ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s 2023 budget proposal — including the Future Years Defense Plan — would result in profound changes to the missions, organization, force structure, training and crews of the Navy’s littoral combat ships in addition to…
Navy Proposes Elimination of Snakehead LDUUV program
ARLINGTON, Va. — Even as the U.S. Navy was christening the first prototype of the Snakehead large-diameter unmanned underwater vehicle (LDUUV) in February, planning was underway to cancel the program. The Navy is proposing in its 2023 budget to eliminate…
Q&A: Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener assumed command of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in August 2020, and as a type commander he has guided the forces as he continues to man, train and equip the forces…
State Dept. Approves Possible Sale of AH-1Z Helicopters to Nigeria
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Nigeria of 12 Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $997 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in an April…
New Task Force 153 to Patrol Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Gulf of Aden
ARLINGTON, Va. — Combined Maritime Forces, or CMF, the U.S.-led multi-national coalition of forces enforcing maritime security in the U.S. Central Command are of responsibility, is establishing a fourth task force to enhance the security of the region. CMF is…
Martin Defense to Develop Amphibious Autonomous Vehicle for Expeditionary Fuel Delivery
ARLINGTON, Va. — A defense company in Hawaii has been tapped by the Office of Naval Research to develop an autonomous vehicle to deploy a fuel delivery system to support amphibious systems. Martin Defense Group LLC of Honolulu has been…
L3Harris Forms Agile Development Group to Address Near-Peer Threats
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — L3Harris Technologies has established a new entity, the Agile Development Group, or ADG, to foster rapid technology development to counter near-peer security threats through innovation and cooperation. Speaking to Seapower at Sea-Air-Space 2022, Sean Stackley, president…
Textron Offers King Air 260 for Navy’s Multi-Engine Training Aircraft
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Textron Aviation is offering a version of its King Air 260 business twin turboprop aircraft to the U.S Navy as a replacement for the service’s Beech T-44C training aircraft, a company official said. Brett Pierson, Textron…
Northrop Grumman Laser Weapon System Completes Deployment on USS Portland
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Laser Weapon System Demonstrator deployed on the U.S. Navy’s amphibious platform dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) has competed its first deployment as the Portland returned to its homeport of San Diego in March. Donna…
HII Official: Company is Confronting Challenges of Inflation and Workforce
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — A senior HII official said he is optimistic for the company’s future, despite the increasing price inflation of materials and the difficulties of attracting skilled labor. HII will “make the ships we deliver more effective and…
