ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has announced plans to activate the force structure to operate its future MQ-25A Stingray aerial refueling unmanned aerial vehicle late next year. In an internal notice, the chief of naval operations directed the establishment…
VideoRay begins shipping Defender ROVs to U.S. Navy
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) maker VideoRay has begun shipping its new Defender underwater robot to the U.S. Navy, the company said Oct. 1. The shipments are done under an existing $49 million contract to deliver the Navy’s…
Coast Guard Cutter Northland Returns Home from Patrol
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard Cutter Northland (WMEC-904) returned to its homeport in Portsmouth after a 47-day patrol conducting counter-drug and migrant interdiction operations in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Sept. 30, the Coast Guard 5th District said in…
Reclamation of Ex-Japanese MH-53E Helicopter Parts Complete for U.S. Navy
ARLINGTON, Va. — The reclamation of helicopter parts from some retired Japanese helicopters to sustain some U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helicopters is complete, a Navy spokeswoman said. The parts are being used to sustain the U.S. Navy’s MH-53E Sea…
Navy Orders Full-Rate Production for BQM-177A Aerial Targets From Kratos
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has awarded $29.2 million contract to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc. for Lot 1 Full-Rate Production of the company’s BQM-177A subsonic aerial target. The Naval Air Systems Command awarded the firm-fixed-price contract to Kratos…
AeroVironment Unveils Improved Version of Switchblade One-Way Attack Drone
ARLINGTON, Va. — Unmanned aircraft maker AeroVironment has developed a bigger, badder version of Switchblade, its man-portable, tube-launched, loitering small aerial missile system. The Switchblade 600 has greater capabilities for engaging larger, hardened targets with multi-purpose anti-armor ammunition at longer distances…
Moton Sets Fiscal 2021 Priorities for Navy’s Unmanned and Small Combatants
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants (PEO USC) has set an ambitious plan to push development of the systems in his portfolio on the eve of fiscal 2021. Rear Adm. Casey Moton, speaking…
U.S. Coast Guard Conducts Joint Arctic Operations, Scientific Research Off Greenland
KITTERY, Maine — U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC 909) returned to homeport Tuesday, following a two-month deployment supporting joint Arctic operations off Greenland’s western coast, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a Sept. 29 release. Campbell’s crew contributed to joint…
USS Donald Cook Completes Availability Ahead of Schedule
ROTA, Spain — The Forward-Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) detachment Rota recently completed a surface incremental availability (SIA) for USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) five days ahead of schedule, returning the ship for continued operational tasking, the Navy’s Team Ships…
Marine Corps F-35B, KC-130J Collide in Mid-Air
ARLINGTON, Va. — A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II strike fighter collided with a Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transport aircraft over Southern California on Sept. 29, resulting in the loss of the F-35B and a crash landing of the…
