From U.S. 3rd Fleet, April 7, 2025

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) returned to its home port, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, April 4, 2025.

Shiloh, in partnership with an embarked Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) from USCG Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, conducted several boarding and intelligence gathering operations in the South Pacific in support of Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) 2025. OMSI is a Secretary of Defense program that leverages Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the USCG’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting maritime law enforcement in Oceania.

From February 2025 to April 2025, Shiloh patrolled the South Pacific, strengthening relationship with partner nations and ensured maritime stability and security in the region. These actions were carried out through the enforcement of provisions of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (WCPFC) and bilateral law enforcement agreements it has with specific countries in the region.

Captain Bryan E. Geisert is the commanding officer aboard Shiloh.

“I am proud of what our crew accomplished and the strong partnership with our Coast Guard Shipmates’. It is a critical and unique opportunity to assist in ensuring marine resources are protected through the enforcement of international laws to enhance regional stability.” said Capt. Geisert.

Shiloh is operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility in support of the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. Shiloh is assigned to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of its allies and partners in the region.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced Oct. 31 that the Department of the Navy plans to operate 12 Arleigh Burke class (DDG 51) Flight I Destroyers beyond their 35-year expected service life.

The decision, based upon a hull-by-hull evaluation of ship material condition, combat capability, technical feasibility and lifecycle maintenance requirements, will result in an additional 48 ship-years of cumulative ship service life in the 2028 to 2035 timeframe. The Navy has proposed DDG service life extension funding in the FY26 budget request and will update the shipbuilding plan accordingly. 

“Extending these highly capable, well-maintained destroyers will further bolster our numbers as new construction warships join the fleet,” Del Toro said.  “It also speaks to their enduring role in projecting power globally, and most recently in the Red Sea, their proven ability to defend themselves, as well as our allies, partners and friends from missile and drone attacks.”

At the secretary’s request, the Navy conducted a thorough evaluation of each DDG-51 Flight I ship (DDG 51-71) over the past ten months, and determined the 12 destroyers could and should remain operational beyond their expected service life. The final determination of each ship’s service life is based on maximizing the service life of each ship before it required another extensive and costly docking availability. 

The service life extensions meet the intent of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti and the CNO’s Navigation Plan, which directs the Navy to “get more ready players on the field.”

“Today’s budget constrained environment requires the Navy to make prioritized investments to keep more ready players on the field,” Franchetti said. “The Navy is actively pulling the right levers to maintain and grow its battle force inventory to support the United States’s global interests in peace and to win decisively in conflict.”

The Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer is critical to the Navy’s mission and has proven itself most capable in contested environments, like the Red Sea.

CHICAGO — Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti traveled to Chicago to meet with high school Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) students from the Rickover Naval Academy, William Howard Taft High School and Corliss High School, NROTC college students in the Chicago Consortium, and community leaders, May 8-9.

The visit provided the CNO the opportunity to discuss her personal journey in the Navy and share leadership lessons, as well as to open students’ minds to what service in the Navy looks like.

“When I was in your shoes, I could never have imagined that I would be standing here today as the chief of naval operations. Life is not necessarily what we predict, and being open to possibilities that come along the way is really important,” Franchetti shared with an auditorium of nearly 500 NJROTC cadets. Paraphrasing Chester Nimitz, she added, “‘learn all you can, do your best, and don’t worry about the things you can’t control,’ because you never know what opportunities are going to come your way, and if you always take advantage of them, when doors start to open, you’ll be ready to walk through.”

Franchetti also spoke with Rickover Naval Academy faculty and members from the Chicago Board of Education and community leaders to educate them about the mission of the Navy and the value of service to the Navy and the nation.

“Every day about 110 U.S. Navy ships and 70,000 Sailors and Marines are underway — defending our nation, enabling the free flow of commerce and protecting sea lanes of communication,” Franchetti said. “It’s not just our ships, we operate from the seabed to space in cyberspace, and in the information environment.”

She added, “You may not think about it all the time, but freedom of the seas is really important. Ninety percent of our trade goes across the oceans. So when you order something online and it gets to your doorstep, it’s because we have a Navy out there … and it’s those Sailors and Marines that are protecting our way of life, and I couldn’t be more proud of our Navy team.”

