SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley crew repatriated 66 migrants to the Dominican Republic May 18, following the interdiction of two illegal voyages in Mona Passage waters off Puerto Rico. 

The interdicted migrants consisted of 55 men and 11 women claiming to be Dominican Republic nationals.  

The interdictions are the result of ongoing efforts by Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG) partner agencies to combat illegal migrant smuggling. 

The aircrew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft detected the first illegal voyage May 17, approximately 47 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.   The Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley responded to the sighting and interdicted the suspect vessel with the assistance of the cutter’s small boat.  The cutter’s crew safely embarked the migrants, 44 men and 10 women, from a grossly overloaded 28-foot makeshift vessel that was riding low and taking on water.  

The crew of a Puerto Rico Police Joint Force of Rapid Action marine unit interdicted the second illegal voyage May 18, approximately three nautical miles off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.  The Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser arrived on scene shortly thereafter and embarked the migrants, 11 men and a woman, from the 20-foot makeshift vessel.  The migrant group later embarked aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley for their repatriation. 

Prior to embarking, the Coast Guard crews provided the migrants with lifejackets.  Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, they receive food, water and basic medical attention. 

“Illegal migrant voyages in the Mona Passage are incredibly dangerous,” said Lt. Christopher Martin, cutter Donald Horsley commanding officer. “The vessels utilized in these ventures are often unseaworthy, lack basic safety equipment, and are grossly overloaded putting each person on the voyage at risk. We are fortunate we were able to locate these vessels before the situation worsened, safely removing all 66 persons and repatriating them to the Dominican Republic.” 

The cutter Donald Horsley rendezvoused with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where the crew transferred and completed the repatriation of the migrants to Dominican Republic Navy authorities. 

Cutters Donald Horsley and Winslow Griesser are 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will be putting the new Dry Combat Submersible (DCS) Block 1 through testing in preparation for delivery this fall, a senior SOCOM official said, and is laying the groundwork for a DCS-Next version.  

James Smith, acquisition executive for SOCOM, speaking with reporters May 17 in a roundtable of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Special Operations Industry Conference, said the first submersible, DCS1, is finishing up Developmental Test and will begin Operational Test this summer.  

The 30-ton DCS provides a fully enclosed environment to transport SEAL teams to and from objectives without being exposed to cold and fatigue. The submersible is designed to be operated by a crew of two and to carry eight SEALs. The hull features two topside hatches as well as a lockout chamber. The DCS Block 1 is to operate from surface ships only and not from submarines. DCS1 was delivered in 2019 to begin sea trials. 

In July 2016, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $166 million contract to build up to three lithium battery-powered DCSs over five years. The first vessel, DCS1, was delivered in 2019 to begin sea trials. 

Smith also said SOCOM is working on “pre-program activities” for DCS-Next, which is planned as a DCS that will be able to operate from submarines, is scheduled for program start in fiscal 2024, but that SOCOM is “working right now to pull that left into ’23.”  

Smith also noted that the prototype approach — three prototypes (one leased and two procured) — for DCS Block I would be too expensive for DCS Block II, but that using digital design and engineering would make the program affordable. 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – BAE Systems, Inc. has won a U.S. Navy competition to serve as the design agent for the mechanical portion of the Mk41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), the company said in a May 18 release. With this $164 million award, BAE Systems will provide design and support of the system that is embedded in cruisers and destroyers and launches a wide arsenal of offensive and defensive missiles. 

The contract calls for BAE Systems to provide design, development, test, product improvement, and sustaining support for current and legacy VLS systems. BAE Systems will also continue to design and support canisters used to store, transport, and launch the missiles from the VLS. 

“This award demonstrates that BAE Systems is an industry leader when it comes to the VLS solution for the Navy’s fleet of Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers,” said Brent Butcher, vice president of the weapon systems product line at BAE Systems. “Going forward this contract secures our role in providing the Navy with cutting- edge design and engineering supporting this critical warfighting capability.” 

The Mk41 VLS is capable of launching a broad range of missiles, including the Standard Missile SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 variants; the Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile; the NATO Seasparrow and Evolved Seasparrow; and the Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rocket. 

The Mk 41 VLS is also deployed with the navies of Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. 

