ARLINGTON, Va. — A U.S. Navy training jet crashed March 24 in Texas, but both crew members ejected safely. 

The T-45C Goshawk crashed at approximately 2 p.m. Central time three miles northeast of Nava/ Outlying Field Orange Cove, Texas, the Navy said in a release. 

“The two occupants, an instructor, and a student, safely ejected from the aircraft and reported minor injuries,” the release said. “They were transported to a local medical treatment facility for evaluation. Navy and local emergency services responded to the scene and extinguished a small brush fire. Navy personnel are on scene and are cooperating with local authorities.  

The aircraft was assigned to Training Air Wing Two at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, was being flown by the Golden Eagles of Training Squadron 22.  

The incident is under investigation. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S), a Raytheon Technologies business, will continue operating and maintaining the U.S. government’s Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) system under a $146 million, five-year contract, the company said in a March 24 release. 

Originally developed to track long-range targets for aircraft and ships, ROTHR is now the primary detection system for border security and drug smuggling interdiction for the Joint Interagency Task Force South. In 2020 alone, ROTHR contributed to the seizure of 26 metric tons of cocaine from drug smugglers attempting to cross into U.S. territory. 

“Raytheon Technologies’ ROTHR systems have supported U.S. Navy operations for over 30 years,” said John DeSimone, vice president of Cybersecurity, Training and Services for RI&S.  “We will continue to work closely with the Navy and JIATF South to help protect our national security.” 

The contract covers operations and maintenance at six ROTHR locations in Puerto Rico, Texas and Virginia. Each radar provides more than 2.5 million square miles of coverage area, resulting in extremely low operational costs. 

ARLINGTON, Va., and Fort Worth, Texas – The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey has logged more than 600,000 flight-hours, providing continuous customer support to maintain mission readiness and transport critical cargo and personnel, Bell and Boeing said March 24 in a joint release. 

Built by Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, and Boeing, the V-22 fleet has grown to more than 400 aircraft and is operated by the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. 

The V-22 is the only military production tiltrotor aircraft in the world. Its speed, range, maneuverability and logistical capability make it one of the most versatile and cost-effective solutions for its customers. 

“There is no other aircraft in the world capable of matching the unique capabilities of the Osprey,” said Kurt Fuller, Bell V-22 vice president and Bell Boeing program director. “The 600,000 flight-hours represent countless tactical, logistical and humanitarian assistance missions, and the dedication of the men and women who maintain and operate the aircraft every day to keep it an advanced aircraft.” 

Bell Boeing directly supports V-22 readiness by providing comprehensive global services to V-22 squadrons, including maintenance support, training, on-site field representatives, data analytics and new and repaired parts. For example, the Naval Air Systems Command recently awarded Bell Boeing a contract to deliver and install kits for nacelle improvements and the conversion area harness onto the CV-22 aircraft for the Air Force. The program refines the design of the nacelles and wiring harnesses for better reliability and maintainability, ultimately reducing repair time and improving readiness. 

“Each V-22 flight hour is the product of a team effort,” said Col. Matthew Kelly, V-22 Joint Program Office program manager. “Enabled by pilots, maintainers, testers, engineers, the program workforce and our industry partners who, together, ensure safe and effective V-22 operation.” 

Recent program accomplishments include the V-22’s latest variant, the CMV-22B, assigned to the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron 30, completing the first delivery of an F-35 engine to the USS Carl Vinson, along with successful paradrops with the U.S. Navy’s parachuting team, “The Leap Frogs,” earlier in the year. 

“From its first flight over 30 years ago to achieving this significant flight-hour milestone, the V-22 has a demonstrated legacy of mission success,” said Shane Openshaw, Boeing V-22 vice president and Bell Boeing V-22 deputy program director. “As we look at optimizing future sustainment and support, our customer partnerships and commitment to innovation, flexibility and agility will ensure we build on the aircraft’s ability to support whatever the mission demands.” 

ALAMEDA, Calif. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) offloaded approximately 8,200 pounds of seized cocaine and 11,450 pounds of marijuana March 23 at the ship’s homeport at Coast Guard Base Alameda, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release. 

