The U.S. Navy received USS Gabrielle Giffords, littoral combat ship number ten, during a ceremony held at Austal’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. The future USS Gabrielle Giffords is the fifth Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) delivered to the USN since 2009 and the fourth naval vessel deli
After 12 years of idleness in port, U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) deployed this year for a busy 2016. After six months underway, the ship is now set to return to Norfolk on December 24. Once there, Wasp will undergo a planned maintenance availability that is expected to be fin
The U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center has awarded Lockheed Martin a $150.9 million contract for the Target Sight System (TSS) on the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. The TSS is a large-aperture midwave forward-looking infrared sensor with a laser designator/rangefinder turret. The system provides the
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $146.7 million contract modification to increase the design support requirements for the Columbia-class submarine. The new class of submarines, formerly known as the Ohio Replacement, are replacing the U.S. Navy’s curren
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations after departing its homeport earlier his month. Cole, assigned to Commander Task Force 65, entered Europe on December 21 to conduct a regularly-scheduled deployment in support of
The U.S. Military Sealift Command’s expeditionary fast transport ship, USNS Trenton (EPF 5) departed the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story on December 20 to begin its first operational deployment. The Spearhead-class vessel, built by Austal in Alabama, was launched in September 2014 a
Scientists and engineers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division have developed a way to change unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) mission information easier and faster. Autonomous systems engineers, Drs. Matthew Bays and Drew Lucas, refer to the system as “Autonomy in a Box.” Autono
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon a $64.6 million contract for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), SeaRAM, and land-based Phalanx weapon system. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-fly
The U.S. Navy has awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $1.46 billion contract to design and build the U.S. Navy’s new amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). USS Fort Lauderdale will be the 12th and final ship of the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio-class of amphibious transport ships. Ingalls
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
The Royal Canadian Navy has selected Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s as the next RCN ship to deploy on NATO’s operation Reassurance in early 2017. The frigate will support the standing NATO maritime group 2 (SNMG 2) in the Mediterranean Sea contributing to regional security and stability. HMCS
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) arrived in Marseille, France, on its way home from the counter-ISIL mission. The nuclear-powered carrier arrived in France for a scheduled port visit on December 16. Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group departed Norfol
A U.S. Navy report on its future naval force requirements is in line with U.S. president Donald Trump’s plans of building a 350-plus ship navy. Trump announced the goal of a 350-ship navy during a speech in September when he said his plan was based on a 2014 Pentagon quadrennial review of projected
The U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye equipped with aerial refueling (AR) recently completed its first flight. The aircraft is built by Northrop Grumman under a 2013 engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract award. Northrop Grumman designed, developed, manufactured, and tested severa
