Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 8 held a change of command ceremony in the forecastle of multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) while in the Red Sea, May 19. Capt. Arturo M. Garcia relieved Capt. Mark H. Scovill as PHIBRON 8 commodore. This will be considered a ‘fleet-up’ assignment
The U.S. Navy commissioned the latest San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22) during a ceremony in San Diego, May 19. The ship is named for the city of San Diego, principal homeport of the Pacific fleet, and honors the people of “America’s Finest City” and its leaders
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and guided missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) are scheduled to return to their homeport of San Diego, May 23. USS Carl Vinson serves as the flagship for Carr
Huntington Ingalls Industries announced yesterday that the company’s seventh amphibious transport dock, Anchorage (LPD 23), returned Friday from successful builder’s sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship is currently under construction at Ingalls’ Avondale facility. “The LPD 23 team just finish
The amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), along with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Sepangar, Malaysia May 18, for a port visit. The visit is part of the U.S. Navy’s ongoing commitment to theater security cooperation and partnership with allied navies, and
More than 200 shipmates, friends and families filled the Mayport Memorial Park March 17, to pay their respects to the fallen crew of USS Stark (FFG 31) 25 years after the frigate was struck by an Iraqi missile while deployed in the Arabian Gulf. In the early morning hours of May 17, 1987, two Iraqi
The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company a contract totaling $57.8 million to overhaul and upgrade nine Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems, and manufacture two SeaRAM anti-ship missile defense systems. The agreement also includes the purchase of 20 radar upgrade kits. “Raytheon tailors our ship self-defe
Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Eight successfully completed a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) May 17, off the East Coast of the United States from Virginia to Florida, in preparation for their scheduled combat deployment later this year. The exercise, which started April 24, was conducted by
Sailors and officers from Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Peruvian naval academy in Callao, Peru, May 15. The annual memorial ceremony was held in honor of Peruvian naval hero Adm. Miguel Grau, who was killed during a n
USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) received the fleet’s highest recognition for superior operational performance and excellence in safety during an awards ceremony in the ship’s hangar bay, May 16. Adm. John C. Harvey, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF), Rear Adm. Ted N. Branch, commander, Naval Air Fo
Guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) conducted a change of command, while operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, May 9. Cmdr. Dwayne Ducommun relieved Cmdr. Chris Alexander as the commanding officer of Sampson during a ceremony held at sea. During Alexander’s 20-month tenu
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) returned to its homeport of Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka May 16, after completing sea trials. Sea trials is the testing phase of a U.S. Navy warship designed to measure a vessel’s performance and general seaworthiness. During th
The amphibious assault vessel USS Essex crashed with USNS Yukon oil tanker yesterday, while returning to San Diego, after completing 12 years as the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in Sasebo, Japan, the Sacramento Bee reported. As confirmed by a spokesman for the 3rd
EADS North America has delivered the fourth and final Airbus Military CN235-300 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to be supplied to the Mexican Navy under a U.S. Coast Guard managed foreign military sales agreement. The Coast Guard employs the CN235-300 in the HC-144A Ocean Sentry configuration for a r
