WASHINGTON – The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) announced Oct. 23 that it is standing up a new Real Estate directorate, responsible acquiring, managing, and disposing of real property interests for the Department of the Navy.

The new directorate will explore and implement emerging methodologies for use at Navy and Marine Corps installations using diverse business arrangements such as Enhanced Use Lease, Intergovernmental Support Agreements, and Other Transactional Authority Pilot Projects.

“By making this move, we are enabling NAVFAC’s real estate subject matter experts to develop and deliver projects with greater speed, agility, and relevance,” said Rear Adm. John Korka, Commander of NAVFAC. “Real estate authorities that the Secretary of the Navy has delegated must be optimally aligned to facilitate increased performance, and real estate will become a stronger mission enabler and force multiplier for our Fleet and Marine Corps.”

One goal is to leverage innovative financing models with the private sector to allow the Navy to more rapidly address critical, unfunded installation requirements while preserving congressional appropriations for direct support of warfighting efforts.

“Realigning the NAVFAC real estate organization into a new directorate is paramount to both recapitalizing Navy and Marine Corps infrastructure and reducing facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization burden,” said  Joe Calcara, director, NAVFAC Real Estate.

“In the next several months, we will be conducting feasibility analyses of potential opportunities across the Navy and Marine Corps domains for projects that enhance energy and water resilience, leverage capital investment, and optimize efficiencies in facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization, with the goal to execute in streamlined processes within the next 12-18 months.” Calcara said. 

Calcara returned to NAVFAC last month, bringing with him more than 35 years’ experience in managing public infrastructure, facilities engineering, integrated water resources, and asset management programs at NAVFAC, US Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Army, and other private sector entities.

The new directorate is planned to reach full operating capability on June 30, 2021.

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Thetis’ crew returned home on Oct. 23 to Key West, after completing a 42-day patrol to the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

During its patrol, the crew interdicted more than 4,500 pounds of illicit narcotics bound for the maritime domain. In total, the crew prevented more than $8.8 million worth of narcotics from reaching American streets while working in support of U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force-South, Thetis’ crew played a critical role in executing the nation’s counter drug mission.

“By remaining active in the Eastern Pacific, we continue to disrupt the flow of illicit and dangerous narcotics into the United States,” said Cmdr. Justin Nadolny, Thetis’ commanding officer. “The high operational tempo of the mission was demanding, and I am extremely proud of what this outstanding crew accomplished.”   

Thetis’ crew deployed with an MH-65 helicopter aircrew capable of conducting airborne use of force from the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron based in Jacksonville, Florida. The detachment assisted in the interdiction of a go-fast vessel and a low-profile vessel suspected of smuggling illicit cargo.

Thetis — named for the mother of Achilles from Greek mythology — is a 270-foot famous-class cutter homeported in Key West, with a crew complement of 104.

CORONADO, Calif. — Navy EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) released its force-shaping blueprint for the next 10 years as its leadership looks to mold the military’s maritime EOD force into one that best supports the U.S., its allies and partner nations to compete and win in an era of great power competition, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One Public Affairs said in a release. 

The force’s first major strategic mission update since 1997, the plan was developed to meet the challenges of a changing national security environment and position Navy EOD to best serve its clear, secure, build and protect role within the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force (NECF), said Rear Adm. Joseph DiGuardo, commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). 

“The NECF clears the explosive, security, and physical hazards emplaced by our adversaries; secures battlespace for the naval force; builds the critical infrastructure, domain awareness, and logistic capacity to rearm, resupply, and refuel the fleet; protects the critical assets the Navy and the nation need to achieve victory and reinforce blue-water lethality,” said DiGuardo, who oversees the NECF, which is comprised of Navy EOD, the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force, the Naval Construction Force, and diving and salvage units. 

“As part of the NECF, our EOD forces play a pivotal role clearing the explosive hazards in any environment to protect the fleet and Joint Force — from the simplest impediment to the most complex weapon of mass destruction — and build an understanding of our adversary capabilities by exploiting those hazards. Navy EOD is the key to our nation being undeterred by explosive threats,” said DiGuardo. 

