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Naval Surface Force News

31 Aug 2023

NPS Research on Coast Guard Icebreaker to Enhance Arctic Readiness

During a seven-week Arctic transit aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB 20), Dr. Nita Shattuck from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will study the impact of the extreme environment on crew performance and potential mitigations. Additional research includes assessment of an Amos01 3D printer installed by David Dausen from NPS’ Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education (CAMRE), and specially instrumented to measure the impact of adverse Arctic sea conditi

During a seven-week Arctic transit aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB 20), researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will study the impact of the extreme environment on crew performance and potential mitigations, as well as advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies in adverse sea conditions.The studies, which commenced with Healy’s departure from Kodiak, Alaska on Aug. 26, will be led by principal investigator Dr. Nita Shattuck, a professor in the NPS Operations Research (OR) department.

26 Jan 2023

3D Printing: Navy Builds Up Additive Manufacturing on Ships

Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) onloads a 3D printer during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, July 8, 2022.  
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ace Rheaume

The U.S. Navy has long valued the potential of additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D Printing.AM refers to the depositing of material layer by layer to create an object. For the Navy, it’s not practical to carry every replacement part for every system on a ship, and it can be difficult to forecast if or when parts will fail. AM provides a flexible source of supply in being able to make parts instead of ordering them and waiting for them to arrive, especially for warships at the far end of the supply chain.

13 Jul 2020

Fire Breaks Out on US Navy Ship in San Diego

 U.S. Navy photo by Lt. John J. Mike/Released

U.S. Navy ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) caught fire on Sunday morning while it was moored pier side at Naval Base San Diego.According to the U.S. Navy, 21 people were being treated for light injuries on Sunday.The Navy said in a statement: "Today, we suffered a terrible tragedy aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) when a fire broke out aboard the ship while in port San Diego. At this point, 17 Sailors and four civilians are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital."The remainder of the crew is accounted for.

23 Jun 2020

USS Kansas City (LCS 22) Commissioned

 The Navy's newest littoral combat ship, USS Kansas City (LCS 22), at its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Woody Paschall)

The U.S. Navy commissioned Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Kansas City (LCS 22) Saturday, June 20.The Navy commissioned Kansas City administratively via naval message due to public health safety and restrictions of large public gatherings related to the coronavirus pandemic and transitioned the ship to normal operations. The Navy is looking at a future opportunity to commemorate the special event with the ship’s sponsor, crew and commissioning committee.“This Independence…

14 Jan 2019

Vice Adm. Richard Hunt to lead SNA

Retired Vice Adm. Richard Hunt will assume the position of president of the Surface Navy Association (SNA) at the association’s annual symposium in January. Hunt succeeds retired Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, who has been president since 2013.Hunt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was commissioned in February 1976 through the Officer Candidate School program in Newport, R.I. He attended Naval Post Graduate School, receiving a Master of Science in Telecommunications Systems Management in March 1988.He has served in USS Sampson (DDG 10), USS Underwood (FFG 36) and USS Roark (FF 1053), and has commanded USS Crommelin (FFG 37) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58).

11 Jan 2019

Surface Navy Association to Hold Annual Symposium

Rear Adm. Ronald A. Boxall, director, Surface Warfare, addresses attendees of the Surface Navy Association's 30th National Symposium in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Timothy Hale)

The Surface Navy Association will hold its 31st National Symposium January 15-17, 2019 at the Crystal City Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va.The symposium will feature senior Navy leaders delivering keynote remarks, focused on the theme of “Ready, Agile, Focused: Own the Fight!”Featured speakers include Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran; Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Richard A. Brown, USN; Director, Surface Warfare (N96) Rear Adm. Ronald A. Boxall; and Director, Expeditionary Warfare (N95) Maj. Gen.

30 Jan 2018

The U.S. Navy's Fundamental Problem

Damage to the portside is visible as the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) steers towards Changi Naval Base, Republic of Singapore, following a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Significant damage to the hull resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms. Damage control efforts by the crew halted further flooding. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communica

A series of mishaps at sea has prompted the U.S. Navy to examine the way it conducts business. The accidents shared some similar contributing causes such as fundamental watchstanding and seamanship, and each of these incidents were preventable. The four incidents involved surface combatants in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility. • On January 31, 2017, the Yokosuka-based Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Antietam, while anchored in high winds, dragged anchor and ran aground in Tokyo Bay. 1,100 gallons of hydraulic fluid spilled into Tokyo Bay.

