The engineers behind the development of so many cutting-edge U.S. Navy systems have long dreamed of creating a laser weapon that could defeat the fleet’s enemies. Now, they may be closer than ever to making that dream a reality. Earlier…
Radical Realignment: The Marine Plan to Reshape Battalions and Squadrons Over the Coming Decade
Editor’s note: This is the second straight month that Seapower has taken an in-depth look at the profound structural changes ahead for the U.S. Marine Corps. Within the May issue, in “Rejoined at the Hip,” we examined how the Corps…
Senate Confirms Braithwaite as Next SECNAV
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate confirmed retired admiral and current ambassador Kenneth J. Braithwaite to be the 77th Secretary of the Navy. Braithwaite’s nomination was approved on a voice vote May 21 before the Senate left for a weeklong Memorial Day…
Triton Deploys at Last: The Navy Takes Its New UAV to the Western Pacific
In January, the U.S. Navy’s newest surveillance aircraft, the Northrop Grumman-built MQ-4C Triton, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), embarked on its first deployment, a move to demonstrate what the Navy calls early operational capability. Two MQ-4Cs assigned to…
At War With the Virus: Sea Services Forced to Radically Change Course to Battle the COVID-19 Outbreak
The novel coronavirus has been a stunning and tragic disrupter of U.S. sea service operations — both major and routine, traditional events as well as long-planned operations. Shortly after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11,…
Getting and Staying Tough: With Elements Borrowed from SEALs, a Navy Pilot Program Aims to Teach Sailors How to Perform Under Extreme Stress
The U.S. Navy wants Sailors to toughen up. That’s not to suggest Sailors lack in the toughness department. But working in today’s Navy can be stressful, and Sailors need the tools to handle the burden. Soon they may get them…
Q&A With CNO Adm. Mike Gilday
Since August, Adm. Mike Gilday has led the world’s most powerful navy as the 32nd chief of naval operations. The son of a Sailor and a native of Lowell, Massachusetts, he is a surface warfare officer who graduated from the…
With Focus on Future Capabilities, U.S. 4th Fleet Is ‘Fleet for Innovation’
When it comes to evaluating new naval technologies and concepts in an operational environment, the U.S. 4th Fleet could be called “the fleet for innovation.” Christopher Heagney is the science adviser to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet,…
America’s Largest Port Home to Mighty Surface Warship USS Iowa
The Port of Los Angeles waterfront in San Pedro is home to the Pacific Battleship Center (PBC) and Battleship Iowa (BB 61) Museum. With its 16-inch guns, Tomahawk missiles and other weapons, the 45,000-ton Iowa was once a forceful and…
Blackjack UAS Fielding Complete for Navy, Marine Corps
ARLINGTON, Va. — The fielding of the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial system achieved full operational capability in 2019, Navy’s program manager said. Col. John Neville, the Blackjack’s program manager for the Program Executive Office-Unmanned and Strike Weapons, told Seapower at…