Prior to the Munro’s arrival in Alameda, the crew transferred 12 detainees, approximately 9,200 pounds of cocaine and 2,150 pounds of marijuana to law enforcement officials in San Diego. 

The drugs, in total worth an estimated $330 million, were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean between January and March, representing 15 suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by the following Coast Guard and Navy ships: 

The Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) crew was responsible for nine interdictions, seizing approximately 10,200 pounds of cocaine and 11,450 pounds of marijuana. 

The Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) crew was responsible for two interdictions, seizing approximately 66 pounds of cocaine. 

The Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant (WMEC 617) crew was responsible for one interdiction, seizing approximately 1,870 pounds of cocaine. 

The Coast Guard Cutters Bear and Munro conducted a joint interdiction, seizing approximately 3,747 pounds of cocaine. 

Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 107 deployed aboard the USS Freedom (LCS 1) was responsible for two interdictions, seizing approximately 1,600 pounds of cocaine and 2,150 pounds of marijuana. 

Video of the news conference can be viewed at https://fb.watch/4pThfJ-raQ/, and footage of the offload can be viewed and downloaded at https://www.dvidshub.net/video/788115/coast-guard-offloads-more-than-19600-pounds-cocaine-marijuana-alameda-calif 

“National security cutters like Munro are national-level assets and are game changers for the United States government’s maritime interdiction capability,” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, the commander of Coast Guard Pacific Area.  “As your Coast Guard, we use our unique capabilities and authorities as a military service and a law enforcement agency to secure the nation’s maritime border and to disrupt illegal activity of dangerous cartels.  This offload demonstrates another successful cycle of justice.” 

“Transnational criminal organizations have not slowed down due to the pandemic, and the Coast Guard women and men continue to protect our nation on the frontlines,” said Capt. Blake Novak, the commanding officer of the Munro.  “Our crew intercepted a group of suspected smugglers, on average, every 90 hours for 45 days straight, seizing nearly 30,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana valued at over $330 million.  Maintaining such a high level of performance was only possible because of a total team effort.  This crew set the bar for excellence, and I am incredibly proud of all of them.” 

Munro is one of four national security cutters homeported in Alameda. These Legend class cutters are 418-feet long, 54-feet wide, and have a 4,600 long-ton displacement. They have a top speed in excess of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, endurance of up to 90 days and can hold a crew of nearly 150. 

PETALUMA, Calif. — The Coast Guard announced plans to rename a training wing after golfing legend Arnold Palmer at Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma, the Coast Guard 11th District said in a March 23 release.  

Training Center Petaluma plans to officiate the renaming of the Yeoman and Storekeeper “A” School wing of the Juliet Nichols Building in a ceremony later this year.   

Palmer served with distinction as a yeoman in the Coast Guard from 1951 to 1953 and worked for the 9th Coast Guard District commander in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Palmer reportedly joined the Coast Guard after his college roommate was tragically killed in an automobile accident as a way to get away from how distraught he was over the loss of his friend.  

“My dad said that the U.S. Coast Guard ‘made [him] a better person for the world,’” said Amy Palmer Saunders, chair of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation. “He would be touched to know that others will be given the same opportunity to learn and grow in a space named for him, and my family and I are grateful to the Pennsylvania delegation, to members of the Coast Guard and to others who made this possible.” 

Located just west of the city of Petaluma, Training Center Petaluma is the Coast Guard’s largest West Coast training center. The graduates are the latest chiefs, medics, storekeepers, yeoman, information system technicians, electronics technicians and operations specialists. Training Center Petaluma is also the home to the Coast Guard Leadership Development Center’s Chief Petty Officer Academy.  

WASHINGTON — Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday traveled to Marinette, Wisconsin on March 23, to visit Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard, the Navy said in a release. 

During the visit, CNO toured the facility and received briefs on a range of topics, including the Navy’s new Constellation-class Guided-Missile Frigate and Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle development. 

