GROTON, Connecticut – The Navy’s newest Virginia-class attack submarine, future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), was christened during a ceremony at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut, July 31, the U.S. Navy said in a release.

“This submarine is a fitting tribute to Admiral Rickover, who truly transformed our Navy,” said Adm. James Caldwell, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, during his remarks at the celebration.

Caldwell credited Rickover — who served for 63 years in the Navy and is credited with spurring the service to adopt nuclear propulsion after World War II — with not only technological advances but cultural ones. He lauded Rickover’s legendary work ethic, frankness, attention to detail and commitment to excellence, which he said has since permeated throughout the Navy.

“It’s really great to see this ship come together, and to see so many people here to celebrate the christening of the Hyman G. Rickover and honor the Hyman G. Rickover legacy,” said Cmdr. Thomas Niebel, commanding officer of the newly christened submarine.

The Honorable James F. Geurts, performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Navy, told those in attendance that the construction of the future USS Hyman G. Rickover is a testament to the dedication of America’s shipbuilders and sailors.

“We did not close a shipyard, public or private, for one day during the pandemic,” Geurts said. “The sustained commitment to excellence displayed by this workforce shows in the construction of this boat and adheres to the culture of excellence promoted by Hyman G. Rickover.

“It’s not just a matter of having the world’s best ships,” he continued, “you have to have the world’s best Sailors to maintain the world’s best Navy, and we have both.”

Darleen Greenert, the submarine’s sponsor, a Navy veteran, and wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert, highlighted the sacrifice of military families during her remarks, and remembered the late Eleonore Rickover, the namesake admiral’s wife.

“She set the bar [for ship sponsors],” Greenert said of Eleonore Rickover, who was the sponsor for a previous Los Angeles-class submarine to bear the Hyman G. Rickover name, SSN 709. “She loved her crew.”

The first Hyman G. Rickover was commissioned at Submarine Base, New London, in Groton, on July 21, 1984. SSN 709 and its crew deployed 12 times until its decommissioning in December 2007. Over the years, its decorations included the Atlantic Fleet Golden Anchor Award, Submarine Squadron Eight’s anti-submarine warfare white “A” and engineering red “E” awards and the prestigious Sixth Fleet “Hook ‘Em” award for anti-submarine warfare excellence.

Greenert asked family members of the crew of the future USS Hyman G. Rickover to stand together when her daughter, Matron of Honor Sarah Greenert McNichol, broke the ceremonial bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Electric Boat President Kevin Graney, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-CT and U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI.

Rickover will eventually joint the fleet with a displacement of 7,835 tons, crew of 132, and a weapons payload of 12 vertical launch systems and four torpedo tubes.

Fast-attack submarines like Rickover are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities — sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. The submarine is designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare; anti-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare – from open ocean anti-submarine warfare to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to projecting power ashore with Special Operation Forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has brought charges against a Sailor who was a crew member of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard for starting the fire that resulted in the devastation of the ship, the U.S. 3rd Fleet said in a July 29 release. 

“On July 29, charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice [UCMJ] were brought forth against a Navy Sailor in response to evidence found during the criminal investigation into the fire started on USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on July 12, 2020,” said Cmdr. Sean Robertson, U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesperson. “Evidence collected during the investigation is sufficient to direct a preliminary hearing in accordance with due process under the military justice system. The Sailor was a member of Bonhomme Richard’s crew at the time and is accused of starting the fire.  

“Vice Adm. Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet is considering court-martial charges and has directed a preliminary hearing at which an impartial hearing officer will make determinations and recommendations required by the UCMJ prior to any further trial proceedings — including whether or not there is probable cause to believe an offense has been committed and to offer a recommendation as to the disposition of the case.” 

The Bonhomme Richard was pierside at the naval base in San Diego going through modernization when a fire started and spread through much of the ship over a period of days. The Navy considered several options to repair the ship, possibly in another role, but the service decided to decommission and scrap it. 

