ARLINGTON, Va.— The Navy has upgraded the TACAMO strategic communications community’s weapons tactics detachment to a full command. According to an internal Navy directive, the Detachment Weapons Tactics Unit of commander, Strategic Communications Wing One, at Tinker Air Force Base,…
Marine Commandant: 2018 Recruiting Goal Met, but Dearth of Qualified Youth ‘Should Scare You’
WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps met its recruiting goal in fiscal 2018, said the service’s commandant, Gen. Robert B. Neller, despite a more challenging recruiting environment. “We’ve made our recruiting goal every year,” Neller told reporters Oc. 10 at a…
Navy Air Warfare Director: C-2 Aircraft Retirement Moved Up to 2024
WASHINGTON — The replacement of the Navy’s C-2A Greyhound carrier on-board delivery (COD) aircraft with the CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor transport aircraft has been moved up three years because of accelerated procurement of the needed Ospreys, a Navy admiral said. “The…
New Navy Unit to Replace Special Projects Patrol Squadron
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has established a new unit to sustain a special mission capability in its maritime patrol community with the coming retirement of the P-3 Orion aircraft. A Sept. 10 internal directive from the Office of the…
Navy Nuclear Reactor Chief: Industrial Base Healthy, but Sustainment Requires High Energy
WASHINGTON — The Navy’s nuclear propulsion industrial base is meeting the needs of the Navy, but it requires a lot of attention to sustain it to ensure its availability. “The [nuclear industrial] base is small,” Adm. James F. Caldwell, director,…
Navy Air Warfare Director: C-130 Fleet Will be Full Up in Fiscal 2019
WASHINGTON — The Navy expects to have all of its C-130 Hercules transport aircraft back flying this fiscal year after grounding many for problems with their propellers. “We’ll have all the aircraft up by FY ’19 and all the aircraft…
President Signs Budget Boosting Navy Ship, Aircraft Procurement
ARLINGTON, Va. — The fiscal 2019 defense budget, part of a multiagency appropriations bill signed into law Sept. 28 by President Donald J. Trump, reflects the will of Congress to plus-up Navy Department ship and aircraft procurement. The law appropriates…
Navy Acquisition Chief: Navy Moving to Use Block Ship Maintenance Contracts
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s top acquisition official said the service is moving toward block bidding of ship maintenance rather than issuing contracts for single ship availabilities. The Navy also is working to rapidly address unplanned repair needs for its…
Navy to Combine F-35C Replacement Training Squadrons in 2019
Navy to Combine F-35C Replacement Training Squadrons in 2019ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy plans to deactivate one of its two F-35C fleet replacement training squadrons next year and combine its aircraft and personnel within the other replacement training squadron. According…
CNO Richardson: Columbia SSBN Program on Track, Help on Margin Needed
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy’s top officer said the program schedule to build the Navy’s next-generation ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) is very tight and some more margin in the program would help. “What I am pushing the team to do is…