Work on this contract begins immediately and will primarily be performed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

The United States and Greece are actively discussing a potential acquisition of four Hellenic Navy Future Frigates (HF2s) from Lockheed Martin, based on the company’s for-export Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) and Freedom-class variant of the littoral combat ship (LCS).

Saudi Arabia has ordered four MMSCs and signed a Letter of Intent for four more. The first two are under construction at Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin, where the Freedom-class ships are built.

Fabrication for the first MMSC, HMS Saud, began in October 2019. Steel was cut for the second as-yet-unnamed MMSC in January of this year.

“We’ve integrated these capabilities with the Saudi MMSC, focused across those multi-mission warfare areas, and we see the Hellenic Navy asking for similar capabilities to this configuration,” said Lockheed Martin’s LCS program vice president Joe DePietro, who is also responsible for the MMSC and HF2.

According to DePietro, these differences show the tremendous flexibility of the seaframe. “We’re able to achieve that with our COMBATSS 21 combat management system, which is a derivative of our Aegis combat system, found on U.S. and international platforms, which come from the same common source library. We can quickly integrate different or new warfare capabilities from a systems perspective.”

The common combat management system and weapons, with the ability to share information between the platforms allow them to maximize capabilities in many domains.

What LCS does not have but will be common with the RSNF MMSC and HF2 is an eight-cell MK 41 vertical launch system (VLS). However, unique to the HF2 will be three additional single cell VLS tubes, giving it a total of 11 cells. Missiles like the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile or Sea Ceptor common anti-air modular missile – maritime (CAMM) can be quad-packed, giving each cell the ability to have four missiles in any one cell.

To make room for the VLS in the MMSC and HF2, the gun moves forward, which also makes the room for the additional cells.

“The beauty of single cells is that you can place them in multiple areas of the ship. Because of the flexibility of our hull form and the combat management system, we can accommodate those capabilities that our international partners want to include on their ships.”

DePietro said that Lockheed Martin invested in the capability to utilize multiple VLS cells on different platforms, especially for ships that did not have existing space for a full eight-cell system or larger configuration (some Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers have up to 32 cells forward and 64 cells aft).

The Greek ship will have some variations from the basic MMSC design, such as a larger 76mm instead of the 57mm gun. The Saudi ship will have eight canister launchers for Harpoon anti-ship missiles, where the Greek ship may carry the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

LCS is a focused-mission ship that allocates a significant amount of its volume to the mission packages. About 40 percent of the ship is set up to receive mission packages that can be connected to the ship’s computing environment to become part of the ship’s overall system. “That gives us a lot of flexibility to also integrate a more traditional multi-mission combat system — to include anti-air, anti-submarine and self-defense capabilities,” said DePietro.

For the Freedom-class LCS ships, LCS 1 through 15 carry the MK 31 RAM launcher, while LCS 17 and following ships will have the Sea-RAM installed (all of the Independence-class LCSs already have Sea-RAM).  SeaRAM combines the radar and electrooptical system of the Phalanx CIWS Mk-15 Block 1B (CRDC) with an 11-cell RAM launcher to produce an autonomous system—one which does not need any external information to engage threats.  The 11-missile SeaRAM will equip the Royal Saudi Navy’s multi-mission surface combat (MMSC) based on the Freedom-class littoral combat ships, but the Hellenic Future Frigate will employ the 21-missile MK 31 system.

“As with the Freedom class LCS, we’ve moved from the TRS 3D to TRS 4D AN/SPS-80 solid state radar with longer detection ranges and accuracy. That, along with the AN/SLQ-32C (V)6 electronic warfare system, gives greater capabilities with regards to the employment of the RAM missile,” said DePietro.

The HF2 will have a robust ASW capability. “We’ve looked at hull-mounted sonars for the MMSC for different customers,” DePietro said. “We believe a variable-depth sonar (VDS) paired with the MH-60R helicopter, which the Hellenic Navy has already bought, will give them a significant capability. We’re also looking at how we can maximize the capabilities of their upgraded MEKO-frigates and HF2s working together. We think the VDS will give them much needed sonar coverage of the areas where they expect to operate. We’re looking at the Thales CAPTAS 2 right now.”

The HF2 is designed to embark and operate multiple UAVs — depending on size — along with a minimum of one MH-60R, although the ship can carry two. The ship’s datalink will allow communication between the ship, the helicopter and whatever UAVs they choose, at the same time.

