STOCKHOLM — Saab’s Lightweight Torpedo (SLWT) will be displayed during the Euronaval exhibition, Paris, on Oct. 23-26, the company said in an Oct. 17 release. The company also will unveil the surface-launch version of RBS15 Gungnir, the next generation antiship missile system, at Euronaval,

The SLWT is one of the most advanced and sophisticated torpedoes on the market and has been ordered by Sweden and Finland. Saab is now pursuing additional customers on the export market, with Euronaval being an ideal opportunity to do so. The development of SLWT is with the Baltic Sea in mind, which is a marine environment with the most challenging factors for littoral antisubmarine warfare. The SLWT is a highly effective weapon for both blue water and shallow water environments around the world.

“The SLWT project is going very well. We are in the process of finalizing the second demonstration torpedo with all the features as in the final product. We are bringing key advances in torpedo technology to SLWT, which translates into endurance, accuracy and complete control,” said Stefan Sjögren, program director, Lightweight Torpedoes, at Saab.

SLWT with its state-of-the-art design incorporates a fully digital homing system, offers fire-and-forget and wire-guided operation, and adapts to difficult hydroacoustic conditions. It can be launched from multiple platforms, including surface ships, helicopters, aircrafts or submarines, ensuring your success in any environment.

The surface-launch version of RBS15 Gungnir uses the all new RBS15 Mk4 surface missile. This provides greater range, enhanced defense penetration and electronic protection, as well as a more advanced target seeker, allowing it to engage any target, in all conditions.

The RBS15 Mk4 surface missile is used in both the sea system and the land system of RBS15 Gungnir. It is designed to provide commonality through easy integration on both land- and sea-based platforms of almost any size. The system is fully backwards compatible, so an investment in Mk3 today opens a smooth path to transition into Gungnir tomorrow.

“With the RBS15 Gungnir we continue to build on the success and knowledge we have gained from the previous generations of RBS15,” said Görgen Johansson, senior vice president and head of Saab business area Dynamics. “The surface-launch version is a highly flexible missile system that can be integrated with existing command networks and on a wide range of the ships available on the market today.”

The development and production program was contracted in March 2017 with the Swedish Defence Material Administration. The RBS15 missile family is jointly produced by Saab and Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG and serves with various navies, coastal batteries and air forces from Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Thailand and an undisclosed country.

McLEAN, Va. — The Department of Navy, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, Rhode Island, has awarded Alion Science and Technology a multiple award contract to develop, build and support the U.S. Navy unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) family of systems (FoS), the company said in an Oct. 17 release.

The scope of the contract covers systems and subsystems required to support the advancement of UUV FoS, including current UUV systems and subsystems, as well as, any future UUV systems and subsystems. The value of the contract, with all option years, is $794 million.

Alion will design, develop, fabricate, test, install, document and deliver rapid prototype material solutions associated with the products, systems, subsystems, ancillary and peculiar support equipment, and the development of Navy UUVs. UUVs encompass those unmanned undersea systems, both tethered and non-tethered, which can operate independently from, or in concert with, submarines and surface ships.

Mission roles for UUVs are very broad, varied, and include: search, detection and classification, weapon targeting and placement, undersea warfare training, and countermeasures, communications, mapping, intelligence collection, component integration, servicing and recovery, special warfare support, surveillance and other related activities.

“The ability to deploy unmanned vehicles with sensors that can covertly survey a contested environment and detect threats sooner, will provide the host platform an advanced situational awareness that increases the effectiveness of their tactical decision making with less risk to fleet personnel,” said Vince Stammetti, senior vice president of Alion. “In addition, the relatively low cost of a UUV as compared to the cost of building a ship, provides the Navy a low-cost, force-multiplier alternative. Under the FoS contract, the Navy has tasked industry to use their imagination to find even more ways to use them to increase capabilities.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy issued the Next Generation Enterprise Network Re-Complete (NGEN-R) Service Management, Integration and Transport (SMIT) request for proposals (RfP) on Oct. 18, the Navy’s Program Executive Office-Enterprise Information Systems said in a release. Responses are due to the Navy on Jan. 10.

