The U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti, Thomas P. Kelly III, visited Marines and Sailors from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) in the Gulf of Aden, Feb. 12, 2015. Kelly, who was appointed as the Am
Raytheon Missile Systems is being awarded a $64,5 million modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for the fiscal 2015 U.S. Navy Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Round Pack (GMRP) requirements. The RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produc
The Government of Canada has awarded an $8.5 million contract to NEWDOCK St. John’s Dockyard Limited for Vessel Life Extension (VLE) and refit work for Canadian Coast Guard ship CCGS Leonard J. Cowley. Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the CCGS Leonard J. Cowley is an Offshore Patrol Vessel used pr
The crew of the guided missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) successfully completed their Light-Off Assessment (LOA) event Jan. 31 following an extensive maintenance period. LOA is an engineering focused event and is a key milestone to entering the basic phase of training in preparation for future de
The guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) is scheduled to be decommissioned after more than 30 years of service in a ceremony on Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 19. Commissioned on Nov. 24, 1984, Vandegrift was named after Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, the 18th commandant of the Marine Corps. Ma
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) entered U.S. 6th Fleet’s area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe Feb. 17, 2015. While on deployment, Laboon will interact with allied and partner nations, highlighting U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Af
Boeing has been awarded a $29.5 million contract to design and develop a beam control system that could provide exceptional accuracy for laser weapons on U.S. Navy warships. The company will begin to design a prototype High Power Beam Control Subsystem (HP BCSS) that’s compatible with High Energy La
Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) remove cargo nets from supplies after a vertical replenishment in the Persian Gulf. USS Mitscher engaged in RAS with the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) on February 13. The vessel’s
Two United States Navy patrol boats based in Bahrain have completed their first deployment with Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-terrorism and maritime security task force. For most of January and February, USS Firebolt and USS Thunderbolt operated in dir
The guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) departed on an independent deployment to the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific Ocean. The vessel is scheduled to conduct theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations. Commissioned May 27, 1995, Paul Hamilton
The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 104, Detachment 1 from the “Magicians” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, and Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package Detachment 3 are scheduled to return to San Diego Feb. 18. Crew 104 and the embarked detachments completed the first
A Royal Navy warship has tracked a Russian frigate off the coast of France and monitored her movement through the English Channel. HMS Argyll, a Type 23 frigate fitted with advanced Artisan radar, used her Lynx helicopter and sensors to locate and monitor the movement of the Russian warship as she r
On Sunday 15 February, the EU Naval Force flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, and Japanese warship, JS Harusame, met at sea in the Gulf of Aden. The new Force Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren, welcomed the Commander of the Japanese Escort Division 2, Captain Masatoshi Kashihara
OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) was awarded a contract to provide the South African Navy with Tactical-Asset Control and Tracking Systems (T-ACT). The systems will be installed on rigid-hull inflatable boats to support maritime security operations. T-ACT is a navigation and command, control and communica
