The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a $78 million contract modification to produce canisters for Mk 41 and Mk 57 Vertical Launching Systems (VLS) on cruisers and destroyer battleships. This new contract increases the current contract value to $158 million. “BAE Systems has produced the canisters f
Guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) rendered medical assistance to Panamanian-flagged, bulk carrier M/V Belde, Aug. 20, approximately 110 miles north of Socotra Island, Oman. At approximately 1:10 p.m. local time, Winston S. Churchill responded to a distress call following a c
Commands are encouraged to celebrate Women’s Equality Day Aug. 26, as announced by NAVADMIN 251/12. Established by Congress in 1971, Women’s Equality Day was designed to commemorate the long struggle of generations of women to gain the right to vote. The observance also calls attention to women’s co
Los Angeles class fast attack submarine USS Olympia (SSN 717) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Aug. 20 for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific. With a crew of approximately 140, Olympia will conduct a multitude of missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the U.S. sub
Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12), embarked aboard Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), arrived in Apra Harbor on Aug. 20, as it nears the completion of its nearly five-month deployment on the largest annual humanitarian civic assistance HCA mission in the Asia Pacific. The s
Dock-landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) departed Constanta, Romania following the completion of Exercise Summer Storm 2012, Aug. 19. Summer Storm is a combined amphibious assault exercise by U.S. Marines from the Security Cooperation Task Force Africa Partnership Station 2012 and Romanian sailor
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) departed its forward operating location of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, Aug. 20 to continue its 2012 patrol. Continuing in its fourth patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations since relieving the now decommis
USS Constitution departed her berth from Charlestown, Mass. Aug. 19, to set sail for the first time since 1997, during an underway demonstration commemorating Guerriere Day. The underway honored the 200th anniversary of Constitution’s decisive victory over the HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812, m
The United States Military Sealift Command (MSC) has exercised the first of three six months options for the ongoing charter of the Austal high speed vessel “WestPac Express”. The option forms part of a 24 month contract that Austal was awarded in December 2011. Austal Chief Executive Officer, Andre
The “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 held an aerial change-of-command ceremony in the skies above aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Aug. 16. Cmdr. Marcus Lopez relieved Cmdr. Daniel Sullivan as commanding officer. During the ceremony, Sullivan and Lopez flew F/A-18F Super Ho
Guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) held a change of command ceremony at sea in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 16. Cmdr. Christopher D. Stone relieved Cmdr. Michael E. Hutchens as Churchill’s commanding officer in a ceremony held on the destroyer’s flight deck. Hutchens assumed comman
Sailors from guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) are assisting the crew of guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) to recover from damage sustained in a collision with a large Japanese-owned merchant vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, Aug. 12. Porter transited under its own power to Jeb
Guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) assisted a United States-flagged sailing vessel in the Western Caribbean Sea Aug. 14. Carr discovered the U.S. flagged sailing vessel “Bob” which failed to answer calls on the bridge-to-bridge radio. Sailors from Carr manned the rigid hull inflatable boat to
The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) officially concluded the annual 2012 PANAMAX exercise Aug. 16 at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris along with Brazilian Rear Adm. Wilson Pereira de Lima Filho concluded the exercise in which more
