An MV-22 Osprey with engines roaring waits on the flight deck for its next mission. Fueled up and pilots on station, only one more passenger needs to board: Lt. Robert J. Chapa, Roman Catholic chaplain assigned to USS Makin Island (LHD 8). Transported by “Holy Helo,” a term used for helicopters tr
Mission readiness is an essential part of an amphibious ready group (ARG). The composite Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced) aboard the forward-deployment amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) is a great example of the mission readiness the U.S. Armed Forces strive
The USS Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is conducting maritime operations in the waters west of the Korean Peninsula, from 15th to 18th of April. According to the U.S. Navy, these operations are being conducted in international waters and are intended to reinforce regional stability
U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay held a change of command ceremony onboard the installation, April 11. Capt. Michael R. Moore relieved Capt. James F. Gibson Jr. as commanding officer. Rear Adm. John C. “Jack” Scorby, commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia, was the guest s
The US Navy’s 7th Fleet supply ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) joined an international task force led by Australian Defence Force searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 off the Western Coast of Australia yesterday. The U.S. 7th Fleet deployed Chavez in response to a formal Joint Op
The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS McClusky (FFG 41) departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the 4th Fleet area of operations, April 10. The ship is expected to play an integral part in the counter-transnational organized crime (C-TOC) mission Operation Martillo (Spa
The U.S. Navy officially accepted delivery of the amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) from Huntington Ingalls Industries during a ship custody transfer ceremony in Pascagoula, Miss., April 10. More than 900 Sailors and Marines assigned to Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) America marched to the shi
The U.S. Defense Department has committed more than $7 million over the past 30 days in support of search operations for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Army Col. Steven Warren, a Pentagon spokesman said on Wednesday in Washington. “This includes the cost of our ships, helicopters and planes
One of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s most senior sailors has spent two weeks aboard an American carrier on operations in the Gulf to help pave the way for Britain’s biggest warship. Warrant Officer Nick Downs joined the USS Harry S Truman to see how half a dozen fellow Brits are choreographing moving jets
Boeing will broaden its support for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft through a recent order for maintenance simulators, the company said in a release Monday. The Navy plans to begin using six virtual trainers, one ordnance load trainer and 14 hardware-ba
Northrop Grumman Corporation will build five additional U.S. Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters, which allow ship commanders to extend their intelligence-gathering capabilities far beyond the horizon. Final assembly of the aircraft will take place at the company’s Unmanned Systems Center i
As autonomous technologies continue to develop and grow within the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) successfully demonstrated the Lockheed Martin OPTIMUS mission system’s ability to accomplish an autonomous approach and landing in an unprepa
On U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s first official visit to China, the Peoples’ Liberation Army allowed him, in response to a request made in January, to become the first foreign visitor to tour the sleek refitted Russian aircraft carrier, the PLA’s first, called Liaoning. China is Hagel’s thi
After more than 30 years of Naval service, crew members, plankowners, family members and friends gathered at Naval Station Mayport April 4, to bid farewell to the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS De Wert (FFG 45) during a decommissioning ceremony. De Wert completed its last deployment Dec. 23
