PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Textron Inc. announced Dec. 5 that Bell Textron Inc., a Textron company, has been awarded the development contract for the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The award is based on Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor that was developed and tested as part of the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program that began in 2013. The V-280 progressed through design, manufacturing, and more than three years of rigorous flight testing that provided extensive data validating the technical and operational advantages of the aircraft for the long-range assault mission. 

“We are honored that the U.S. Army has selected the Bell V-280 Valor as its next-generation assault aircraft,” said Scott C. Donnelly, Textron’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We intend to honor that trust by building a truly remarkable and transformational weapon system to meet the Army’s mission requirements. We are excited to play an important role in the future of Army Aviation.” 

“This is an exciting time for the U.S. Army, Bell and Team Valor as we modernize the Army’s aviation capabilities for decades to come,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell. “Bell has a long history supporting Army Aviation and we are ready to equip Soldiers with the speed and range they need to compete and win using the most mature, reliable and affordable high-performance long-range assault weapon system in the world.” 

This award builds on a decade of the V-280 Valor’s progress through design, manufacturing, and thorough testing to demonstrate that this aircraft will deliver on the FLRAA program requirements. Bell and its industry partners have systematically validated the V-280 aircraft and their modular open systems approach in collaboration with the Army. 

“For the past several years the Bell team demonstrated the exceptional operational capabilities, digital thread synergies and platform affordability enhancements the V-280 provides,” said Keith Flail, executive vice president, Advanced Vertical Lift Systems at Bell. “Bell stands ready with our world-class manufacturing facilities to apply our nearly seven decades of tiltrotor expertise to deliver a modern FLRAA fleet to the Army.” 

The initial contract refines the weapon system design, sustainment, digital enterprise, manufacturing, systems integration, flight-testing and airworthiness qualification. 

SIMI Valley, Calif. — The situation in Ukraine could easily happen in Taiwan if the main actors aren’t careful, a top admiral warned during comments at the Reagan National Defense Forum here on Dec. 3. 
 
Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said that while people were “surprised” at what happened in Europe with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many aspects of it could be repeated in Taiwan should a conflict there erupt. 
 
“This could happen in the Pacific region,” he said. “We shouldn’t be surprised that it can happen.” 
 
He said that he takes several lessons from the conflict in Ukraine that apply to Taiwan. 
 
“Once the fight starts, it’s going to be really hard to end,” Aquilino said. “Which means we ought to take action now. We need a sense of urgency to deliver the force, the capabilities, the industrial base, the budgets and what is needed now to move as fast as possible to deliver deterrence and sustain our deterrence efforts.” 
 
When asked why Taiwan was worth sending U.S. troops to die over a conflict there, Aquilino said Taiwan is “geographically and strategically important” to the United States. 
 
“There’s economic capabilities there that are important to the United States economy,” he said. “There’s a number of reasons why we believe it’s important.” 
 
Aquilino said he hopes that his counterparts in China are also watching the Ukraine conflict and taking lessons from it, such as the necessity to avoid underestimating how difficult of an undertaking it would be to take Taiwan, and the fact that it will cost “blood and treasure.” 
 
He also warned China that the United States could enact sanctions that could have “500 times more devastating effects” than those on Russia because of how interconnected China was with the global economy. When the moderator pointed out that the same could be said of the United States and such sanctions could have a rebound effect, Aquilino said he was confident that the combined power of the United States, Japan and South Korea economies would “dwarf” China’s economy. 
 
Aquilino pledged that the Navy will continue to perform military exercises in China’s backyard, claiming that the Navy performs 150 exercises in the Indo-Pacific region each year with allies. 

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — The defense contractors who run U.S. Navy shipyards can expect plenty of revenue in the coming years as the Navy faces off with China, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday said Dec. 3 at the Reagan National Defense Forum here. 
 
Addressing a question about the U.S. Navy’s ability to counter China, Gilday said that the Navy had submitted to Congress the “largest shipbuilding budget in the history of the United States” at $27.5 billion, and that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. 
 
“You cannot throw much more money at the seven shipbuilders that build U.S. warships in the United States of America right now,” Gilday said. “Their capacity is about at max, and Congress is helping us max them out. I would say the same thing for weapons production.” 
 
