Forward Presence News

The U.S. Navy's Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) arrived in Sydney, Australia, July 18, ahead of the ship’s ceremonial commissioning.USS Canberra entered Sydney Harbour in formation with Canberra-class landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra before mooring pierside at the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Base East.“We are thrilled to be here in Sydney this week, and to show this city our fast, optimally-manned ship that sails across the seas as a symbol of our navies’ dedication to each other,” said Capt. Marc Crawford, Commodore of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA delivered the future USS Augusta (LCS 34) to the U.S. Navy today. LCS 34 is the 17th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) delivered by the company and the second U.S. Navy vessel to be named Augusta in honor of Maine’s state capital.Delivery documents were signed on board the ship and followed the successful completion of acceptance trials during which the ship’s major systems and equipment were tested to demonstrate mission readiness.

The U.S. Navy's newest Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31), was launched and christened during a ceremony on Saturday, at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wis.Cleveland is the 16th and final Freedom-variant LCS and the fourth ship to be named in honor of the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Previous USS Cleveland's were the World War I cruiser (C 19), the World War II light cruiser (CL 55), and the Vietnam-era amphibious transport dock (LPD 7)…

Year after year, America’s shipyards that make up the defense industrial base get their hopes up that the annual federal government funding process will produce stable and predictable budgets for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard acquisition programs. Every year, the yards are disappointed as the U.S. Government bounces from spending crisis to spending crisis.At the same time, the yards look favorably upon the shipbuilding plans that significantly grow our Nation’s fleet beyond today’s 296 ships. However, to meet the increased demands that these plans would require, U.S.

Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of aerospace and defense company General Dynamics (GD), announced on Friday that it received $1.4 billion in U.S. Navy contract modifications for construction of a sixth Expeditionary Sea Base ship (ESB 8) and two additional John Lewis-class fleet oilers (T-AO 211 and 212). This award comes in addition to $600 million already received to procure long-lead time materials for the same ships. The contract modification also provides an option for the Navy to procure an additional oiler…

The U.S. Navy needs more ships. And that means the Navy has to build more ships than it is decommissioning.The sea service has a stated a goal of 355 ships, and as many as 500 and more when unmanned platforms are counted. There are 298 ships in the fleet today. For surface ships, this number includes a high-low mix of highly capable large surface combatants, and smaller ships such as littoral combat ships LCS).The Navy’s smallest combatants are the 330-ton, 197-foot coastal patrol boats (PCs). Up until recently, ten of them have been serving in the Middle East with the U.S.

Mobil, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA on Thursday delivered the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), the 16th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) delivered by the company for the U.S. Navy.Delivery documents were signed on board the ship and followed the completion of acceptance trials during which the ship’s major systems and equipment were tested to demonstrate mission readiness. The ship’s pre-commissioning unit will now prepare the ship for fleet introduction.“Delivering…

San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO said it has been awarded $600 million in U.S. Navy contract modifications for long-lead-time material to support construction of the seventh and eighth ships in the John Lewis-class fleet oiler (T-AO) program, as well as the sixth ship in the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.The contract modifications for long-lead-time material provide $500 million for T-AO 211 (Thurgood Marshall) and T-AO 212 (Ruth Bader Ginsburg), and $100 million…

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) Feb. 5, 2022, in Brunswick, Ga.Built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., The 418-foot-long LCS 28 is the 14th Independence-variant LCS and 28th in its class. The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments while capable of open-ocean tasking. The LCS can support forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.Construction on LCS 28 began in July 2018 and a keel laying ceremony was held for the vessel in September 2019.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA, part of Australia's Austal Group, hosted a christening ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard today. Ship sponsor Lolita Zinke performed the ceremonial bottle break over the bow of the Santa Barbara, the 16th LCS designed and constructed by Austal USA and the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after the California coast city.Zinke, wife of former U.S. Congressman and former U.S.

The U.S. Navy’s newest Virginia-class attack submarine, future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), was christened during a ceremony at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Conn., July 31.“This submarine is a fitting tribute to Admiral Rickover, who truly transformed our Navy,” said Adm. James Caldwell, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, during his remarks at the celebration.Caldwell credited Rickover – who served for 63 years in the Navy and is credited…

“Freedom” – the absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic governmentIt has been decades since international relations in the world order dictated true competition for sea control, sea lines of communication, access to world markets, and diplomatic partnerships. However, it is becoming increasingly alarming that nations such as Iran, China and Russia seek to accumulate/consolidate power and re-define international maritime norms, potentially at the peril of diplomatic…

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…

The U.S. Navy will commission its newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Indiana (SSN 789), during a 10 a.m. (EDT) ceremony today (Saturday, Sept. 29), at the Navy Port at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Port Canaveral, Florida.The principal speaker will be U.S. Representative Jim Banks from Indiana. Diane Donald, wife of retired Adm. Kirkland H. Donald, director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion from 2004 to 2012, is serving as the ship’s sponsor. She will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!” in a time-honored Navy tradition.“The future USS Indiana shows the increased capabilities that our industrial partners bring to the fleet as we deliver the Navy the nation needs,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer.

