Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived in White Beach, Okinawa, after completing a 10-day certification exercise (CERTEX) with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in the East China Sea March 21. CERTEX is a comprehensive, complex training evolution that combines the Navy and Mari
The US Navy’s first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) March 20, marking a key milestone in Freedom’s eight-month deployment to Southeast Asia. Arriving within days of 7th Fleet’s 70th anniversary March 15, Freedom follows in the wak
Los Angeles class-attack submarine USS Providence (SSN 719) returned to Naval Submarine Base New London following a seven-month regularly scheduled deployment, March 19. Providence, under the command of Cmdr. Michael Quan, returned from the Central and European Command areas of responsibility where
The U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, other state and local agencies, along with Chevron Shipping and numerous pollution response and salvage companies and organizations participated in a major drill in Astoria, Thursday, designed to prepare personnel for a coordinated re
Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conducted a noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) drill while underway off the coast of Okinawa March 15. NEO is the safe evacuation of American civilians and embassy o
The multinational maritime exercise Saharan Express 2013 (SE-13) successfully concluded with post-sail discussions and a press conference, March 14. SE-13, which began March 7, is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase counter-piracy capa
The Navy celebrated the keel laying of Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) John Warner (SSN 785) at Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII -NNS) in Newport News, Va., March 16. The submarine is named for former five-term U.S. Senator from Virginia and Secretary of the Navy John Warn
The United States Department of Defense has announced that Austal USA has been awarded a US$19.987 million modification to a previously awarded Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) contract. The modification exercises options for class service efforts and special studies, analyses and reviews for the LCS prog
Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) 2, the future USNS Choctaw County, conducted builder’s sea trials March 7-8, in Mobile, Ala. The ship, now under construction at Austal USA, is the second ship of the JHSV class. Builder’s trials are a significant step in the construction and delivery of a ship to the
As USS Freedom (LCS 1) pulled in for its first port call in Hawaii March 11, Sailors and civilians assigned to Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) San Diego were standing by to provide the ship with critical, innovative logistics support. NAVSUP FLC San Diego’s Logistic
The Navy’s first littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam March 11. The ultra- modern U.S. Navy ship, bearing a four-color camouflage combination of flat black, haze gray, haze white and ocean gray, arrived at Pearl Harbor after departing her homeport of San
The latest addition to the Brazilian Navy’s fleet departed the UK in the snow yesterday for her new home in Rio de Janeiro where she will strengthen Brazil’s maritime security. APA is the second of three Amazonas Class Ocean Patrol Vessels being delivered to the Brazilian Navy by BAE Systems. Her si
In a quiet gathering held at Fleet Base West this week, United States Navy (USN) Exchange Officer Commander Travis Petzoldt was fare-welled by his colleagues at Australia’s Submarine Headquarters. During his two year tenure with the Royal Australian Navy, Commander Petzoldt performed the role of ‘Pr
More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines from the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26 MEU) departed from Norfolk and Little Creek, Va., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 11. The deployment is part of a regular rotation of forces to support maritime security operat