CNO concluded her outreach visit at her alma mater of Northwestern University, where she attended a cook-out with Chicago Consortium NROTC students and members of the crew team.

Franchetti told them how a chance encounter with a group of NROTC students at a cookout during her freshman year changed the course of her life. She said she stopped by to say hi and see what they were doing. They said they were NROTC students and she could compete for a scholarship and get $100 a month and free textbooks. She talked to their lieutenant, who told her more about the mission and opportunities in the Navy and decided to sign up on the spot.

“I joined the Navy for free college, but I stayed for our mission,” Franchetti said. “I love being part of the Navy team. I love serving with amazing Sailors, amazing people all over the world, and getting to be that beacon of hope and democracy all around the world– and it has been an amazing journey.”

While visiting Northwestern University, CNO was one of seven alumni who were inducted into the 2024 Medill School of Journalism Hall of Achievement.

This was Franchetti’s first trip to the Chicago region as CNO.

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain — Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt departed Naval Station Rota, Spain to begin its sixth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, April 11.

The ship and her crew will begin this patrol by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and operating in the Mediterranean Sea, in support of U.S. 6th Fleet tasking.

“Roosevelt’s crew is excited to get underway and get back to sea where we belong,” said Commander Jeffrey Chewning, Commanding Officer of Roosevelt. “We look forward to executing the mission we’ve been given over the next several months.”

Roosevelt completed its fifth FDNF-E patrol in November 2023. The fifth patrol took the ship and crew throughout the Mediterranean Sea and across the 6th Fleet area of operations. While in the Med, Roosevelt integrated with the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, supporting security and stability in the region.

While on patrol in the Baltic in the summer of 2023, Roosevelt participated in NATO’s enhanced vigilance activity (eVA) Neptune Strike 23-2 and operated with NATO Allied Maritime Command’s Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG-1), demonstrating increased interoperability with NATO allies and partners. 

Roosevelt was also the first American warship to conduct a Naval Surface Fire Support live fire exercise off the coast of Latvia.

Roosevelt is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These FDNF-E ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.

For more than 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with our Allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. 6th Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

A research project from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global is providing valuable information about the effects of melting glaciers in Patagonia that feed into coastal fjords, transporting sediments, freshwater and nutrients.

Dr. Chris Konek, science advisor at ONR Global in Chile, said the research will help the Department of the Navy understand the effects of a changing climate on the coastal environment.

“That’s the kind of the thing the Marines need to be able to handle,” he said. “It’s basic research and so it will help provide a fundamental understanding of this aspect of coastal systems where you can expect more things like this to happen in the future – more glacial melting as opposed to less.”

Konek said sediment trapped in the melting glaciers creates higher density in the water that feeds into the fjords, creating stratification and internal waves.

“When we have those waves between different layers in the water in the ocean, we call those internal waves,” Konek said. “So then the idea of the project is that you have this glacial plume, the sediment and the internal waves, and you’re looking to see how these different features interact with one another.”

Cristian Escauriaza, professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, is the principal investigator along with his university colleague, Megan Williams. They are working with the Filantropía Cortés-Solari, a conservation organization that owns and manages the Melimoyu Elemental Reserve in northern Patagonia.

Escauriaza said, “We are interested in understanding the changes in the physical environment produced by the large input of glacial rivers to the coast.  In these sub-Antarctic regions, and similarly near the Arctic, the effects of the fresh water in the coastal ocean can change the physical properties and dynamics of the flow in the adjacent fjords.”

Patagonia is largely remote with a diverse ecosystem and a rich array of wildlife, including penguins and blue whales. Konek said ONR Global is interested in Escauriaza’s project for its potential to inform what’s happening to that ecosystem, which can also help inform what’s happening to other coastal regions experiencing the same challenges.

While the project in Patagonia was awarded about a year ago, Escuariaza’s team recently carried out field measurements.

“Early information has shown that measurements of the tide amplitudes, river discharge variability, temperature and salinity are critical to identify the leading mechanisms of the formation and propagation of internal waves,” Escuariaza said.

He added, “The fjords and river systems in Patagonia are a critical part of the sub-Antarctic region and understanding their dynamics is vital to addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Our goal is to provide new insights into the processes that govern these coastal systems, which will help develop sustainable strategies for their management.”

Researchers from Stanford and Stonybrook Universities, Oliver Fringer, Stephen Monismith and Jacqueline McSweeney, are also taking part in the study.

