ARLINGTON, Va. — To meet the pacing threat of a near peer competitor like China by 2030 will require changes in Marine Corps platforms, equipment and, above all, changes in thinking about logistics and mobility, according to a panel of three-star Marine generals.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger’s top priority for his five-year tenure is redesigning the force from its decades-long focus on countering violent extremists in the Middle East to great power, peer-level competition, with special emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region.

“We have to change by 2030, the year the decade of uncertainty begins,” when Russia and China are projected to begin surpassing U.S. military advantages in technology, equipment and force size, Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, deputy commandant for Combat Development and Integration told the virtual version of the Modern Day Marine Expo on Sept. 22.

Smith, one of four deputy commandants and one assistant deputy commandant on a panel discussing what the Marine Corps will need from industry to accomplish the massive shift in less than 10 years, cited two major concerns. One is developing a combination of C5ISR with resilient sensing architecture that can operate forward deployed “in contact, in conflict, and still pass data to the joint forces and to ourselves.”

The other is long range lethal fires that can “reach out and affect an adversary, make them respect our presence” but with lightweight mobility “so that we don’t overburden the naval  logistics or joint logistics footprint.” He added that “the overarching theme” for both concerns is mobility.

While the other deputies listed specific capabilities needed or in the pipeline for aviation, information technology and ground forces, a common theme developed about logistics and how to deliver supplies, equipment and information across vast areas of contested space.

“We have to lighten the load,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Chiarotti, deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics. Competitors’ long-range missiles and sensors have eliminated “the luxury” of taking days to deliver an iron mountain of supplies in a war zone. In fact, installations and infrastructures, once merely places where forces were trained and equipped, in the future will be “warfighting platforms from which we deploy from, but from which we need to maneuver,” Chiarotti said.

“We’re not organized to meet the future capabilities that we need for tomorrow,” he said, adding that inexpensive, expendable – or at least, risk-worthy – unmanned platforms could be one solution for long-haul supply in a large, contested environment. Other problems are more complicated, however. In a GPS- and communications-denied environment, “We have to be able to reduce the signature that the logistics force brings to the battlefield,” Chiarotti said.

Likewise, Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen. Mark Wise noted that signature management was also an issue in his sector, noting that aviation has a transport and supply role, as well as air combat and defense. “How do I make myself hard to target if they see me, also, how do I keep them from seeing me?” Sustainability is a key issue for aviation, Wise said. “We need to make sure that we are focused on the sustainment. How do I move fuel and ordnance? That is a critical enabler that we’re spending a lot of time focusing on.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Lockheed Martin, tapped as one of six companies to provide a study for a proven, integrated and capable payload ship, able to patrol for extended durations, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition, is partnering with Portland, Oregon-based Vigor Works LLC as the team’s shipbuilder. 

As prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will manage the program, deliver platform integration, systems engineering, combat management, automation and cyber solutions, Lockheed Martin said in a Sept. 17 release. 

“The Lockheed Martin team brings together nearly 200 years of combined experience in shipbuilding, integration, automation and autonomy,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems. “Our team is energized by and focused on delivering the Navy what they’ve asked for – a design for an affordable, low-risk ship capable of bringing the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) vision to life.” 

The Lockheed Martin team’s design uses a proven commercial ship that will be augmented with automation, autonomy and cybersecurity elements to house a payload. The design leverages Lockheed Martin’s autonomy and automation experience, including its platform-agnostic Sikorsky MATRIX technology that’s been used to fly a helicopter from a wireless tablet, and its AXIS control technology, used on more than half of U.S. Navy surface ships to manage engineering and machinery controls. 

Under the $7 million contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver the study within 12 months in advance of the next phase of the competition – the Navy’s LUSV Detailed Design & Construction competition. 

“We are honored to be part of the Lockheed Martin team and to leverage our extensive fabrication expertise, including previously building 16 USVs of various designs and sizes,” said Richard McCreary, Vigor vice president, business development. “We are ready to deliver a concept design that will help the Navy deploy a safe, efficient and affordable LUSV fleet for the future.”  

The Navy’s vision for USVs will enable the fleet to fight as a distributed, networked and more lethal force. USVs will provide extended presence across the globe with reduced risk to sailors and increased obstacles and complications for adversaries. 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries has broken ground on a new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence in Hampton, Virginia, the company said in a Sept. 22 release. Two buildings totaling over 150,000 square feet will be constructed on the 20-acre campus and will be purpose-built for unmanned systems prototyping, production and testing. 