“Following an extensive material assessment in which various courses of action were considered and evaluated, we came to the conclusion that it is not fiscally responsible to restore her, then-Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said in a Nov. 30 release. 

SANTA RITA, Guam — The Coast Guard’s three newest Fast Response Cutters were commissioned July 29 during a ceremony presided over by Adm. Karl Schultz, the Coast Guard’s commandant, the Coast Guard 14th District said in a release. 

The Coast Guard Cutters Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139), Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) and Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) were commissioned during a rare triple-commissioning ceremony at their new homeport at Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam.  

“The triple commissioning of Coast Guard Cutters Myrtle Hazard, Oliver Henry, and Frederick Hatch signals our dedication to regional partners and the growing maritime demand in the region,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander, Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam. “It was an honor to celebrate this historic event with the crews, families and sponsors for each cutters’ namesake.”  

Like the 30-year-old Island-class patrol boats before them, they will support the people of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and our international partners throughout Oceania. The FRCs represent the Coast Guard’s commitment to modernizing service assets to address the increasingly complex global Maritime Transportation System.  

The Coast Guard already has a well-established presence within the region due to its bilateral shiprider agreements with Pacific Island Forum countries. These shiprider agreements allow partnering nations’ defense and law enforcement officers to go aboard Coast Guard vessels to observe, board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within their exclusive economic zones.  

By embarking shipriders, Coast Guard crews are able to support allies in the region and work towards expanding security by addressing regional challenges to peace, prosperity, and social inclusion. The retention of crewmembers from these invaluable missions means the lessons learned from joint operations will carry over to the new FRCs, ensuring goodwill developed by past Coast Guard assets will remain applicable.  

“These initiatives cultivate relationships and they solve practical problems,” said Schultz. “In this way the Coast Guard’s distinct contributions to maritime government are built on people-to-people relationships.” 

Named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes, FRCs are equipped with advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and boast a greater range and endurance. At 154-feet long, they reach speeds of over 28 knots covering a distance of 2,500 nautical miles over a five-day patrol. They are armed with a stabilized 25-mm machine gun mount and four crew-served .50-caliber machine guns. 

These advanced capabilities greatly improve the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct missions ranging from search and rescue to national defense while also contributing to joint operations between the United States and its regional partners as they work towards common goals such as the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.  

“The people of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Micronesia can rest assured that these multi-mission platforms stand ready to support our partners throughout the region,” said Simmons.  

Each FRC has a standard 24-person crew. This brings over 70 new Coast Guard members to Guam, along with their family members. Prior to the FRCs’ arrival, the Coast Guard presence on Guam was composed of approximately 250 active-duty personnel and 40 reservists. 

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The Coast Guard broke ground Wednesday on a new facility at Base Los Angeles/Long Beach in San Pedro that will be home to the service’s newest additions to its fleet, the Coast Guard 11th District said in a July 28 release. 

Located at 1001 S. Seaside Avenue, the new $35 million, 11,500 square-foot Naval Engineering Department facility is scheduled to be an extension to the existing Maintenance Augmentation Team (MAT) building that will support the Coast Guard’s first two offshore patrol cutters.  

The 360-foot Coast Guard Cutter Argus (WMSM 915) and Coast Guard Cutter Chase (WMSM 916) are under construction and expected to arrive in late 2022/early 2023. The offshore patrol cutters will join the four 154-foot fast response cutters — Forrest Rednour, Robert Ward, Terrell Horne, and Benjamin Bottoms — and the 175-foot buoy tender, the Coast Guard Cutter George Cobb (WLM 564), currently stationed at Base LA/LB.  

Once completed in October 2022, the facility will accommodate approximately 60 personnel who will provide maintenance, weapon, and naval engineering support for the fast response and offshore patrol cutters. In addition to the building, a new 257-foot pier extension is scheduled to be built to make room for the Chase. Improvements are also slated for the existing Electronics Support Detachment and warehouse on the base. 

