THE WOODLANDS, Texas — MIND Technology Inc. has completed a successful demonstration of its Sea Serpent low-cost antisubmarine warfare system as a part of the U.S. Navy’s Coastal Trident 2022 exercise, the company said Sept. 27.

For the demonstration the system was deployed from an unmanned surface vehicle and successfully executed an autonomous mission to detect a realistic underwater target. 

Sea Serpent is based on MIND’s commercially developed SeaLink seismic streamer technology which is used worldwide for seismic surveys. Sea Serpent can be used for harbor security, maritime domain awareness or ASW and provides a cost-effective, highly capable, low-power, robust and scalable solution that can be easily customized to an individual end-user’s requirements. This system also provides a rapidly deployable sub-sea intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability from fully autonomous platforms. 

“We are incredibly pleased with this successful demonstration from our Sea Serpent ASW system,” said Rob Capps, MIND’s president and CEO. “We believe this illustrates the versatility of our technologies and our ability to adapt our existing technology to new and unique applications. The primary aim of this experiment was to demonstrate that the Sea Serpent is a viable ASW product that can be rapidly, easily, and reliably deployed from a small USV. We intend to take what we learned from this exercise to continue improving the Sea Serpent system, and we’re confident that this will represent a significant utility to the U.S. and other allied navies in the future.” 

JUNEAU, Alaska — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Kimball crew on a routine patrol in the Bering Sea encountered a People’s Republic of China Guided Missile Cruiser, Renhai CG 101, sailing approximately 75 nautical miles north of Kiska Island, Alaska, September 19, 2022, the Coast Guard 17th District said in a Sept. 26 release. 

The Kimball crew later identified two more Chinese naval vessels and four Russian naval vessels, including a Russian Federation Navy destroyer, all in a single formation with the Renhai as a combined surface action group operating in the U.S. exclusive economic zone.  

As a result, the Kimball crew is now operating under Operation Frontier Sentinel, a 17th Coast Guard District operation designed to meet presence with presence when strategic competitors operate in and around U.S. waters. The U.S Coast Guard’s presence strengthens the international rules-based order and promotes the conduct of operations in a manner that follows international norms. While the surface action group was temporary in nature, and Kimball observed it disperse, the Kimball will continue to monitor activities in the U.S. EEZ to ensure the safety of U.S. vessels and international commerce in the area. A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak C-130 Hercules air crew provided support to the Kimball’s Operation Frontier Sentinel activities.     

In September 2021, Coast Guard cutters deployed to the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean also encountered Chinese naval vessels, including a surface action group transiting approximately 50 miles off the Aleutian Island chain.  

“While the formation has operated in accordance with international rules and norms,” said Rear Adm. Nathan Moore, 17th Coast Guard District commander, “we will meet presence-with-presence to ensure there are no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska.” 

Kimball is a 418-foot Legend-class national security cutter homeported in Honolulu. 

WASHINGTON — The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Cooperstown (LCS 23) at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, Sept. 20, PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants Public Affairs said in a release. 

The ship is the 12th Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship designed and delivered by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team. Delivery marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy.  Following delivery, the ship will sail away for a commissioning ceremony in New York City before transiting to its homeport in Mayport, Florida. 

“Today marks a significant shipbuilding milestone in the life of the future USS Cooperstown, ‘America’s Away Team,’ an exceptional ship and the latest inductee into the Navy’s arsenal conducting operations around the globe.” said Capt. Andy Gold, PMS 501 (Littoral Combat Ships) program manager. 

LCS 23 is the second Freedom-variant ship outfitted with the combining gear correction that will allow unrestricted operations. The correction addresses a class-wide flaw that was identified as the fleet deployed these ships in greater numbers.   

The future USS Cooperstown will be the first naval ship to honor the Village of Cooperstown in Otsego County, New York. The village is located at the southern end of the historic Otsego Lake in the central region of the state. Cooperstown, New York, is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which is the source of the ship’s motto, “America’s Away Team.” 

