ARLINGTON, Va. — Northrop Grumman is integrating the control systems for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutters being built by the Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Florida. The systems are being readied for installation in the four cutters…
Navy: Mine Countermeasures Mission Packages to Be Available for Vessels of Opportunity
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s mine countermeasures mission packages will be available not only to littoral combat ships but to other vessels and units, a Navy official said. Capt. Mike Egan, branch head for mine warfare in the Office of…
Charles River Analytics: Artificial Intelligence is Challenged in Arena of Competition
ARLINGTON, Va. — A small company developing artificial intelligence technology for the Office of Naval Research is halfway through a 24-month contract performance toward demonstrating its AI technology for the Navy. “It’s all about trying to develop technologies that can…
Navy’s MQ-8C Fire Scout Operating in Westpac; MQ-8Bs to Be Retired
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s MQ-8C version of its Fire Scout unmanned helicopter is now operating on its first deployment to the Western Pacific, the second deployment of the type so far. Meanwhile, the Navy is proceeding with plans to…
Keel-Laying for Columbia SSBN Set for June 4
WASHINGTON — The keel-laying ceremony for the first new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) will take place June 4. The keel-laying date for the future USS Columbia (SSBN 826) was mentioned by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, during a May 18 hearing…
Marine Corps to Neck Down Operational Support Aircraft Types; Increase Indo-Pacific Capabilities
ARLINGTON, Va.—The Marine Corps plans to neck down the number of types of operational support aircraft (OSAs) over the next decade in order to achieve economies with reduced operating costs while increasing capability. The Corps also plans to increase its…
Pappano: Studying ‘Shortish’ Life Extension of Ohio SSBNs as Risk Mitigator
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy admiral in charge of procuring and sustaining the Navy’s ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs) said the Navy is studying possible short service-life extensions of some Ohio-class SSBNs and even the Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. The Ohio-class SSBNs…
Ingalls Shipbuilding: Ready to Take on More Navy Shipbuilding
ARLINGTON, Va. — Ingalls Shipbuilding, HII’s builder of surface warships, has the industrial facilities and workforce to add to the capacity of its portfolio, a senior Ingalls official said. “We have the ability to take on more work that we…
CNO: Keep R&D Alive for Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile
WASHINGTON — The Navy’s top officer did not request any funds for procurement of the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile – Nuclear (SLCM-N) in the 2023 budget proposal but would like to fund a small amount of research and development to keep…
Berger: Holistic Look Needed for Maritime Prepositioning Force
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps’ commandant sees a continued need for the Maritime Prepositioning Force in the future as his Force Design 2030 initiative is implemented. The MPF, managed by the Military Sealift Command, is comprised of two squadrons…