SOUTH CHINA SEA — The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is operating in the South China Sea for the first time during its 2021 deployment, June 14, commander, Task Force 70 public affairs said in a release. 

 While in the South China Sea, the strike group is conducting maritime security operations, which include flight operations with fixed and rotary wing aircraft, maritime strike exercises, and coordinated tactical training between surface and air units. Carrier operations in the South China Sea are part of the U.S. Navy’s routine presence in the Indo-Pacific.  
 
The carrier strike group includes the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, and embarked staffs of Task Force 70 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97).  
 
“The South China Sea is pivotal to the free flow of commerce that fuels the economies of those nations committed to international law and rules based order,” said Rear Adm. Will Pennington, commander, Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. “It is both a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside our allies, partners, and joint service teammates to provide full spectrum support to key maritime commons and ensure all nations continue to benefit from a free and open Indo-Pacific region.” 
 
Most recently, the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) operated with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) in the South China Sea, June 6-11. Wilbur and Ballarat demonstrated the Navy’s commitment to work with like-minded allies and partners to preserve international order in the South China Sea.  
 
“In my 23 years in the Navy I’ve had the pleasure of working with the allied and partner forces from around the world,” said Senior Chief Operations Specialist Michael Ojeda, Assistant Operations, DESRON 15. “Integrating with other countries to conduct surface and undersea surveillance in support of our strike group operations serves to highlight that our allies reinforce our strategy in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.” 
 
The strike group is committed to upholding U.S. security agreements with regional allies and partners, as well as demonstrating the capability of forward-deployed naval forces to quickly respond to any contingency across the region.  
 
Upholding freedom of the seas in the South China Sea is vitally important where nearly a third of global maritime trade, roughly $3.5 trillion, a third of global crude oil, and half of global liquefied natural gas passes through the sea each year.  
 
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict. 

SAN DIEGO, California — BAE Systems has received a $90.2 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernization of the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD 22), the company said in a June 14 release. The value of the competitively awarded contract could reach $104.8 million if all options are exercised. 

Under the docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) contract awarded, BAE Systems will dry-dock the 684-foot-long ship, perform work on the underwater hull, repair its system of ballast tanks, preserve its amphibious well deck area, and refurbish the living spaces for as many as 800 sailors and Marines that can be carried aboard. The work is expected to begin in September 2021 at the company’s San Diego shipyard and take more than a year to complete.  

“The upcoming USS San Diego project is a major event in the service life of the ship, expanding its capability to execute a wide range of naval missions for many years to come,” said David M. Thomas Jr., vice president and general manager of BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair. “Our team of employees, subcontractors and Navy personnel look forward to ushering USS San Diego into its next phase of fleet readiness. We also recognize the unique and special opportunity to work aboard a ship named for our hometown.”  

USS San Diego is the sixth ship of the San Antonio class and was commissioned in May 2012. The ship is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named after the southern California city.  

BAE Systems is a leading provider of ship repair, maintenance, modernization, conversion, and overhaul services for the Navy, other government agencies, and select commercial customers. The company’s San Diego shipyard has approximately 1,100 employees and works with the Navy and several subcontractor companies to accomplish its ship sustainment work. 

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — USCGC Eagle (WIX 327), “America’s Tall Ship,” arrived in Reykjavik on June 9 and proceeded to host tours and senior officials through the weekend, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area said in a June 14 release. 

Aboard Eagle, which was moored in the harbor, Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, joined by Jonathan Moore, principal deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, met with Commodore Asgrimur Asgrimsson of the Icelandic coast guard, Chargé d’Affaires Harry Kamian, and Byrndis Kjartansdottir, director of security and defense directorate in the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

“I congratulate Iceland on a successful Arctic Council and Arctic Coast Guard Forum chairmanship, and I thank them for their persistent and reliable partnership in the Arctic Council and Arctic Coast Guard Forum. Maintaining a strong, rules-based order in the Arctic remains a top priority, both for my command and the U.S. Coast Guard. Steadfast partners like Iceland enable and enforce this,” said Vice Adm. Steven Poulin. “It was a great pleasure to discuss the challenges we share with such dedicated colleagues learning more about our partner agencies and their operations.”  

The United States was the first country to recognize Iceland’s independence in 1944. In addition to being founding members of NATO, the United States and Iceland signed a bilateral defense agreement in 1951. Cooperation and mutual support are the foundation of the U.S.-Icelandic relationship. Visits such as Eagle’s allow opportunities to further effective partnerships, collaboration, and interoperability for various issues that can occur in the Arctic.    

