One of the legs of the United States’ nuclear strategic deterrent is the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Since 1960, ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs) of the U.S. Navy have patrolled the seas, armed initially with Polaris, then Poseidon, Trident C4, and today…
Navy Deploys IRST on Super Hornets in Persian Gulf
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy apparently had deployed the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor pod on F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighters currently deployed in the Persian Gulf region. An Aug. 16 photograph of an F/A-18F of Strike Fighter Squadron 94,…
HawkEye 360 Satellite System Tracked Chinese Activity near Galapagos
ARLINGTON, Va. — The recent concentration of Chinese fishing vessels in the vicinity of the Galapagos Islands in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, accused of fishing inside the Ecuadorean Economic Exclusion (EEZ) around the islands, was tracked by a commercial satellite…
Coast Guard Begins Testing USVs off Hawaii
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) has begun testing and evaluation of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) off the south shore of Oahu, Hawaii, the Coast Guard 14th District said in a release. The testing is…
Esper’s Preview of Future Fleet Advocates More Attack Submarines
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. Navy needs a fleet of more than 500 manned and unmanned ships, including more attack submarines. “ We need to build more attack submarines,” Esper said, speaking Oct. 6 at the Center…
Navy to Establish First MQ-25 Stingray UAV Squadron in 2021
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has announced plans to activate the force structure to operate its future MQ-25A Stingray aerial refueling unmanned aerial vehicle late next year. In an internal notice, the chief of naval operations directed the establishment…
Reclamation of Ex-Japanese MH-53E Helicopter Parts Complete for U.S. Navy
ARLINGTON, Va. — The reclamation of helicopter parts from some retired Japanese helicopters to sustain some U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helicopters is complete, a Navy spokeswoman said. The parts are being used to sustain the U.S. Navy’s MH-53E Sea…
Navy Orders Full-Rate Production for BQM-177A Aerial Targets From Kratos
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has awarded $29.2 million contract to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc. for Lot 1 Full-Rate Production of the company’s BQM-177A subsonic aerial target. The Naval Air Systems Command awarded the firm-fixed-price contract to Kratos…
Moton Sets Fiscal 2021 Priorities for Navy’s Unmanned and Small Combatants
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants (PEO USC) has set an ambitious plan to push development of the systems in his portfolio on the eve of fiscal 2021. Rear Adm. Casey Moton, speaking…
Marine Corps F-35B, KC-130J Collide in Mid-Air
ARLINGTON, Va. — A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II strike fighter collided with a Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transport aircraft over Southern California on Sept. 29, resulting in the loss of the F-35B and a crash landing of the…