15 Jan 2017

SNA Concludes Annual Symposium

The Surface Navy Association (SNA) concluded its 29th annual three-day symposium in Arlington, Virginia, Jan. 12. The symposium focused on distributed lethality to enable sea control and facilitated professional discussions between military members, industry representatives and lawmakers regarding surface warfare technology, tactics, training and career development. The first day commenced with welcomes, roundtable discussions and keynote addresses by Navy leaders, including Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano. Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden, commander, Naval Surface Forces/Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, detailed his new Naval Surface Force Strategy and related it to the symposium's objectives.

29 Aug 2016

USS Freedom Suffers Casualty

USS Freedom (LCS 1) (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy's first littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) experienced a casualty to one of its main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) on July 11 reportedly caused by a leak from the attached seawater pump mechanical seal that resulted in seawater entering the engine lube oil system, according to the Navy. The ship’s crew addressed the leak, enabling Freedom to return to homeport July 13 on her own power for repairs on a separate, unrelated issue. While in port, the crew performed seawater contamination procedures.

29 Sep 2015

USS Cowpens Holds Cruiser Modernization Induction

The guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) was inducted as the first ship to undergo a modernization effort that will significantly upgrade its capabilities in multiple mission areas, Sept. 25, at Naval Base San Diego. The CG Phased Modernization Program is designed to balance the Navy's long-term requirement for a carrier strike group air defense commander (ADC) platform and its future shipbuilding requirements. "We are saving money, preserving force structure, and generating options for leadership," said Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. As part of the ceremony, Cowpens was transferred from the authority of Rowden to Vice Adm. William Hilarides, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

20 Jul 2015

Naval Symposium Examines Ship Capabilities, Career Options

Vice Adm. Tom Rowden (E.H. Lundquist photo)

The annual Surface Navy Association (SNA) West Coast Symposium was held on the waterfront at Naval Station San Diego on July 16, and provided attendees an update on some key operational and career developments important to the surface warfare community. Capt. Mark Johnson, president of the SNA San Diego Chapter, was the host and master of ceremonies for the symposium. Capt. Warren Buller, commander of LCS Squadron 1, provided a comprehensive update on the LCS program, to include a detailed summary of the status of mission package development.

17 Sep 2014

Simmons Assumes Command of USS James E. Williams

Capt. Anthony L. Simmons relieved Cmdr. Curtis B. Calloway as commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) at sea on Sept. 16. Simmons arrives from the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2 and will remain in command pending the completion of a DESRON 2 command-directed investigation into the command climate aboard James E. Williams. Calloway, former James E. Williams Executive Officer Cmdr. Ed Handley, and Command Master Chief Travis Biswell have been assigned to the staff at Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic pending the outcome of the investigation. The ship and her crew departed Naval Station Norfolk May 30, for an eight-month deployment to the 6th Fleet area of operations.

23 Apr 2014

Ill-Considered Energy Policies Threaten US Navy: Report

Report frontispiece: Image The Heartland Institute

The United States government has pursued energy policies based on “the mistaken belief in the unproven science that claims carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of recent and future warming of the Earth,” write naval veterans Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, Vice Admiral Edward S. Briggs, and Captain Donald K. Forbes in a new report for The Heartland Institute. Driven by that unproven science, our energy policies “adversely affect the exercise…

08 Apr 2014

US Military Officials Speak About Forward Presence

Leading officials from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard spoke about operating forward and being partners with global presence at the 2014 Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., April 7. The Sea-Air-Space Expo is an annual event that brings together key military decision makers, the U.S. defense industrial base and private-sector U.S. companies for an innovative and educational maritime based event. Vice Adm. Michelle Howard, deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy, delivered opening remarks. "It's my pleasure to sit with such a group of, not just distinguished panelists, but in many cases good friends," said Howard.

14 Feb 2014

NATO Missile Defence Beefed Up: US Destroyer Arrives Spain

USS Donald Cook arrives Rota: Photo USN

The stationing of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer at Rota represents a national contribution by the US and Spain to NATO missile defence, enhancing the security of the European region, the Mediterranean Basin and the Atlantic Ocean. The first of the four, USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), has arrived in Rota, Spain from Norfolk Navy Base. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said: "Permanently forward deploying four ships in Rota will enable us to be in the right place, not just at the right time…

13 Jan 2014

Top Brass Due at Upcoming SNA Symposium

SNA Symbols

The first big naval professional development event of the year, the Surface Navy Association’s 2014 Symposium,  kicks off in Crystal City, Virginia, with the theme, “Surface Warfare…Warfighting First.”  Leaders in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will speak at the symposium and associated events starting Tuesday, January 14, 2014. The symposium kicks off with the SNA annual meeting and, focusing on the warfighters of today and the future, there will be a series of roundtables for junior officers, enlisted surface warriors and midshipmen from NROTC units and the Naval Academy.

