Orleans, La., after long preparation and fierce battles while passing through the Confederate defenses of Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip the previous day. 1914 - In the first use of U.S. Navy aircraft in a combat situation, Lt. j.g. P.N.L. Bellinger made a flight from USS Mississippis aviation unit at Vera Cruz, Mexico, to observe the city and make preliminary search for mines in the harbor. 1944 - USS Crevalle (SS 291) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kashiwa Maru…

1777 - During the American Revolution, the Continental lugger Surprise, led by Capt. Gustavus conyngham, captures the British mail packet Prince of Orange and the brig Joseph in the North Sea. 1898 - During the Spanish-American War, U.S. Marines from cruisers Baltimore and Raleigh (C 8), raise US flag over Cavite, Philippines. 1942 - USS Spearfish (SS 190) evacuates naval and military officers, including nurses, from Corregidor before surrendering island to Japan. 1944 - USS Flasher (SS 249) sinks the Japanese freighter…

Crowley strengthens relationship with U.S. Crowley Maritime Corp. announced its global ship management group completed the turnover of the Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) T-AGOS/T-AGM fleet and is now responsible for the operation and maintenance of the organization’s five T-AGOS vessels — USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19); USNS Able (T-AGOS 20); USNS Effective (T-AGOS 21); USNS Loyal (T-AGOS 22); and USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS 23) — and one T-AGM ocean surveillance ship, the USNS Invincible (T-AGM 24).

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s global ship management group has been has been awarded the contract for the operation and maintenance of the T-AGOS/T-AGM fleet for the Military Sealift Command. This fleet of seven ships supports the Navy’s Surveillance Towed Array Sensor Systems (SURTASS) operations; the U.S. Air Force's dual-band, phased array and parabolic dish radars; and other government research missions. The contract covers the operation and maintenance of five T-AGOS and up to two T-AGM ocean surveillance ships.