“Today’s successful release of the NGEN-R SMIT RFP is a major achievement in implementing the Navy’s IT [information technology] acquisition strategy to segment network services for the Navy Marine Corps Intranet and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network into multiple contracts,” said Capt. Ben McNeal, Naval Enterprise Networks program manager. “Separating IT services into multiple contract segments makes management, financial and competitive sense for the Navy.”

NGEN-R is the follow-on procurement to the current NGEN and the Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS) Navy Enterprise Network (ONE-Net) contracts. These contracts provide IT and support services to the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) and the ONE-Net. The networks support CONUS and OCONUS Navy and Marine Corps users.

NGEN-R will provide IT and support services to NMCI, MCEN, and ONE-Net.

SMIT is one of two NGEN-R contracts. The SMIT contract will provide network services, including print services, service integration, software core build services, service desk and computer network defense.

The RFP for the End User Hardware (EUHW) contract, which provides end user hardware-as-a-service and hardware for purchase, was issued on Sept. 17, 2018. Proposals for the EUHW RFP are due Nov. 19.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy will christen two new attack submarines during ceremonies Oct. 20, the Department of Defense announced. The future USS Vermont (SSN 792) will be christened at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. The future USS Delaware (SSN 791) will be christened at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia.

The principal speaker for the Vermont christening will be Vermont Gov. Phil Scott. Gloria Valdez, former deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (Ships), will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow and state, “In the name of the United States, I christen thee.”

For the Delaware ceremony, the principal speaker will be U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. Dr. Jill Biden, former second lady of the United States, will serve as the ship’s sponsor.

“The future USS Vermont honors the contributions and support that the state of Vermont has given to our Navy and Marine Corps team throughout the years,” said Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. “For decades to come, this boat and the Sailors who will serve on it will stand as a tribute to the patriotic people of Vermont and a testament to the value of the partnership between the Department of the Navy and our industry teammates.”

The future USS Vermont is the third U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of the “Green Mountain State.” The future USS Vermont is the 19th Virginia-class attack submarine and the first of 10 Virginia-class Block IV submarines. The ship’s construction began in May 2014 and it will deliver in the fall of 2019. Vermont will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation’s undersea superiority well into the 21st century.

The future USS Delaware is the seventh ship to bear the name of “The First State.” The future USS Delaware is the 18th Virginia-class attack submarine and the eighth and final Virginia-class Block III submarine. The ship’s construction began in September 2013 and will deliver in 2019.

“Today’s christening marks an important milestone in the life of the future USS Delaware, moving the submarine from a mere hull number to a boat with a name and spirit,” said Spencer. “This submarine honors the contributions and support the state of Delaware has given to our military and will stand as a testament to the increased capabilities made possible through a true partnership between the Department of the Navy and our industry teammates.”

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard cutter Polar Star arrived home Oct. 17 following a six-month maintenance period at Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo, California, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The 42-year-old icebreaker received extensive repairs and upgrades to engineering and electronic systems while completing the dry dock availability at Mare Island for the second time in as many years.

“We successfully accomplished an annual dry dock availability valued at over $7.6 million,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Chris Pelar, Polar Star’s engineering officer. “More than 50 work items were completed while in dry dock. We will complete remaining maintenance requirements in Seattle before departing for our upcoming Antarctic deployment.”

Polar Star received extensive overhauls to equipment, most notably in auxiliary systems, generator upgrades and replacing propellers in preparation of supporting Operation Deep Freeze (ODF) 2019, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation managed U.S. Antarctic Program.

Polar Star, the nation’s only operational heavy icebreaker, deploys annually to Antarctica in support of ODF. The 399-foot, 13,000-ton cutter and crew transit through the Ross Sea and forcibly break through ice up to 21-feet thick clearing a path through frozen waters for supply ships to reach Antarctica’s logistics hub, McMurdo Station, Scott-Amundsen South Pole Station and other international bases. The critical supply deliveries allow the stations to stay operational year-round, including during the dark and tumultuous winter.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965 and is essential to ensuring national presence and access to the Polar regions.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract to NASSCO for long-lead materials and other support to build the fourth Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base ship (T-ESB 6).

