Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) and U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), the ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, have expressed deep concern following reports that the acting secretary of the Navy plans to cancel a Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N).  

The lawmakers noted the decision comes “after submission of the fiscal 2022 budget and before the completion of a Nuclear Posture Review (NPR).” 

Their statement reads: 
   
“Reports that an Acting Secretary of the Navy would cancel a new Nuclear Sea Launched Cruise Missile after submission of the FY22 budget, and before a Nuclear Posture Review has been started — much less completed — is bewildering and short-sighted. The Biden administration has decided to project weakness ahead of a summit with Vladimir Putin – another gift to our adversaries. We have serious questions for senior Pentagon leaders on this reported decision and how it was reached.”   

Rogers, speaking March 22 during a webinar of the Defense Writers Group, was asked by Seapower about the future of the planned SLCM-N called for in the Defense Department’s 2018 NPR.  

The NPR said “SLCM will not require or rely on host nation support to provide deterrent effect. They will provide additional diversity in platforms, range, and survivability, and a valuable hedge against future nuclear ‘break out’ scenarios.”  

The review said the “SLCM will provide a needed non-strategic regional presence, an assured response capability. It also will provide an arms-control-compliant response to Russia’s noncompliance with the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, its nonstrategic nuclear arsenal, and its other destabilizing behaviors.”  

The HASC chairman, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, has stated his opposition to the low-yield warhead and SLCM as being destabilizing to the nuclear balance. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps is trying to solve the challenge of providing air defense for its future anti-ship cruise-missile forces that will be helping the U.S. Navy to maintain sea control in a contested expeditionary environment. 

“Those forces that are distributed to launch anti-ship missiles, to sense what is going on, to pass data, have to be protected from air threats,” said Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, deputy commandant For Combat Development and Integration, testifying June 8 before the Seapower subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee on the proposed fiscal 2022 budget, noting that the Marine forces “haven’t had a real air threat since World War II. 

“Our challenge is: we have to be highly mobile,” Smith said. “If we’re not internally, organically transportable, by our C-130s, our CH-53s, our [MV-22] Ospreys, our L-class Navy ships, and the future Light Amphibious Warship, then we lose value to the combatant commander. So, the balance for us is the range of [an anti-air] missile system and the size. When you start getting into a missile system that is, let’s just say, beyond 13 feet, that’s a challenge.” 

Smith said the Corps currently is “spending money on our MADIS [Marine Air Defense Integrated System] and on GBAD — Ground-Based Air Defense, trying to find the sweet spot, sir, between range, lethality and mobility. That is a wicked problem for us to solve and we have not yet solved it.” 

The four major GBAD programs being developed or deployed by the Corps are: 

MRIC – Medium-Range Interceptor Capability 
MADIS – Marine Air Defense Integrated System  
L-MADIS – Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System  
Advanced MANPADS/Stinger  

The MRIC is likely to be a vehicle-mounted missile system with a 360-degree fire-control radar to handle aircraft and cruise missiles at medium ranges.   

“MADIS is the only system that has brought something down against a hostile threat,” Smith said. “We acknowledged that it had good effect against Iranian drones. That system is highly capable, but we need longer ranges in the expanse of the Pacific. There comes a point when the system size limits what you can carry and obviously the size of the missile system you can carry limits the range.” 

The MADIS is mounted on a pair of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, one with a turret launcher for four Stinger missiles and a 30mm cannon, as well as an optical sensor and shoulder-fired Stingers. The second vehicle is equipped with an RPS-42 360-degree radar, a 7.62mm M134 minigun, and electro-optic/infrared sensors, as well as shoulder-fired Stingers. On both vehicles is the Modi II dismounted electronic countermeasures system, which can be used to disrupt enemy drones, communications, and radio-controlled improvised explosive devices.  

The L-MADIS is a counter-UAS electronic attack system mounted on a Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicle. It features a 360-degree radar, a direct-fire capability, radio frequency jammers and electro-optic/infrared sensors. The L-MADIS is credited with downing an Iranian drone that flew in the close vicinity of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer in July 2019.  

Smith said he recently met with a couple of industry partners on how to extend that range or put a different missile system onto the Stinger-equipped MADIS. 

