U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), along with members of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, began exercise Red Reef 15 Dec. 7 in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. Red Reef is a biennial, bilateral exercise between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Ar
The US Navy’s newest submarine squadron stood up Dec. 15 at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Commander, Submarine Squadron (CSS) 21 replaces the Commander, Task Force (CTF) 54 detachment as the organization charged with supporting submarines forward-deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U
BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair is being awarded a $15,2 million firm-fixed-price contract for a 60-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9). Work will include: clean and gas free tanks, voids, cofferdams, and spaces; deck non-
The guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) is moored pierside at Marathi NATO Pier Facility in Souda Bay, Greece. Oscar Austin, homeported in Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and
Sailors aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG-101) received approximately 120 supply pallets during a replenishment-at-sea, Dec. 02. The pallets were received via vertical replenishment (VERTREP) between the Gridley and Military Sealift Command Fleet Replenishment Oile
U.S. Navy frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) returned from its final deployment Dec. 12, where it operated in the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). The ship will begin to make preparations for decommissioning after 30 years of service. During this final dep
Senior leaders from U.S. 7th Fleet visited Colombo, Sri Lanka and Male, Maldives and attended the Galle Dialogues international Maritime Conference Dec. 1-6, building relationships to improve maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific. While in Sri Lanka, 7th Fleet leaders met with officials from th
The U.S. Navy’s duty oiler in the Mediterranean Sea, fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195), is currently finishing a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea supplying the U.S. Navy and its allies with fuel and supplies at sea, Dec. 11, 2014. Grumman, a Military Sealift Comman
US Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) arrived to Souda Bay, Greece, on December 10. The vessel pulled into the Marathi NATO pier facility during a scheduled port visit. Leyte Gulf, homeported in Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of
Bath Iron Works is being awarded a $21,1 million modification to previously awarded contract to exercise options for DDG 51-class lead yard services. This work will provide class engineering and design services including technical assistance to the follow shipbuilders in the interpretation and appli
Littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) stopped in Guam to refuel before continuing on to Southeast Asia, Dec. 11. Fort Worth is on her maiden 16-month rotational deployment in support of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Building on USS Freedom’s (LCS 1) inaugural 10-month deployment from March to
Command of guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) passed from Cmdr. Lester A. Brown Jr., to Cmdr. Michael J. Gunther during a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Dec. 5. Rear Adm. Bruce Lindsey, commander, Carrier Strike Group 10, congratulated Brown and Gunther on their succe
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has directed the Navy “to move forward with a multi-mission small surface combatant based on modified Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) hull designs.” Consistent with the Fleet’s views on the most valued capabilities delivered by a small surface combatant, the modified LCS
Representatives from international counter-piracy organisations, as well as nations deploying warships independently, have gathered in Bahrain to discuss how they can best work together to combat the threat posed to shipping by criminal gangs from Somalia. NATO chaired the 34th Shared Awareness and