“The strategic plan ensures Navy EOD supports the NECF by eliminating explosive threats so the fleet, Navy and nation can fight and win whenever, wherever and however it chooses,” said Capt. Oscar Rojas, commodore of the Coronado, California-based EOD Group (EODGRU) 1. 

Rojas said this will be accomplished through the strategic plans’ five core objectives: develop the Navy EOD force to win against near-peer competitors and empowered non-state actors; expand Navy EOD’s advantage against competitors’ undersea threats; capitalize on Navy EOD’s ability to counter WMDs; grow Navy EOD’s expertise in its ability to counter, neutralize and understand next-generation weapons systems; and enhance the EOD capabilities of allies and partner nations. 

“Our strategic plan was designed to guide us in creating a force that can deter adversaries and win in a complex security environment,” said Capt. Rick Hayes, commodore of EODGRU-2, which operates out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. “That is why we dedicated an objective to specifically focus on developing and caring for our Sailors. Our people are our most important asset—they are our weapons system.” 

The plan lays out how Navy EOD will grow its ability to recruit and retain the best talent, develop strong leaders of character, and use its force resiliency program, STRIKE, to improve the physical and mental care Navy EOD personnel receive throughout their careers. 

“Navy EOD’s unique mission requires us to be fit in mind, body and spirit. We want our current and future operators to have access to the best facilities with the most qualified staff, so they are ready to deploy when called upon,” said Hayes, adding STRIKE’s holistic approach includes giving EOD operators access to athletic trainers, physical therapists and mental health professionals. 

The force’s 1,800 operators can also expect an increased emphasis on building their knowledge and capabilities in areas critical to succeeding in a GPC environment, according to the plan. 

This includes Navy EOD enhancing its expeditionary undersea capabilities by working in cyberspace. The force will pursue using unmanned maritime systems (UMS) to access adversary communication networks to disrupt, delay or destroy weapons systems. 

EOD operators will see initiatives expanding exploitation training — the understanding of a weapons systems’ assembly, capabilities and weaknesses — throughout their careers along with educational opportunities to develop their expertise to counter WMDs (CWMD). They will also work with leaders in industry, research and development, and academia to stay at forefront of unmanned systems, explosives detection, and forensic science. 

Additionally, the plan calls for Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) companies to be a testbed for these new systems and software. 

“The operators using emerging UMS technology are the closest to the challenges. Our strategic plan will empower them to provide us feedback from the tactical level during the capability development process to help accelerate solutions to the ever-evolving threats,” said Rojas. 

ExMCM companies provide military commanders a flexible, scalable and rapidly-deployable capability that ships and aircraft do not offer. They are capable of operating in theater from a variety of craft within days of tasking. 

“ExMCM will be instrumental in bolstering the capabilities of our allies and partner nations as we look to better interoperate with them and define shared responsibilities during GPC in the maritime environment,” said Rojas. 

The 10-year plan has ExMCM companies working with allies and partner nations to expand initiatives, such as subject matter expert exchanges and multinational exercises designed to deter peer and near-peer adversaries. 

All the objectives put forward in the 2030 plan are essential to delivering a lethal, resilient and sustainable Navy EOD force that can be called upon during contingency and crisis operations, said Hayes. 

“Realizing this vision will be impossible without the support of everyone in the Navy EOD community. By leveraging their creativity, discipline and leadership, we will develop a force for 2030 that continues to protect the security and future of the American people,” said Hayes. 

LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards LLC today delivered the USCGC Charles Moulthrope to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 164th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 41st Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program. 

The USCGC Charles Moulthrope is the first of six FRCs to be homeported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the aging 110-foot Island Class Patrol Boats, built by Bollinger Shipyards 30 years ago, supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA), the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest overseas presence outside the United States. 

“Bollinger is proud to continue enhancing and supporting the U.S. Coast Guard’s operational presence around the world by delivering the USCGC Charles Moulthrope,” said Bollinger President and CEO Ben Bordelon. “It is our top priority to ensure that the brave men and women of the Coast Guard stationed in PATFORSWA have the most state-of-the-art, advanced vessels as they work to build and maintain the necessary regional alliances to ensure maritime security in the region. Building ships for the Coast Guard provides critical assets to bolster our national security and advance America’s interests, both at home and abroad.” 