“So, we are struggling through that conundrum right now with our Navy partners and with our industry partners,” Smith said. “But we are committed to protecting those forces and then being able to do something in a more offensive manner for that combatant commander to break air formations.” 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract for the completion of a modified Pathfinder-class oceanographic research ship for the Military Sealift Command. 

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Halter Marine a $149 million fixed-price incentive contract modification “for the detail design and construction of one oceanographic survey ship (T-AGS 67),” according to a Defense Department contract announcement. 

Halter Marine was awarded an earlier contract in November 2018 for functional design engineering, procurement of long-lead-time material and limited advanced production of the ship. 

Six Pathfinder-class ships were delivered from 1994 to 2001 to operate in an oceanographic survey-support capacity, gathering underwater data in the deep ocean and coastal waters. A seventh, the USNS Maury, was delivered in February 2016. The Maury is 25 feet longer than its sister ships and is equipped with a moon pool for operating unmanned underwater vehicles. The USNS Sumner (T-AGS 61) was inactivated in August 2014 and transferred to the Maritime Administration. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made aviation history on June 4 with a successful air-to-air refueling of another aircraft. Boeing’s MQ-25 Demonstrator, T1, refueled a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter, a major step in the MQ-25A Stingray’s journey to become the Navy’s carrier-based aerial refueler. 

Boeing’s T1 and the F/A-18F, flown by a crew from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23, joined up and the MQ-25 passed a total of 325 gallons of fuel to the Super Hornet in two separate refueling events. 

The MQ-25 carried a Cobham-built refueling store with a drogue refueling hose, the same type currently used in the fleet by Super Hornets. The Navy plans to use the MQ-25 in the refueling role to free more Super Hornets for combat operations, for which it was designed.    

During a June 7 media roundtable, Boeing’s MQ-25 program manager, Dave Bujold, described the sequence of events for the historic flight (a video summary is here). The F/A-18 flew in formation to observe the dynamic characteristics — particularly the stability — of the MQ-25. With the safety evaluation completed, the F/A-18 closed and T1’s ground controller streamed the drogue. For about 30 seconds, the F/A-18 crew conducted a wake survey and noted the wake to be very stable and benign. While the chase plane filmed, telemetry was collected, and the F/A-18 made a “dry” connect without the transfer of fuel.

The F/A-18 backed away and then reconnected for a transfer from 300 pounds of fuel in the refueling pod. (T1 is not plumbed for transfer of fuel from the airframe, which will be a capability of the production MQ-25.) The two aircraft made another dry connect at 15,000 feet and then joined for another successful transfer of 25 pounds fuel. The fuel transfer rate was 220 gallons per minute during the 4.5-hour flight. 

Bujold noted that the F/A-18 crew commented on the quietness of the rendezvous, which with two F/A-18s is very noisy.   

“The test flight will provide important early data on airwake interactions, as well as guidance and control, Reed said in a Navy release. “The team will analyze that data to determine if any adjustments are needed and make software updates early, with no impact to the program’s test schedule.”  

“The milestone comes after 25 T1 flights, testing both aircraft and ARS aerodynamics across the flight envelope, as well as extensive simulations of aerial refueling using MQ-25 digital models,” Boeing said in a release. “MQ-25 T1 will continue flight testing prior to being shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, for deck handling trials aboard a U.S. Navy carrier later this year.”  

Capt. Chad Reed, the Navy’s MQ-25 program manager, said those deck handling tests for T1 are slated for December, depending on availability of a carrier. Without a tailhook, T1 cannot conduct landings on a carrier.”  

The seven test MQ-25s being built by Boeing will be used for multiple tests by the Navy in beginning with ground testing in the fall of 2022, including field catapult launches and arrested landings prior to flights from an aircraft carrier. Reed said testing is likely to include refueling an E-2 Hawkeye battle management aircraft in the future, including manned/unmanned teaming. 

“This is our mission, an unmanned aircraft that frees our strike fighters from the tanker role, and provides the Carrier Air Wing with greater range, flexibility and capability,” Reed said. “Seeing the MQ-25 fulfilling its primary tasking today, fueling an F/A-18, is a significant and exciting moment for the Navy and shows concrete progress toward realizing MQ-25’s capabilities for the fleet.” 

