USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), a U.S. Navy Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship homeported in Mayport, Florida, is participating in Exercise Cold Response 2016. Fort McHenry will be the only U.S. Navy vessel participating in this operation, providing support for U.S. Marines as well as Navy constructi
A full-blown aircraft carrier group with USS John C. Stennis at the helm transited the Luzon Strait March 1 and is now conducting patrols in the South China Sea. The news comes in the wake of U.S. Pacific Commander’s announcement that the U.S. Navy would increase its presence in the South China Sea.
UK’s Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on March 3 announced additional £642 (approx. $907.2M) million of investment for the Successor submarine programme. New parts and facilities, as well as further design work will be funded by the latest investment which will help to progress work on the four new
Sailors onboard the U.S. Navy dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) held a change of command ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, March 1. With the traditional exchange of salutes, Cmdr. Thomas S. Stephens turned over command of Rushmore to Cmdr. Sarah H. DeGroot, who had previously served as the shi
The U.S. Navy is set to christen its newest Virginia-class attack submarine USS Washington (SSN 787), Saturday, March 5, at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. The future Washington is the 14th Virginia-class nuclear submarine and the fourth Virginia-class Block III submarine. The s
U.S. Navy’s submarine forces have officially started the Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016 by constructing a U.S. Navy camp named Sargo on March 2. ICEX 2016 is a five-week exercise designed to research, test and evaluate operational capabilities in the Arctic region. A temporary camp is being established on
The new LX(R) line of U.S. Navy amphibious combat ships could be built faster than the LPD line and could be procured as early as 2018, a U.S. Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing indicated on March 2. U.S. Senator Thad Cochran chaired the hearing to review the FY2017 budget request fo
The U.S. Navy said it had relieved the chief of the boat (COB) of the Pearl Harbor-based fast attack submarine USS Columbia (SSN 771) of his duties March 2. The Navy pointed out to “poor leadership” as the cause of the chief’s removal. Master Chief Machinist’s Mate (Non-Nuclear, Submarine Auxiliary)
U.S. Navy’s command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) conducted a combined search and rescue (SAR) exercise with the Republic of Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Lanarca in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, February 29. The purpose of the exercise was to increase response capabi
The U.S. Navy’s Southwest Regional Maintenance Center has awarded General Dynamics a contract for the phased maintenance availability (PMA) of USS Essex (LHD-2). Under the $156,5 million contract, GD will plan and perform depot-level maintenance, alterations, and modifications on the U.S. Navy’s amp
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), took the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 aboard for a patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. Bonhomme Richard arrived in White Beach, Okinawa February 28 to r
USNS Grapple, U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command ship, departed Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach on February 29 to begin its deployment to Africa in the 6th Fleet’s area of operations. With a crew of approximately 45 U.S. Navy divers and Civil Service mariners, Gr
U.S. Navy has awarded Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of the American shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, a contract to assist with planning for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). The $185.2 million contract option funds the
The U.S. Navy said February 29 that its amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) conducted a routine patrol in international waters of the South China Sea on February 26 after participating in exercise Cobra Gold 16. Other U.S. Navy destroyers made headlines in recent months by sailing in a