Like the parent LCS design, the MMSC and HF2 have Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines and Fairbanks Morse diesels for propulsion. DePietro said the new ships will benefit from all of the modifications, upgrades and improvements in survivability, as well as the substantial testing and validation from the LCS program since the beginning.

The export variants will have the same steel hull and aluminum superstructure. But, he said, Lockheed Martin also offers flexibility. “We can tailor the ship and the systems to meet the requirements of our customers.”

The four Saudi ships will be built at Marinette, and Lockheed is currently reviewing options to build a number of the HF2 hulls in Greece, providing an opportunity to revitalize the Greek shipbuilding industry’s capability and capacity, and to advance Greek industries.

DePietro sees more export opportunities. “We’re seeing interest from navies, particularly for ships with this Hellenic Navy configuration,” DePietro said. “There are a number of navies who would like to build them locally, in their shipyards. So, we have to go and assess the capability, and understand how that would work from a construction and contracts perspective.”

“We’re looking at the international arrangements with Fincantieri as our partner. Lockheed Martin partners around the globe for design and integration of ship platforms. Together you get a team that knows how to do this.”

Fleet modernization

New ships are needed to modernize the Hellenic navy. The HN currently operates four Hydra-class MEKO 200 frigates, built between 1992 and 1998, and nine Elli-class frigates, formerly Dutch Navy Kortenaer-class frigates, commissioned in the Royal Netherlands Navy between 1978 and 1983, and transferred to Greece between 1993 and 2002. (A total of 10 Kortenaers were acquired, but one has been decommissioned and is currently used for parts.)

While some news reports claim that Greece has made its decision on the Lockheed Martin solution for their new combatant, the actual process is complicated and not yet final.

There are other proposals being offered for consideration. British shipbuilder Babcock, partnered with Thales UK, is proposing its Arrowhead 140 design, based on the future Royal Navy Type 31 frigate (which is itself based on the based on the Danish Navy’s Iver Huitfeldt frigates. Dutch Shipbuilder Damen is reportedly offering its SIGMA 11515 frigate. A French group with Naval Group, Thales and MBDA, is proposing the Frégate de défense et d’intervention (FDI). A German team led by TKMS is proposing its MEKO A200NG or A3000 frigate. Spain’s Navantia is offering its F-110 and Fincantieri is proposing the FREMM, although they are also partnered with Lockheed Martin on the MMSC variant of LCS.

Greece wants more than ships. It wants a partnership that also includes modernization of its shipbuilding capability, upgrading of its four MEKO frigates and other considerations. The MEKO frigate upgrades offer an opportunity for the Hellenic Navy to drive commonality between MEKO frigates and HF2. Under consideration is the use of the AEGIS based COMBATSS-21 combat management system that streamline training pipelines and leveraged existing integrated systems on both ships such as the MH-60R.

“We are very committed to our Navy-to-Navy partnership with Greece,” said U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt, speaking to reporters in Athens March 4. 

Pyatt noted key programs where the U.S. is supporting Greece. “We want to see the Hellenic Navy be as capable as possible because that makes NATO stronger. The MH-60 Romeos are part of that. The P-3 upgrades are part of that. The Mark-5s for the Special Forces are part of that. So, we are already demonstrating our commitment to enhancing Greece’s naval capabilities. The next big step is going to be the frigates. This is a big decision for the Greek state. It’s a sovereign decision that Greece is going to make.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — Two U.S. Navy training jets collided in mid-air over Texas on May 17, but all four crew members survived. 

Two T-45C Goshawk training jets assigned to Training Air Wing Two, collided over Ricardo, Texas, at approximately 11:00 am. Central Time, the chief of naval air training (CNATRA) said in a Facebook post. The pilots are assigned to Training Squadron 22, one of two T-45C squadrons based at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. 

“One aircraft was able to safely land at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, and the other aircraft’s instructor and student pilot safely ejected about nine miles south of Kingsville in Ricardo, Texas,” CNATRA said. “One pilot was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg for minor injuries. The incident is currently under investigation and the U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities.” 

The T-45Cs were part of a three-plane formation flight. 