“This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25’s critical aerial refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, in the Boeing release. “Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense operations.” 

“This flight lays the foundation for integration into the carrier environment, allowing for greater capability toward manned-unmanned teaming concepts,” said Rear Adm. Brian Corey, program executive officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “MQ-25 will greatly increase the range and endurance of the future carrier air wing – equipping our aircraft carriers with additional assets well into the future.” 

The Navy has switched plans to a Lockheed Martin-built ground control station for the MQ-25, not just for cyber protection but to have the architecture for the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept.   

The Navy will rely on multiple communications links to control and execute missions for the MQ-25, Reed said. The list includes the Lockheed Martin Mobile User Objective Satellite for over-the-horizon control. 

Currently under production by Boeing are the first test MQ-25A and the first static test airframe. Initial operational capability for the MQ-25A is slated for 2025. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — A June 4, 2021, ceremony marked the U.S. Navy’s official establishment a program office for the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)), the ship that will follow the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class DDG in Navy service.  

The program office, designated PMS 460, is now part of the Program Executive Office (PEO) – Ships. Its stand-up was approved on April 22 through a memo by the acting secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition approving the establishment of the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) program office, said Alan Baribeau, a spokesman for the PEO. 

The DDG(X) program office includes “16 headquarters billets supporting PMS 460, including 11 incumbent billets from PMS 320 focusing on Integrated Power Systems and other Electric Ships initiatives.  

Below is the Navy’s statement on the establishment of PMS 460: 

“The Acting Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition has approved the establishment of the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) program office within Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. Capt. David Hart is assigned as the Major Program Manager and Katherine Connelly as the Deputy Program Manager. DDG(X) leadership is tasked with developing an acquisition strategy, a design/technical data package and ship construction, testing, fleet introduction and sustainment plans. 

“The Guided Missile Destroyer will provide the flexibility and margins necessary to succeed the DDG-51 class as the Navy’s next enduring large surface combatant combining the DDG 51 FLT III combat systems elements with a new hull form, an efficient Integrated Power System and greater endurance reducing the fleet logistics burden. 

“In conjunction with this establishment, PEO Ships’ Electric Ships program office will transition into the DDG(X) program office. Electric Ships was established to generate and execute an integrated power system development and transition plan. DDG(X) is the embodiment of that vision. This integration will further utilize the expertise that has been cultivated within the Electric Ships portfolio.”  

The Navy said a further statement that a “formal acquisition strategy for DDG(X) is being developed to ensure a smooth transition between Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class and DDG(X). Preliminary through Detail Design for DDG(X) will be accomplished through a collaborative, multi-disciplinary Navy-industry effort composed of the surface combatant shipbuilders, suppliers, ship design agents and other subject matter experts. Through FY21, Navy continued Conceptual Design efforts for DDG(X) and began collaboration with DDG 51 shipyards to achieve the Chief of Naval Operations cost, schedule and performance targets. These collaborative efforts will continue into FY22 with the start of Preliminary Design. The PB22 budget request funds transition from Conceptual Design to Preliminary Design, brings industry teams fully onboard, and continues Integrated Power System and hull form land-based test activities to ensure program risk reduction. FY22 preliminary design will lead to FY26 Detail Design and FY28 construction start.” 

The U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle has been deployed for more than a year to the Western Pacific and by all accounts is impressing the fleet with its capabilities and is in high demand by regional commanders.

Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), the first of two planned Triton fleet squadrons, deployed two MQ-4Cs to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in January 2020 on the aircraft’s early operational capability (EOC) deployment. The two Tritons are being used for fleet operations and to provide lessons learned to pave the way for future operations off full “orbits,” the Navy’s term for a fully equipped site of four Tritons able to support a 24/7 on-station presence.

“Our operations from Guam are fully integrated into the 7th Fleet mission, from interactions with joint partners, carrier strike groups, and other MPRF [maritime patrol reconnaissance force assets, such as P-8A aircraft] and exercises,” said Cmdr. Michael V. Minervini, commanding officer of VUP-19, responding to questions from Seapower. “Typical missions range from 20 to 24 hours. VUP-19 is administratively controlled by commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 and operationally controlled by commander, Task Force 72.”