Several more Freedom variant ships are under construction at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The future USS Marinette (LCS 25) is scheduled for delivery in early 2023. Additional ships in various stages of construction include the future ships USS Nantucket (LCS 27), USS Beloit (LCS 29) and USS Cleveland (LCS 31). LCS 31 will be the final Freedom-variant LCS. 

The LCS class is now the second-largest surface ship class in production. The future USS Cooperstown is the fourth LCS delivered in Fiscal Year 2022, following the deliveries of the Freedom-variant USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), Independence-variant USS Canberra (LCS 30), and Independence-variant USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32). 

The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore and open ocean environments, capable of winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as mines and swarming small craft. The ships are capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence. 

“I look forward to seeing Cooperstown step up to the plate with her sister ships in Mayport to bring her slugging capabilities to the fleet.” Gold said. 

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK — With plank owners, former crew members and veterans of the Battle of Hué in attendance, the crew of USS Hué City (CG 66) decommissioned their ship at a Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, ceremony on Sept. 23, the ship’s public affairs office said in a release. 
 
The event comes just nine days after the ship’s 31st commissioning anniversary. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the ship’s distinguished history and military service and to honor those who sacrificed in the battle for which the ship is named. 
 
The ceremony’s presiding officer and a native of Hue, Vietnam, Rear Adm. Huan Nguyen, Naval Sea Systems Command Deputy Commander for Cyber Engineering, shared his 1968 Tet Offensive experiences and the important place USS Hué City holds in the Navy. 
 
“To me, the Hue City represents the very simple democracy and freedom and fighting spirit of all the heroes who defend and protect her,” said Nguyen. “Those values are what continue to inspire me to serve our great nation, to live a life of fidelity, courage and honor. It is the crew, former and present, that I would like to honor and thank.” 
 
“BZ to the USS Hue City, to the former and present crew. Thank you for your service and may her fighting spirit live on forever.” 
 
Current Hué City Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Thad D. Tasso, spoke of the unbreakable connection between a ship and the Sailors who serve onboard and of the life-long connections made through shared experiences and challenges. His words resonated with the audience as they bade farewell to their ship. 
 
“While the decommissioning of a ship is traditionally a somber affair, it is also an opportunity for us to celebrate our warship’s heritage and the impact she has had on our Navy,” said Tasso. 
 
Hué City was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and commissioned there Sept. 14, 1991. The ship is named in commemoration of the Vietnam War battle which was fought in and around the city of Hué during the 1968 Tet Offensive from Jan. 31 to March 2, 1968. During the battle, three understrength U.S. Marine battalions, consisting of fewer than 2,500 men, attacked and soundly defeated more than 10,000 entrenched enemy troops, liberating the city of Hué and handing the enemy a costly defeat. 
 
The Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser is the only U.S. Navy warship to be named in commemoration of a Vietnam War battle. 
 
Over its 31 years of service, Hué City has played an important part in the Navy’s timeless role of protecting America at sea. The ship and its crew completed several deployments, supported numerous exercises and provided important humanitarian assistance, including off the coast of New York in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 
 
From 2002 to 2017, the ship deployed seven times in support of the Global War on Terror and Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship deployed for the final time in 2017 to support Operation Inherent Resolve. 
 
“For 31 years USS Hué City defended our nation and kept the oceans of the world free,” added Tasso. 
 
“Her crew sailed with the full knowledge of the heritage that sailed with them and in striving to remain true to it, built a legacy of success of their own. As she now takes her rightful place in our Navy’s history, I can think of no more fitting epitaph for her service than ‘she was worthy of the name she bears’.” 
 
After decommissioning, the ship is slated to be towed Oct. 31, to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Philadelphia, where it will be in a Logistical Support Asset status. 

WASHINGTON — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday met with the Commander of the Belgian Navy Rear Adm. Jan de Beurme at the Pentagon for an office call on Sept. 23, the CNO’s Public Affairs office said in a release.

The leaders discussed building maritime capabilities and capacity, as well as deterrence, defense and the need to continue to protect the stability and prosperity of the seas.

“Collectively, our capacity expands when we sail in company with like-minded navies around the world, and we are grateful for the continued partnership and collaboration with Belgium,” said Gilday. “We will continue to strengthen the bonds we share through increased operations, interoperability, and continued cooperation.”