According to an unofficial count, a total of 31 T-45s of 222 built have been lost in mishaps since the type began service in 1991, an average of one per year. 

LONDON — The U.S. Navy has turned to global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin and enterprise applications company IFS to deliver an intelligent maintenance product that will help power its digital transformation of multiple legacy systems into a single, fully modernized and responsive logistics information system. The system will ensure personnel spend more time focused on the mission and less on aircraft and ship repairs. 
 
The IFS system comprises capabilities for planning and executing maintenance, repair, and overhaul of more than 3,000 assets including aircraft, ships, and land-based equipment. The Naval Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (N-MRO) product combines artificial intelligence (AI), digital twin capabilities and predictive analytics to anticipate and react to potential equipment failures before they happen, which will contribute to the enhanced support of maintenance, supply logistics, real-time fleet management and other business functions for more than 200,000 sailors. 
 
Following a comprehensive and competitive evaluation process, the U.S. Navy selected Lockheed Martin together with IFS’s acclaimed industry-specific functionality already used by some of the world’s largest aerospace and defense organizations. With the added support of software developer Beast Code, the system will initially be fielded at multiple U.S. Navy sites to help sailors and Marine Corps maintainers break down operational silos and work towards a common maintenance workflow across all ship and aircraft platforms.  
 
The digital transformation of the U.S. Navy’s maintenance systems will see a consolidation of assets and parts data in a central repository visualized to the users through an intuitive, mobile-friendly experience. This initiative will lead to increased data accuracy, streamlined workflows and ultimately less asset downtime and fewer unscheduled maintenance events. Enabling total asset readiness through N-MRO will ensure information is always readily available to help the U.S. Navy achieve its desired materiel readiness and operational availability objectives. For instance, Navy personnel will be empowered to document faults, request parts and report work completion at the point of maintenance, thereby reducing asset downtime while increasing data accuracy as an enabler of enhanced planning and procurement. 
 
“Our goal is to provide capabilities that create real value across the Navy’s complex, multi-site operations and optimize its mission-critical maintenance processes,” said Reeves Valentine, Lockheed Martin vice president of Enterprise Sustainment Solutions. “We want to empower Navy personnel with tools that are easy and effective to use with intuitive interfaces, streamlined workflows and timesaving, intelligent features. IFS distinguished itself by providing all of these capabilities through a single, commercial-off-the-shelf solution.” 
 
Scott Helmer, president, Aerospace & Defense, IFS, added, “We are proud to be part of N-MRO, which will set a new global standard for total asset readiness and the way defense organizations manage asset maintenance and logistics, both ashore and afloat. A&D [aerospace and defense] has been a key focus industry at IFS for decades and this landmark deal stands as testament to the success of our long-term strategy and determination. Working with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy, we are already making great strides and look forward to a long and successful collaboration.” 

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter William Trump crew repatriated 22 Cuban migrants to Cuba, Friday, from two interdictions, the Coast Guard 7^th District said in a May 14 release. 

In the first interdiction, a Coast Guard Station Key West small boat crew and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine surface asset located a migrant vessel, Saturday, after CBP AMO’s maritime patrol aircraft reported two personal watercrafts headed northbound approximately 26 miles southeast of Key West.  

In the second interdiction, Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo crew intersected the chug approximately 82 miles southwest of Key West and embarked the migrants with no medical concerns reported. 

“Migrant interdiction patrols help save lives by deterring dangerous illegal migrant activity and removing migrants from dangerous environments,” said Capt. Michael Gesele, Coast Guard District Seven Chief of Enforcement. “The Coast Guard patrols the Florida Straits, Windward Passage and the Mona Passage, maintaining a solid presence with air and sea assets. Migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally can expect to be repatriated, regardless of their nationality.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 228 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. There were no migrants in these cases reported to have any COVID-19 related symptoms. 

MANAMA, Bahrain – The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) released the newest edition of its IMSC Bridge Reference Cards, May 13, Task Force sentinel Public Affairs said in a May 17 release. 

Originally published in June 2020, the reference cards are designed as a quick-access distillation of guidance found in the United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations’ (UKMTO) Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security, edition 5 (BMP5) and address specific scenarios that threaten the physical security of merchant vessels. 