Minervini, a naval flight officer with flight time in P-3 and P-8 aircraft who assumed command in April 2020, said the EOC deployment “was established to smooth the supply chain and operate forward to push the airframe and discover maintenance challenges. EOC has been successful at identifying areas for improvement in the supply system and logistics process as well as determining scheduled maintenance inspection schedules and spare parts. These lessons learned will allow for a seamless transition and immediate impact on IFC-4 [Integrated Functional Capability 4] operations forward.”

The two MQ-4Cs deployed by VUP-19 are equipped with the baseline capability, IFC-3, which includes a multi-sensor mission payload — maritime radar, electro-optical/infrared, electronic support measures, automatic identification system and basic communications relay — said Capt. Dan Mackin, the Navy’s Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems program manager, in response to questions from Seapower.

“The next phase, known as IFC-4, will bring a multi-INT capability as part of the navy’s maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting transition plan,” he said.

“Triton sensors are performing to expectations and are providing 7th Fleet, [Pacific Fleet] and [Indo-Pacific Command] commanders with an additive early operational capability and persistent ISR in a vital area of U.S interest. These assets are in high demand.”

Rear Adm. Gregory Harris, the director of Air Warfare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, told an audience on March 30 of the “good news that we’re getting. We are really excited with what we’ve learned there [operations from Guam], the growth that’s gone on in that program and the early operational capabilities that we’ve seen. So, first and foremost, we’re excited by what we’re seeing out of Triton.”

‘Incredible Capability’

Harris said the Triton fielded “an absolutely incredible capability” and the fleet is “looking forward to having full operational capability in the future.” 

VUP-19 is based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, but its Tritons and maintenance personnel are based at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, part of Naval Base Ventura County, California. Minervini said approximately 350 officers and enlisted personnel are assigned to the squadron, but full manning is expected to reach an estimated 600 personnel. 

“The average footprint in Guam is around 40-80 personnel, which varies during turnover and readiness training detachments, when maintenance personnel are forward deployed from Point Mugu to earn their qualifications,” Minervini said. “Maintainers on sea duty deploy for approximately six to eight months with a 12-month home cycle. Unmanned aircraft commanders [UACs/pilots] on shore duty deploy for an average of two to three months once a year.”

VUP-19’s maintenance detachment is scheduled for a homeport change from Point Mugu to Naval Station Mayport, Florida — only a few miles from NAS Jacksonville — in the fall of 2021.

“The relative geographical colocation of our stateside operators with our maintenance team will establish a hub of unmanned operations and ensure success as we expand our operations into other areas of responsibility,” Minervini said.

The Navy plans to activate a second Triton squadron, VUP-11, on the West Coast. Minervini said his squadron expects to “have a significant role in establishment of VUP-11. This will pertain to operations, training and administration.”

The Navy’s program of record calls for the procurement of 68 production MQ-4Cs from Northrop Grumman. Low-rate initial production orders as of April 2021 totaled 15: LRIP-1 (2016): four; LRIP-2 (2017): two; LRIP-3 (2018): three; LRIP-4 (2019): three; LRIP 5 (2020): two, plus one more authorized by the fiscal 2021 congressional plus-up. Three Tritons had been delivered to the fleet by early 2021.

Procurement of the Triton for the U.S. Navy is being paused for fiscal 2021 and 2022. Australia will take delivery during fiscal 2023-2025 of three Tritons.

“The intent of the production pause in air vehicle procurement across the FYDP [Future Years Defense Plan] was to strategically focus on the development of SIGINT [signals intelligence] capabilities IFC-4 Multi-INT [multi-intelligence],” Mackin said, noting that two Australian Tritons were procured in fiscal 2020 and the additional Triton in the fiscal 2021 congressional plus-up “will partially mitigate the effects of a production pause.”

Mackin said the production pause would affect the fielding of the Triton’s planned orbits.

