The U.S. Navy is taking some new initiatives to sustain the ships of its busy fleet, including additional oversight, new contracting strategies, shipyard workload stability and capital investment in shipyard infrastructure. The initiatives are focused on getting ships and submarines…
Smooth Sailing for the Columbia Class?: Navy Working to Keep Sub on Track for 2028 Delivery
At well north of $100 billion for 12 vessels, the Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine will be the most expensive new undertaking for the U.S Navy since the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier program. And everyone is hoping development and production goes…
Ensuring Friendship, Cooperation and a Shared Doctrine: U.S Southern Command Checks in With Central, South American Partners
A delegation from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) embarked on a three-nation, 10-day tour in South America at the end of August, traveling along Brazil’s coast for multi-nation military exercises, then cutting across the continent to observe military training in Paraguay…
Alerts Sound on Maritime Logistics: Several Experts See Seriously Lacking Sealift Capability
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are aggressively changing course and refocusing their resources and training to prepare the fleet and expeditionary forces for a “Great Power Competition” with China and Russia. But a growing number of Navy officers and…
Osprey’s Readiness Struggles: 4 Out of 10 MV-22s Aren’t Available for Combat — But Initiatives Are Underway to Improve the Unique Aircraft’s Dependability
Ever since the V-22 Osprey entered service for the first time in 2007 — nearly two decades after its first flight — the tilt-rotor aircraft has been in heavy use by the U.S. Marine Corps and has seen action in…
Latent Lethality: Offensive Mine Warfare Sees Renewed Focus in Era of ‘Great Power Competition’
The focus of the U.S. Navy’s efforts in mine warfare over the last two decades has been mine countermeasures (MCM) — locating and neutralizing hostile mines. New airborne systems such as the Airborne Laser Mine-Detection System and the Airborne Mine…
High Latitudes, Higher Tension: Ice-Diminished Arctic Does Not Extend a Warm Welcome
Less ice in the Arctic is inviting more human activity. While the environmental changes in the far north have opened the previously fully frozen ocean and its coastline to opportunity, the Arctic is naturally a cold and inhospitable place that…
Recruiters Concentrate Efforts, ‘Swarm’ in Key Markets
Sporting spectacles such as the Pro Bowl and Boston Marathon draw big crowds. Now they are also drawing swarms of U.S. Navy recruiters. Recruiters have always gravitated to where the potential applicants may be, to talk about Navy opportunities. Navy…
Even After Achieving IOC, Questions Continue to Surround Navy’s F-35C
After years and years of waiting, the last variant of the Joint Strike Fighter — the F-35C Lightning II — is officially operational. But it’s still a couple of years away from making an impact on the high seas —…
Navy, Marines Demonstrate ‘Blue-Green’ Future of Expeditionary Logistics at Pacific Blitz 2019
Some 10,000 Marines and Sailors stretched their logistical muscles to support and supply sea-based operations during a major exercise to prepare naval expeditionary forces for enemy threats and a potential future fight across an island-dotted battlespace. During Pacific Blitz 2019,…