Gilday said that the Navy is very focused on supporting industry during this ramp-up in weapons production. 
 
“If you take a look at our budget and where we’re putting money, we are trying to send a very strong signal to industry that we need consistent, stable production lines for weapons with range and speed for a long time,” he said. 
 
Gilday did not directly answer the moderator’s question about whether the Navy was prepared to counter a Chinese move on Taiwan, instead opting to tout the Navy’s presence across the globe and readiness to react to any developing situation. 
 
“About a third of the Navy is at sea today,” Gilday said. “We have more ships in the European theater than the rest of the NATO nations combined — more than 25 ships. … We have ships right now in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. 
 
“We have significant overmatch in that domain against any competitor,” he added. 
 
He also appeared to imply that the U.S. Navy was in constant contact with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). 
 
“The U.S. Navy is in contact with peer competitors on the sea, under the sea and in the air every single day,” Gilday said. “You see snippets of it with ships going through the Taiwan Strait and going nose-to-nose with Chinese ships. You see it with our aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean or by the Sea of Japan with the Russians.” 

MANAMA, Bahrain — On Dec. 1, U.S. naval forces in the Middle East intercepted a fishing trawler smuggling more than 50 tons of ammunition rounds, fuses and propellants for rockets in the Gulf of Oman along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs said in a Dec. 3 release. 

Navy personnel operating from expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) discovered the illicit cargo during a flag verification boarding, marking U.S. 5th Fleet’s second major illegal weapons seizure within a month.   

Forces from Lewis B. Puller found more than 1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition; 25,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition; nearly 7,000 proximity fuses for rockets; and over 2,100 kilograms of propellant used to launch rocket propelled grenades. 

“This significant interdiction clearly shows that Iran’s unlawful transfer of lethal aid and destabilizing behavior continues,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “U.S. naval forces remain focused on deterring and disrupting dangerous and irresponsible maritime activity in the region.”  

The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law. 

U.S. 5th Fleet previously intercepted a fishing vessel illegally shipping lethal aid from Iran to Yemen on Nov. 8. U.S. Coast Guard ship USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) and guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) intercepted the vessel in the Gulf of Oman.  

A weeklong search assisted by patrol coastal ship USS Hurricane (PC 3) and Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians from U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 56 discovered more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives. U.S. forces also found more than 100 tons of urea fertilizer, a chemical compound with agricultural applications that is also known for use as an explosive precursor. 

The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal. 

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750) and crew returned to Alameda, Dec. 3, after traveling over 18,000 nautical miles during a 77-day counter-narcotic patrol throughout the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release. 
 
Bertholf’s crew conducted multiple boardings of suspected drug-smuggling vessels while patrolling international waters off the coasts of Central and South America supporting Joint Interagency Task Force-South. The boardings led to the detainment of multiple suspected drug smugglers and the interdiction of more than 1,050 pounds of cocaine. 
 
The Bertholf crew offloaded the seized cocaine and more than 4,000 pounds of marijuana that was interdicted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC 909), worth a combined total of more than $18 million in San Diego. 
 
A Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (HITRON) MH-65E Dolphin helicopter and aircrew from Jacksonville, Florida, augmented Bertholf’s crew during the patrol. HITRON crews deploy aboard cutters to interdict vessels suspected of illicit smuggling throughout drug transit zones across the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. 
 
The largest interdiction during the patrol was a joint effort between the Bertholf and the El Salvadorian Coast Guard. The crews worked together to interdict a 60-foot low-profile vessel. 
 
During the patrol, the Bertholf’s crew also worked with Costa Rican counterparts to interdict a vessel that was suspected of being a supply vessel for go-fasts carrying excess fuel and parts.  
 
In addition to law enforcement operations, Bertholf’s crew hosted the U.S. ambassador to Ecuador and multiple high-ranking Ecuadorian officials during a port call in Manta, Ecuador. 
 
“It was a great honor to host Ambassador Fitzpatrick and important partners from Ecuador, including the head of their National Police, vice minister of Fisheries, and several other high-ranking elected and military officials,” said Capt. Timothy Brown, Bertholf’s commanding officer. “While we were there, their country was rocked by a series of deadly attacks perpetrated by drug trafficking organizations, highlighting in an all too real way the importance of our international partnerships focused on fighting crime and violence across the Western Hemisphere. The meeting was an opportunity for Bertholf and the U.S. Coast Guard to highlight the importance of the drug-interdiction mission and the role our international partners have in maritime safety and security.” 
 
