ARLINGTON, Va. — Leonardo DRS Inc. has won a U.S. Navy
contract for the development, integration and production of hardware solutions
for various Navy platforms, the company said in a Sept. 4 release.

The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has
a base award of more than $382 million. With options, the cumulative value of
the contract is estimated at more than $830 million.

Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will provide design,
procurement, production, sparing, test, installation, and support of displays,
workstations, processors, and network systems; the production of subsequent
systems, kits and enclosures; and engineering and technical services.

This contract combines purchases for the Navy and the
government of the United Kingdom under the Foreign Military Sales program as
well as under a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth of Australia.

“We are proud to continue our long history of providing the U.S. Navy with off-the-shelf and custom hardware systems that deliver the mission-critical modernization needs for our sailors. We have already delivered or are under contract for over 250 shipsets of products, going back to 1998,” said Lee Meyer, vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business.

The contract was awarded through the Leonardo DRS Laurel Technologies business.  Work will be performed in Leonardo DRS facilities in Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Burnsville, Minnesota; Germantown, Maryland; Largo, Florida; and Chesapeake, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

OKINAWA,
Japan — The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) departed U.S. 7th Fleet
area of operations as part of a scheduled homeport shift on Sept. 4, the ship’s
public affairs office said in a release.

Wasp,
which replaced USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of
operations in January 2018, operated with U.S. Marine Corps forces from the III
Marine Expeditionary Force and helped expand the relationships the U.S.
military maintains with allies and partners in the region.

“The
performance by the Wasp crew has quite simply been superb,” said Rear Adm. Fred
Kacher, who is commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 7.

“Over the
last two years, no ship in the Navy has been asked to do more than USS Wasp,
and the ship delivered in every way. The officers and crew rose to every
challenge, and we could not have asked for a better flagship to operate in the
most important and dynamic area in the world.”

As part of
the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward deployed naval forces in Japan, Wasp made history
as the first U.S. Navy ship to deploy with the the F-35B Lightning II strike fighter,
which began operating onboard with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in March 2018.

“It has
been a profound honor for Wasp and her crew to serve 7th Fleet and its
ancillary commands during this time,” said Wasp’s commanding officer, Capt.
Gregory Baker. “Our Sailors have embraced the experiences and opportunities
available in this part of the world and are more operationally prepared to
continue supporting and executing the missions we are presented with. I
couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated or capable crew.”

President Trump
visited the ship and crew during his tour of Japan, becoming the first U.S.
president to visit the ship, and he extended accolades to the crew for their
accomplishments. Wasp participated in exercise Balikatan with the Philippine
military and exercise Talisman Sabre with the Australian Defence Force and
additional forces from Japan, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The
ship also engaged in partnership missions designed to enhance interoperability
with numerous partners and allies supporting security and stability in the
Indo-Pacific region.

“What our
Wasp Sailors have accomplished here over almost two years, given the
operational tempo, and the nature of our multipronged mission, is overwhelming,
and it’s difficult not to constantly shine with pride,” said Wasp Command
Master Chief Kevin Guy, who also noted that more than half the ship’s company
had been geo-bachelors during the ship’s tenure in Japan.

“When you
consider that we have a large number of Sailors thousands of miles away from
their families and friends — their level of dedication under these
circumstances truly exemplifies the Navy core values of honor, courage and commitment.”

The Navy announced earlier this year that Wasp will be replaced by the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), which will be accompanied by dock landing ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). USS America is scheduled to become part of the U.S. 7th Fleet forward-deployed naval forces in Sasebo, Japan, later this year.

The 7th Fleet spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the international date line to the India/Pakistan border, and form the Kuril Islands in the north to the Antarctic in the south. Encompassing 36 maritime countries, about 50 percent of the world’s population also falls within its area of responsibility.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In its effort to spread innovation and procurement
agility across the workforce, the U.S. Navy has created regional “tech bridges”
in five areas of the country that will serve as “combustion chambers” of ideas
and encourage collaboration among stakeholders.

The tech bridges, with support from the Office of Naval
Research and the Navy’s Systems Commands, will partner with start-ups,
academia, nonprofits, government entities, small businesses and large
corporations to share ideas, experiences and best practices that can make the
Navy and U.S. Marine Corps faster and more agile at developing and acquiring
problem-solving technologies, according to the Naval Expeditions (NavalX)
agility office.