“Every Coast Guard mission starts and ends at a base. This new cutter support facility will enhance the capabilities of future Coast Guard cutters to meet critical mission needs in a demanding and constantly evolving maritime environment,” said Vice Adm. Michael F. McAllister, commander U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area. “The Coast Guard’s first two offshore patrol cutters will be homeported at Base Los Angeles-Long Beach and this facility will provide the operational support needed to ensure future Coast Guard crews can accomplish their mission successfully.” 

With the addition of the two new offshore patrol cutters, the base will require more space and staff to support the growing fleet. Personnel at Base LA/LB nearly doubled since 2018. 

The offshore patrol cutters are the newest vessels in the Coast Guard’s fleet. The state-of-the-art ships are scheduled to replace the service’s 270-foot and 210-foot medium-endurance cutters and will be used to patrol the open ocean in the most demanding maritime environments. 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ­– Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Solutions business unit has been awarded a multi-year, $638 million contract for vessel acquisition management (VAM) by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the company said in a July 28 release.  

Crowley’s strategic acquisition and vessel management service will assist MARAD in the enhancement of the Ready Reserve Force, helping reduce the overall age of the fleet and increase ship reliability. The fleet executes U.S. Department of Defense sealifts.   

To carry out the contract, Crowley will use a new, proprietary information technology system to assess, research and make purchasing recommendations. Once the vessels are acquired, Crowley will oversee any required reflagging, reclassification, modification and maintenance to ensure they are fit for service in compliance with U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, and Defense Department requirements. After ships enter the fleet, Crowley will maintain and operate the vessels on behalf of MARAD. 

“A successful VAM program is important to the U.S. as a maritime nation, the maritime industry and Crowley as we mutually invest in the strength of our nation,” said Mike Golonka, vice president, government ship management in Crowley Solutions. “We want to share our innovative, successful approach to vessel ownership and lifecycle engineering with the U.S. government.” 

Building on over 20 years of experience managing MARAD and other government and Navy vessels, Crowley will use the web-based platform to perform data analysis of the lifecycle of vessels and their components. The SHIPFAX platform will provide data-driven recommendations based on essential service requirements, as well as important factors to successfully manage and operate vessels.   

Crowley will execute the contract with Stena Line, Serco and LCE (Life Cycle Engineering), who bring specialized and unique experiences and services in acquisitions, naval ship architecture, engineering and applied technology. 

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable returned to their homeport in Virginia Beach after a 29-day patrol in the north-eastern coast of the United States, July 27, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a July 28 release.  

Throughout the patrol, the Dependable’s crew conducted over 15 living marine resource boardings resulting in violations ranging from commercial fishing vessel safety discrepancies to various fishing violations. Living marine resource enforcement patrols are vital to the continued sustainability and safety of the multi-billion-dollar U.S. seafood industry, as well as safeguarding marine protected species. 

The Dependable’s crew focused on the Coast Guard’s living marine resource enforcement mission, inspecting federally managed fishing vessels’ catch, gear, and lifesaving equipment to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and ensure safety of life at sea. 

“I am very proud of the crew of the Dependable, especially considering a significant portion of the crew just reported aboard this summer,” said Cmdr. Joshua Burch, commanding officer of the Dependable. “They displayed exceptional professionalism and adaptability in performing our primary mission of enforcing federal safety regulations within the commercial fishing fleet and protecting our nation’s valuable natural marine resources. We continue to play a critical role in sustaining a healthy domestic fisheries industry and fostering that important relationship with the maritime community.” 

The Dependable is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter that routinely deploys in support of counter-drug, alien migrant interdiction, fisheries, search and rescue and homeland security missions. 
 
 

ROTA, Spain – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, following completion of its 11th Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, July 26, 2021, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Claire DuBois of the U.S. 6th Fleet said in a July 27 release. 

