PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy’s Air-to-Air Missiles program office (PMA-259) has accepted delivery of the 10,000th AIM-9X Sidewinder air intercept missile for on May 27, the Naval Air Systems Command said in a June 29 release. 

As a joint program with the U.S. Air Force, the Navy-led AIM-9X Block II missile is the most advanced short-range air-to-air missile in the world. The AIM-9X Block II+ missile is one of multiple variants that make up the fifth-generation Infra-red AIM-9X weapon system family. 

“To reach this milestone is a great privilege and showcases our team’s ability to continuously produce and distribute quality products in support of the U.S. warfighter and our international partners,” said Cmdr. Sarah Abbott, PMA-259 deputy program manager for AIM-9X. 

Nearly 3,000 AIM-9X Block II/II+ missiles have been procured on behalf of 25 countries globally. The program’s Foreign Military Sales team has accounted for an average of over 250 FMS missiles procured annually since 2012. 

PMA-259 will join Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona later this year to celebrate this milestone achievement. 

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton’s crew repatriated 18 Cubans to Cuba, June 29, following three interdictions off Florida’s coast, and Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr.’s crew repatriated 11 Cubans to Cuba, June 30, following an interdiction near Carysfort Reef, Florida, the Coast Guard 7th District said in two releases.  

A good Samaritan reported a wooden vessel with four people aboard to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at 1:40 a.m. June 25. They were brought aboard Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton and reported in good health.  

A good Samaritan reported a 16-foot wooden vessel with five people aboard to Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders at 4:20 p.m. June 25. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operation law enforcement officers picked up the five people and brought them to the Charles Sexton. They were reported in good health.  

A good Samaritan reported an adrift vessel with nine people aboard to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at 2:30 p.m. June 26. They were brought aboard Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton and reported in good health.  

A good Samaritan reported a vessel with 11 people aboard to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at 12:20 p.m. June 28. Charles David Jr.’s crews arrived on scene and the migrants were brought aboard and reported in good health. 

“The Florida Straits, especially during hurricane season, makes the seas even more unpredictable than usual,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mario Gil, Coast Guard Liaison Officer, Cuba. “These voyages can cost you your life.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 512 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. Throughout the interdiction, Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19.  

SAN DIEGO – The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) will depart San Diego July 16 to change its homeport to Bremerton, Washington and conduct a docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington, the commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a June 29 release. 

The DPIA is scheduled to commence this September and will include a system retrofit to accommodate the F-35C Lightning II mission capabilities, as well as upgrades to the ship self-defense system, the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services network and the Mk 38 25mm machine gun, as well as refurbishment and preservation of the ship’s hull, rudder, propulsion shaft, anchor, and 25 berthing spaces. 
 
Approximately 3,000 Sailors and their families will relocate from San Diego to Bremerton as part of the homeport shift. Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to arrive in Bremerton July 20. 
 
Theodore Roosevelt returned to San Diego May 25, following a six-month deployment conducting maritime security operations, and ensuring freedom of navigation and economic trade in the Indo-Pacific region. 

BERLIN — The German Ministry of Defense signed a letter of offer and acceptance for five Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, the company said in a June 30 release. With this order, Germany becomes the eighth customer of the multimission maritime surveillance aircraft, joining the United States, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Norway, Korea and New Zealand. 

“Boeing is honored to provide Germany with the world’s most capable maritime surveillance aircraft,” said Michael Hostetter, Boeing Defense, Space & Security vice president in Germany. “We will continue to work with the U.S. government, the German government and industry to establish a robust sustainment package that will ensure the German Navy’s P-8A fleet is mission ready.” 

The P-8A Poseidon offers unique multimission capability and is the only aircraft in service and in production that meets the full range of maritime challenges faced by European nations. Deployed around the world with more than 130 aircraft in service, and over 300,000 collective flight hours, the P-8A is vital for global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations. 

“Bringing this capability to Germany is not possible without the contributions of German industry,” said Dr. Michael Haidinger, president of Boeing Germany, Central & Eastern Europe, Benelux and the Nordics. “With the P-8A, we will expand our collaboration with German companies, create new jobs and contribute to long-term local economic growth.” 

German companies that already supply parts for the P-8A include Aljo Aluminum-Bau Jonischeit GmbH and Nord-Micro GmbH. Recently, Boeing signed agreements with ESG Elektroniksystem-und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik to collaborate in systems integration, training, support and sustainment work. By working with local suppliers, Boeing will provide support, training and maintenance solutions that will bring the highest operational availability to fulfill the German Navy’s missions. 