NavalX was created last February by Assistant Secretary of
the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition James Geurts. The central
idea was to create a workforce “super-connector” that could link people with
ideas to individuals and organizations with needs, across all the sea, air and
space domains. Successes, lessons-learned and subject-matter expertise could be
shared servicewide and eventually across the Defense Department.

“Everything from Marines learning how to 3-D print to
writing software to getting folks who don’t normally interact with the military
to learn from each other,” Geurts told reporters during a media roundtable
Sept. 3 at the NavalX’s temporary offices in Virginia.

The first five tech bridges (more are planned) are in Newport,
Rhode Island; Keyport, Washington; San Diego; Orlando; and Crane, Ind. All the
bridges must have a local Navy Department sponsor willing to dedicate funding,
personnel or programming. For example, Newport is home to the Navy War College
as well as a Naval Undersea Warfare Center, said Navy Cmdr. Sam Gray, the tech bridge
director at NavalX. Additionally, the regional bridges must have non-Navy local
or regional partners providing funding or in-kind services and a sustainable
business plan independent of NavalX support after 12 months.

The tech bridges will operate on a “franchise” model, allowing each region to develop their own way to connect to their unique innovation ecosystem. Geurts stressed that the tech bridges will not create platforms or systems. “This is not the place to invent things, this is the place to share knowledge, so others can invent,” he added.

The idea of tech bridges is to create “a gathering spot, kind of a combustion chamber” for innovative ideas that “close that distance” between the end-user, developer and acquiring agency, Geurts said.

KARLSKOGA, Sweden – BAE Systems has been selected by the
vessel contractor to provide the German federal police force, Bundespolizei,
with three 57 mm naval guns for its three new 86-meter offshore patrol vessels
(OPVs) built by Fassmer shipyard.

The gun systems, known as the Bofors 57 Mk3, will support
the maritime arm of the Bundespolizei that monitors the country’s North Sea and
Baltic coastlines.

The 57 Mk3 is a versatile gun system designed to react
quickly for close-to-shore operations.

“The Bofors 57 Mk3 is a versatile naval gun with firepower
and range that exceeds expectations when compared with similar, medium-caliber
naval gun systems. That’s how our 57 mm system has earned its reputation as the
deck gun of choice for ships operating in coastal environments,” said Ulf
Einefors, director of marketing and sales for BAE’s weapons business in Sweden.
“This contract expands the number of European nations deploying the 57 Mk3 and
reflects the growing interest we’re seeing in the region, where we look forward
to supporting new opportunities in the near future.”

The 57 Mk3 naval gun is also in use with the allied navies and coast guards of eight nations, including Canada, Finland, Mexico and Sweden as well as the United States, where it is known as the Mk110 naval gun.

This contract also includes accompanying fire control systems as well as systems integration support. Work is expected to begin immediately and will be performed at the BAE facility in Karlskoga, Sweden. The first unit is scheduled for delivery in 2020.

SAN JUAN,
Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez (WPC-1114) repatriated
12 migrants to the Dominican Republic Navy patrol boat Proción (GC-103) Sept. 1
near Samaná, Dominican Republic, following the interdiction of an illegal
migrant voyage in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th
District said in a release.

The
interdiction is the result of ongoing efforts in support of Operation Unified
Resolve, Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group
(CBIG).

Coast
Guard watchstanders at the Sector San Juan Command Center received a report at
5:30 p.m. Aug. 31 from the aircrew of a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144
Ocean Sentry aircraft on a routine patrol of the Mona Passage. The aircrew
reported sighting what appeared to be an illegal migrant vessel transiting
eastbound, about 51 nautical miles north of Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

Coast
Guard watchstanders diverted the cutter Heriberto Hernandez to the scene.  Once on scene, the cutter’s crew stopped the
18-foot makeshift boat and safely embarked, for safety of life at sea concerns,
the nine men and three women who were aboard. The interdicted migrants claimed
to be of Dominican nationality.

“I’m proud
of all our Coast Guard crews who quickly returned in full force to protect the
coasts and our citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following
the passing of Hurricane Dorian through the Eastern Caribbean,” said Capt. Eric
King, commander of Sector San Juan. “Their efforts prevented this illegal
migrant voyage from reaching our shores and saving 12 lives from a highly
dangerous situation, since migrant voyages often take place aboard grossly
overloaded and unseaworthy vessels with little or on no lifesaving equipment
onboard.”