Ross departed Rota on April 9, marking the beginning of patrol 11 to conduct naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. 

Patrol 11 began with Ross’s participation in Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST), a two-week British-led exercise designed to evaluate and increase the warfighting abilities of any allied navies who participate. During FOST, Ross Sailors participated in multiple general quarters drills, man-overboard drills, combat simulations, and other training scenarios. 

After FOST, Ross moved on to the North Sea, and then on to the Hebrides Range to take part in Exercise At-Sea Demo/Formidable Shield (ASD/FS) in early June. During ASD/FS, Ross fired an SM-2 missile at an air target simulating incoming fire, proving the ship’s ability to conduct ballistic-missile defense. 

“Our Sailors have met every challenge to meet mission and successfully complete patrol,” said Cmdr. John D. John, commanding officer of Ross. “I’m excited to get everyone home safe so we can reconnect with our loved ones.” 

After successful completion of ASD/FS, Ross moved south and joined the Moroccan-led exercise African Lion. This included multiple surface navigation exercises, as well as several weapon shoots with participating ships. 

Following African Lion, Ross transited to the Mediterranean Sea, and made a stop in Souda Bay, Greece. In Greece, Sailors had a few days to experience their first liberty port since the COVID-19 pandemic began, exploring the area while adhering to local COVID-19 safety restrictions. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to see the world again and experience different cultures,” said Quartermaster 2nd Class Zach Lober, “It was one of the reasons I joined the Navy, so I’m happy to have that part of the experience back.” 

In late June, Ross departed Greece and transited to the Black Sea, making a stop in Odesa, Ukraine to mark the beginning of its participation in Exercise Sea Breeze. 

During Sea Breeze, Ross conducted surface navigation exercises, weapon shoot evolutions, and many other exercises with participating ships from 30 countries. Ross Sailors spent the Fourth of July in port, celebrating Independence Day and recognizing Ukranian Navy Day with other Sea Breeze participants. Ross also had the opportunity to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy aboard the ship for a tour. 

“It was an honor to pipe the president of Ukraine on board,” said Boatswain’s Mate 3^rd Class Sean Van Horn, who was part of the receiving line. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am privileged to have done it.” 

After Sea Breeze, Ross moved on to Varna, Bulgaria, to begin participating in the Bulgarian-led exercise Breeze. During Breeze, Ross was able to take part in various exercises, including surface navigation, with 13 other NATO Allies and partners.   

Following Breeze, Ross transited back to the Mediterranean Sea, beginning its journey back to Rota for the end of patrol. During this time, Ross conducted qualifications, firing its Mark 45 5-inch gun and crew-served weapons, and held a “steel beach” picnic on the ship’s flight deck. 

Ross, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, operates in support of U.S. national security interests in the Sixth Fleet area of operations. 

Four U.S. Navy destroyers are based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain. 

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton’s crew repatriated 27 Cubans to Cuba, July 27, following two interdictions off Florida’s coast, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release. 

In the first interdiction, a good Samaritan reported a 21-foot vessel with 22 people aboard, approximately seven miles south of Key West to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 3:45 p.m., July 23. They were brought aboard Coast Guard Cutter William Trump and transferred to the Charles Sexton and reported in good health. 

In the second interdiction, Coast Guard Station Islamorada reported a makeshift raft with five people aboard, approximately 15 miles offshore of Islamorada to Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 4 p.m., July 24. A Station Islamorada boat crew picked up the five people and transferred them to the Charles Sexton. They were reported in good health. 

“Taking to the seas on unsafe vessels is dangerous and can result in loss of life,” said Capt. Adam Chamie, Coast Guard Sector Key West Commander. “We request all mariners to report any possible migrant voyages to help prevent loss of life at sea.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 595 Cubans compared to: 

• 5,396 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2016 
• 1,468 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2017 
• 259 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2018 
• 313 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2019 
• 49 Cuban Migrants in Fiscal Year 2020 

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. 