“With U.S. Navy’s increasing demand for UUVs and USVs, we are committed to investing in and expanding our unmanned systems capabilities,” said Andy Green, HII executive vice president and president of Technical Solutions. “Our new Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence will ensure we can continue to provide our customers with the most advanced autonomous systems across all class sizes.” 

The HII Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence, located on the Hampton Roads Center – North Campus, will be a state-of-the-art facility with a high-tech digital manufacturing infrastructure. This agile space will be reconfigurable for different production and systems integration projects and have precision machining capabilities, a surface finishing area and a dedicated welding space. 

“Virginia is proud to be home to the largest military shipbuilder in the country,” said Gov. Ralph Northam. “Huntington Ingalls Industries is a national leader in advanced manufacturing, and this investment is a powerful testament to Virginia’s workers and business environment. The company’s new unmanned systems facility in Hampton will support America’s national security and play a key role in strengthening our economic recovery as we continue working to rebound from this health crisis.” 

HII partnered with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the city of Hampton and the Hampton Roads Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. More than 250 jobs will be created and will enable collaboration with HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, which has advanced undersea system engineering capabilities. 

“The new campus complements our current facilities in Massachusetts, Florida and Washington that have been delivering marine robotics to the Navy for nearly 20 years,” said Duane Fotheringham, president, Technical Solutions’ Unmanned Systems business group. “In order to manufacture and support large and extra-large UUVs, the size of the manufacturing operation needs to increase significantly. This new facility will give us the space and infrastructure we need to scale our operations to meet the needs of our customers now and into the future.” 

The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball; Hampton Mayor Donnie R. Tuck; Hampton Economic Development Director Chuck Rigney Sr., and Rob Brown, president of Robert Brown & Associates. 

The first 22,000-square-foot building will be completed by the end of this year. The main 135,000 square-foot-facility is planned to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corp’s new amphibious vehicle has completed a major step in its acquisition program and is on track for a full-rate production decision in November, a service acquisition official said. 

The Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), already in low-rate production by BAE Systems, completed its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation on Sept. 4, said John Garner, program executive officer for Land Systems, speaking Sept. 21 at the Virtual Modern Day-Marine Exposition. 

Garner said early fielding of the personnel carrier version of the ACV to a Marine Corps amphibious assault battalion will begin in the first week of October and be completed by the end of that month. Other variants of the ACV under development include a command-and-control ACV; an ACV armed with a 30mm cannon; and a recovery version designed to tow damaged vehicles to repair facilities.   

The ACV is replacing the AAAV7 family of assault amphibious vehicles. Garner said he expects there will be a robust Foreign Military Sales potential for the retired AAAV7 vehicles. 

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — BAE Systems has unveiled the newest addition to its unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) portfolio, the Riptide UUV-12, the company said in a Sept. 22 release. The 12-inch diameter vehicle is the company’s entry into the medium UUV market – joining three small UUV variants – and marks the first new vehicle since last year’s acquisition of Riptide Autonomous Solutions.  

“The Riptide UUV-12 system significantly extends the Riptide family of UUVs by taking us into the medium UUV market,” said Jeff Smith, chief scientist at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs research and development organization. “With this medium-size platform, we are strategically aligning our modular, open architecture-based UUV platform to meet rapidly expanding applications and requirements.” 

Riptide UUV-12 can be easily adapted to meet a variety of mission needs, including those that require larger and more power-hungry payloads. When integrated with the company’s mission system payloads, it can deliver critical capabilities including combinations of Radio Frequency (RF) signal collection, RF electronic warfare, active acoustics, acoustic Identification Friend or Foe, acoustic and RF communications, mission autonomy, and navigation.  

Key Riptide UUV-12 features include: 

• Versatility – agnostic, modular system design enables easy modification and customization for various development needs;  
• Endurance – high-efficiency electronics architecture coupled with a highly efficient, low-noise propulsion system;  
• Open system – native integration with industry-leading sensors and technology.  

The Riptide family of UUVs is a combination of sophisticated yet simple, efficient, and highly flexible platforms that perform at great depth, at long range, with high endurance, and at significant speed to meet various commercial and military requirements.  

SEATTLE — Coast Guard Cutter Active and its crew returned to their home port in Port Angeles, Washington, Sept. 19 after a 56-day deployment off the Pacific Northwest Coast. 

Despite the challenges presented by Covid-19, the crew of the Active continues to operate, executing all statutory missions. Throughout the patrol, the crew followed strict guidance and donned personal protective equipment to safeguard the public and the community upon their return to home port. 