Naval Sea Systems Command awarded to NASSCO — a General Dynamics company — a $136.8 million contract “for the procurement of long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support for the Expeditionary Sea Base 6. This action allows the procurement of ship sets of the purchase specifications supporting integrated propulsion, main diesel generator engines, propeller and shafting, integrated bridge electronics, centrifugal pumps, fuel and lube oil purifiers and steering gear components,” the Oct. 16 Defense Department contract announcement said.

The work is expected to be completed by May.

The Lewis B. Puller class T-ESB is a modification of the Montford Point class of expeditionary transfer dock ships, of which two were built. The T-ESBs are configured with a 52,000-square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, mission planning spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel. The ships are capable of supporting multiple missions including airborne mine countermeasures, counterpiracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian-aid and disaster-relief missions and U.S. Marine Corps crisis response. They also support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters.

Two T-ESBs are in service: USS Lewis B. Puller and USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams. Under construction is T-ESB 5, USNS Miguel Keith.

MIAMI — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber offloaded approximately 3,516 pounds of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated wholesale value of over $47 million seized in international waters off the Caribbean Basin from late September to early October, Oct. 16 at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach.

The drugs were seized during the interdictions of three suspected smuggling vessels off the coasts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Aruba by the Coast Guard Cutters Donald Horsley, Vigilant and Charles Sexton.

■ Sexton was responsible for one case Oct. 10, seizing an estimated 2700 pounds of cocaine.

■ Donald Horsley was responsible for one case Oct. 4, seizing an estimated 816 pounds of cocaine.

■ Vigilant was responsible for one case Sept. 30, seizing an estimated 50 pounds of marijuana.

“The contraband landed by the Bernard C. Webber crew is a testament to the professional expertise and dedication of U.S. law enforcement agencies and international partners working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs through the Caribbean Region and into the United States,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeremy Montes, duty enforcement officer at 7th Coast Guard District. “These partnerships are imperative in the identification, intercept, and seizure vessels engaged in illicit trafficking and without the hard work from U.S. and international agencies, these illicit drugs would negatively impact the prosperity and security of the Caribbean Region.”

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperated in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with allied and international partner agencies play a role in counterdrug operations. The fight against transnational organized crime networks in the Caribbean Basin 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 Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially 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 Caribbean Basin is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 7th District, headquartered in Miami, Florida. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Charles Sexton is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in Key West, Florida. Bernard C. Webber is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in Miami. Donald Horsley is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Vigilant is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida.

WASHINGTON — The Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office within Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) received two 2018 Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Awards during a ceremony Oct. 16 at the Pentagon, Naval Sea Systems Command said in a release.

The Acquisition Excellence Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated excellence in the acquisition of products and services for the Navy and Marine Corps. This year, 14 awards were given. Award winners represent the very best of professionalism, ingenuity and accomplishment among their peers — the more than 63,000 members of the acquisition workforce.

“These awards reflect a great team effort across the PEO, system command and industry to accelerate, innovate, and deliver new capabilities to the fleet,” said Rear Adm. John Neagley, PEO USC commander.

The Dr. Al Somoroff Acquisition Award was given to the program office for outstanding acquisition achievement in the accomplishment of its mission to include creative/effective acquisition management practices, outstanding resource management and personnel growth and retention.

The Competition Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year award recognizes the Orca Extra-Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle acquisition and contracting team. The team included not only program office members, but also Naval Sea Systems Command’s leadership, cost engineering and industrial analysis division, contracts directorate, legal, and submarine/submersible design and systems engineering; Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Carderock Division; and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command’s Systems Center Pacific. The award recognizes an acquisition team whose outstanding achievement brings increased competition in contracting resulting in cost savings or avoidance, a better product and a lasting positive impact on the organization and Department of Navy mission.