Bertholf’s crew conducted multiple training exercises throughout the patrol. They supported two Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team-West (MSRT-W) personnel fast-roping exercises with Coast Guard and Navy helicopter aircrews off the coast of San Diego. The training allowed the MSRT-W members to earn their fast-roping qualifications and increase their proficiency. It was also an opportunity for the Bertholf crew to qualify multiple landing signal officers, helicopter control officers and tie-down members. 
 
For the first time in two years, Bertholf’s crew conducted a fueling at sea (FAS) off the coast of San Diego with the U.S. Navy. A fueling at sea involves two ships sailing side-by-side with less than 200 feet of space in between while maintaining speed and course with precise coordination between deck and navigation departments. Thousands of gallons of fuel can be transferred between an oiler and a ship during an FAS allowing the crew to remain underway and in theatre for extended periods. 
 
“I am highly impressed by the dedication and hard work displayed by the Bertholf crew throughout this patrol,” said Brown. “Our friends and family at home should all take great pride in the service and sacrifice of your loved ones as they work to make the world a safer place.” 
 
During at-sea interdictions, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by JIATF-S based in Key West, Florida. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 11th District, headquartered in Alameda. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. 
 
Bertholf is one of four 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda capable of extended, worldwide deployment. National security cutters like Bertholf routinely deploy on multi-month patrols to support counter-narcotics operations, humanitarian missions, national security, domestic fisheries enforcement and international efforts to counter illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. 

KEY WEST, Fla. — The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Thetis (WMEC 910) returned to their homeport in Key West, Saturday following a 56-day Caribbean Sea deployment, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a Dec. 3 release. 

While underway in the Coast Guard Seventh District’s area of operations and in support of Joint Interagency Task Force – South, Thetis conducted migrant interdiction operations. 

Thetis patrolled the southern Florida Straits and Windward Passage, collaborating with numerous Coast Guard assets to detect, deter and intercept vessels engaged in illegal maritime migration. In total, Thetis interdicted, cared for and repatriated 198 Cuban and Haitian migrants in support of the Coast Guard’s Seventh District. 

While transiting to the Windward Passage, Thetis received a report of a small, overcrowded vessel taking on water. Thetis’ crewmembers launched a small boat rescuing everyone onboard the vessel. 

“This case highlights the humanitarian aspect of this mission and emphasizes the importance of the Coast Guard’s presence to ensure safety of life at sea,” said Cmdr. Gavin Garcia, commanding officer of Thetis. “I am extremely proud of our professional and compassionate team.” 

Prior to patrol, Thetis successfully completed the Coast Guard’s biennial shipboard training assessment, known as the tailored ships training accountability, at Naval Station Mayport. For three weeks, a team of evaluators assessed the crew’s operational readiness through a series of drills to include weapons testing, command and control, damage control, engineering, navigation and seamanship skills. Thetis’ crew achieved a 98% average combined drill score. 

Following the assessment, Thetis embarked an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron in Jacksonville. The HITRON aircrew performed a series of 40 day and night landings aboard Thetis to enhance proficiency among both assets’ crews. 

Thetis is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 104. The cutter’s primary missions are counterdrug operations, migrant interdiction, enforcing federal fishery laws and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

LONDON — A £15.4 million contract for a cutting-edge crewless submarine has been awarded to Plymouth firm MSubs by the Royal Navy. The vessel will be delivered to the navy in two years’ time and will further advance the U.K.’s ability to protect critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in a Dec. 1 release. 

Project Cetus — named after a mythological sea monster — enhances the Royal Navy’s experimentation with autonomous underwater systems. It is the first step in developing an operational autonomous submarine that will work side-by-side with crewed submarines — including the Astute-class hunter-killers and their successors — or independently. 

Its maximum operational depth will exceed that of the current submarine fleet, meaning Cetus will equip the Royal Navy with even greater reach into the oceans in support of U.K. defense. It will be able to cover up to 1,000 miles in a single mission. 