“The Navy plans to deploy Triton to five orbits world­wide,” he said. “MQ-4C will support three OCONUS [out­side the continental United States] orbits by end of 2025. However, due to the production pause, deployment to the two CONUS orbits will be delayed.”

Three prototype Tritons are based at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, as test assets for the program.

One test asset is in the current IFC-3 configuration and “is being used to support sustainment of EOC deployed systems as well as risk reduction for IFC-4,” Mackin said. “The other two assets are being modified into the IFC-4 configuration in support of IOC [initial operational capability] in fourth quarter” of fiscal 2023.

One of the test assets is owned by Northrop Grumman and will be used to test the Multi-INT systems.

Mackin said the main operating base and forward operating base mission control elements for IFC-3 “have been delivered and are performing well.”

Sense and Avoid

Since early in the Triton program, the Navy has been planning for a sense-and-avoid radar (SAAR) for the Triton to enhance its collision-avoidance capability.

“The program of record SAAR engineering manufacturing development is deferred” until fiscal 2023, Mackin said. “The program continues to support SAAR cost, schedule and risk reduction activities including the delivery of a partial capability, prototype SAAR by the end of the year. Traffic Collision Avoidance subsystems are in use as part of the Due Regard alternate means of compliance.”

The Navy’s earlier Global Hawk/Broad-Area Maritime Surveillance – Demonstration (BAMS-D) program continues to shine, despite the loss of one RQ-4A Global Hawk to an Iranian missile in June 2019. The aircraft are operated in the U.S. Central Command area of operations by a detachment of Patrol Reconnaissance Wing 11.

Since the system’s first flight in October 2004, “the system has completed 2,119 sorties totaling over 39,596 flight hours, of which 1,825 sorties, totaling over 37,633 flight hours, are in direct support of overseas contingency operations,” Mackin said. “During the over 12-year period since the deployment began, BAMS-D has been the by-name requested asset for maritime ISR in the theater, surpassing all expectations for the originally planned six-month demonstration.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has been reducing its patrol boat force in recent years and proposes to continue that trend by retiring its rather new Mark VI patrol boats under the fiscal 2022 budget, after having retired its entire riverine force.

As the Navy pivots to reshape its force to focus on high-end capabilities to counter China and Russia, the relatively flat 2022 budget is demanding some sacrifices, and the Navy chose to inactivate its fleet of 12 Mark VI PBs.  

Last year the Navy changed the names of the units that had operated the 78-foot-long Mark VI PBs and the smaller coastal and harbor — and previously riverine — patrol boats. The Coastal Riverine Force is now known as the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force. 

“Riverine warfare is no longer an assigned mission area for the United States Navy, and the legacy name no longer captures the roles and missions of our force,” said Lt. Cmdr. Amber Lewis, a spokeswoman for Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC). “The new name captures the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force’s (MESF’s) growing green and blue-water fleet integration and contributions to the high-end fight in an era of great power competition, which are more robust than the legacy riverine roles.” 

The change is significant. The Navy has operated riverine forces off and on over the decades, most recently restoring the capability during the Iraq War, assuming the role from the Marine Corps. The Navy built and sustained an impressive riverine capability during the Vietnam War, but most of that capability was turned over to the South Vietnamese Navy as the United States ended its in-country force presence in South Vietnam. (The Navy Special Operations Command retains some small boat coastal and riverine capability for insertion and extraction of SEALs and other special operations forces.) 

In May 2012, the Navy selected a SAFE Boats International design for the Mark VI, eventually procuring 12 boats. Other Mark VI PBs are being procured by Ukraine. The first Mark VI PBs were delivered to the Navy on Aug. 27, 2014, and were delivered to NECC in September 2015. Some of the PBs have been deployed to the Persian Gulf and to Guam. 

The Mark VI is the largest craft in the MESF. It can patrol shallow littoral waters beyond sheltered harbors and bays. The PBs are used for maritime intercept; escort; infrastructure protection; theater security cooperation; security force assistance; and visit, board, search and seizure operations. They can launch UAVs and UUVs. The PBs are armed with Mk38 25mm guns and .50-caliber machine guns and feature integrated workstations, shock-mitigating seats, a galley and a shower. 