For more than a century, the U.S. Coast Guard has been the visible U.S. surface presence in the Arctic, ensuring adherence to the rules-based order. The service works with High North nations to safeguard and enable the uninterrupted flow of maritime commerce throughout the entire Marine Transportation System, including the burgeoning Arctic and ensure responsible stewardship of its resources. Allies and partners like Iceland are integral to protecting the United States’ enduring interests, preserving our mutual interests, and upholding the rules-based international order supporting good maritime governance.   

On approach to Iceland, Eagle’s crew conducted a wreath-laying in memory of the Treasury-class USCGC Hamilton (WPG 34), torpedoed by German submarine U-132 on January 30, 1942, patrolling the Icelandic coast near Reykjavík. Hamilton capsized and sank 28 miles (45 km) from the Icelandic coast on January 30, at the cost of 26 of the ship’s 221-person crew. In 2009, divers discovered the wreck in over 300 feet of water, and in 2013, a memorial plaque was placed in honor of those lost.   

Eagle is currently conducting summer U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadet training in at-sea leadership and professional development. Their first port call was Portugal in late May. Eagle has served as a classroom at sea to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience as part of the Coast Guard Academy curriculum.   

Eagle is a three-masted barque with more than 6,797 square meters (22,300 square feet) of sail and 9.7 kilometers (6 miles) of rigging. At 90 meters (295 feet) in length, Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in United States government service. For information about Eagle, including port cities, tour schedules, current events, as well as cadet and active-duty crewmember photographs, follow the “United States Coast Guard Barque EAGLE” Facebook page or on Instagram @barqueeagle. 

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — AeroVironment Inc., a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, announced June 15 the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Simi Valley, California, to Arlington, Virginia, effective June 15, 2021.  

“The greater Washington D.C. area is where many of our key customers are located and expanding our presence in the region will further our access to decision makers, influencers and talent,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment president and CEO. 

“Our recent acquisition of Progeny Systems ISG and our new Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center expand our footprint near the Beltway and build on our momentum as we continue to grow our portfolio and global scope. We look forward to growing our Washington, D.C., presence and continuing to serve our customers with solutions that help them proceed with certainty.”  

AeroVironment will maintain its presence and existing operations in Simi Valley and other existing sites across the United States and in Germany. 

The U.S. Navy’s unique 355-foot Floating Instrument Platform, or FLIP, used by researchers to gather persistent oceanic and atmospheric observations and conduct acoustic research for more than 50 years, is now inactive.

There isn’t enough funded research to put FLIP through another refit so she has been removed from service. Rob Sparrock, the program officer overseeing ONR’s research vessel program, thinks FLIP deserves to retire with dignity, and wants to find a fitting forever home where her accomplishments can be remembered and appreciated.

The U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) built the 355-foot to conduct acoustic research. The unpowered FLIP looked like a baseball bat. It was towed to a location in the ocean where it was going to work, and the 300-foot tank section was filled with seawater so that part sank, leaving the remaining 55-foot section to stand upright. It could be anchored to the bottom, but more often it was left to drift with the wind and currents.

When at sea, she carried a crew of five when at sea along with a research party of up to 11 scientists. FLIP could make its own electricity and water and carry supplies for about 35 days. Once a research mission was complete, high-pressure air stored in bottles in the ballast tanks was released into the tanks to force the seawater out return FLIP to the horizontal, and she would be towed back to port. 

FLIP was designed by the naval architecture firm Glosten Associates; built by Gunderson Bros. Engineering Corporation; and entered service in 1962 under the auspices of the Marine Physical Laboratory of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.

Over its illustrious career, FLIP permitted researchers to study sound waves at various depths in the ocean without the interference of ambient noise from a ship’s propulsion system, but it also provided a platform to study wave height and air-sea interaction; water temperature and density; marine mammals; and gather meteorological data. FLIP has been used to examine ocean circulation, storm wave formation, and how thermal energy is transferred between the ocean and the atmosphere. 

While FLIP’s unique qualities made it the idea platform for many science missions, some of the research that used to require a platform like FLIP can now be conducted using other means, such as unmanned systems like floats and unmanned vehicles. As funding and therefor demand for FLIP from some of FLIPs regular customers was reduced, the business case for maintaining and upgrading FLIP changed.