“One of the most important reasons I am here in Wisconsin is to remind the thousands of men and women working in and around the shipyard that their work is important to our Navy and to our nation” said Gilday. “While Wisconsin seems far from our oceans, its connection to the U.S. Navy remains strong.” 

The CNO said an important reason for his visit was to better understand design efforts of the Constellation-class frigates. 

“This class of ships is going to be a workhorse in the fleet, and I don’t want anyone to forget the fact that our Sailors are depending on the quality of work done here,” said Gilday. “The ships need to leave Marinette ready for the fight, and that’s what we intend to do. I’m excited to see the FFG ships come to life over the months and years come.” 

Dario Deste, president and CEO of Fincantieri Marine Group, echoed similar sentiments. 

“We know that the Constellation-class frigates are going to be important for tomorrow’s Navy,” said Deste. “It’s great to have the CNO here in Wisconsin, walking the shipyard, meeting our team and seeing the pride and commitment we have in our work.” 

During the visit, the CNO had the chance to meet with shipyard workers and said he was impressed by the innovation and dedication shipyard workers have shown to keeping production lines on track, especially amidst the pandemic. 

“To the entire workforce here in Marinette who are responsible for helping us generate warfighting readiness, you have my profound thanks,” said Gilday. “Your innovation and dedication to keeping production lines on track is greatly appreciated, as is your commitment to readiness, which is critical for us to be able to protect our nation.” 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard Cutter Northland returned home March 22 to Portsmouth from a patrol in support of the Eighth Coast Guard District, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a March 23 release. 

During the patrol, the crew of the Northland conducted daily law enforcement boardings and patrolled the waters for any illegal fishing boats or gear to ensure fair, safe, and sustainable practices. 

The Northland crew embarked an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aviation detachment for the patrol to assist in spotting vessels and targets of interest before launching the cutter small boats.  

Prior to beginning patrol, the Northland crew underwent a training availability to test their ability to respond to a variety of shipboard scenarios, such as engine room fires and defense operations. Immediately following the inspection, the Northland crew sailed to Pensacola, Florida, where they successfully completed a biennial evaluation of shipboard helicopter operations. 

Upon leaving Pensacola, the cutter patrolled the Maritime Boundary Line, between the United States and Mexico. Once on scene, the crew began fisheries enforcement, deterring illegal fishing and ensuring compliance with federal laws.  

Constant surveillance led to the interdiction of one vessel illegally fishing in U.S. waters and the retrieval of miles of fishing gear intentionally left behind by foreign fishermen. The Northland’s presence and enforcement of laws ensured the safety, fairness, and longevity of fisheries throughout the Gulf of Mexico. 

“I continue to be impressed with the drive and adaptability that the crew demonstrates on a daily basis,” said Cmdr. Patricia Bennett, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Northland. “I am thankful for the crew’s desire for mission excellence, and also grateful for the Northland being afforded the opportunity to conduct domestic fisheries operations. It is a mission that helps ensure the safety of fishermen and helps sustain a natural marine resource with global implications. Halting illegal fishing through the combination of effective policy and enforcement actions is the best way to prevent the detrimental impact to coastal communities, nations reliant upon seafood as a primary source of protein, and the entire oceanic ecosystem.” 

The Northland is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter that routinely deploys in support of counter-drug, alien migrant interdiction, fisheries, search and rescue and homeland security missions. 

NORTH PACIFIC — The Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA’s) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) recovered a downed Navy MH-60S helicopter from a depth of 19,075 feet off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, March 18, the Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communication said in a March 22 release. 

The helicopter, a twin-engine Sikorsky Seahawk, crashed into the Pacific Ocean last year while operating from the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). The air crew was able to escape the MH-60S before it sank, and no lives were lost in the accident. 

Responding to a U.S. Pacific Command Fleet request, SUPSALV located and documented the wreckage using side-scan sonar and photographs of the helicopter as it lay on the ocean floor during North Pacific operations last spring.  

SUPSALV returned to the site this month at the request of the Navy Safety Center with CURV 21, a deepwater remotely operated vehicle with the ability to meet deep ocean salvage requirements to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet. 