In addition to the Mark VI PBs, the MESF operates 164 patrol craft. These include 117 SeaArk 34-foot Dauntless-class patrol boats and 17 SAFE Boats 25-foot Oswald-class patrol boats. The riverine assault craft, riverine command boats and riverine patrol boats all have been retired and stored. The single Coastal Command Boat, a smaller predecessor to the Mark VI that was deployed to the 5th Fleet, was transferred to a test role in 2018. 

The current mainstay of the MESF, the SeaArk 34-foot patrol boat, performs the roles of high-value escort, port and harbor defense, and port security. The 34-foot boats are scheduled for replacement, beginning in June 2021 when the first new 40-foot patrol boats arrive, Lewis said. 

In October 2017, the Navy awarded a contract to Metal Shark for a new patrol boat, PB(X), to replace the service’s Oswald- and Dauntless-class tactical craft. Metal Shark’s 40-foot Defiant design actually is a 43-foot-long welded aluminum boat powered by twin diesel inboard engines. The boats have a wide-waterplane, sharp-entry hull capable of attaining 40 knots and enhanced handling at cruise speeds of 10 to 15 knots. The boats offer ballistic protection; an armored, climate-controlled pilothouse; five whole-body isolation suspension seats and an advanced communications, navigation and situational awareness suite.  

“Metal Shark Boats currently has 54 40-foot Patrol Boats [PBs] under contract, with two delivered for a total of 56,” said the Support Ships, Boats and Craft program office of the Program Executive Office – Ships. “To date, two boats have been delivered and 10 boats are in production and scheduled to be delivered in [fiscal 2021]. The current plan is to procure a total of 120 40-foot PBs over the next 10 years [to replace the 34-foot and 25-foot PBs].” 

The Navy also has ordered 24 Force Protection-Medium (FP-M) patrol boats from Lake Assault Boats LLC, which was awarded a contract for up to 119 FP-Ms in February 2020. The 33-foot-long aluminum V-hull boats will be used for harbor and waterway patrols, interrogation of other waterborne assets and escorting large vessels in and out of ports in various weather and water conditions. The first was scheduled for delivery this spring. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Coast Guard is requesting $13.1 billion for fiscal 2022, according to the service’s budget documents, just $38 million more than enacted in the 2021 budget. 

The cutter procurement portion of the Coast Guard budget includes $1 billion for cutter construction and long-lead materials. The procurement includes: 

• $170.0 million for program management for construction of Polar Security Cutter (PSC) hulls #1 and #2 and for long-lead materials for PSC #3
• $597.0 million for construction of Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) #4, detailed design for the re-compete contract for the OPC, and long-lead materials for OPC #5  
• $67.0 million for the detail and design and construction of the Waterways Commerce Cutter 
• $87.8 million for sustainment of numerous in-service cutters  
• $78.0 million for post-delivery activities for National Security Cutters #10 and #11 
• $20 million for program management of the Fast Response Cutter (FRC) program 
• $15 million for the multi-year service-life extension of the USCGC Polar Star, the services only operational heavy icebreaker. 

The Coast Guard also requested $221.8 million for aircraft procurement and modification:  

• $102.8 million to continue life extension of the MH-60T helicopter fleet to serve into the 2030s and initial funding to expand the size of the fleet beyond 48 aircraft (through conversion of ex-Navy H-60 airframes)   
• $66.5 million for continued missionization of C-27J medium-endurance surveillance aircraft into HC-27J versions 
• $20.0 million for long-lead materials for HC-130J long-range surveillance aircraft in preparation of the transition of Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii, from the legacy HC-130H versions 
• $32 million for modernization and sustainment of the MH-65 helicopters to extend their service life into the 2030s 
• $0.5 million to continue funding installation of small unmanned aerial system capability into the National Security Cutters. 