Both heads of navy emphasized the need to develop high-end warfare capabilities, such as advanced mine countermeasures and ballistic-missile defense, while also leveraging enhanced capabilities and technology. The Belgian navy is currently leading a Belgian-Dutch mine countermeasures replacement program, which will supply the Belgian and Royal Netherlands navies with six new minehunter vessels each.

The U.S. Navy and Belgian navy regularly operate together around the world. In July, the Navy participated in the Bulgarian exercise Breeze alongside Allies and partners Albania, Belgium, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Turkey and the United Kingdom. This summer the U.S. and Belgium were two of the 16 NATO Allied and partner nations that participated in exercise Baltic Operations 22, the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region.

Beurme attended the U.S.-led 2021 International Seapower Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island, and will see Gilday again in Venice, Italy, next month for the Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium. This was their first official meeting.

Newport, R.I. — The crew of the USCGC Tahoma (WMEC 908) returned to their new homeport Sept. 19 after a 66-day patrol in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a release.   

During the patrol, Tahoma conducted living marine resource enforcement, search and rescue, and migrant interdiction operations. 

Tahoma departed its previous homeport at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for the final time in July, conducting a fisheries enforcement patrol to support the sustainability of economically important fisheries and ensure the safety of the U.S. commercial fishing fleet. Over a 32-day period, Tahoma’s crew conducted 55 commercial fishing vessel boardings, identifying 34 safety violations and four violations of fisheries law.  

In August, Tahoma shifted patrol efforts to the Caribbean Sea, in response to a rise in maritime migration from Cuba, to detect, deter and intercept unsafe and illegal ventures to the United States. Tahoma intercepted and cared for 350 migrants across 27 separate cases. 

“I am very proud of Tahoma’s crew for their efforts over the past two months. The crew’s ability to transition between two very different missions is a testament to their dedication, perseverance, and devotion to duty. I am proud of the significant impact this crew made on the safety and sustainability of the North Atlantic commercial fishing industry as well as their efforts in responding to the current increase in maritime migration from Cuba,” said Cmdr. Piero Pecora, commanding officer of Tahoma. 

Tahoma is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Newport with 100 crewmembers. The cutter’s primary missions are counter drug operations, migrant interdiction, enforcing federal fishery laws and search and rescue in support of Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

Middletown, R.I. — Rite-Solutions was awarded a $77 million, five-year contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division under the Department of the Navy, the company said Sept. 26. 

The company will support the Strategic and Computing Systems Department, which provides systems engineering, software development, and support services for various commands. Specific to this Task Order, Rite-Solutions will be providing engineering support for Cyber Situational Awareness, Cyber Command and Control, Mission Assurance, and Homeland Defense.  

“It’s an honor for us to receive this award in partnership with ECS,” said Laurie Carter, senior vice president for business development and strategy. The contract is Rite-Solutions’ first with NSWCDD. It is also the first time the company will be a prime contractor in surface warfare systems.

The majority of work will be performed near Dahlgren, Virginia. The Rite-Solutions proposal included one-year options within the five-year contract period, and up to 61 full-time employees, annually. In addition to current staff and staff at ECS, Rite-Solutions will be hiring 20 to 30 people in the Virginia and District of Columbia area. 

“We are pleased and proud to be part of NSWC Dahlgren’s cyber-assurance team,” says Dennis McLaughlin, Rite-Solutions president and CEO. “Given world events happening today, cyber defense is more important than ever. This critical cyber assurance work helps to keep our warfighters safe while they keep us safe.” 

Arlington, Va. — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced Sept. 23 that the president has made the following nomination: 

Navy Rear Adm. Alvin Holsey for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as military deputy commander, U.S. Southern Command, Doral, Florida. Holsey is currently serving as commander, Navy Personnel Command; and deputy chief of naval personnel, Millington, Tennessee. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The developers of unmanned systems must do more to create platforms that can operate in the “messy middle” between being totally autonomous and being controlled remotely by humans, with some autonomy but also some ability for humans to interact with the vehicle, an analyst said Sept. 22 during a defense industry event.