At a PATFORSWA change of command ceremony earlier in the summer, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander Vice Adm. Steven D. Poulin emphasized the importance of the unit, saying, “During these historical times it is important, now more than ever, that we maintain maritime security operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. [PATFORSWA is] pushing forward into the unknown to protect American interests in the region.” 

PATFORSWA Commander Capt. Willie L. Carmichael echoed Poulin’s comments, saying PATFORSWA “plays a key role in maritime security, maritime infrastructure protection, theater security cooperation, and counter-smuggling operations.” 

PATFORSWA is composed of six cutters, shoreside support personnel, and the Maritime Engagement Team. The unit’s mission is to train, organize, equip, support and deploy combat-ready Coast Guard Forces in support of U.S. Central Command and national security objectives. PATFORSWA works with Naval Forces Central Command in furthering their goals to conduct persistent maritime operations to forward U.S. interests, deter and counter disruptive countries, defeat violent extremism and strengthen partner nations’ maritime capabilities in order to promote a secure maritime environment. 

 “The FRC hot production line continues to produce and provide stability in the industrial base for the U.S. Government and our Bollinger workforce, assuring economic benefit for our region, our vendor partners in the 40-plus states that support the FRC program, and our country,” Bordelon said. 

The last 20 weeks of the USCGC Charles Moulthrope build occurred despite the COVID-19 global pandemic and six named storms impacting the Gulf region, all of which affected Louisiana and two of which made landfall in the state as hurricanes, including Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm and the strongest to hit the state since the Great Storm of 1856. Bollinger undertook precautions to ensure the health and safety of employees and maintain its delivery schedule. For the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollinger increased and enhanced sanitization practices across the shipyard, and enacted more liberal leave and remote work policies as well as altered shift schedules to promote social distancing. 

Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself or herself in the line of duty. Born in Massachusetts in 1873, Charles Moulthrope was a member of the crew of Revenue Cutter Commodore Perry. Seaman Moulthrope gave his life in the performance of duties in 1896. Moulthrope had previously performed a heroic deed while serving on the Perry. Moulthrope rescued four of his shipmates who had fallen into the sea from the cutter’s launch after they had gone to rescue another crewman, Boatswain Alfred Halfell who had fallen overboard. He grabbed a line and leaped over the side into the freezing water to rescue the four who were rapidly succumbing to hypothermia.Moulthrope worked the line around all four of the sailors and those on board the cutter then pulled the men aboard the Perry. 

The FRC is an operational “game changer,” according to senior Coast Guard officials. FRCs are consistently being deployed in support of the full range of missions within the United States Coast Guard and other branches of our armed services.This is due to its exceptional performance, expanded operational reach and capabilities, and ability to transform and adapt to the mission. FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands — a 4,400 nautical mile trip from their homeport. Measuring in at 154-feet, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art C4ISR suite (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26-foot, over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced in an Oct. 22 release the designation of the North Carolina Ferry System (NCFS) as a Marine Highway Project, a first for the state of North Carolina. Marine highways are navigable waterways that can be used as alternate options to traditional transportation methods. 

“This historic designation will enhance the ability of the North Carolina Ferry System to connect communities and promote economic growth with an efficient, effective, and sustainable water-based transportation option,” Chao said. 

Issued as part of MARAD’s America’s Marine Highway Program, the designation will enable the NCFS to apply for federal funding that can be used to modernize its vessels and improve infrastructure at terminals, further allowing for the streamlining of maintenance to meet the region’s needs of efficient transportation of freight and vehicles. 

America’s Marine Highway Program bolsters local economies by creating and preserving jobs on U.S. waterways. By expanding the use of navigable, cost-effective waterways, communities are able to save in vehicle costs and travel time, ultimately improving economic efficiency, public safety, and security. 

Located on the M-95 Marine Highway route, the NCFS is an underutilized, expansive network of navigable waterways that connects eastern North Carolina to rural communities of the Outer Banks’ barrier islands. The ferry system serves as a lifeline, carrying supplies, equipment, and other consumable goods to these islands.  

This century-old, state-run ferry system is the second largest in the nation, currently transporting approximately 800,000 vehicles along seven regular routes annually. Running 22 ferries that transport 9,000 trailer trucks yearly, the NCFS has reduced almost 200,000 miles of landside traffic. The service is also an economic boon to the region, generating $18.1 million in vehicle cost savings, $13.9 million in travel time savings, and $8.3 million in safety benefits. 