Active covered over 7,300 miles patrolling the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Oregon and Washington coasts. As part of Operation Pacific Fortune, the crew boarded over 40 commercial fishing vessels to ensure compliance with U.S. fishery and maritime safety laws. The boarding teams made on-the-spot corrections with the vessel captains whenever possible and issued violations when needed. These enforcement actions are critical to safeguard the Pacific Northwest commercial fishing industry, which generates $500 million for the U.S. economy each year, as well as fuels three of the nation’s top 15 landing ports. The crew helped promote responsible fishing practices and ensured safety amongst those who live and work on the seas. 

Working with the Coast Guard afloat training office in Everett, the crew completed a fast-paced, multi-week training battery with “all hands on deck.” They practiced over 96 drills, responding to various contingencies, including simulated fires and flooding to the towing of disabled vessels. Every two years Coast Guard cutters go through a standardized evaluation process against objective performance standards and best practices from the fleet. 

The training paid off as the crew of the Active was called upon to respond to disabled vessels during the patrol. In both cases, the crew sprang into action and rendered immediate assistance to the mariners in distress. The crew’s actions ensured two people aboard a recreational vessel and four people on a commercial fishing vessel made it home to safe harbor. The latter rescue required an overnight tow over 80 miles offshore. 

“As the pandemic wears on, this crew continues to redefine what I understand as ‘resilience,’” said Cmdr. James O’Mara, commanding officer of the Active. “Going to sea, living in tight quarters, enduring tedious, but necessary protocols inport and underway – this crew does it all to stay healthy, protect the public, and perform our missions at sea for the taxpayer. Even after this busy summer transfer season with 30% personnel turnover, I was amazed at how quickly the team came together for such a productive patrol. This crew is rock solid, top notch.” 

The current 210-foot Cutter Active is the eighth Coast Guard vessel to bear its proud name. Launched in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on July 31, 1965, the ship was officially commissioned as a Coast Guard Cutter on Sept.1, 1966. 

LOCKPORT, La.–Bollinger Shipyards LLC (“Bollinger”) will construct a state-of-the-art, floating dry dock for General Dynamics Electric Boat to support the construction and maintenance of the United States’ new Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines, the company said in a Sept. 16 release. 

“Bollinger Shipyards is pleased to expand our current relationship with Electric Boat and to play a critical role in increasing the number of U.S. built dry docks to meet the expanding need to modernize and refurbish our nation’s aging fleet,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and chief executive officer. “We’re honored to have been selected to build this dry dock, which will be a national asset, to meet the complex needs of our Navy’s fleet modernization plans. To build 21st century American vessels, it requires 21st century American tools and equipment manufactured here in the United States. Bollinger is committed to continuing to be a leader in pushing our industry forward and ensuring that the U.S. industrial base is fully self-sufficient.” 

The detail design engineering will be performed at the Bollinger facility in Lockport, Louisiana. The concept and contract design for the 618-foot-by-140-foot dry dock was performed by the Bristol Harbor Group in Rhode Island.  The dry dock is scheduled to be delivered to Electric Boat’s Groton Connecticut shipyard in 2024.  

Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the design and build of the of the Columbia Class submarine, which will replace the aging Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. 

This is Bollinger Shipyards’ second contract awarded with General Dynamics Electric Boat. In late 2019, Bollinger Shipyards was selected to construct the 395ft x 100ft Ocean Transport Barge for Electric Boat, scheduled to be delivered in 2021.  

LONDON — BAE Systems has been awarded a contract worth up to £87 million by the U.S. Department of Defense to manufacture and deliver Archerfish mine neutralizers for the U.S. Navy. 

This is the fourth consecutive Archerfish contract awarded to BAE Systems since 2003 and will see the company deliver to the U.S. Navy over the next seven years. 

Archerfish is a remote-controlled, underwater mine neutralizer which can be launched and operated from a surface ship, helicopter or an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). Its fiber-optic data link relays real-time, high resolution, low-light video and high-frequency sonar pictures of targets of interest from its on-board sensors. The design reduces the time it takes to identify and neutralize targets, meaning clearance missions can be completed more quickly. Archerfish also protects personnel by eliminating the need to put divers into the water. 

Archerfish is used by the U.S. Navy’s MH-60S Helicopter squadrons (AN/ASQ-235) as part of the Airborne Mine Neutralization capability, deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship. 

Under the new contract, Archerfish will continue to support the U.S. Navy in live mine clearance operations and also provide capability to conduct training exercises between now and 2027. 

The contract also includes the supply of fiber optic spool kits, support equipment, surveys, repairs and program management and support, which will be provided by the Archerfish project team based in Portsmouth, U.K.  

