Panama City Division News

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) delivered the first of three lots of mine hunting sonar upgrade kits to the U.S. Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division. The ultimate end users will be the HM-12, -14 and -15 Mine Countermeasures Squadrons. The production contracts from the Navy’s PMS-495 are for upgrading 27 AQS-24A mine hunting systems into the more advanced AQS-24B system. The kits contain all the components necessary to upgrade the existing 27 AQS-24A mine hunting systems into the more advanced AQS-24B system. Work is being done in three production lots.

Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) engineers are developing tools to enable U.S. Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs) to more accurately predict energy consumption needs in theater. NSWC PCD Expeditionary Systems Division (Code E30) engineers were asked by Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYCOM) to reduce the energy consumption of Marine Corps Combat Operations Centers (COCs). MARCORSYCOM acquires and provides life-cycle support of ground weapon and information technology (IT) systems for U.S. Marines.

Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) engineers conducted preliminary Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) seaworthiness model tests in the David Taylor Model Basin, April 22 - May 17. SSC is the replacement for the Navy's existing fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles, which are nearing the end of their service life. SSCs - like the LCACs they replace - will be primarily used to haul vehicles, heavy equipment, and supplies through varied environmental conditions from amphibious ships to over the beach.

The U.S. Navy successfully concluded its final alternative fuel demonstration for the year today with the Dec. 7-9 operational tests of the 50/50 algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76 blend in a Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) amphibious transport vehicle at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City. The tests also marked the fastest speed achieved to date by a U.S. Navy surface craft using alternative fuel blends, as LCAC 91 reached speeds the crafts maximum speed of 50 knots, Dec.

Navy to conduct final alternative fuel demonstration of the year with Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC). WHAT: The U.S. Navy is conducting its final alternative fuel demonstration for the year with a maritime alternative fuel test in a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) stationed at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), Panama City, Fla., Dec. 9. WHEN: Media availability will be held Dec. 9, 9 a.m. (CST). WHERE: LCAC ramp at Bldg. 319, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division.

LPI Technical Services, Chesapeake, Va., is being awarded a $7.3m cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the alteration installation team support. This contract provides for enginee-ring and technical services for shipboard systems and equipment associated with firefighting, damage control, and personnel protection. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., (30 percent), San Diego, Calif., (30 percent), various unspecified locations (14 percent), Mayport, Fla., (10 percent), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, (10 percent), Ingleside, Texas, (3 percent), Pascagoula, Miss., (3 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Mar. 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $200,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Navy completed technical evaluation and training of the remote minehunting system (RMS) aboard USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) in July 28. The evaluation enables the Navy to continue training on the system, designed as part of the mine warfare mission package for the Littoral Combat Ship. "This is all in preparation for the operational evaluation (OPEVAL) to be conducted in the South Florida Test Facility this September," said Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City RMS Project Engineer Keith Hartless.

Western Branch Diesel, Inc., , is being awarded a $10m firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract for the procurement of maintenance services (engine overhaul) and repair of the MK V Special Operations Craft MTU 12V396TE94 diesel engines. Work will be performed in , , (80 percent) and , (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by Mar. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, , is the contracting activity.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $12.5 million contract on April 28 to Harry Pepper & Associates, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla. for the design and construction of a Littoral Warfare Systems Facility at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla. The Littoral Warfare Systems Facility will be a center of excellence for research, development and integration of existing and future adaptive force packages. These modular and deployable packages will provide warfighting capability to nontraditional and unconventional maritime platforms within Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City Division's global maritime partnerships.

Invisible to approximately 5,000 people witnessing the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) commissioning ceremony, Dec. 15, a newly modernized landing craft air cushion (LCAC) 39 sat certified and ready for transport within the well deck of the Navy's newest amphibious ship. Mesa Verde had already finished its requisite LCAC certification Dec. 7, which qualify the ship to recover an LCAC and embark on the ship's mission of transporting Marines, their supplies, and equipment, according to Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City Division Project Engineer Rhett Plash. Plash works with NSWC PCD LCAC in-service engineering activity and operations. "We're actually a part of the team that performs well deck certifications," Plash said.