The SUPSALV team met the contracted salvage vessel in Guam, completed mobilization of CURV and its deep-lift take-up reel, and departed for the five-day transit. Arriving on the crash site March17, the team began recovery operations. Pulled from its depth of 19,075 feet below sea level, the MH-60S’s recovery broke SUPSALV’s own world depth record for an aircraft recovery.  

The salvage vessel will proceed to Fleet Activities Yokosuka where the MH-60S will be offloaded for transport back to the United States. 

“As a whole, this operation was fast-paced and entirely successful,” said Bryan Blake, SUPSALV’s Deep Ocean program manager. “Our efforts validated the Navy’s deep ocean search-and-recovery requirements. The capability to recover the airframe and make it available to determine the cause of the accident is a huge plus helping to ensure Naval Aviation safety.” 

The Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving provides technical, operational and emergency support to the Navy, Department of Defense and other federal agencies in the ocean engineering disciplines of marine salvage, towing, pollution control and abatement, diving and diving system safety and certification, diving and salvage equipment procurement, and underwater ship husbandry. 

MIAMI — A Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet law enforcement team and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO) law enforcement teams interdicted a 29-foot vessel with 16 people aboard Wednesday approximately 5 miles off West Palm Beach, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a March 19 release.  

Coast Guard Robert Yered arrived on scene and a crew brought all the vessel occupants: two Bahamians, seven Jamaicans, two Haitians and four Dominican Republicans, aboard the ship. Some passengers were brought ashore for further investigation of potential criminal charges by Homeland Security Investigations. The remaining passengers were repatriated to the Bahamas Friday. 

A CBP AMO aircraft notified Coast Guard Station Miami watchstanders of the suspected smuggling vessel at approximately 12:20 a.m.  

“Wednesday’s case spotlights the great work done every day by Air and Marine and our DHS partners,” stated John Priddy, executive director of the AMO Southeast Region. “With our integrated operations, we get the job done and protect our homeland.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 78 Bahamians, eight Jamaicans, 182 Haitians, 194 Dominican Republicans compared to fiscal year 2020, where crews interdicted 194 Bahamians, four Jamaicans, 418 Haitians and 1,117 Dominican Republicans.   

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. There were no migrants in these cases reported to have any COVID-19 related symptoms. 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned to their homeport in Portsmouth on March 13 after a 42-day Mid-Atlantic patrol, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a March 19 release. 

The ship’s law enforcement teams boarded commercial fishing vessels from the coast of New Jersey to Florida in support of the Coast Guard’s mission of protecting vital living marine resources. The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca also partnered with aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to help train and maintain proficiency in shipboard helicopter operations. 

The Seneca’s law enforcement teams boarded over 24 U.S.-flagged fishing vessels, ensuring compliance with safety, fisheries and environmental regulations. The Seneca crew also worked with the Coast Guard Cutter Angela McShan and the Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, two fast-response cutters homeported in Cape May, New Jersey, by conducting joint law enforcement operations and fueling at sea evolutions.   

These operations are integral to protecting the $5.6 billion commercial fishing industry, a major economic driver throughout the East Coast, according to the release. Through fisheries enforcement operations, Seneca crews deterred illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing while standing by to answer any calls of distress to members of the commercial fishing industry, which is comprised of more than 39,000 fishermen in the United States. 

“This has been a fast-paced and rewarding patrol,” said Cmdr. Matthew Rooney, commanding officer of the Seneca. “The crew did amazing work this patrol. The 30 at-sea boardings promoted safety and let the fishing fleet know the Coast Guard is out here and ready to assist if needed. Their outstanding results and positive attitudes set the standard for Coast Guard operations in the Mid-Atlantic.” 

The Seneca is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter with a crew compliment of 14 officers and 86 enlisted personnel. The cutter’s primary missions include search and rescue, living marine resources, illegal drug interdictions, counter narcotics, migrant interdictions, ensuring the safety of life at sea, and enforcing international and domestic maritime laws in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.