FAIRFAX, Va. — Logos Technologies LLC announced July 27 that, with the successful test flight of the Spectral and Reconnaissance Imaging for Tactical Exploitation (SPRITE) pod earlier this year, has met all the goals of its five-year contract with the Office of Naval Research. 

A U.S. military version of the company’s platform-agnostic Multi-Modal Sensor Pod (MMSP), SPRITE was flown on a manned Cessna 337 Super Skymaster. 

“We had SPRITE flying between four and five hours a day for a whole week,” said Chris Stellman, lead principal scientist and program manager for Logos Technologies. “We were able to use SPRITE’s sensor modalities to detect signatures of interest, process that data on the fly, and stream it down in real time to users on the ground. 

The SPRITE pod houses an ultra-light Logos Technologies RedKite WAMI sensor, a high-definition spotter camera, and commercial shortwave infrared hyperspectral sensor. In addition, SPRITE contained a palm-sized Multi-Modal Edge Processor (MMEP), also developed by Logos Technologies, to process the deluge of raw data being produced by all three sensors, in real time, and cross cue between the sensors. 

The MMEP is the brains of the SPRITE pod,” Stellman said. “It’s what makes data actionable to the warfighter and searchable to the analyst.” 

Though the Office of Naval Research contract required a specific set of sensors, the MMSP is very flexible regarding the payloads it can house. For example, instead of a hyperspectral sensor, it could include LIDAR or a signals intelligence package, depending on customer need.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane returned to its homeport in Portsmouth, Virginia, after a 72-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea, July 25, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a July 27 release.  

The Harriet Lane’s crew performed counter-drug and migrant interdiction operations in support of the Coast Guard 7^th District and Joint Interagency Task Force-South.  

Throughout the patrol, the crew of the Harriet Lane worked in conjunction with a diverse array of U.S. and foreign military assets to conduct vital training and perform its assigned law enforcement mission, which included interdicting one go-fast vessel carrying approximately 882 pounds of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $16 million.  

The interdiction was conducted jointly with USS Wichita (LCS 13). Harriet Lane’s crew assumed tactical control of Wichita’s helicopter, which employed airborne use of force executed by a trained Coast Guard crew member. The helicopter disabled the vessel and vectored in Harriet Lane’s small boat with embarked boarding team. Harriet Lane crews also conducted multiple at sea transfers of suspected illegal narcotics and drug-smugglers with the Dutch Navy aboard HNLMS Holland and facilitated the at-sea interdiction of a suspected drug smuggling vessel by the French frigate Ventôse.  

In addition to operations, the Harriet Lane crew conducted a towing exercise with the USS Wichita, taking the 378-foot littoral combat ship in tow. During the evolution both vessels exchanged crew members of various rates and rank to provide exposure and promote professional development. This exercise provided invaluable training for both crews and strengthened the special relationships amongst the seagoing services. The crew of Harriet Lane hosted Consul General Allen Greenberg, the U.S. Consul General for Curacao and U.S. Chief of Mission for the former Dutch Antilles. Amidst operations, joint military training and acts of diplomacy, the cutter crew also completed aviation, damage control, seamanship and navigation training to maintain operational readiness and prepare for future multi-mission patrols. 

“I am tremendously humbled to have completed my first patrol aboard Harriet Lane with this fine crew of maritime professionals,” said Cmdr. Ben Goff, commanding officer of the Harriet Lane “Throughout, we showcased a diversity of talent unique to the world’s best Coast Guard. I am extremely proud of the crew for their unwavering flexibility and selfless service amidst a variety of scheduling changes and mission challenges. Likewise, it was a true privilege to conduct operations and training with our U.S., Dutch and French navy partners.”   

Harriet Lane is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter responsible for a variety of Coast Guard missions, including search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties, maritime defense, and protection of the marine environment.