El Segundo, Calif. — Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, has completed Milestone C for the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, or NGJ-MB, the company said in a June 29 release. 

“We’re well into development testing. It’s time to move towards production,” said Annabel Flores, vice president of Electronic Warfare Systems at Raytheon Intelligence & Space. “We’re ready to give the Navy and our Australian partners a leap forward towards the electromagnetic spectrum superiority they need.” 

The recommendation from the Milestone Decision Authority is based on the program’s achievements to date and an assessment of readiness to enter low-rate initial production, or LRIP.   

“The Milestone C decision drives home the stability and maturity of NGJ-MB,” said Flores. “The system is ready for validation and LRIP, and we’re gearing up for the delivery of this critical capability to the fleet.” 

To date, NGJ-MB has successfully completed over 145 hours of developmental flight-testing using mission systems and aeromechanical pods. NGJ-MB has also completed over 3,100 hours of anechoic chamber and lab testing at Naval Air Stations Patuxent River, Maryland, and Point Mugu, California. Chamber tests evaluated the system’s performance both on and off the EA-18G Growler aircraft, in addition to jamming techniques and reliability testing.  

NGJ-MB is the Navy’s advanced electronic attack system that offensively denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including air-defense systems and communications. NGJ-MB uses the latest digital, software-based and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies. This allows operators to non-kinetically attack significantly more targets and at greater distances. 

INDIAN HEAD, Md. — When the Navy’s Expeditionary Exploitation Unit-1 (EXU-1) teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corps’ Littoral Explosive Ordnance Neutralization (LEON) group for the first joint evolution with Marine explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operators, they received some unexpected help from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division’s (NSWC IHD) Energetics Manufacturing (M) Department, the NSWD IHD said in a release.  

Due to the inherent mission of EXU-1 and their expertise in expeditionary exploitation, the Marine Corps saw an opportunity to bolster that capability with the innate ordnance disassembly and inerting capability used by Marines for ordnance exploitation.  

“Recognizing these complimentary capabilities, and the need for naval integration to succeed in the power competition, we devised an internal exercise to demonstrate the utility in Marines augmenting EXU-1,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Jamie Lee, the EOD chief for the Marine Corps Detachment at NSWC IHD. “As this plan developed, additional opportunities with the Energetics Manufacturing Department and LEON were presented, allowing the Navy-Marine Corps EOD team to execute on a larger scale with support from Marine Corps Base Quantico EOD.”  

This ultimately led to continued integration and successful capability development at the recent Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise: the annual maritime-focused U.S. European Command and U.S. Naval Forces Europe exercise in the Baltic region.  

“Navy and Marine EOD units possess the core EOD capabilities necessary to support [Department of Defense] and service level mission essential tasks. We differ slightly in the service specific niche EOD capability development,” said Lee. “In this case, Marine EOD is unique amongst the services in their ordnance disassembly and inerting skillsets, to include the depth of information and reporting generated in a tactical/expeditionary environment. Augmenting the technical exploitation capability of EXU-1 with Marine Corps ordnance exploitation skillsets provides the ability for on-site ordnance exploitation and analysis for near real-time information to support the intelligence cycle.” 

According to Greg Johnson, EXU-1’s foreign materiel director, what started out as a joint exercise between the LEON platoon and EXU-1 became an opportunity to gather unused ordnance to use as training aids thanks to the input and hard work from the department’s employees. 

“We had a requirement we were working on which generated a relationship between the U.S. Marine Detachment (MARDET) and EXU-1 so we were looking to push our combined capabilities out to the field for the operators to integrate,” he said. “We were meeting with M Department personnel on a separate issue when the subject came up about them having excess ordnance they were planning on disposing.” 

This joint initiative was the first time this was done to such a large scale, in a compact timeline to support multiple Navy and Marine Corps exercises. A large quantity of excess ordnance items including landmines, anti-tank and anti-personnel munitions, and shallow water mines were made inert by the MARDET operators for use as training aids and various exercises at Camp Pendleton, California. This evolution between the three groups occurred in approximately two months, resulting in quicker deployment of these training aids to the joint force EOD operator and at a significant cost savings as new material purchases were not required.  

M Department personnel “were instrumental with logistics such as transportation of the ordnance to Quantico, inspection of the equipment and handling the paperwork,” said Johnson. “There was no work plan. They just jumped on board and fully supported us the entire time. They came in early, they stayed late, they did everything they could to help us accomplish the mission.” 

