On June 13 Austal held a christening ceremony for the future USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) in Mobile, Alabama. This is the third littoral combat ship (LCS) in Austal’s 10-ship, $3.5 billion block-buy contract. The Independence-variant littoral combat ship is a 127-meter (419-foot) aluminum trimara
BAE Systems Land & Armaments is being awarded an $18,2 million contract action for procurement and delivery of long lead time material in support of Virginia-class submarines Block IV propulsor system requirements. This undefinitized contract action for procurement of long lead time material is requ
Raytheon Co. received a $152,8 million contract to provide 53 APY-10 radar system production kits and related support for the P-8A Poseidon full-rate production aircraft (Lot 2 through Lot 6) for the Navy and the government of Australia. The majority of work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, and
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Colon, Panama, on June 9 after completing an eight-day mission stop in support of Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15). CP-15 mission personnel worked alongside volunteers from Panama’s Ministry of Health, government and medical p
US Coast Guard Cutter Healy recently received a new commander during a change of command ceremony at Coast Guard Base Seattle. Capt. Jason Hamilton took command of the Cutter from Capt. John Reeves on Wednesday, June 3. Reeves retired from his 23-year Coast Guard career upon his relief as commanding
The “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island June 4 after a nearly 10-month deployment in support of U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. VAQ-139 arrived home after participating in exercise Valiant Shield, Operation Inherent Resolve and co
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Suva, Fiji, June 7 for its first mission port visit of Pacific Partnership (PP15) 2015. This is the first visit to Fiji by a U.S. Navy vessel in nine years. Fiji and Mercy will host several subject matter expert exchanges and
On June 4, two US Navy vessels rendezvoused in the Mediterranean Sea for a replenishment-at-sea (RAS). The guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) received goods from the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189) during the operation, after which the vesse
The preventive medicine team, embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), was on the hunt for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes during a subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) in support of Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15) on June 6. Lt. Cmdr. James D
The crew of Royal Navy’s HMS Argyll has been rewarded for their excellence while on counter-drugs patrol in the Caribbean. Commodore Paul Halton, who commands the Devonport-based fleet of ships and submarines, visited HMS Argyll at HM Naval Base Devonport for an award ceremony recognising the many s
BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is being awarded a $26,7 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract for the manufacture and delivery of propulsor and tailcone for Virginia-class submarines SSN 792 (USS Vermont) and SSN 793 (USS Oregon). This modific
Huntington Ingalls Industries received a $3.35 billion contract award for the detail design and construction of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers. The work will be performed at the company’s Newport News Shipbuildin
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) received the honor of steaming alongside the replica Concorde-class frigate L’Hermione of the French Navy. The morning of June 2, Mitscher and L’Hermione sailed together in a photograph exercise to represent and reaffirm the hist
Sailors aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) completed a massive 10-day firearms qualification course June 2. More than 150 Sailors attended the small-arms fire courses held by shipboard gunner’s mates. The training course consisted of an eight-hour classroom session in ad