“It would cost about $8 million to make FLIP useable for another five or 10 years, but that funding could be better used elsewhere,” said Sparrock. “We came up with lots of creative ideas, but there wasn’t enough inertia or funding to keep it going.”

While funding has fallen, nobody wants FLIP to just fade away. 

“I’d like to see a naval base or maritime museum adopt FLIP, and install the 55-foot section in the upright position so people can see it and actually go on it,” Sparrock said. “The other 300 feet can be sunk as a reef for divers.”

So, Sparrock continues his efforts to find FLIP a fitting location for her forever home. “FLIP is so historic; it just doesn’t seem right to scrap her.”

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has nominated a retired Navy officer to become the next secretary of the Navy. 

The nominee, Carlos Del Toro, was the first commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley. If confirmed by the Senate, he would assume office as the nation’s 78th secretary of the Navy. 

Below is the June 11 White House release of the nomination: 

“Carlos Del Toro is a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy with nearly 40 years’ experience in national security and naval operations, budgeting, and acquisition. Over the course of a 22-year career in the U.S. Navy, Del Toro held a series of critical appointments — including Senior Executive Assistant to the Director for Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; First Commanding Officer of the guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley; and Special Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget — before founding SBG Technology Solutions Inc. He has served as CEO and President of SBG Technology Solutions for the last 17 years. As CEO and President of SBG Technology Solutions, Del Toro has supported defense programs across a host of immediate and long-term Navy issue areas, including shipbuilding, AI, cybersecurity, acquisition programs, space systems, health, and training. Having earned a Masters in National Security Studies from the Naval War College and a Masters in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University, Del Toro has also supported military programs addressing policy and strategic studies. 
 
“Born in Havana, Cuba, Carlos Del Toro immigrated to the U.S. with his family as refugees in 1962. Raised in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, he attended public schools and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He was the first Hispanic President of the White House Fellows Foundation and Alumni association and serves on the Board of Directors of the Stimson Center. He was recently appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association’s Special Commission on Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion. Del Toro is married to Betty Del Toro, with whom they have four children and a granddaughter.” 

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, praised the nomination in a June 11 statement: 

“Mr. Del Toro is a proven leader who is well equipped to lead our Navy. His story is uniquely American, as is his service to our nation, which include multiple deployments during the Cold War and Operation Desert Shield and Storm and culminated in his selection for the rank of Captain and Major Command at Sea. After retiring from the Navy, Del Toro continued to lead in the private sector as the CEO and President of an engineering and IT services company. As recently as 2020 the company was recognized by the Small Business Administration as an SBA success story — another testament to Del Toro’s leadership.  
   
“With decades of experience, both in and out of uniform, Del Toro is an excellent pick to lead the Navy and I look forward to working with him once confirmed by the Senate.” 

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma’s crew offloaded more than 7,500 pounds of cocaine in Port Everglades, Florida, an estimated street value of $143.5 million, Monday, after three interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a June 14 release. 

A maritime patrol flight spotted a vessel on April 16, and a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment team on the HMCS Saskatoon apprehended five suspects and nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine from the low-profile vessel.  The vessel was destroyed as a hazard to navigation. 

A maritime patrol flight spotted a vessel on April 20, and Tahoma’s law enforcement team apprehended four suspects and 2,400 pounds of cocaine from the low-profile vessel, and again the vessel was destroyed.  

While on patrol, a Tahoma crewmember found cocaine bales floating in the water on April 23. The bales were recovered, totaling nearly 1,200 pounds of cocaine.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced June 14 the release of a new report finding that the Nation’s private shipyards support $42.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP). 

MARAD’s new report — The Economic Importance of the U.S. Private Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry — measures the economic importance of the shipbuilding and repairing industry at the national and State levels for calendar year 2019.  

“Shipyards create good jobs and support economic growth —  not just in the areas surrounding our ports and waterways, but across the nation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.  

In 2019, the nation’s 154 private shipyards directly provided more than 107,000 jobs and contributed $9.9 billion in labor income to the national economy. On a nationwide basis — including direct, indirect, and induced impacts — the industry supported 393,390 jobs, $28.1 billion of labor income, and $42.4 billion in GDP.   

The Biden administration recognizes the economic importance of the maritime industry and has proposed $17 billion in inland waterways, coastal ports, land ports of entry, and ferries as part of the American Jobs Plan. These investments would make our infrastructure more resilient while improving efficiency and creating new capacity to enhance freight movement in the United States.   