Konek said collaboration among the scientific community is key to what ONR Global is able to accomplish through its research awards.

“We’ve got two people at the Naval Research Lab that are really supportive of the project.  One of them was recently promoted to technical director of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, so we’re hoping that kind of collaboration continues and expands.”

In addition to measuring the effects of glacial waters in Patagonia’s coastal fjords, Konek said ONR Global is sponsoring another project on climate change with the same university for the prediction of heat waves across both North and South America.

WASHINGTON ꟷ Free Wi-Fi is expected to provide Sailors access to virtual entertainment as well as online training and higher education courses without having to pay out of their own pockets.

To determine if free Wi-Fi meets the needs and desires of Sailors residing in unaccompanied housing, the Navy is launching a pilot program at installations located in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Rollout will be completed by the end of February 2024.

“Conducting a pilot program will help us learn and ensure we deliver a service our Sailors will use and find value added. As we learn throughout the process, we will identify barriers and refine the Wi-Fi service before rolling it out to the wider Navy,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). “It is important we get it right to focus our precious resources to greatest effect.”

Sailors residing at 12 permanent party unaccompanied housing located onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Norfolk Naval Shipyard will be able to access high speed Wi-Fi in their rooms and in common areas at no cost. Sailors desiring higher speed internet service may elect to pay an additional surcharge for augmented services or opt out altogether.

“We are excited to launch the Wi-Fi pilot program, and we are hoping Sailors find it useful and valuable to both their entertainment and career development needs,” said Leslie Gould, director of CNIC’s Fleet and Family Readiness, which is spearheading the pilot. “In addition to having access to online games, shows, and movies, Sailors will be able to complete required training, such as their General Military Training (GMT), and even take online courses offered by universities or colleges.”

Content accessed via the free Wi-Fi and subsidized speed upgrades will be filtered to prevent access to sites containing illegal activity, pornography, or gambling. Prices are as follows:

• 30Mbps download/5Mbps upload – Free (unlimited devices)
• 60 Mbps/5 Mbps – weekly on demand $10; month-to-month $20 (limited to 5 devices)
• 100 Mbps/10 Mbps – weekly on demand $15; month-to-month $30 (limited to 5 devices)

In addition to the above speed and rate charges, Sailors have the option to access unfiltered internet content for the following rates:

• 10 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload – weekly on demand $19.95 (limited to 1 device)
• 30 Mbps/5 Mbps – weekly on demand $34.95 (limited to 1 device); month-to-month $49.95 (limited to 3 devices)
• 60 Mbps/5 Mbps – month-to-month $59.95 (limited to 5 devices)
• 100 Mbps/10 Mbps – month-to-month $79.95 (limited to 5 devices)

The pilot program will wrap up at the end of September at which time the Navy will assess the success of the pilot based largely on Sailor utilization and feedback.

The Wi-Fi pilot is part of a new and larger program called the Virtual Single Sailor Program, which directly supports the Quality of Service of Sailors. The Virtual Single Sailor Program, or VSSP for short, enhances the lifestyle of the modern Sailor by providing a new virtual entertainment environment while supporting their overall health through access to fitness and nutrition content and other virtual resources. The VSSP website (www.NavyMWRSingleSailor.com) will go live on January 30.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro traveled to Stuttgart, Germany for key leader engagements, Jan. 21-22.

During his visit, Del Toro held an office call with U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley, the sixth commander of U.S. Africa Command, met with senior Navy and Marine Corps officers and enlisted leaders, and participated in an AFRICOM roundtable. He discussed AFRICOM’s efforts to counter transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and support partners in Africa using a 3D approach: diplomacy, development and defense.

Del Toro also met with U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven L. Basham, deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks. As the deputy commander for U.S. European Command, Basham is responsible for establishing and overseeing a warfighting headquarters that conducts a full range of multi-domain operations in coordination with allies and partners to support NATO, deter Russia, enable global operations and counter transnational threats to defend the U.S. homeland forward and fortify Euro-Atlantic security.

In addition, Del Toro met with the team at U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF). Led by Maj. Gen. Robert B. Sofge Jr., MARFOREUR/AF works with sister U.S. services and NATO partners to facilitate European and African engagements in support of global campaigns, enhancing joint, and combined forces through NATO.

