Martin Dempsey News

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 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.

Bandar Abbas, home of Iran's navy and the main port in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, is currently hosting two Chinese naval vessels on a five-day goodwill visit, underlining the increasingly warm relationship between the two countries. It is the first such port call to Iran by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and highlights the efforts both China and Iran are making to counterbalance the power of the United States in the Middle East and along the sea lanes connecting the oil fields of the Gulf with major energy-consuming centres in Asia. The firepower of the guided missile destroyer Changchun and guided missile frigate Changzhou of the PLAN's 17th escort taskforce is dwarfed by the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquartered in Bahrain.

China and the United States appear headed for a damaging confrontation over the extent of China's territorial claims in the South and East China Seas. Now that China has become the world's largest importer of oil, and energy more generally, the country's need to develop more indigenous energy supplies has become urgent. Expecting China to put the South and East China Seas off limits to exploration and production until disputes over sovereignty can be resolved through some undefined legal or diplomatic process is unrealistic. Part of the problem is that western analysts and policymakers still fail to appreciate the strategic importance of these areas.

Chinese military chief General Fang Fenghui said on Thursday the drilling rig that has provoked riots in Vietnam is operating in China's territorial waters and will continue conducting its operations despite the violence. Fang, speaking at a Pentagon news conference with top U.S. military officer General Martin Dempsey, said other countries in the region were provoking conflict in the South China Sea. He urged Washington to take an "objective view" about the situation, which he said was fueled by the U.S. military pivot to Asia. (Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Eric Beech)

Chief of the General Staff, People's Republic of China, Gen. Fang Fenghui is on a scheduled two-day visit to San Diego hosted by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet (C3F) Vice Adm. Kenneth Floyd. His visit is part of a week-long engagement hosted by Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey. During his visit to San Diego, Fang met with Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, commander, U.S. Pacific Command and received tours of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), the littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) and the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot. This counterpart visit is intended to help establish clear paths of communication, encourage transparency and trust, mitigate risks, and focus multilateral cooperative efforts to address common regional and global security challenges.

The Australian Chief of Defense Force, General David Hurley, and the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, joined senior Australian and U.S. military leaders for the first U.S.-Australian Defense Chiefs’ Strategic Dialogue (DCSD) discussions at the National Defense University in Washington D.C. The inaugural DCSD including the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs; the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison; the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown and the U.S. Service Chiefs provided a unique opportunity to discuss in depth a range of military matters. The discussion followed the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations in Washington D.C., on 20 November.

The melting polar icecap is presenting both opportunities and challenges for the United States and other Arctic nations, as well as other nations with interests in the region. Arctic ice cover has declined consistently over the past few decades. Increased accessibility, dubbed an “emerging maritime frontier” by U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., presents a host of opportunities for oil and gas development, fishing, tourism, and transportation. It also creates myriad challenges related to Arctic governance, marine safety, indigenous populations, scientific research, and environmental stewardship. This article reviews the state of play regarding claims to the Arctic and the U.S.

As CNO Admiral Gary Roughead sails toward his planned retirement in September, it appears his heir apparent as CNO, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, a 58-year-old submariner who nears confirmation, faces a number of hurdles in moving the Navy forward. According to a report on www.signonsandiego.com, during confirmation hearings Adm. Greenert was warned by Senator John McCain that the Navy may fare thre worst during Pentagon spending cuts due to its over-budget, past due ship and plane programs.

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