The commissioning ceremony for future USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) will take place in the late hero’s hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced January 11. The ship is named for Marine Pfc. Ralph Henry Johnson, a native of Charleston, who posthumously rece
The U.S. Department of Defense has cleared Raytheon’s Standard Missile-6 for sale to several international customers, the company announced January 10. “Many of the approved countries are seeking the multi-mission SM-6 to bolster their shipbuilding programs,” the company said without specifying whic
The U.S. Department of Defense revealed in a January 9 statement that three U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets launched one of the world’s largest micro-drone swarms during an October 2016 demonstration at China Lake, California. The 103 Perdix drones launched from the Super Hornets demonstrated advance
The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon a $19.2 million contract modification for the delivery of another seven configuration D multi-spectral targeting systems (MTS). The MTS is an airborne, electro-optic, forward-looking infra-red, turreted sensor package that provides long-range surveillance, high alt
Lockheed Martin has contracted Airbus DS Electronics and Border Security to deliver the TRS-3D Baseline D multi-mode radar for the U.S. Coast Guard’s ninth National Security Cutter (NSC). The TRS-3D Baseline D, designated AN/SPS-75, utilizes gallium nitride (GaN) technology to deliver traditional TR
U.S. Navy’s final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush was launched on this day, January 10, at the Newport News shipyard, Virginia. The 332-meter-long, nuclear-powered ship was laid down on May 19, 2003 and launched on October 9, 2006 with Dorothy W.B. Koch, daughter of President Bush
Responding to challenges from ‘near-peer’ competitors, the U.S. Navy has released a new surface force strategy under which it will strengthen its naval power at and from the sea. The objective of the strategy is to achieve and sustain sea control which the navy sees as a pre-requisite to achieving t
A class of 12 new nuclear-powered ballistic submarines is ready to enter the detailed design phase after Pentagon’s procurement chief approved the Milestone B review. The Milestone B decision allows the U.S. Navy to appropriate $773 million to defense contractors, in this case it is General Dynamics
U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its carrier strike group left their homeport in San Diego on January 5 to begin their deployment to the western Pacific. USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, and embarked Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 1 deployed with Ticonderoga
U.S. Navy’s newest E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning and control aircraft will join the forward deployed naval forces in Japan, the service announced Thursday. The E-2Ds from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 will become part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 at the Marine Corps Air Stat
Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s left her homeport on Wednesday and headed for the Mediterranean Sea where it will join NATO’s standing maritime group 2. Departing from the naval base in Halifax, St. John’s set sail for the operation Reassurance to replace sister ship HMCS
As the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet looks back at 2016, it looks back at a year of innovations, new partnerships and upgraded ships. Ships and personnel teamed up with allies and partner nations in more than 110 exercises to exchange information, enhance capabilities and train together throughout 2016. Maj
Two U.S. Navy destroyers and a guided missile cruiser visited ports in three European cities on December 30 and 31. Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) arrived in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, while Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) arrived in Split
Sailors from Japanese destroyer JS Yuugiri (DD 153) and U.S. Navy’s USS Shiloh (CG 67) met at sea to exchange holiday gifts on December 28. A week before, sailors from Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo visited U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan for a gift exchange and ship tour. During the m
