Submarine Command News

U.S. 6th Fleet (C6F) conducted a bilateral naval anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise with the U.K., above the Arctic Circle, May 1, 2020.Four ships from two nations, a U.S. submarine, and a U.S. P8-A worked together, in the Norwegian Sea, to conduct training in the challenging conditions in the Arctic.For the exercise, Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Porter (DDG 78), and fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), were joined by the Royal Navy's HMS Kent (F 78). Additionally, a U.S.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Technical Solutions division was awarded a $25 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract from the U.S. Navy to provide training services for tactical afloat shipboard, ashore and submarine command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. The three-year contract includes two one-year option periods, which, if exercised, could bring the value of the contract to $43 million. Work will be performed on ships and land sites worldwide and, if all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2022. This is one of four multiple-award contracts.

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has made a new appointment to the role of Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSRep) Maritime Salvage & Intervention, which oversees the response to accidents at sea. Les Chapman has been appointed to the role and will join the Agency on Monday 21 August. He will work alongside the existing SOSRep Hugh Shaw OBE for several months, to allow a substantial transition period in this important role, and will not assume the role and responsibilities of the SOSRep until an agreed time later on in the year. The SOSRep is responsible for reducing the risk to safety and the environment arising from accidents at sea.

Commanding a submarine is arguably one of the toughest jobs in the world so training for the role it is justifiably challenging, preparing those who spend their days in the deep with the skills to lead their teams. Seven prospective undersea commanding officers from the United States Navy have joined their Australian colleages on the Submarine Command Course, conducted in Australia biennially. This year it coincided with a visit by the USS Oklahoma City, a Los Angeles class attack submarine, to Fleet Base West. Shortly after arriving in Australia, the officers toured their Australian host boat for the conduct of the exercise, HMAS Farncomb, which was also berthed alongside.

They say Navy is like one big family but when it comes to three people in the west it’s more a case of a family within a family. Lieutenant Commander David Sutherland, (Deputy Officer-In-Charge Fleet Logistic Support Element – Submarines) and his sons Commander Daniel Sutherland (Commanding Officer, submarine HMAS Dechaineux) and Chaplain James Sutherland (HMAS Stirling) are all proud Navy officers based in Western Australia. But the family’s involvement with Navy doesn’t stop at the three Sutherland men, with matriarch, Mrs Frances Sutherland having senior service history also. Lieutenant Commander Sutherland first joined the Navy as a Junior Recruit in 1974…

Royal Navy incompetence put an Irish trawler crew at risk after one of its submarines became snagged in a net and nearly capsized the ship. The nuclear-powered sub was sailing out of Faslane on the Clyde in April 2015 when it snagged the Karen's fishing gear between Ardglass and the Isle of Man. The Irish trawler Karen, which had four crew aboard, was pulled backwards and under the water for 30 seconds before the net snapped. Commanders were unaware of the collision until three hours later after they failed to realise they were passing beneath a fishing vessel with nets rather than a merchant cargo or passenger ship, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said.

NATO’s Submarine Warfare Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA 2016 (DYMA 16) began today off the Sicilian coast, with ships, submarines, and aircraft and personnel from 8 Allied nations converging on the Central Mediterranean Sea for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare training. Submarines from France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, under the control of NATO Submarine Command (COMSUBNATO), will join 4 surface ships from France, Italy and Spain.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has opened a new facility that provides workspace for the crews of Virginia-class submarine (VCS) pre-commissioning units (PCUs) while their submarines are under construction. The facility is collocated with Newport News’ submarine final outfitting and assembly facilities, thereby increasing the crews’ ability to access and train with the ship systems during the final stages of construction. To provide convenient offices and training space, the building’s second floor provides separate sections for the three PCU crews that are on-site in an overlapping manner as a result of the two-per-year VCS construction pace.

NATO’s Submarine Warfare Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA 2015 (DYMA 15) began friday off the Sicilian coast, with ships, submarines, and aircraft and personnel from 9 Allied nations converging on the Central Mediterranean Sea for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare training. Submarines from France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, under the control of NATO Submarine Command (COMSUBNATO), will join 5 surface ships from France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the United States under the command of Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG-2) Rear Admiral Jörg Klein (German Navy). Host nation Italy is providing support from both the Augusta Naval Base and the Sigonella Air Base in Catania.

Rear Adm. Joe Tofalo will take command of Submarine Forces, a post that comes with a third star and oversees the submarine force's manning, gear and training. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that the president has made the following nomination: "Navy Rear Adm. Joseph E. Tofalo, for appointment to the rank of vice admiral and for assignment as commander, Naval Submarine Forces; commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and commander, Allied Submarine Command, Norfolk, Virginia. The nomination is the latest in a string of new assignments at the top rungs of the nuclear Navy. Adm. John Richardson, the head of Naval Reactors, has been nominated to be the next chief of naval operations; a new NR boss hadn't been named as of May 20.

A £46m contract to support and maintain a new combat system across the Royal Navy's submarine fleet awarded to BAE Systems. The Design Services Arrangement contract will ensure that the system, which is used to navigate vessels as well as gather intelligence and defend against attacks, is maintained and developed over the next decade. The Royal Navy operates three classes of submarine, totalling 10 vessels, which are used to safeguard the UK's interests around the world. Currently, different combat systems are used across the fleet.

Kongsberg debut its latest integrated naval training solution at I/ITSEC 2012 Show in Orlando, Florida. Proteus Interact (Integrated Naval Training Environment for Resource management And Crew Teamwork) is a joint development between the simulation and training departments of Kongsberg, and is the first solution designed to offer fully integrated naval training for complex multi-skills, team and force-level integrated naval scenarios. It uses a low-risk high level architecture (HLA) to create a federation of Kongsberg Proteus naval training solutions and Polaris Ship Bridge Simulators.

The Navy’s newest attack submarine, North Carolina, will be christened Saturday, April 21, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard, Newport News, Va. The fourth submarine of the Virginia class, SSN 777 will bear the name North Carolina to honor the Tar Heel State. The submarine will be the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to bear the name North Carolina. The first was a 74-gun ship-of-the-line that served from 1820 to 1836. The second North Carolina was a Tennessee-class armored cruiser that was also built at the Newport News shipyard and served from 1908 to 1921. The third North Carolina was the first of the Navy's modern battleships, serving from 1940 to 1947, earning 12 battle stars for service during World War II.

A native of New Mexico is set become the first commanding officer of his state's namesake submarine, PCU New Mexico (SSN 779). Cmdr. Robert Dain detached March 24 as Submarine Squadron 7's deputy commander for readiness to begin the Submarine Command Course prior to assuming command of New Mexico's pre-commissioning unit in August. Dain was born in Shiprock, N.M., and raised in Tijeras and Cedar Crest, N.M., east of Albuquerque. He said his New Mexico ties make this command an ideal job for him, and he has already been in touch with family members, the Navy League and the USS New Mexico association about the commissioning. “This is a tremendous opportunity that comes once in a lifetime,” said Dain.

Through a series of coincidental meetings, Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Corporation (SENESCO) was formed by seven individuals with different, unique backgrounds. Although only three of the original seven founders are still involved with the company, the focus remains the same. In fact, the young company is expecting its first delivery this autumn. According to Richard Carpenter, president and director of the company, the seven founders joined up during the winter months of 1993 and 1994. "The driving engine was a series of conferences called 'Navigating Beyond 94,'" he says. Carpenter, who had 30 years experience as a practicing attorney…