“Mariners are thoroughly trained on how to respond in emergencies but being face-to-face with a real-life threat is a completely different experience compared to an exercise,” said Lt. David Bourne, British Royal Navy, the information officer at Coalition Task Force Sentinel (CTF Sentinel), the operational arm of IMSC.  

“It is important to have authoritative, but easy to understand, guidance at hand, especially when you are trying to think clearly with everything happening so quickly.” 

The newest edition has sections specifically devoted to limpet and sea mine awareness threats. Since May 2019, several maritime incidents in the Middle East region have been related to either mines or water borne improvised explosive devices (also addressed in the cards). 

“Our aim is to deliver a greater understanding of mines and other explosives which have the potential to cause loss of life or severe damage to a vessel, and empower seafarers to alert authorities,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Danielle Centeno, the task force’s Maritime Trade Officer.  

“Often times, under the cover of darkness, perpetrators use small boats or divers to plant limpet mines, which are mines that magnetically adhere to the metal hull of merchant vessels.” 

The reference cards provide industry best practices addressing factors seafarers and vessel masters should consider when facing threats to include being approached by a suspicious craft in port or at anchor. 

“Mariners don’t have time to waste when facing a possible crisis. They must assess what they see and know who to call,” said Centeno.  

If seafarers understand the threat, they are more likely to identify nefarious or suspicious activity before an attack materializes. 

The cards also address what to do if hailed by unknown vessels or aircraft exhibiting threatening or harassing behavior, impeding safe navigation, or attempting to illegitimately alter one’s course within international waters. 

“These bridge cards serve as a reminder to professional mariners that they are not alone,” said Royal Navy Commodore Adrian Fryer, CTF Sentinel’s commanding officer. 

“Rather, there are a number of organizations like IMSC, UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations), and other national defense forces that are devoted to protecting freedom of navigation.” 

UKMTO is a British Royal Navy capability with the principal purpose of providing an information conduit between maritime security forces and the wider international maritime trade community.  

IMSC continues to work together with industry partners to safeguard freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce and to reassure merchant shipping by deterring and exposing state-sponsored malign activity that threatens security of the maritime commons in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Southern Red Sea. 

U.S. and allied navies took part in the  multi-national exercise Jeanne D’Arc (ARC) 21 in and around Japan, exercises that began May 11 and wrapped up May 16.

The Sasebo, Japan-based USS New Orleans (LPD 18) joined with the Royal Australian Navy, French armed forces, Japan self-defense forces and other U.S. forces for ARC 21.

“This exercise brings together service members from each nation’s military in a combined effort to enhance interoperability in pursuit of common regional security goals,” said Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Sherrie Flippin. “Service members from participating units planned, coordinated and conducted operations over land and at sea.”

The 684-foot New Orleans, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with elements of the Okinawa-based III Marine Expeditionary Force and the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, have been engaged in amphibious landings and air assaults while also conducting formation maneuvers, air defense exercises and communication drills with the other units in the exercise. MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft also took part.

“On the New Orleans we are prepared to flex our amphibious skills with each of the teams here and strengthen our joint operational capabilities,” Capt. Brian Schrum, New Orleans’ commanding officer, said in the release. “Each event affords us the opportunity to collaborate across staffs developing deeper personal bonds, fostering trust between all our nations and in turn growing as a cohesive naval and Marine force.”

ARC 21 also included the 387-foot Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH 154) from the Royal Australian Navy, as well as the French navy’s 653-foot Mistral-class LHD FS Tonnerre (L9014) and 410-foor La Fayette-class Frigate FS Surcouf (F 711). 

Participating ships from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force included the 646-foot Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182); 528-foot Kongō-class guided missile destroyer JS Kongō (DDG-173); 541-foot Atago-class guided missile destroyer JS Ashigara (DDG-178); 495-foot Asahi-class ASW destroyer JS Asahi (DD-119); 584-foot Ōsumi-class landing ship tank JS Ōsumi (LST 4001); and a pair of 164-foot Hayabusa-class patrol boats, JS Ōtaka (PG-826) and JS Shirataka (PG-829); along with other host nation air and ground forces.

The field training portion of the exercise began at the JSDF Kirishima maneuver area with a combat engineer subject matter expertise exchange, casualty evacuation and combat service support training, and simulated fire support coordination training between Japan Air Self Defense Forces and U.S. military personnel.