Cetus will be 12 meters long — the length of a double decker bus — 2.2 meters in diameter and weigh 17 tons. It will be the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy. The bespoke vessel is being designed and built for the Royal Navy by Plymouth-based tech firm MSubs. This contract will create 10 and support 70 specialist jobs in the city. 

“In order to meet the growing threats to our underwater infrastructure, the Royal Navy needs to be ahead of the competition with cutting edge capabilities,” said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. “Project Cetus, alongside bringing forward the MROS ships, will help ensure we have the right equipment to protect the security of the U.K. and our Allies. Having the skills base and specialist knowledge to develop and build this vessel in the U.K. is testament to the U.K.’s leading reputation in building surface and sub-surface ships.” 

The vessel’s size means that it will fit inside a shipping container and can therefore be transported around the world to wherever it is needed. It will be designed to operate with all of the ships from the Royal Navy fleet as well as those of our allies. 

Cetus will be a platform for the Royal Navy on which to experiment and build cutting edge technologies and capabilities around, encouraging innovation and developing best practice. The unarmed vessel is battery powered, meaning its effective range can be increased by installing additional batteries. 

It has also been designed to be modular, with an optional section that can be added to double the capacity of the vessel. 

The crewless submarine is the latest step taken by the Royal Navy into autonomous systems, and have been for over a decade. Crewless minehunting systems are already operating in Scotland, and driverless Pacific 24 sea boats are undergoing testing. Various aerial drones are used by ships for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. 

The Navy has invested in a dedicated tech trials ship, XV Patrick Blackett, to assess and test new equipment and determine how it could be used or integrated into the fleet. Cetus is the equivalent for sub-sea experimentation. 

“This is a hugely exciting moment for Project Cetus as the Royal Navy surges ahead with the development of autonomous technology,” said First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key.”This Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is a capability step-change in our mission to dominate the underwater battlespace. And I am delighted that the project is able to support a small, innovative U.K. company which is at the cutting edge of this sector.” 

The contract is funded by the Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead program, run by the Royal Navy’s Develop Directorate, headquartered in Portsmouth. The vessel will be delivered through the Submarine Delivery Agency in Bristol and is the latest in a series of novel underwater technologies being brought to life to deal with the threats of the next decade. 

“The faith the Royal Navy has shown in our small business is humbling and we look forward to working closely together in the future, as we have in the recent past, to develop and deploy Cetus, in the national interest,” said Brett Phaneuf, chief executive officer at MSubs.

MANAMA, Bahrain — U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) welcomed Latvia, Dec. 1, as the 11th member of a multinational maritime coalition established three years ago to deter attacks on commercial shipping in the Middle East, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs said in a Dec. 1 release. 

Latvia has joined the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) and its operational arm, Coalition Task Force Sentinel, which are headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. 5th Fleet. 

Latvia is the third nation to become a member of IMSC this year. Seychelles and Romania joined in October and March respectively. 
 
“We are excited to strengthen and expand IMSC with Latvia’s addition,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. Cooper also serves as IMSC’s multinational task force commander. “Latvia is already a key NATO ally, and we now welcome them to a growing international naval coalition in the Middle East, which protects some of the most important waterways in the world.” 

IMSC was formed in July 2019 in response to increased threats to freedom of navigation for merchant mariners transiting international waters in the Middle East. Coalition Task Force Sentinel was established four months later to deter state-sponsored malign activity and reassure the merchant shipping industry in the Bab al-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz. 

“Our coalition continues to grow and build commercial and military partnerships,” said United Kingdom Royal Navy Commodore Ben Aldous, commander of IMSC and Coalition Task Force Sentinel. “In an international rules-based system, a shared, common voice resonates louder than a state acting on its own.” 

In addition to Latvia, Seychelles and Romania, IMSC member-nations include Albania, Bahrain, Estonia, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States. 

WASHINGTON — The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, selected Frank Collins as senior defense advisor, overseeing the organization’s national ship repair and security, as well as the industry workforce development and education initiatives, SCA said in a Dec. 2 release.  