“There is nothing that we do on our Navy and Marine Corps team that is not done in concert with our allies and partners,” Del Toro said. “From the combatant commander all the way down to the most junior Sailor and Marine, our work abroad protects our way of life at home.”

While in Stuttgart, Del Toro held all-hands calls with Navy, Marine Corps, civilian personnel and their families to hear firsthand about their concerns and answer their questions. He also met with various servicemembers at each command to recognize their accomplishments.

“I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating. I am grateful for all you do for our Nation,” Del Toro said. “We’re facing challenging times, and I thank you for everything you do as we face significant threats to democracy around the world.”

Del Toro will travel to Berlin for additional engagements in the region before heading to the United Kingdom to deliver a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, the world’s oldest and the U.K.’s leading defense and security think tank.

BUSAN, Republic of Korea — The U.S. Navy, the Republic of Korea navies and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force executed a trilateral-naval exercise Jan. 15 to Jan. 17 south of Jeju Island, in international waters near the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Commander, Naval Forces Korea participated with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the multi-day trilateral exercise that focused on integration, interoperability and readiness across multiple complex warfare areas.

“This exercise sharpens our combined skills and deepens our relationship with our partner nations,” said Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander, CNFK. “Our close-knit teamwork with ROK and JMSDF is critical to the success of conducting combined maritime operations and training at sea.”

The collaborative exercise reflects shared values, through a trilateral commitment to deter aggression, and to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The USS Carl Vinson, the flagship of CSG 1, kicked off the exercise Monday. The USS Carl Vinson previously conducted a trilateral maritime exercise with JMSDF and ROK on November 26, 2023.

These exercises support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

CNFK is the U.S. Navy’s representative in the Republic of Korea, it fosters enduring relationships with joint, combined, and multinational partners and strengthens combined maritime warfighting capability, interoperability, and readiness.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has directed newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition Nickolas Guertin and Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. James Downey to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Navy shipbuilding portfolio.

The intent is to provide an interim progress review to Secretary Del Toro within 45 days. The purpose of the review is to provide an assessment of national and local causes of shipbuilding challenges, as well as recommended actions for achieving a healthier U.S. shipbuilding industrial base that provides combat capabilities that our warfighters need, on a schedule that is relevant. 

“I remain concerned with the lingering effects of post-pandemic conditions on our shipbuilders and their suppliers that continue to affect our shipbuilding programs, particularly our Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Constellation-class frigate,” Del Toro said. “The Department of the Navy has a strategic imperative requiring a whole-of-government effort to rebuild our nation’s comprehensive maritime power – a new Maritime Statecraft in which the Navy plays a vital role. The American public should know that the Department of the Navy is committed to developing, delivering, and sustaining the finest warfighting capability to our Sailors and Marines. We will continue to work with industry and all other stakeholders to strengthen our national shipbuilding capacity, both naval and commercial.”

NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — A variety of robots crawling in, on and below a decommissioned U.S. Navy destroyer, as well as replacement parts being additively manufactured on site, comprised just a small part of the activity that took place during the first-ever U.S. Navy Repair Technology Exercise, or REPTX, held Aug. 22-Sept. 1 at Naval Base Ventura County in Ventura County, California.

Teams from various companies as well as academic and government laboratories arrived from around the world with their technology applications to conduct demonstrations and field experiments aboard the decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer, known as the Self Defense Test Ship. The ship is operated by personnel from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) in Port Hueneme, California, a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command and located at NBVC.

NAVSEA’s Naval Systems Engineering and Logistics Directorate Technology Office (NAVSEA 05T) sponsored REPTX 2022, which was hosted by NSWC PHD and held both pierside and aboard the SDTS, which took to the sea for the second week of the event.

The purpose of the inaugural exercise was to see if the technology can tackle real-world fleet maintenance and battle-damage related repairs of ships while operating in a true maritime environment — boosting the Navy’s ability to keep ships at sea by aiding Sailors in carrying out needed repairs.

“The format provides a realistic fielding environment, both pierside and underway, allowing teams the chance to field, adjust, learn and retest their solutions,” said Janice Bryant, sustainment technology program manager at NAVSEA 05T.

“REPTX didn’t just showcase technology but applied it to solve Navy challenges,” Bryant added. “It was a problem-centric event that promoted collaboration rather than competition. Many problems require a complex solution, and multiple participants have independent pieces of that solution.”

