The U.S. Coast Guard has exercised a contract option to purchase the service’s 18th HC-144A Ocean Sentry Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The HC-144A is based on the Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter and is delivered by prime contractor EADS North America. More than 230 CN235 aircraft are currently
Pre-trial hearings for the alleged bomber of the USS Cole opened Feb. 4 at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and encountered issues from both the prosecution and defense that threatened more delays. The first of four days of pre-trial hearings in the government’s case against Abd al Rahim Hussein
Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) with Marines of the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), celebrated the 234th anniversary of the ship’s namesake, Feb. 4. Sailors and Marines gathered on the mess decks to share stories of the leg
Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 completed a six-month deployment aboard Naval Air Facility Misawa, Feb. 2. Having been in northern Japan since July 2012, the “Scorpions” and their aircraft are returning to their home base at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, located in Oak Harbor, Wash. This wa
USS Carl Vinson’s (CVN 70) commanding officer announced the officialcompletion of Carl Vinson’s successful six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) Feb. 3, 2013. “Today marked the culmination of this crew’s steadfast dedication and professionalism throughout a six-month Planned Incremental A
The Navy’s fifth littoral combat ship (LCS), Milwaukee, will be the first to benefit from new high-power density waterjets aimed at staving off rudder and propeller damage experienced on high-speed ships. The product of an Office of Naval Research (ONR) Future Naval Capabilities (FNC) program, the w
Boeing delivered the sixth production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy Jan. 31, successfully completing the first group of low-rate initial production aircraft that are dramatically improving the service’s maritime patrol capabilities. The delivery is the final aircraft from a contract awarde
Sailors assigned to the Pre-Commissioning Unit Arlington (LPD 24) successfully completed the four-day Afloat Training Group (ATG) Atlantic’s Antiterrorism Basic Phase Verification 1.3 and 1.4 Jan. 31. “We tested armed watchstanders’ responses to terrorist threats on the pier, on the ship and from th
Submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), arrived in Bahrain to engage the ship’s repair mission in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), Jan 23. Land’s repair capability will be tested as they provide emergent repair to various ships and their systems. Land also showcased its versatili
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), underway with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSG ARG), conducted an amphibious beach raid exercise on Camp Lejeune, N.C., during Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPUTEX) Jan. 29. The simulated raid exercise, which was held as a part of COMPTUEX, wa
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert addressed the impact of Department of Defense budget cuts and the Pentagon’s “Pacific Pivot” shift in operational focus during a visit to San Diego Jan. 31. His visit to the San Diego area commenced with a mass reenlistment and all-hands call at
The U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FCC) Information Technology Spend Governance Team was announced as a winner of the 2013 Department of the Navy (DON) Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) Excellence Award Jan. 31. The annual DON IM/IT Excellence Awards recognize IM/IT teams, projects, a
More than 250 future surface warfare officers (SWO) in the Naval Academy’s Class of 2013 chose their first ships during a ceremony in Mahan Hall, Jan. 31. Ship selection is one of the most significant events for the future SWOs of the senior class. Senior leaders from around the fleet attend the cer
Approximately 40 service members from III Marine Expeditionary Force left on February 1 to conduct the first Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief Table Top Exercise with participants from the Government of Nepal, Department of State, multinational observers and other agencies in Katmandu on Feb.