Frank Collins is an accomplished strategic business consultant with over 36 years of public and private sector experience in the ship repair industry. Collins served as chief executive officer of United States Marine Preservation, was a principal government relations representative for Ship Repair at BAE Systems Ship Repair, and was senior vice president at the United States Marine Repair, where he sat on the Executive Operating Committee. Collins also served as a vice president of the Carlyle Management Group (CMG), and previously spent 13 years working on Capitol Hill as a chief of staff for a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and as district director for a Member who served on and later chaired the House Armed Services Committee. 

“Now more than ever, it is critical that our armed forces have the vessels they need to complete their missions safely and effectively, and SCA will play a critical role in ensuring our U.S. yards are delivering for the country. I am excited to join the dynamic SCA team, and work closely with shipyards across the U.S. on these important issues,” said Mr. Collins.  

“Continued geopolitical issues have demonstrated the need for the U.S. to build and maintain a strong maritime fleet in times of conflict and in times of peace. Frank’s nearly four decades of experience working in Naval operations and national security policy will be critical in advocating on behalf of our industry,” said SCA President Matthew Paxton. “We are honored for Frank to come aboard the SCA team and provide his unique insight on national ship repair and workforce development.” 

Capt. Joe O’Conor (ret.), the current senior defense advisor for SCA, is retiring from his position after serving at SCA since 2017. 

“We are tremendously excited to welcome Frank to our association and his decades of expertise — from both the private and public sector — that will serve our more than 82 shipyards and 87 partner organizations,” said SCA Chairman and President of Bollinger Shipyards, Ben Bordelon. “As we welcome Frank, our entire SCA board of directors and members from coast to coast will also miss the knowledge, advice and friendship of Joe O’Conor. On behalf of the entire Association, we thank Joe for his years of dedicated service to the nation and to our industry, and we offer our deepest well wishes as he sets sail on his next voyage into retirement.  

Mr. Paxton continued the well wishes for retirement to Captain O’Conor, saying, “Joe has been a tremendous leader, colleague and friend throughout his dedicated service in the Navy and as a public and civil servant. We will miss his leadership in our association, but we hope Joe enjoys fair winds and following seas in his retirement.” 

Throughout his distinguished career, Captain O’Conor served a wide range of duty assignments in the Navy including commanding the USS O’Bannon (DD-987) and pre-commissioning Executive Officer of USS Monterey (CG 61), among numerous high-level operations of other ships and staff. He also served several tours in Washington, DC as Chief of Naval Operations Staff in the Pentagon as well as a Congressional Liaison Officer for the Navy on Capitol Hill. 

SEATTLE, Wash. — Vigor, a Titan company, has been awarded a $131 million U.S. Navy contract to complete a docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) on USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) at Harbor Island in Seattle, the company said in a Dec. 1 release. The ship arrived at Harbor Island on Nov. 4, becoming the fourth U.S. Navy vessel currently undergoing maintenance at the Seattle shipyard.  

“We are excited to welcome USS John Paul Jones to Harbor Island, where our skilled workers will offer excellent service in support of the U.S. Navy,” said Adam Beck, executive vice president of Ship Repair at Vigor. “Vigor is proud to have built a reputation of completing challenging availabilities safely and with excellent quality. We are grateful the Navy continues to choose our shipyards for this critical work.”  

The DSRA will consist of underwater hull preservation, propulsion overhaul, structural work, valve overhaul, sonar work, deck preservation and significant modifications and alterations. The project will employ more than 600 skilled workers during its year-long stay at Harbor Island. 

In addition to USS John Paul Jones, USS Chosin (CG 65), USS Omaha (LCS 12) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71) are currently undergoing maintenance at Harbor Island. This is the first time since Vigor began operating the Harbor Island shipyard in 2011 that four U.S. Navy ships have been onsite undergoing maintenance concurrently. Additionally, USS Tulsa (LCS 16) has recently arrived at Vigor’s Swan Island shipyard in Portland, Oregon, while work commenced earlier this year on USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.  

“Vigor’s deep relationship with the U.S. Navy supports hundreds of jobs across the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii,” Beck said. “We are grateful for the continued opportunity to support our national defense, and our skilled workers look forward to showing our standard of excellence in our work. Not only do Vigor employees consistently perform tremendous work, they do so while making Vigor shipyards among the safest in the industry.”