Bryan Clark, a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute, told attendees of the AUVSI Defense conference that a lot of focus has been placed on getting unmanned systems to the field faster, and the way to do that is to introduce a manned element to make the system more flexible — which also opens up new missions the platform can do.

“It requires you to increase the level of human involvement in the machine and operate in this ‘messy middle’ where you have varying levels of human-machine interaction,” he said after the event.

Right now, most unmanned platforms fall in two categories: a completed automated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform that operates independently of the manned force, and remotely operated vehicles that are entirely dependent on human input.

“Those are basically the bulk of the unmanned vehicle spectrum,” Clark said. “There’s not that much in the middle where you have the mixed operator-machine interaction. It’s hard to build a force around that, because you’re not sure how much operator intervention you need for a particular mission and scenario, but that’s where the value lies.

“If you have a force that can operate between a lot and a little human intervention depending on the vehicle, it gives your commanders lots of options, and it mitigates some of the automation shortfalls,” he continued.

Clark said the Navy is already having to take that approach with some unmanned surface vehicles that were supposed to be entirely automated for months at a time.

“They are finding out they’re not lasting as long as they were hoping,” he said. “It’s not a six-month deployment — it’s more like a week at a time, and then they need to fix and maintain and refuel them, and some cases may have to put people on there all the time.”

It is the same situation with unmanned aerial vehicles, such as MQ-4C Tritons that can operate on their own but would need human intervention in order to be used for something more “creative” like as a targeting platform for missile attacks. “You need humans operating sensors and telling the vehicle where to go,” he said.

“It’s the messy middle where you have an undefined level of automation and human interaction by design,” he added. “That’s where 90% of the DoD mission set lies. Until you are ready to bring unmanned systems into that middle part where most of the work is, you’re never going to realize their benefits.”

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK — With plank owners, former crew members, and families of the Battle of Anzio veterans looking on, USS Anzio (CG 68) crew decommissioned their ship at a Naval Station Norfolk ceremony Sept. 22, Naval Surface Force Public Affairs said in a release.

Retired Capt. H. Wyman Howard Jr., Anzio’s first commanding officer, fondly remembered how the ship was brought to life three decades ago.

“Four hundred young men with the average age of 20 years old, 66% of whom had never been to sea before, ran onto Anzio and brought her alive,” said Howard during his remarks.

“At the commissioning, I wrote the following letter to Team Anzio: ‘This day marks the most significant milestone in the life of Anzio: she comes alive! … Whether you fought at the Anzio beachhead, welded a piece of her steel, supervised her construction, or gave your love and support to us during 20 months of hard work, you are a valued member of Team Anzio. Thank you for all the hours, hard work, and sacrifices you made to make this day a reality.’”

The event comes just months after the ship’s 30th commissioning anniversary. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the ship’s distinguished history and military service.

Anzio was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and commissioned in Norfolk, May 2, 1992.

It is the second ship to bear the name Anzio and honors the Allied Forces beachhead invasion at Anzio and Nettuno, Italy, during World War II. The strategic importance of the Battle of Anzio to the overall Allied effort in Europe, however, is often underestimated. The two German corps engaged on the Anzio front were originally destined for Normandy. The success of the Allied landings on the beaches in France in June 1944 were due largely to the tenacity of the Allied forces at Anzio.

The Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser deployed for the first time Oct. 20, 1994, as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Battle Group. During that deployment the crew participated in operations conducted in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, Adriatic Sea and Black Sea. It would be the first of many Anzio deployments.

Over the years, the Anzio team supported Operation Iraqi Freedom, firing more than a dozen Tomahawk missiles while on station and served as the flagship for Combined Task Force 151 supporting anti-piracy efforts off the horn of Africa. The crew also picked up 10 U.S. Navy Sailors for transport and medical evaluations after being held in Iranian custody having been captured after their two naval boats unintentionally entered Iranian waters.

After decommissioning, the ship is slated to be towed in November to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Philadelphia, Pa., where it will be in a Logistical Support Asset status.