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the 17th submarine of the Virginia class, the future USS South Dakota (SSN 790), on September 24.The next-generation attack submarine began construction in 2013 and is scheduled to be commissioned in early 2019.South Dakota is the seventh Virginia-class Block III submarine. Block III submarines feature a redesigned bow with enhanced payload capabilities, replacing 12 individual vertical launch tubes with two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes, each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The US Navy accepted delivery of future attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789), the 16th submarine of the Virginia class, June 25. The ship began construction in 2012 and is scheduled to commission in September. This next-generation attack submarine provides the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea superiority. "Indiana's delivery marks the culmination of millions of man-hours of work by thousands of people across this country to bring the world's foremost undersea asset to the fleet," said Capt. Christopher Hanson, Virginia class program manager. Indiana is the sixth Virginia-class Block III submarine.

The U.S. Navy will commission its newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Colorado (SSN 788), during a ceremony Saturday, March 17, at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. The principal speaker will be U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado. Annie Mabus, daughter of 75th Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. “USS Colorado is a true marvel of technology and innovation, and it shows the capability that our industrial partners bring to the fight,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. The future Colorado, which began construction in 2012, is the 15th Virginia-class fast attack submarine and the fifth Virginia-class Block III submarine. Colorado will be the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be commissioned with a name honoring the state of Colorado.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations Jan. Hopper will conduct evolutions involving theater security cooperation, building partner capacity and performing routine operations within the area. Hopper is a multi-mission ship with anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare surface combatants capabilities; designed to operate independently or with a surface action group or strike group. Homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hopper is currently underway in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region on an independent deployment. The U.S. Navy maintains a presence in the 7th fleet area of operations to help preserve peace and security and to further their partnerships with friends and allies.

The Navy will christen the newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Saturday, Nov. 4, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The future USS Delbert D. Black is the first ship to bear the name of a master chief petty officer of the Navy (MCPON) and is named for the first person to hold that office. Black began his 30-year Navy career in the spring of 1941. After completing recruit training, he reported to his first assignment, USS Maryland (BB 46) in Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed the Japanese attack that drew the United States into World War II. Over the next 26 years, he rose through the ranks to Gunner's Mate Master Chief before his selection in 1967 to serve as the first MCPON.

The Navy will christen its newest attack submarine, the future USS South Dakota (SSN 790), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, Oct. 14, at General Dynamics Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. Governor of South Dakota Dennis Daugaard will deliver the ceremony's principal address. The submarine's sponsor is Mrs. Deanie Dempsey, wife of the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. The ceremony will be highlighted by Mrs. Dempsey breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to formally christen the ship, a time-honored Navy tradition. "Today's christening of South Dakota brings this submarine one step closer to joining our strong fleet," said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer.

The U.S. Navy’s newest Virginia class submarine, USS Washington (SSN 787), was officially commissioned during a ceremony on board Naval Station Norfolk, Va. on October 7. Washington, named in honor of the 42nd state, is the 14th Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine to join the Navy's operational fleet. Elisabeth Mabus, daughter of the 75th Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, served as the submarine’s sponsor. Washington is the fourth of eight Block III Virginia-class submarines to be built.

The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Washington (SSN 787), the 14th submarine of the Virginia-class, May 26. Washington is the fourth of eight Virginia-class Block III submarines and the seventh of the class to be delivered to the Navy by Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. Washington began construction in September 2011 and will be commissioned later this year in Norfolk, Virginia. The submarine's sponsor is Elisabeth Mabus, daughter of the 75th Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "Washington's delivery continues our commitment to deliver Virginia-class submarines within budget and ready to deploy and execute Fleet tasking," said Capt. Washington will be the third U.S.

Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, has directed the Carl Vinson Strike Group to sail north and report on station in the Western Pacific Ocean after departing Singapore April 8. Carl Vinson Strike Group, including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), will operate in the Western Pacific rather than executing previously planned port visits to Australia. The Strike Group will remain under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet as part of the Third Fleet Forward initiative.