According to Christopher Bruce, a supervisory technician with the department’s Explosives and Energetics Division, what originally happened as circumstance turned into an opportunity to provide the joint service warfighter with much-needed training aids quicker than anyone expected.  

“A few meetings occurred and we discussed EXU-1’s needs and wants,” he said. “From there we began coordination with them directly to provide information into items they felt would help support their needs in training and exploitation.”  

After several planning meetings, the department’s Explosives and Energetics Division and Magazine Logistical Support gathered the requested items and began inspections at the command’s Explosive Production Facilities to allow the ordnance to be safely shipped from NSWC IHD to various training sites. Once the inspections were complete, both divisions and EXU-1 collaborated to load multiple vehicles in just a few days to be transported off station to training sites. 

“Our hope is that this collaboration is one of many. We want to continue to provide real-world items to the warfighter for training to help develop knowledge and understanding,” said Bruce. “I personally am extremely grateful for all the time and dedication from all members involved. So many hours of sacrifice for an urgent need and it all accumulated with a great outcome.” 

SAN DIEGO — Blue Sky Network has been selected by MARTAC, an innovative provider of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), to equip their USVs with Blue Sky Network’s device and data management solution, SkyLink, Blue Sky announced in a release. 

SkyLink by Blue Sky Network leverages the Iridium Certus network as well as local GSM/LTE services for continuous, end-to-end sensor reporting, two-way messaging, asset utilization, and IoT/M2M monitoring. The device is small-form and low space, weight and power (SWAP) for use in any location or environment, with demonstrated versatility in both manned and unmanned maritime applications. 

“To work with MARTAC is a great honor,” said Tucker Morrison, CEO of Blue Sky Network. “Autonomous missions are becoming more prevalent, and it’s the powerful, cutting-edge solutions like MARTAC’s USVs that inspired us to develop SkyLink.” 

“We look forward to partnering with MARTAC to provide real-time command and control datalink for autonomous and remotely-piloted operations via our SkyLink solution,” said Jason Hicks, vice president of business development at Blue Sky Network. “SkyLink is a lightweight, durable, and low-latency solution that enables Iridium Global Line of Sight for beyond-visual-line-of-sight performance, supporting the vast needs of MARTAC’s Devil Ray and MANTAS USVs.”  

“We are very excited to be working with Blue Sky Network’s leading edge, low SWAP, multi-carrier network for our USVs. Our Devil Ray and MANTAS vessels operate beyond human capability and therefore reliable, robust, low-latency communications anywhere in the world is critical,” said Tom Hanson, COO of MARTAC. 

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Premier Iain Rankin, also minister responsible for military relations, participated in the June 26 commissioning of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf, the Royal Canadian Navy’s lead ship in its class of Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels, the premier’s office said. 

The Harry DeWolf is the first ship completed as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy and was built at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard. The ship is named after Vice Adm. Harry DeWolf, a former head of the Royal Canadian Navy from Bedford. This is the first time a class of ships will be named after a prominent Canadian navy figure in the RCN’s 108-year history. 

the Harry DeWolf will help to assert Canadian sovereignty in Arctic and coastal Canadian waters in addition to supporting international operations as required. It will deploy for its first mission in August. 

“Nova Scotia has long been known for its expertise in shipbuilding, and now we have the first commissioned vessel ready for deployment,” said Rankin. “The economic value of these ship contracts is vital to Nova Scotia, providing millions of dollars in direct and indirect impact. Over 1,100 Nova Scotians were directly employed in the construction of HMCS Harry DeWolf at the Halifax Shipyard, and the construction of the remaining ships will provide opportunities for thousands more. Since 2015, 2,100 employees were hired in Halifax alone, with more jobs to come.” 

In support of the multi-billion-dollar shipbuilding contract awarded to Irving Shipbuilding, the government of Nova Scotia launched programs to help Nova Scotian workers and companies take part in shipbuilding opportunities, including partnering to provide the Pathways to Shipbuilding program. 

Pathways to Shipbuilding provides equitable access to opportunities, programs and training for Nova Scotians who are historically underrepresented in the shipbuilding trades. Through the program, women, African Nova Scotians and indigenous people are able to gain skills allowing them to take part in shipbuilding opportunities. More than 65 apprentices from underrepresented groups have completed the pathways program. 

“Many Nova Scotian families have long histories serving our country on land, sea and in the sky,” said Rankin. “I want to congratulate them today, along with all our expert shipbuilders on the momentous commissioning of the Harry DeWolf into the service of the Royal Canadian Navy. It’s a proud day for Nova Scotia and for our country.” 