PALO ALTO, Calif. — PARC, a Xerox company, has been awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the next development phase in the Ocean of Things, a project to expand what scientists know about the seas, the company said in an Oct. 22 release. 
 
Initially announced by DARPA in 2017, the Ocean of Things project is deploying small, low-cost drifters in the Southern California Bight and Gulf of Mexico to collect data on the environment and human impact. This includes sea surface temperature, sea state, surface activities, and even information on marine life moving through the area.  
 
“Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the earth’s surface, but we know very little about them,” said Ersin Uzun, vice president and general manager of the Internet of Things team at Xerox. “The drifters gather data that we could never track before, enabling persistent maritime situational awareness.” 
 
Each solar-powered drifter has approximately 20 onboard sensors, including a camera, GPS, microphone, hydrophone, and accelerometer. The different sensors can provide data for a broad array of areas including ocean pollution, aquafarming and transportation routes.  
 
PARC leveraged its more than fifty years of experience developing industry-leading technologies to design a drifter that best fit the DARPA requirements for the program. Among other things, the float needed to be made of environmentally safe materials, be able to survive in harsh maritime conditions for a year or more before safely sinking itself, and use advanced analytic techniques to process and share the data gathered. 
 
PARC built 1,500 drifters for the first phase of the project and will deliver up to 10,000 that are more compact and cost-effective for the next phase. Data gained in this round will help further optimize the final design, at which point DARPA expects to deploy large volumes of these drifters to provide continuous information and a better understanding of oceans that is missing today. 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard repatriated 36 of 38 migrants to the Dominican Republic on Oct. 21, following the interdiction of two illegal voyages just off Cabo Rojo and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th District said in an Oct. 22 release. 

The interdicted migrants claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, two of whom remain in Puerto Rico to face possible federal prosecution on charges of attempted illegal reentry into the United States.  

The interdictions are the result of ongoing multiagency efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG). 

“The close collaboration and efficient coordination between the Puerto Rico Police and fellow responding federal law enforcement partner agencies resulted in two successful interdictions and the safe removal of all 38 migrants,” said Cmdr. Beau Powers, Sector San Juan chief of response.  “If a migrant vessel capsizes, the chance for survival is very low, since these grossly overloaded and unseaworthy makeshift boats are continuously taking on water and they have no lifesaving equipment onboard.  We call upon anyone looking to take part in an illegal voyage that they not take the sea; it is just not worth risking your life or the life of a loved one.”  

The first interdiction occurred on Oct. 19, when the crew of a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit stopped a makeshift boat, approximately half a nautical mile southwest of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle (WPC-1133), while a Customs and Border Protection marine interceptor also responded to assist. 

Once on scene with the migrant vessel, the crew of the cutter Joseph Doyle safely embarked 21 migrants, 17 men and 4 women.  After embarking all migrants, and following biometric processing, the crew learned of the criminal and immigration history of the two migrants who are now facing federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.  U.S. Border Patrol agents received custody of the two migrants in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. 

The second interdiction occurred on Oct. 21, after the crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine aircraft detected a suspect illegal voyage, approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.  Shortly thereafter, the crew of a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit stopped the 25-foot makeshift boat, while the cutter Joseph Doyle and a Customs and Border Protection Air and marine surface unit arrived on scene to assist.  The crew of the cutter Joseph Doyle safely embarked 17 migrants, 15 men and two women from the migrant vessel. 

In both cases, the migrants were provided with lifejackets before embarking the Coast Guard cutter, where all migrants received food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. 

The cutter Joseph Doyle later rendezvoused with and completed the repatriation of the migrants to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off the Dominican Republic. 

WASHINGTON — Following Tuesday’s Atlantic Future Forum remarks, U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday conducted a bilateral strategic dialogue via video teleconference with the U.K. First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff Adm. Tony Radakin, Oct. 21, the CNO’s public affairs officer said in a release. 

