ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard will surge ships and aircraft to the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility to counter increased cartel drug running amid the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump and Defense Department officials announced. At an April 1 press briefing at the White House,…
Geurts: Ship Construction Ongoing, Repairs Continuing Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is continuing to build and repair ships amid the COVID-19 pandemic but also is looking ahead to position itself to accelerate as the nation recovers from the pandemic, the service’s top acquisition official said. The repair yards…
Navy Regional Maintenance Centers Continuing Work Amid COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON — In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Navy’s Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs) are continuing to maintain the Navy’s ships, even in countries where the pandemic is especially severe, the Navy said. “Our priority is the protection of our workforce, [and] our commanders have…
Q&A With CNO Adm. Mike Gilday
Since August, Adm. Mike Gilday has led the world’s most powerful navy as the 32nd chief of naval operations. The son of a Sailor and a native of Lowell, Massachusetts, he is a surface warfare officer who graduated from the…
Navy Orders Two More Navajo-Class Towing, Salvage, Rescue Ships
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The Navy has ordered two more Navajo-class T-ATS towing, salvage and rescue ships, the Defense Department said in a March 25 contract notice. The Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Gulf Island Shipyards LLC in Houma, Louisiana,…
Marine Force Design 2030: Reduce Tube Artillery, Increase Rockets, Missiles
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The Marine Corps commandant has issued his plans for a major redesign of the Marine Corps’ force structure by 2030, with substantial reductions in some venerable weapon systems and increases in new systems. For example, traditional tube…
Geurts: Navy Acting to Shore Up Industrial Base to Ease Virus Impact on Readiness
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is taking active measures to ease the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the operations and finance of its defense industrial base to minimize disruptions to its acquisition and readiness, the service’s top acquisition official said. James…
Navy Ship Commissionings on Track Despite Pandemic, But Ceremonies Are Delayed
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy plans to put two Virginia-class attack submarines in commission in April despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ceremonies marking the events will be delayed. “Due to public health safety and restrictions on large public events, the commissioning ceremonies…
Marine Corps to Double UAS Squadrons, Reduce Rotary Squadrons by 2030
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps is planning to change its aviation community significantly as part of a long-range effort to align its force structure more with the National Defense Strategy, including doubling the number of unmanned aerial system (UAS) squadrons and…
First Marine Corps F-35C Squadron One Step Closer to Deployment
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps’ first squadron to operate the F-35C Lightning II strike fighter has achieved certification as “safe for flight,” a major milestone toward eventual combat readiness and deployment. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314), based at Marine Corps Air Station…