“These awards reflect the dedicated efforts of a great team of professionals focused on delivering unmanned capability and discovering acquisition best practices,” said Capt. Peter Small, Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office program manager. “Continuous dialogue among stakeholders, early and frequent coordination with industry, and effective and ongoing planning were essential to our success.”

PEO USC, part of Naval Sea Systems Command, provides the fleet with a package of warfighting capabilities within two variants of the littoral combat ship (LCS). With LCSs based on the East and West coasts, each ship is dedicated to one of three missions — antisubmarine warfare, surface warfare and mine countermeasures.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Coast Guard and Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) law enforcement authorities seized 2,324 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $30 million, following the interdiction of a go-fast vessel off Luquillo, Puerto Rico, Oct. 13 the 7th Coast Guard District said in an Oct. 16 release.

This interdiction is the result of ongoing multi-agency law enforcement efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group.

“This successful interdiction is a testament to the crew’s vigilance, dedication to the mission, and quick action, and I couldn’t be prouder,” said Lt. Katherine Ustler, Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley commanding officer. “Their efforts, along with support from our partner agencies, directly prevented over a ton of cocaine from reaching the streets of Puerto Rico.”

While on a routine patrol of the area, the crew of the Donald Horsley detected a suspicious go-fast vessel at 1:16 a.m. Oct. 13 transiting without navigational lights and three people onboard, approximately nine nautical miles off the coast of Luquillo.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan alerted CBIG partner agencies of the developing situation, while the Donald Horsley remained in hot pursuit of the go-fast with the assistance of unit’s Over-the-Horizon IV cutter boat.

Upon detecting the Coast Guard’s presence, the crew of the go-fast proceeded to attempt to flee the area at high speed with Donald Horsley’s cutter boat remaining in hot pursuit. During the pursuit, the Donald Horsley crew observed the suspected smugglers jettison numerous bales of their cargo overboard. Shortly thereafter, the go-fast made landfall near La Pared Beach in Luquillo, where the smugglers fled the area and abandoned the go-fast with the remaining cargo onboard.

Following the pursuit, Donald Horsley combined efforts with responding U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air and Marine Branch and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine units, as well as, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) land teams, which located and recovered 47 bales from the water and the abandoned go-fast. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a Coast Guard Auxiliary fixed-wing aircraft also assisted in the search for the jettisoned cargo. The recovered cargo tested positive for cocaine.

The seized contraband is in the custody of ICE-HSI, which is leading the investigation into this case.

Operation Caribbean Guard is a Department of Homeland Security multi-agency law enforcement operation to support ongoing efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands executed under the San Juan Regional Coordinating Mechanism/CBIG.

CBIG 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, in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

Donald Horsley is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Legare returned home to Coast Guard Base Portsmouth Oct. 15 following a 12-week patrol in the North Atlantic, providing search-and-rescue capability and living marine resource protection, the 5th Coast Guard District said in a release.

In more than 12,000 miles of patrolling, the crew supported five search-and-rescue missions, including a disabled and adrift 438-foot liquid asphalt tanker that suffered a catastrophic engine room fire approximately 50 miles off Nantucket. The response to these missions resulted in 40 lives saved and assisted.

They also towed a disable fishing vessel through dense fog over 75 nautical miles and completed over 90 boardings, enforcing federal fishing regulations in America’s exclusive economic zone.

“I could not be prouder of this crew and their incredible accomplishments during these days we’ve been away. I know it is not without sacrifice and certainly the families back home take on a lot of that burden, but rest assured, your sailor is doing their duty and doing it well,” said Cmdr. Blake Stockwell, Legare’s commanding officer. “The successes from this patrol highlight and remind me why I love going to sea, the sailors that bring the ship to life and serve with devotion and honor the country we love.”

Legare is a multimission 270-foot medium-endurance cutter. Missions include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, marine environmental protection, homeland security, and national defense operations.