Since 2008, the U.S. Department of Transportation has provided nearly $262.5 million in grant funding through its small shipyard grant program to nearly 300 shipyards in 32 states and territories to improve infrastructure at U.S. shipyards.    

“The report issued by MARAD confirms that shipyards are vital economic engines in addition to being essential components of our industrial base,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. “The skilled jobs created by shipyards are not only essential to supporting our military and our commerce, they are contributing to the economic success of communities all over the United States.”  

The report states the U.S. shipbuilding industry has run a trade surplus in six out of the last 10 years, with a cumulative trade surplus of $7.3 billion over this period. From 2015 to 2020, U.S. shipbuilders delivered 5,024 vessels of all types including tugs and towboats, passenger vessels, commercial and fishing vessels, and oceangoing and inland barges, reaching 608 vessels in 2020. More than 60 percent of vessels delivered during the last six years have been inland tank and dry cargo barges.   

There are currently 154 private shipyards in the United States, spread across 29 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, that are classified as active shipbuilders. In addition, there are more than 300 shipyards engaged in ship repairs or capable of building ships but not actively engaged in shipbuilding. Although the majority of shipyards are located in the coastal states, active shipyards are also located on major inland waterways such as the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, and the Ohio River.   

The final report, The Economic Importance of the U.S. Private Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry, can be found at: https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2021-06/Economic%20Contributions%20of%20U.S.%20Shipbuilding%20and%20Repairing%20Industry.pdf 

NORFOLK, Va. — Continuing the Navy’s strategic realignment of ships, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) has arrived at Naval Station Norfolk, making Norfolk its new homeport June 10, 2021, the Navy said in a release. 

Due to excess port loading in Mayport, Florida, the ship, its crew and families moved from there to support their upcoming Selected Restricted Availability in a Norfolk-area shipyard. Its departure marks the first time in more than 50 years that a cruiser will not be homeported there. 

“Philippine Sea has been part of Mayport’s proud tradition of maritime professionalism and warfighting excellence for over three decades,” said Capt. Kevin Hoffman, Philippine Sea commanding officer. “On behalf of all the ‘War Dog’ crews and families, past and present, I would like to extend my personal thanks to the entire Naval Station Mayport and City of Jacksonville communities for the amazing support over the years. It has truly been an honor to call Mayport home. “We take an incredible spirit of teamwork and sense of family with us as we look forward to making our new home in Virginia and joining the Norfolk waterfront.” 
 
Homeport shifts are part of the Navy’s continued commitment to the strategic dispersal of ships. This move contributes to the vitality of two East Coast homeports for surface ships and the preservation of the Mayport region’s ship repair facilities. This plan will support extended maintenance availabilities at local shipyards in both fleet concentration areas and rebalance port loading. 
 
The move comes just a couple months after returning from a nearly 10-month independent deployment. The Philippine Sea crew participated in numerous exercises, traveled nearly 6,000 nautical miles and successfully completed 18 transits of the Strait of Hormuz, many while escorting partner military vessels and commercial shipping. 
 
Named for the WW II battle of the same name, remembered as the “Marianas Turkey Shoot,” or the “Greatest Carrier Battle of the War,” as more than 80% of the engaged enemy there were eliminated. 

WASHINGTON — The Naval Sea Systems Command has issued the following statement regarding a cost increase regarding the Ship-to-Shore Connector Program, designed to replace the Navy’s legacy fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC). Textron Systems is the designer and builder of the new craft: 

“On March 26, the U.S. Navy notified Congress of an increase in the Program Acquisition Unit Cost and the Average Procurement Unit Cost for the Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) program that exceeds the current baseline estimate, breaching the significant Nunn-McCurdy cost threshold. The breach is attributed to first in class challenges that led to increased construction costs resulting from labor and material cost growth and schedule related issues on early craft. This is not a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach that would require recertification of the program and USD A&S has been notified. The SSC program production is now stable as the first in class challenges have been resolved.  

“Textron has delivered three craft and follow-on craft are in serial production. The delivery of LCACs 100 and 101 have allowed the Navy to move forward with the initial operator training pipeline and move into post-delivery test and trials at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division.  

“LCAC 102 was delivered on June 3, 2021, and transited to Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, arriving June 9. 

“LCACs 103-115 currently in production, show reduced overall man hours and expedited outfitting in earlier stages of construction for improved cost and schedule performance.  

‘The updated acquisition program baseline is based on procuring 72 operational craft and actual serial production cost experience of the shipbuilder and its vendors.”