“Irving Shipbuilding and its many partners take great pride in seeing HMCS Harry DeWolf officially join the Canadian Navy,” said Kevin Mooney, president of Irving Shipbuilding. “Today’s commissioning is proof that Canada’s bold initiative to revive its shipbuilding industry is working. As the lead vessel of the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship [AOPS], our Navy has taken Harry through many demanding trials since delivery last July and achieved one success after another. Irving’s new generation of talented shipbuilders is ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead, with the remainder of the Navy AOPS ships on track, the Coast Guard AOPS variant completing the design phase, and design and build plans well underway on the new Canadian Surface Combatant.”  

The Pathways program is funded through federal and provincial governments and with support from the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, Nova Scotia Community College, Irving Shipbuilding, Unifor and many community partners such as Women Unlimited, the East Preston Empowerment Academy and Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre. 

“I was looking for a new career path with opportunity for growth. I’d worked in male-dominated professions all my adult life,” said Antonia Wareham, graduate of the first Pathways to Shipbuilding Program in 2015, and currently a journeyman welder and mentor at the Halifax Shipyard. “I knew I could do anything I put my mind to. It’s an unexplainable feeling to know that you’ve worked on something that may very well outlive you. I’m incredibly proud.”  

HERNDON, Va. — Peraton has been awarded a position on the Unmanned Maritime Systems Support II (UMSS II) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide hardware and software development, as well as in-service operational support, for the U.S. Navy’s unmanned maritime systems, the company said in a June 29 release. 

The IDIQ covers work across both unmanned surface and subsurface systems engaged in waterborne and underwater mine countermeasures missions on behalf of Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal. The IDIQ is worth up to $250 million over an eight-year period. 

Peraton will compete for task orders covering a broad range of requirements, including specification and design, fabrication, installation, testing and evaluation, fielding, maintenance, training, and configuration and program management for the Navy’s unmanned maritime systems. 

Peraton has supported the Navy’s unmanned activities since 2001. Over the span of the first UMSS IDIQ, Peraton has received 20 task orders, providing technical and operational support to Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific for unmanned underwater vehicles, marine mammal systems and CONUS and OCONUS fleet units. 

“We are honored to continue our decades-long partnership supporting the Navy’s mine countermeasure mission,” said Jeff Bohling, president of the company’s Defense Solutions sector. “We are committed to delivering next-generation capabilities to the warfighter.” 

“Our experience fielding unmanned technology and our familiarity with the evolving needs of the fleet operator enables Peraton to provide sailors operating around the world with the critical tools they need for successful mission outcomes,” said Matt Clements, UUV program manager. “We are excited to build upon our trusted relationship with the Navy and continue supporting the nation’s national security mission at sea.” 

POINT MUGU, Calif. — Vanilla Unmanned successfully demonstrated multi-day maritime domain awareness (MDA) operations during the Pacific Fleet’s (PACFLT) inaugural Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) in April, the company said in a release. 

Vanilla’s 45-hour, 23-minute unrefueled flight took off from Naval Air Station (NAS) Point Mugu and performed maritime domain awareness (MDA) tasking in coordination with manned PACFLT units. The beyond-line-of-sight flight provided high-definition electro-optical video over satellite communications at ranges greater than 200 nautical miles from Vanilla’s ground control station.   

The multi-mission Vanilla took off partially fueled and returned to base on schedule with fuel reserves sufficient for nearly doubling the length of this MDA sortie. 

The UxS IBP event also showcased Vanilla’s proprietary truck-mounted launch and recovery system, a key enabler for runway-independent operations that has been proven in repeated off-road launches and recoveries. 

“This flight showed Vanilla can provide a tactical capability without necessarily needing to be launched from the front line. It’s a concept of operations unique to Vanilla’s endurance and propulsion,” said Dan Edwards, Platform Aerospace chief technology officer. In addition to the heavy lift multi-mission variant that flew in UxS IBP, a vertical-takeoff-and-landing variant is in advanced development and will begin flights in early 2022. 

Prior to the flight, Vanilla was showcased at the UxS IBP Distinguished Visitors event for senior Navy leadership, including Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Harker, Commander of U.S. 3rd Fleet Vice Admiral Scott D. Conn, and Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Lorin Selby. The overall event demonstrated how Vanilla could integrate into the Navy’s Unmanned Campaign Framework, providing a variety of C5ISR capabilities in coordination with both manned and unmanned units. 

Vanilla’s participation in UxS IBP was supported by PACFLT and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), as well as NAS Point Mugu and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.