Once
aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and
basic medical attention.

The Caribbean Border Interagency Group unifies efforts between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action.

These agencies share a common goal of securing the maritime border of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling threats. The Heriberto Hernandez is a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

NEWPORT
NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division
successfully completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class
submarine, Delaware (SSN 791), the company said in a release.

The
submarine, in the final stages of construction, spent three days at sea proving
all systems, components and compartments. Delaware submerged for the first time
and performed high-speed maneuvers on the surface and underwater.

“Delaware performed well during sea trials, which is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the incredible team of shipbuilders who are working to uphold our high standards of quality,” said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. “We look forward to continuing our testing program to deliver the submarine to the U.S. Navy later this year.”

The submarine is scheduled to undergo a round of acceptance trials before it is delivered. More than 10,000 shipbuilders from Newport News and teaming partner General Dynamics Electric Boat and thousands of companies across 48 states have participated in Delaware’s construction since the work began in September 2013.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.  — The U.S. Army awarded two contracts this week as it advances the fielding of a prototype hypersonic weapon by fiscal 2023, the U.S. Army said in an Aug. 30 release.

The Army Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) will
introduce a new class of ultrafast, maneuverable, long-range missiles that will
launch from mobile ground platforms.

“Delivering hypersonics to a unit of action will provide
a critical combat capability for the Army in support of the National Defense
Strategy,” said LTG L. Neil Thurgood, director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy,
Space and Rapid Acquisition. “With a collaborative effort by our partners in
industry and the Department of Defense, we will advance this strategic weapon
system and fulfill a critical mission for our nation.”

Hypersonic weapons are capable of flying at five times
the speed of sound and operate at varying altitudes, making them unique from
other missiles with a ballistic trajectory.

In March 2019, the secretary and chief of staff of the
Army directed the accelerated delivery of a prototype ground-launched
hypersonic weapon with residual combat capability by fiscal 2023. To execute
this strategy, the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office
(RCCTO) has selected two prime contractors to build and integrate components of
the LRHW prototype.

On August 29, the Army awarded an Other Transaction
Authority (OTA) agreement to Dynetics in the amount of $351.6 million to
produce the first commercially manufactured set of prototype Common-Hypersonic
Glide Body (C-HGB) systems.

Also on August 29, the Army awarded a second OTA
agreement to Lockheed Martin in the amount of $347.0 million as the LRHW
prototype system integrator.

The Army RCCTO is responsible for delivering the prototype LRHW battery, consisting of four trucks with launchers, hypersonic missile rounds and a command and control system. The OTA awards support the design, integration and production work that enables a series of flight tests beginning next year, leading to fielding in fiscal 2023.

In developing the LRHW, the Army is working in close
collaboration with the other services through a Joint Service Memorandum of
Agreement on hypersonics design, development, testing and production. As part
of the agreement, the Army will execute production of the C-HGB for all
services, while the Navy will lead the glide body design beginning in fiscal 2020.
This joint cooperation allows the services to leverage technologies, while
tailoring them to meet specific air, land and sea requirements.

The two contract awards mark an important step in
transitioning the development of Army hypersonic capabilities out of the
government laboratories and into commercial production. Initially, Dynetics
will work with Sandia National Laboratories to learn building of the glide
body.

Additional future awards are expected in order to
increase production of the C-HGB and to establish an industrial base for
hypersonics within the United States. Vendors selected for these subsequent
awards would also work with Sandia National Laboratories to learn production of
the C-HGB.

“Hypersonics is not a new technology – it’s a new
application of technology, with a new sense of urgency,” said Bob Strider,
deputy director of the Army Hypersonic Project Office, part of the RCCTO. “This
prototyping effort will leverage the great work of the government science and
technology community to take these systems to the next level and create an
industrial base going forward.”

The Army RCCTO, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.,
is chartered to develop rapid prototypes and field residual combat
capabilities.

SAN PEDRO,
Calif. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC-1130) returned Aug.
29 from their first patrol of the drug transit zones of the eastern Pacific
Ocean with about 2,800 pounds of seized cocaine, the Coast Guard 11th District
said in a release.