Dr Brooke Hoskins, Director of Products and Training Services for BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, said, “This contract builds on our strong partnership with the U.S. Navy which has seen BAE Systems supporting its minesweeping operations for almost two decades. Archerfish not only helps to keep sailors safer, it also reduces the number and cost of mine clearance missions. Its world-leading capability and outstanding service with the U.S. Navy makes Archerfish a highly attractive proposition to other major naval forces around the world.”  

Developed by BAE Systems under its own investment, Archerfish draws on the company’s extensive expertise in underwater effectors. Archerfish uses a flexible, open architecture command and control system that can be operated on its own or integrated into a higher-level command management structure. Wireless communications mean it can be deployed remotely. 

Investments continue to be made to enhance Archerfish to meet future mine countermeasure challenges and reduce the through-life cost of the system. Innovative fusing will allow it to be recovered and reused and an automatic target recognition function is being developed that will allow concurrent multi-shot Archerfish operations, enabling mines to be neutralized in waves.  

Archerfish is manufactured in the United Kingdom at BAE Systems’ Broad Oak facility in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and Hillend facility in Dunfermline, Fife. The contract with the U.S. Department of Defense secures 30 highly skilled jobs in BAE Systems in Portsmouth and Fife and further jobs in the U.K. supply chain. 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser (WPC-1116) repatriated 36 of 38 migrants to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel Sept. 19, following the interdiction of an illegal migrant voyage Sept. 17 in Mona Passage waters south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. 

Two women in the migrant group who required medical attention ashore, were medevac’d and taken to a local hospital in Puerto Rico. During the interdiction, the Winslow Griesser crew also seized seven kilograms of cocaine, which are estimated to have wholesale value of more than $154,000. 

The interdiction is the result of ongoing multiagency efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group CBIG, and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. 

“The professionalism and skill displayed by the crew, our partner agencies and Dominican Republic Navy allies led to a smooth interdiction and the safe recovery and repatriation of the migrants,” said Lt. Joel Wyman, cutter Winslow Griesser commanding officer. “These 38 lives were in great danger, their makeshift boat was grossly overloaded, they had little to no lifesaving equipment onboard, and were rapidly taking on water. The outcome could have been tragic.” 

The interdiction occurred during a routine patrol Thursday morning, when the crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection dash-8 marine patrol aircraft detected an illegal migrant voyage, approximately 20 nautical miles south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. 

The migrant group was traveling aboard a 30-foot makeshift boat that was transporting 35 men and three women, who claimed Dominican Republic nationality. The crew of cutter Winslow Griesser safely embarked the migrants for safety of life at sea concerns, as the migrant vessel was taking on water and had accumulated over four inches of water inside. 

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants received food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. Throughout the interdiction, Coast Guard crewmembers 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. 

Cutter Winslow Griesser transported the remaining migrants to Dominican Republic territorial waters off Punta Cana, where it rendezvoused with a Dominican Republic Navy vessel, who received the repatriated migrants. 

Cutter Winslow Griesser is a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

NORFOLK, Va. — Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 received its first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter on Sept. 15 aboard Naval Station Norfolk, the squadron announced.

HSC-22 marks the first East Coast squadron to operate the MH-60S Knighthawk, MQ-8B Fire Scout and MQ-8C Fire Scout. The new added capability of the MQ-8C combines the capabilities of the MQ-8B with the MH-60S Knighthawk to improve the Navy’s ability to investigate and target hostile surface contacts, the squadron said. Both Fire Scouts are built by Northrop Grumman.

“Incorporating the MQ-8C will represent a significant improvement in our unmanned air vehicle mission capability,” said Cmdr. Matthew Wright, HSC-22’s commanding officer. “The ‘Charlie’ is bigger, faster, can carry more mission equipment, and remain airborne over twice as long as our already-proven MQ-8Bs.”

MQ-8B and C Fire Scout variants can be operated from ships or land, extending the ability to support distributed maritime operations. Most of the software is similar across both systems, but the crew must adapt to the C’s new capabilities and obtain additional qualifications to operate it.

“The MQ-8C Firescout is the latest step toward increasing the duration that UAS has on the battlefield as well as the impact,” said Lt. Ryan Jaenke, an MH-60s and MQ-8B/C pilot. “It advances the reliability of UAS as well as leaves a larger impact on the battlefield in missions that are not new to today’s warfighter.”

HSC-22’s mission is to provide manned and unmanned maritime attack and combat support capabilities to the fleet. HSC-22’s inherent versatility provides full-spectrum warfighting support across multiple mission sets and diverse and distributed platforms.