The Operations and Maintenance portion of the budget includes $92.5 million, which includes funding for: 

• Crew and shore side support for the homeporting of the 10th NSC in Charleston, South Carolina 
• Crews and support for six FRCs for Manama, Bahrain; St. Petersburg, Florida; Ketchikan, Alaska; and Boston, Massachusetts 
• Crew, support, and facilities for OPCs at San Pedro, California 
• Crew and support for three HC-130J aircraft at Air Station Barbers Point 
• Support for a new C-27 long-range command-and-control aircraft in Washington, D.C. 
• Support for a new air station in Ventura County, California 
• Support for home-porting a medium-endurance cutter at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia 
• Support for the transition of Air Station New Orleans, Louisiana, from the MH-65 to the MH-60T helicopter 
• Crew and support for the 49th MH-60T helicopter 
• A third Cyber Protection Team. 

The 2022 budget also plans for retiring five HC-130H aircraft (four at Barbers Pint and one in depot maintenance); decommissioning five 110-foot Island-class patrol boats; and decommissioning five 87-foot Marine Protector-class coastal patrol boats. 

The 10 patrol boats are being replaced by FRCs. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy Department’s fiscal 2022 budget requests totals $211.7 billion, a $3.8 billion increase over the enacted 2021 budget. The request includes funds for eight battle force ships and 107 aircraft. 

The Navy Department’s $211.7 billion request is part of the Defense Department’s $715 billion request. Defense programs in the Department of Energy total $37.9 billion. 

The department’s request includes $71.2 billion for operations and maintenance; $56.6 billion for personnel; $58.2 billion for procurement; $22.6 billion for research, development, test and evaluation; $150 million for revolving and management funds. 

SHIPS 

The procurement budget requests $22.6 billion for shipbuilding, a 3% reduction from the 2021 amount of $23.3 billion. The administration is planning incremental funding for the Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) as well as the fifth increment of the detailed design and construction of the third Ford-class aircraft carrier, the future USS Enterprise and the fourth increment for the fourth Ford-class CVN, the future Dorie Miller. 

The Navy is planning on procuring two Block V Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs), each with the Virginia Payload Module and funding advance procurement of the Block VI Virginia version; one Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer; one Constellation-class guided-missile frigate (FFG); one John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler (T-AO); two Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS); and one T-AGOS(X) ocean-surveillance ship. 

The shipbuilding procurement request also includes two LCAC 100-class ship-to-shore connectors, four LCU 1700-class utility landing craft and five used commercial logistics ships for conversion to sealift ships. Two older LCACs will be given service-life extensions.  

The shipbuilding budget also requests funds toward one America-class amphibious assault ship and an additional increment of funding for the future USS Pittsburgh, a Block II San Antonio-class amphibious platform dock ship.  

RDT&E funds for ships are planned for the Columbia SSBN, Ford-Class CVN, Virginia-class SSN, Future Attack Submarine (SSN(X)), Constellation-class FFG, Future Large Surface Combatant ((DDG(X)), Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS), Large USV, Orca UUV, Snakehead UUV and Mk18 UUV.  

The Navy anticipates delivery of 17 ships in fiscal 2022 and retirement of 15 ships. Deliveries include three Virginia-class SSNs, three Arleigh Burke-class DDGs, one Zumwalt-class DDG, one expeditionary staging base ship (ESB), one Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship, one John-Lewis-class T-AO and one Navajo-class T-ATS.  

Ships planned for retirement include four littoral combat ships (LCS 3, 4, 7 and 9), two Los Angeles-class SSNs, seven Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers (including two not previously planned for retirement — USS Hue City and USS Anzio), one Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship (LSD) and one Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug. Also planned for divestment are the Navy’s 12 Mark VI patrol boats.  

The Navy is decommissioning LCS 1 and 2 in 2021. The service moved the planned retirement of LCS 3 and 4 to 2022. These four ships, currently serving as training and research ships, no longer meet the desired capabilities for the class. LCS 7 and 9 are more modern. The reason LCS 5 was not selected for retirement is that it is preparing for deployment and that it made more sense to select LCS 7 and 9 for budget reasons, according to Rear Adm. John Gumbleton, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget, briefing reporters May 28. 