The
cocaine, worth an estimated $38.5 million, was seized by the crews of the
Robert Ward and another Coast Guard cutter patrolling the region. An additional
estimated 3,000 pounds of cocaine, seized by the crew of the Robert Ward in
mid-July in the cutter’s first-ever drug bust, was transferred to the Coast
Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) and brought ashore in San Diego last month as
part of a 13-ton bulk offload.

“The
Cutter Robert Ward and three other newly commissioned cutters based in San
Pedro are strengthening the Coast Guard’s safety, security and
counter-smuggling efforts along our coast and in the shipping zones off Central
and South America,” said Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier, the 11th District’s commander.
“I’m proud of the Ward’s crew and applaud their actions to disrupt the cartels
that profit from crime, addiction and ruin American lives.”

The Robert
Ward, commissioned in March, is one of four newly commissioned fast-response cutters
(FRCs) homeported in San Pedro as part of the Coast Guard’s efforts to
strengthen forces in the region and increase safety, security and emergency
response capabilities. 

“This was
a fantastic patrol,” said Lt. Benjamin Davne, Robert Ward’s commanding officer.
“We helped stem the flow of illegal drugs by seizing and disrupting more than
three tons of cocaine. We saved lives by keeping these drugs off the streets.
Our crew is in friendly competition with other fast-response cutter crews
stationed in other parts of the nation and on our first patrol we are already
credited with the second largest cocaine seizure and disruption rate for any
Coast Guard ship in our class.”

The fight
against drug cartels in the eastern Pacific requires unity of effort in all
phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions
by U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation.

The Coast
Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean
Basin, which are known drug transit zones off Central and South America, as
part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy.

During at-sea
interdictions, a suspect vessel is detected and monitored by allied, military
or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South
based in Key West, Florida. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling
operations in the eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the 11th
Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda.

WASHINGTON —
The Navy may attract more unmanned technology than can handle and deploy as it
develops its unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs),
a Navy official said, noting that industry also has opportunities to provide
the supporting infrastructure.

“We’re going
to have way more technology available than we’re going to be able to field in
an operational manner until we build up infrastructure, Sailor training, pier
space, supply network, spare parts, the transportation systems, the logistical
support networks or all of the stuff,” said Capt. Pete Small, the Navy’s
program manager for Unmanned Maritime Systems. speaking last week at the
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s Unmanned
Systems—Defense. Protection. Security. Conference in Washington.

“I am focused
on that and would put out that industry consider that not all of the investment
needs to be in cutting-edge machine learning and autonomy,” Small said. “I’m
not implying that we don’t need that, but if we just focus on that without all
of the more mundane logistics trails, there’s a whole giant assumption of a
logistical infrastructure network to get to the warfighter where the capability
is needed, to do a lot to bridge that gap to deploy the system at that far
forward point.

“There’s
absolutely an industry role in doing that as well,” he said. “We’re going to
need help to get all of that stuff.”

He also
mentioned the need for infrastructure such as piers, cranes and test ranges to
support unmanned vehicle development and deployment.

Small said
the Navy does not need to re-learn lessons from the UAV [unmanned aerial
vehicle] community with regard to providing enough bandwidth and other
infrastructure requirements.

“We envision
lots of unmanned vehicles providing the capacity that we need,” he said.

The Navy has established
one UUV squadron and a surface development squadron on the West Coast. Small
anticipates that the Navy will need to establish a second UUV squadron on the
East Coast.

TUCSON,
Ariz. — The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Co. a $190 million low-rate initial
production contract for Block 2 versions of the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile, the
company said in a release. ESSM Block 2 missiles feature a new guidance system
with a dual mode active and semi-active radar.

This award
follows the Navy’s decision to shift from development to production on the
enhanced intermediate-range, surface-to-air missile, placing the Block 2
variant on track for initial operating capability next year.

The ESSM
missile is the primary ship self-defense missile aboard Navy aircraft carriers
and large-deck amphibious assault ships. It is an integral component of the
Navy’s layered area and ship self-defense capability for cruisers and
destroyers.

“ESSM
plays a critical role in protecting navy sailors worldwide and our
international partners share our commitment to evolve this missile,” said Mitch
Stevison, Raytheon Strategic and Naval Systems’ vice president.

ESSM is
the foundation of several allied navies’ anti-ship missile defense efforts and
is operational on almost 200 naval platforms worldwide.

The ESSM program is a
cooperative effort managed by a NATO-led consortium made up of 12 nations:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United States.