ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has laid out the planned configuration of its carrier air wings of the future in a presentation to a convention of active and retired naval aviation personnel. Speaking Sept. 11 at the Virtual Hook convention…
Marines to Operate Armed Reaper UAS in ‘Coming Months’
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps plans to deploy armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles in the “coming months,” the Navy’s program executive officer for Unmanned and Strike Weapons (PEO-UMW) said. “The MQ-9 Reaper provides increased lethality to the Marine Air-Ground…
Navy Asking Industry for Ideas to Meet Increased Range for UAVs
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s acquisition official for unmanned aerial systems said he is looking for ideas to meet a new requirement that has come down from regional combatant commanders (COCOMs). “Now we have a new demand coming from…
Navy Looking at Upgrades to RQ-21 UAS
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is planning a series of upgrades to the Boeing Insitu-built RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial system, an acquisition official said. “We’re continuing to look at upgrades for the system,” said Rear Adm. Brian Corey, program executive officer –…
U.S. Pacific Fleet to Conduct Unmanned Fleet Battle Problem in 2021 to ‘Drive Lethality’
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet is planning a Fleet Battle Problem next year that will feature unmanned systems in air, surface, and undersea domains, a Navy admiral announced, noting that “an unmanned Fleet Battle Problem is a…
Navy Orders H-1 Helicopters for the Czech Republic
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has placed an order for two versions of the H-1 helicopter from Bell Textron for the Czech Republic, the Defense Department said in a Sept. 4 release. The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Bell…
Navy to Increase Berthing on Future Expeditionary Base Ships
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is increasing the berthing on its fourth and fifth expeditionary sea base ships (ESBs) to meet the increasing operational demand this class of ships has experienced since it first deployed. The Navy’s supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath, Detachment…
Two Submarines Shift Homeport to Groton
ARLINGTON, Va. —Two U.S. Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSNs) have arrived at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, this week in a change of homeports for both. According to images on the Defense Department’s DVIDS imagery website,…
E-2C Crash Only 3rd Loss of Type in Two Decades
ARLINGTON, Va. — The crash of a U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye battle management aircraft on Aug. 31 was only the third lost in a crash since 2001, according to unofficial records, demonstrating the aircraft’s excellent safety record. The E-2C, assigned to …
Future LCS Savannah Is Christened at Austal USA
MOBILE, Ala. — A small audience of dignitaries celebrated the Aug. 29 christening of the future littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) at Austal’s advanced ship manufacturing facility. Savannah is the 14th of 19 small surface combatants Austal USA…
