ARLINGTON, Va. — The chief of naval operations (CNO) is pushing to accelerate the development of the Navy’s next-generation ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) so that it is ready to deploy “as quickly as possible.” He also is pushing the more rapid…
Coast Guard Commandant ‘Guardedly Optimistic’ for Icebreaker Funding in 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. — Funding for the Coast Guard’s requirement for new icebreakers in fiscal 2019 is in peril but the Coast Guard remains confident that a conference between the House and Senate will allow the service to begin procurement. “We’re…
Search Continues for Marines Missing After Air Collision
ARLINGTON, Va. — The search continues for five Marines whose KC-130 Hercules transport/refueling aircraft collided Dec. 6 with a Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet strike fighter over the Pacific Ocean. The two Marines in the F/A-18D apparently ejected; one was rescued…
Navy Must Be ‘Agile’ but ‘Sustainable’ in the Arctic
WASHINGTON — Sustainability is the key issue for U.S. naval operations in the Arctic, a Navy official said. “The Navy has to be agile [in its Arctic operations],” Jeffrey Barker, a deputy branch head for Policy and Posture in the…
First Heliborne AOEW Pod for Navy Expected in Late 2019
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin expects to produce the first engineering development model (EDM) of a heliborne electronic warfare pod by late 2019, a company official said. Orders for materials for the ALQ-218 Advanced Offboard Electronic Warfare (AOEW) pods began last…
Commander, 2nd Fleet, Exploring Headquarters, Command Ship Options
WASHIGNTON — The commander of the newly established U.S. 2nd Fleet said he is looking at various options for a new headquarters and the possibility of having a command ship. “We are looking at options to equip the 2nd Fleet…
ESM System on Navy E-2 Aircraft Set for Digital Upgrade in 2022
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin is developing a digital upgrade of the analog electronic surveillance measures (ESM) system installed on the Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye carrier-based early warning aircraft and plans to complete development by 2022. The current ALQ-217 is the…
Vice Adm. Merz: New Round, Gun Removal Options for Zumwalt DDG
WASHINGTON — The Navy is looking at options for the Advanced Gun System (AGS) on the Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG) as it completes mission systems installation, options that include developing a new round or removing the guns all together. The…
Navy Awards Contract to VT Halter for New Oceanographic Survey Ship
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract to shipbuilder VT Halter Marine toward advance work for the eighth Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship (T-AGS). The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded to VT Halter Marine a “not-to-exceed $9 million undefinitized…
Naval Strike Missile System Planned for Installation on LCS 27
ARLINGTON, Va. — Lockheed Martin is in the process of integrating the Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Weapon System on its Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) and has identified the ship to be built ready for the missile system. The first Freedom LCS…