08 Jan 2014

Maiden Littoral Combat Ship Deployment: Navy Learns Much

USS Freedom returns: Photo courtesy of USN

USS Freedom’s (LCS 1) maiden 10-month deployment validated the Navy’s overall concept of operations and provided valuable feedback on its operation, manning, and logistics, sums up  Vice Adm. Tom Copeman, 
Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. "The insights gained on the deployment will be used to further improve the operational flexibility, maintainability and efficiency on future deployments for this newest class of ship in the U.S. Navy . We must be more innovative in the manner in which we schedule maintenance to allow for operational flexibility while forward.

05 Mar 2013

USS Guardian Valedictory

USS Guardian: Photo credit US Navy

Vice Adm. Tom Copeman , Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet fittingly remembers USS Guardian, now being scrapped. "During times of war and while operating in international exercises for nearly a quarter of a century, the crew and ship remained at the highest levels of readiness, serving our nation well," noted Admiral Copeman. "A significant moment during a ship commissioning ceremony occurs when there is a call to 'bring this ship to life,' and the crew sprints from their positions pierside…

19 Dec 2012

Surface Warriors to Meet at Annual Symposium

The Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium will be held January 15-17, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Crystal City, VA. The association was incorporated in 1985 to promote greater coordination and communication among those in the military, business and academic communities who share a common interest in Naval Surface Warfare and to support the activities of Surface Naval Forces. SNA provides for its members support, programs and activities which enable professional growth, personal satisfaction and camaraderie.

22 Oct 2012

USS Fort Worth Completes Maiden Voyage

USS Fort Worth: Photo credit USN

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship 'USS Fort Worth' (LCS 3) arrives in her San Diego homeport. The ship, named for Fort Worth, Texas, the 17th largest city in the United States and the 5th largest city in Texas, was built in Marinette, Wis., and was commissioned in Galveston, Texas, Sept 22. After commissioning, Fort Worth departed Galveston and steamed through the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean, completing more than 11,000 miles on her maiden voyage.

14 Jun 2012

MSC Refit Team Recognized for Outstanding Performance

Adm. John C. Harvey, Jr. (left), commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, congratulates Art Rowe, the fleet liaison officer. (U.S. Navy photo by Bill Cook)

Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby, commander, Military Sealift Command, recognized 82 MSC military and civilian employees with commendations for their role in refitting USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) during a ceremony yesterday on Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Ponce, formerly an amphibious transport dock ship, was refitted by MSC in approximately five months as an interim Afloat Forward Staging Base and deployed June 1 to U.S. Central Command. Adm. John C. Harvey, Jr., commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and Rear Adm. David M.

22 May 2012

USN's LCS Program Lauded, USS Freedom Not Yet Ready

A half — 14 — of the inspected areas were rated “red,” or no-go. Eight categories received yellow marks, while six were rated green, or go. One of the 29 rated areas was not demonstrated. The Freedom has spent much of the past year undergoing an overhaul and a series of repairs, most notably a period in drydock in March and April to fix a broken shaft seal that resulted in minor flooding. The unscheduled repairs meant the crew had fewer opportunities to take their ship to sea. “This is a process,” Cmdr. Jason Salata, a Navy spokesman in San Diego, said of the inspections. “The crew has to prove to us they’ve met the requirements that they can proceed forward and conduct the material inspection with the Board of Inspection and Survey” — known throughout the Navy as INSURV.

02 Mar 2012

LPD San Antonio Declared 'Battle-efficient'

USS San Antonio: Credit USN

Naval Surface Force Atlantic announced that the ship, delivered prematurely and tormented by years of mechanical malfunctions and mishaps, has been awarded the Battle Efficiency award, or Battle “E” — a coveted honor given annually to units that demonstrate the highest standards of performance and efficiency. “Everyone who believes that San Antonio is still broken and on the sidelines will now realize that we are not,” said the ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Neil Koprowski, quoted in a SURFLANT press release. The award caps a remarkable turnaround for the ship.