US Navy Christens the Future USNS Point Loma
A ceremony was held on Saturday to mark the christening of the future USNS Point Loma (EPF 15), one of 16 expeditionary fast transports (EPF) the U.S. Navy has contracted Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA to build.EPF Flight II provides a Role 2E (enhanced) medical capability which includes, among other capabilities, basic secondary health care built around primary surgery; intensive care unit; ward beds; and limited x-ray, laboratory and dental support. The EPF’s catamaran…
Navy Combat Craft - Boats Evolve to Keep Pace with Threats
Combat craft are used by both large and small navies, and every navy, coast guard or maritime service operates some kind of boats.The U.S. Navy’s boats are used for a variety of tasks from personnel and cargo transport to ship repair and maintenance to environmental response.The combat craft range from pull sized patrol boats down to ridged-hull inflatable boats (RIBs) armed with machine guns. Boats include shipboard RIBs, maritime security boats, dive support boats, workboats…
US Navy Christens USNS Cherokee Nation
Bollinger Shipyards on Saturday hosted a ceremony at Bollinger Houma to christen the U.S. Navy’s newest towing, rescue and salvage ship (T-ATS) USNS Cherokee Nation.The Hon. Franklin Parker, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs joined ship’s sponsor and Deputy Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, the Hon. Victoria Mitchell Vazquez and Matron of Honor, Kailey Beth Rincher to celebrate the new addition to the fleet and pay homage to its namesake.The second Bollinger-built ship of the Navy’s Navajo class…
US Navy Awards Shipyard Modernization Contract
The U.S. Navy has awarded a $500-million design contract for the modernization of two of its shipyards in Hawaii and Washington.The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architecture-engineering contract awarded to Honolulu, Hawaii-based WSM Pacific SIOP by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) on September 7 is for structural and waterfront-related projects at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) in Hawaii and Puget…
NAVFAC Awards $1.7B Drydock Construction Project
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) awarded a $1.7-billion construction project, an effort toexpand and reconfigure a dry dock complex at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery, Maine, to increase the shipyard's capacity to maintain, modernize, and repair the Navy's attack submarines and return them to the fleet on time.The seven-year project, part of the Navy's comprehensive Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), will construct an addition to Dry Dock 1 within the existing flood basin area…
The Navy’s Big Fleet of Small Boats
The Navy is known for its big ships. It has a lot of smaller boats and craft, too—3,200 of them.The three primary stakeholders for these craft are the Surface Fleet, Commander Navy Installations Command and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. Other stakeholders include Submarine Forces; Air Forces (which own the aircraft carriers); Naval Special Warfare; the Coast Guard; Naval Facilities Command and the Naval Warfare Centers.Boats and craft are procured and managed by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Program Executive Office for Ships (PEO Ships)…
Florida Navy Bases Prepare for Irma
Navy installations throughout Florida are preparing for heavy weather as Hurricane Irma approaches South Florida. Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, Sept. 5. "Their safety and security is a top priority," Bolivar said. Approximately 50-60 mission essential personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation. Naval Air Station Key West personnel have a designated safe haven area of within 300 miles of Atlanta. Personnel and family members need to muster with the installation, their command or through the Navy Family Accountability and Assistance System (NFAAS) website upon arrival to the safe haven area.
New Commander at US Navy Installations Command
Vice Adm. Mary M. Jackson relieved Vice Adm. Dixon R. Smith at a change of command ceremony for Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) March 31, at the Washington Navy Yard. The ceremony included the presentation of colors by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard color guard, national anthem by the U.S. Navy Band and remarks from guest speaker, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. "While here, I've witnessed firsthand the tremendous dedication of our civilians and Sailors who support the fleet, warfighters and their families," said Smith. Smith served as the head of the Navy's entire shore infrastructure for approximately two and a half years and was the fifth commander of CNIC since the command's inception in 2003.
US Navy Announces SAAPM 2017 Theme
This awareness month is designed to enhance year-round efforts to eliminate the crime of sexual assault and ensure all Sailors are treated with dignity and respect. Navy leadership challenges Sailors to think about how disrespectful words and actions, whether shared on the internet or within a command, can lead to a toxic culture and the serious crime of sexual assault. "It is up to all of us to root out destructive behavior, whenever and wherever we see it happen, in person and online. Preventing sexual assault relies on leadership and teamwork and its foundation is trust and respect," said Rear Adm. Ann Burkhardt, Director, 21st Century Sailor Office. "We're telling Sailors, the difference starts with you.
Navy's Top Officer Visits Naval Station Rota
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven Giordano visited Naval Station Rota, March 27 and 28. During their time in Rota, Richardson and Giordono visited the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Ross (DDG 71), ate lunch with the 2016 Sailors of the Year, viewed a display of Commander, Task Force 68 expeditionary equipment and held an "all-hands call" with installation Sailors, civilians and family members. While meeting Sailors around the installation, Richardson said it was clear Naval Station Rota Sailors are mission-focused and very well led. "I am incredibly proud and humbled to be your chief of naval operations," said Richardson.
USN Installation Excellence Award Winners
The Navy's annual Installation Excellence Award winners were announced today by Commander, Navy Installations Command. This installation excellence award program recognizes the Navy's top three large and small installations, and rewards installation performance consistent with the command's strategic goals and Office of the Secretary of Defense criteria for the DoD-wide Commander in Chief Installation Excellence Awards. 1st Place: Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island (led by Capt. M. K. 2nd Place: NAS Lemoore (led by Capt. M. G. 3rd Place: Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (led by Capt. J. W. 1st Place: NAS Whiting Field (led by Capt. 2nd Place: Naval Air Facility El Centro (led by Capt. W. C. 3rd Place: Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg (led by Capt.
BMT Wins Contract with US Navy Environmental Program
BMT Designers & Planners, Inc. (BMT), an operating company of BMT Group Ltd, an international design, engineering and risk management consultancy, announced it has won a three-year contract to support the U.S. Navy’s environmental and conservation programs. The contract was awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Indian Head Division to provide technical and analytical support for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Laboratory Quality and Accreditation Office (LQAO) and affiliated agencies. Over a three-year period, the contract has a ceiling of about $5,700,000. BMT expects to work on 40-50 projects over the course of the new contract. This contract will cover management and technical support tasks in matters concerning the US Navy environmental and conservation programs.
DoD, Navy and Wind Farm Developer Release Memo of Agreement
Naval Air Station, Kingsville, Texas - The Navy released today a memorandum of agreement (MOA), signed by officials from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Navy and Texas Wind Group (TWG), which outlines a mutual approach to enable a renewable energy developer to build and operate wind turbines at planned locations in Kleberg County, Texas, while reducing the potential for those turbines to affect flight operations at NAS Kingsville. "Sustaining military readiness is the number one priority of everyone in the Navy chain of command," said Capt. Mark McLaughlin, commanding officer of NAS Kingsville. Signing for DoD was David Belote, director of the DoD Energy Siting Clearinghouse.
USN Tests Security Response to Facilities, Personnel
The Navy wrapped up its largest annual security exercise after a week of training designed to test the service's ability to respond to nation-wide threats to its installations, units, personnel and families. The exercise, known as Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield (SC-CS) 2012, was led by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)."Our intent was to accurately simulate real-world conditions, and to assess how our forces operate in that environment," said Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., commander of USFF.