“This exercise, by bringing together our air, land, and maritime forces to increase our ability to jointly respond to crises across the range of military operations, is yet another demonstration of our rapidly growing constellation of partners, all united by the common goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Nelson, commander of the 3rd Landing Support Battalion. “It is commonly said that we train alongside our partners and allies in peace to be ready to fight alongside them in war, and exercises like ARC-21 are the best example of this.”

Forward deployed to Okinawa, Japan, the 3rd Marine Logistics Group provides responsive combat logistics support to III Marine Expeditionary Force and other Marine units within the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations through expeditionary means, forward basing and global sourcing during exercises and contingency operations.

Nelson, who was also the commander of the Marine Forces in the exercise, said the U.S. Marines were represented by an Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and a reconnaissance team detachment.

The culminating events included surveillance and insertion of forces via JSDF CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Tonnerre, followed by a helicopter-borne assault via U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys from USS New Orleans, Flippin said.

Flippin said the exercise was conducted in adherence to strict COVID mitigation measures to protect participating forces as well as local communities.

Capabilities and Limitations

Speaking to reporters, Schrum and Nelson commented on the amount of effort involved in the staff planning process for exercises like ARC 21.

Nelson said the staff planning process is a way to understand the capabilities and limitations of the participating units, and how each of the forces conducts their planning — including who they bring to the table, and why. 

“We were able to familiarize ourselves with tactics, techniques and procedures — how they conduct themselves on patrolling and in urban combat, how they use their own gear, equipment and  communications and how they use their weapon systems,” Nelson said. 

Schrum said communications is a key attribute to “achieving interoperability with partners and allies, and understanding their capabilities and what they can bring to the fight, and how we can all work together to achieve a common goal.”

Schrum noted one of the more interesting events in the exercise involved the approaches and dockings by Japanese LCACs (landing craft air cushion) in the well deck of the New Orleans.

“To see another county’s ship-to-shore connector come into our well deck and land was an amazing thing for our crew in the well deck, as well as our junior officers and watchstanders. They got a chance to see what it’s like to work with partners and allies here in this region.”

Nelson said there was a lot more commonality than differences among the different units. “They had very good gear and they take care of it,” he said. “They’re very disciplined, perform to standard and are eager to train. We worked through bad weather; the common understood COVID mitigation measures; and the language barrier, and were still able — through deliberate planning — execute a safe exercise that everyone mutually benefited from.

“Sharing experiences, tactics and best practices makes us all better. Anytime you train together, you’re better together,” Nelson said.

ARC21 is the first large-scale joint exercise involving the U.S. and France on Japanese soil, and is taking place at a time of growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the exercise is a way to deepen defense cooperation with the U.S. and “like-minded countries” that shares Japan’s vision of “a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

CHANDLER, Ariz.–Northrop Grumman Corp. has been awarded a production contract option for 18 additional GQM-163A “Coyote” supersonic sea-skimming target vehicles, the company announced in a May 14 release. 

This award represents the first of three options that can be exercised against the full-rate production contract awarded last year. The $55.4 million award brings the GQM-163A targets ordered to date to 218. 

“We are committed to supporting U.S. Navy fleet readiness with our high performance, supersonic Coyote target vehicles,” said Rich Straka, vice president, launch vehicles, Northrop Grumman. “Our design integrates a solid-fuel, air-breathing ducted rocket propulsion system with high performance avionics capable of emulating multiple scenarios to prepare and protect our warfighters against evolving threats.” 

Northrop Grumman designed and developed the Coyote starting in the early 2000s, with the first flight in 2003. The company has since delivered 124 targets to the U.S. Navy and successfully launched them 81 times. To create efficiencies and save time for the production of this target system, the company uses 3D printing technology to build mockups and tooling, and to prototype design modifications. 

The Coyote program is managed by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. The Coyote provides the Navy with a cost-effective target to simulate advanced supersonic anti-ship cruise missile threats. It can be used as a Mach 2.5+ sea skimming target or as a Mach 3.5+ diving target from an altitude of 52,000 feet; the target vehicle is also able to perform high G turns. 

The Coyote is designed and built at Northrop Grumman’s state-of-the-art launch vehicle production facility in Chandler, Arizona and launches from San Nicholas Island, California; Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.