AIRCRAFT 

Funding of aircraft procurement for 2022 totals $16.5 billion, a 15.6% decrease from 2021’s $19.5 billion. Navy aircraft requested for 2022 include 20 F-35C Lightning II strike fighters, five E-2D Advanced Hawkeye battle management aircraft, three CMV-22B Osprey carrier-onboard-delivery aircraft and 36 TH-73A training helicopters. For the Marine Corps, the request includes funds for 17 F-35Bs, six KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transport aircraft, nine CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, five MV-22B Osprey assault transport tiltrotor aircraft and six MQ-9 extended-range Reaper medium-altitude surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles. 

Notably, the budget contains no further funding for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter, P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft, the VH-92A presidential transport helicopter or the training version of the E-6B Mercury strategic communications aircraft. Procurement of these types has been completed, assuming no additions by the Congress. There is no 2022 request for funding for the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance UAV in that there is a pause in procurement while the UAV’s Integrated Functional Capability 4 is matured. 

RDT&E funds are programed for the F-35, CH-53E, VH-92A, Next-Generation Jammer, F/A-18E/F Advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST), and MQ-25 Stingray UAV. 

The 2022 budget plan calls for accelerated divestment of legacy F/A-18A-D Hornet strike fighters, moving up the divestment of the 55 on strength from 2024 to 2022 and replacing them in the adversary role with F-16s transferred from the Air Force. Divestment of the RQ-4A Global Hawk Broad-Area Maritime Surveillance-Demonstrator UAV is planned for acceleration from 2023 to 2022, with the savings invested in higher priorities. 

WEAPONS 

Weapons procurement is slightly less that that of 2021, with $4.2 billion requested for 2022 to purchase 1,092 missiles and torpedoes, compared with $4.5 billion for 2,095 weapons in 2021. One missile type being added to the inventory for the first time is the AGGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JAASM), which has up until now has been an Air Force-only weapon. 

RDT&E funds are programmed for the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon and the Navy Family of Laser Systems. 

PERSONNEL 

The 2022 budget calls for a reduction of active-component Sailors by 1,600 to a level of 346,200 Sailors. Part of the decrease is a planned result of some ship decommissionings. The reserve component is planned for a decrease of 200 personnel to 58,600 Sailors. 

SAN DIEGO — Northrop Grumman’s autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) Broad Area Maritime Surveillance-Demonstrator (BAMS-D) system surpassed 40,000 flight hours during a routine mission in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of operations April 13, the company said in a May 27 release.

“This milestone in the BAMS-D program demonstrates Northrop Grumman’s commitment to delivering critical capabilities to our customers that provide an advantage to U.S. and coalition partners in theater,” said Doug Shaffer, vice president and program manager, Triton programs, Northrop Grumman. “BAMS-D providing operational support well beyond its intended demonstration period highlights the unrivaled strategic value of autonomous maritime HALE while the Navy integrates the MQ-4C Triton into its vital maritime patrol mission.”

BAMS-D entered operational service for the U.S. Navy in 2009. Originally intended to be a six-month demonstration deployment, BAMS-D has supported U.S. Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in USCENTCOM for more than 12 years.

“BAMS-D sustainment is truly a Northrop Grumman cross-enterprise effort and is a testament to our unwavering commitment to mission readiness,” continued Shaffer.

“This is a significant milestone for any aircraft, but especially remarkable for an originally planned six-month demonstration system,” said Capt. James P. Johnston, commander, Task Force 57. “The persistence and dependability of the BAMS-D system and the resilience of the personnel who operate the platform here in 5th Fleet, are essential in sustaining maritime security and freedom of navigation throughout the region.”

While BAMS-D remains in operational service, its replacement, the MQ-4C Triton, completed its first year of an early operating capability deployment in the U.S. Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. The Triton system is currently progressing toward a multi-intelligence configuration and will ultimately support five operational orbits for the Navy with 68 operational aircraft. Australia is set to receive their first Triton in 2023 as part of a cooperative development program that will enable intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Australia.

Northrop Grumman’s family of autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance systems perform critical wide-area ISR collection. Today, autonomous HALE systems operate across the globe, with 24-plus hour endurance, collecting essential ISR data over land and sea to enable rapid, informed decision-making. In the future, these systems will connect the joint force, implementing advanced autonomy and AI and machine learning while delivering indispensable capabilities with fewer people to provide information at the speed of relevance.