The leaders discussed the two navies’ alliance and areas for continued collaboration and cooperation around the globe. Additionally, the two leaders signed a Statement of Intent for Future Integrated Warfighting that will set a cooperative vision for inter- changeability between the two navies, synchronize pioneering capabilities, strengthen operating concepts, and focus our collective efforts to Deliver Combined Seapower, together. 

“We have a long tradition of sailing together from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific. No doubt, our storied past has strengthened our friendship today, and will do so far into the future,” said Gilday. “After months of hard work on both sides of the Atlantic, we are pleased to sign this statement of intent that will set a cooperative vision for interchangeability. By organizing our cooperation together on carrier strike, underwater superiority, Navy-Marine integration as well as future warfighting efforts like unmanned and AI, we will remain on the leading edge of great power competition.” 

Radakin echoed similar sentiments. 

“In an increasingly contested world, alliances and partnerships such as that between the U.K. and the U.S. are vital,” said Radakin. “We have already proven how closely we can work together, from developing our carrier strike capability to jointly demonstrating freedom of navigation around the world. Now, as we move towards every greater interchangeability, I am excited by the opportunities to strengthen and deepen our partnership today and in the years to come.” 

The U.S. Navy and U.K. Royal Navy regularly operate together around the world. Most recently, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) took part in the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group exercise and Joint Warrior 20-2 (JW202). The two navies also conducted training in the Barents Sea in early September. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper announced Oct. 21 that the president has made the following nominations: 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard D. Heinz for appointment to the rank of rear admiral.  Heinz is currently serving as director, logistics, J4, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. 

Capt. Kevin P. Lenox for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half).  Lenox is currently serving as branch head, Joint Intelligence Operations Center, J3, U.S. Central Command, Tampa, Florida.  

Capt. Wesley R. McCall for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half).  McCall is currently serving as executive assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. 

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Pratt & Whitney, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp., has been awarded a $1.5M contract to conduct an F135 modernization study and operational assessment by the F-35 Joint Program Office to determine specific propulsion system growth requirements for Block 4.2 F-35 aircraft and beyond, the company said in an Oct. 20 release. The study is expected to conclude in March 2021. 

“This award is a significant milestone for the program and the warfighter, as we look to ensure the F135 propulsion system continues to provide the foundation for all air vehicle capability requirements over the full lifecycle of the F-35,” said Matthew Bromberg, president, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. “As we look to the future, growth in aircraft capability must be met with matched propulsion modernization. Fortunately, the F135 has ample design margin to support agile and affordable upgrades that will enable all F-35 operators to keep pace with evolving threat environments.” 

Under this award, Pratt & Whitney will assess F135 engine enhancements required to support future F-35 weapon system capability requirements across all F-35 variants beginning with Block 4.2 aircraft. The scope of the assessment focuses on enhancements addressing improvements to up and away thrust, powered lift thrust, power and thermal management capacity, and fuel burn reduction.  

Designed with the knowledge that operational environments will evolve and threats will advance, the F135 is postured to meet future F-35 capability requirements. Its modular design and advanced digital architecture allow for the agile development and spiral insertion of both hardware and software upgrades. As part of the study, Pratt & Whitney’s GATORWORKS organization will complete the conceptual design and analysis of multiple F135 Engine Enhancement Package (EEP) growth options with phased insertion plans. 

Leveraging significant U.S. Government and Pratt & Whitney investment in next generation adaptive propulsion technologies, Pratt & Whitney’s EEP approach offers low risk, variant-common upgrade options for the F135 that provide increased performance aligned with the program’s continuous capability development and delivery strategy and serve as a critical enabler for future capability growth of the F-35 weapon system. 

The combat-proven F135 is the most advanced operational fighter engine in the world, delivering 26% more thrust, 116% more powered lift, and more than a 300% increase in power and thermal management over 4th generation fighter engines – all with a demonstrated mission capability rate of greater than 94%. 

“Built upon decades of combat propulsion experience, the F135 provides the warfighter with a critical technological advantage over adversaries at an unparalleled value to the taxpayer,” said Bromberg. “With more than 40,000 pounds of thrust, unmatched low-observable signature, world-class thermal management, and innovative engine control system, the F135 is a critical enabler of the F-35 weapons system and of operations conducted in advanced threat environments – a core element of the National Defense Strategy.”