The more than 60 REPTX participants demonstrated technologies designed to address four focus areas: visualization, command and control aids, forward manufacturing and expeditionary maintenance.

The technology also needed to be capable of taking on a “day job” — in other words, serving a purpose that adds value to Navy ships and crew on a routine basis. And, it has to be user-friendly enough for a ship’s crew to learn quickly.

“Our priorities as a warfare center are to deliver and sustain readiness, modernize and maintain the current fleet, and field the surface fleet of the future,” said Capt. Andrew Hoffman, NSWC PHD commanding officer. “REPTX demonstrates these priorities by allowing both industry, government and academia to work side-by-side while exploring innovative maintenance concepts that we can rapidly deliver to our forward-deployed warfighters.”

Approximately 20 reservists from the Navy’s Surge Maintenance (SurgeMain) program provided that ship’s crew perspective as they got hands-on with much of the technology, learning how to operate the remote-controlled robotics, wearing augmented reality (AR) headsets to view repair instructions and videos, measuring corrosion on the deckplate of the SDTS, and more.

“The SurgeMain sailors typically don’t get chances like this to provide input on new technologies, so it was hugely important for them to have that opportunity,” said REPTX Project Manager Suzie Simms. “At the end of the event, all of the SurgeMain sailors who participated said they want to be involved again next year.”

Scenarios where reservists were able to remotely control robots included identifying unknown objects on the side of the ship’s hull, detangling a fouled propeller, measuring the depth of metal wastage due to corrosion using ultrasonic waves, and inspecting tight spaces that would be difficult or dangerous for a human to go into.

Several companies brought AR technology to the SDTS, providing both communication and real-time visuals during simulated battle damage assessment scenarios as well as repair work instructions and videos that can be viewed through the headset while simultaneously looking at the damaged area.

Additive manufacturing technology installed in compact shipping containers both pierside and aboard the SDTS provided the capability to 3D print replacement parts as needed in a variety of materials.

Other scenarios involved ship-to-shore communication systems, inspection and repair tools, and above- and below-water visualization devices.

Technology suppliers assisted SurgeMain reservists in using and demonstrating the technology aboard the SDTS during week two — this time in a true maritime environment as the vessel went underway off the coast of Port Hueneme. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators got a chance to fly their camera-equipped drones around the ship to inspect it.

The main goals of the UAV demonstrations during REPTX were to identify issues like corrosion and misplaced items and to test the UAVs’ capabilities to aid in battle damage assessment and repair — a key focus area for the Navy — by rapidly creating digital models, among other things.

In one scenario, a flange with a leaky gasket was the focus of a collaborative effort on the last underway day of REPTX. The SDTS crew had identified the issue in the ship’s state room, and several technology suppliers worked on a fix with SurgeMain sailors.

A reservist used an AR headset during the scenario to connect remotely with a subject matter expert elsewhere to help inspect and measure the faulty flange.

Armed with measurements of the flange assembly, two additive manufacturing companies participating in REPTX later 3D-printed parts that could be used to replace the flange and gasket in the state room.

Other underway demonstrations tested, repaired and monitored vital equipment on the ship.

Participants and organizers agreed that some of the best things to come out of REPTX were the spontaneous collaborations between attending organizations that revealed more efficient uses of their individual technologies when used together.

Along with the focus on collaboration, organizers designed the event to be educational for everyone involved.

“REPTX facilitated learning on both the government and participant sides,” said Jason Bickford, research manager at NSWC PHD. “We’ve heard unanimous positive feedback from participants that it was a valuable experience for them.”

The learning experience was impactful in that it was hands on, operationally based and held aboard an active ship.

Bryant said that next steps include determining how to invest $2 million in follow-on funding to further develop technologies for fielding in the fleet. The REPTX team will also release to the public a comprehensive after action report on the event.

Meanwhile, discussions are underway for a sequel.

“Events like REPTX enable NAVSEA to be more agile and competitive in the future fight,” Bryant said. “Providing access to Navy assets, crew and problems allows traditional and non-traditional players to engage together, quickly and effectively. Continuing efforts like REPTX are essential as the Navy looks to build a more resilient and sustainable fleet and innovative and responsive industrial base.”