SAN DIEGO — BAE Systems has received a $103.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernization of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble, the company said in an Aug. 18 release. The value of the competitively awarded contract could reach $117.7 million if all options are exercised. 

Under the depot maintenance period availability contract awarded, BAE will dry-dock the ship, perform underwater hull preservation work, upgrade the ship’s Aegis combat system and its command-and-control equipment, and refurbish the living spaces for the ship’s 280 crew members. The work is expected to begin in October and be completed in February 2022.  

“The depot maintenance availability BAE Systems will perform aboard USS Preble is complex and critical,” 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 have a great deal of experience with the DDG class and look forward to ushering the USS Preble into its next phase of fleet readiness.” 

BAE Systems’ San Diego shipyard is completing similar work aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Shoup. 

The Preble is the 38th ship in the Arleigh Burke class and was commissioned in 2002. The ship is named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, an early 19th-century Navy hero. Five previous U.S. naval combatants were named after the commodore.

MIAMI — The U.S. Coast Guard, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO), halted a migrant smuggling operation on Aug. 13 about 14 miles east of Haulover Inlet, Florida, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release. 

A CBP AMO aircraft crew spotted a 25-foot pleasure craft traveling about 14 miles east of Haulover Inlet and vectored two CBP surface asset crews to the scene. The CBP crews embarked the 11 Haitian males, four Haitian females, one Bahamian male, one Bahamian female and transferred them to the Coast Guard Cutter Manatee crew. 

The smuggler was transferred ashore to CBP custody and the interdicted migrants were repatriated to Freeport, Bahamas. 

“People should never trust these criminal organizations with their lives,” said Lt. Cmdr. Juan Carlos Avila, Coast Guard Sector Miami chief of enforcement. “Attempting to smuggle yourself into the country via the maritime environment is both extremely dangerous and illegal. With the consistent danger these smuggling ventures present, our crews and partner agencies remain persistently vigilant to protect lives and enforce federal laws.” 

The Coast Guard has interdicted about 400 Haitian migrants who have attempted to illegally enter the U.S via the maritime environment in fiscal year 2020, which began Oct. 1, 2019, compared to 885 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2019. These numbers represent the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. 

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.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has been selected to lead the Defense Department’s new Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF), the Pentagon said in an Aug. 14 release.   

“On Aug. 4, 2020, Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist approved the establishment of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force,” the release said. “The Department of the Navy, under the cognizance of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, will lead the UAPTF.”  

DoD “established the UAPTF to improve its understanding of, and gain insight into, the nature and origins of UAPs,” the release said. “The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security. 

“As DoD has stated previously, the safety of our personnel and the security of our operations are of paramount concern,” the release said. “The Department of Defense and the military departments take any incursions by unauthorized aircraft into our training ranges or designated airspace very seriously and examine each report. This includes examinations of incursions that are initially reported as UAP when the observer cannot immediately identify what he or she is observing.” 

Earlier this year DoD released infrared imagery of a UAP taken by Navy F/A-18 strike fighters over the western United States.

ST. LOUIS — Boeing has inducted its 20th F/A-18 Super Hornet into service life modification (SLM), supporting U.S. Navy readiness needs for mission-capable aircraft, the company said in an Aug. 17 release. Two SLM jets already have been returned to the Navy. 

Initially, SLM will extend the life of Super Hornets from 6,000 to 7,500 flight hours. Future modification plans in 2022 will enable the jets to fly 10,000 hours and incorporate Block III capabilities. 

“The Super Hornet is the workhorse fighter for the U.S. Navy,” said Steve Wade, vice president of F/A-18 and EA-18G programs. “SLM is critical because it gives the Super Hornet a new life and next-generation Block III capabilities. The combination of Block III Super Hornets coming out of SLM and new builds off the production line will enable the Navy to maintain the force structure necessary to meet its mission needs.” 

The Block III conversion will include enhanced network capability, conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system, signature improvements and an enhanced communication system. The updates are expected to keep the F/A-18 in active service for decades to come. 

Boeing is on contract for the modernization of 24 aircraft. An additional contract award covering inductions through 2022 is expected later this year. SLM consists of two production lines in St. Louis and San Antonio, Texas.

MAYPORT, Fla. — The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team seized over 120 kilograms of suspected cocaine July 24, U.S. 4th Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs said in an Aug. 11 release. 

While on routine patrol approximately 200 nautical miles southwest of Jamaica, a helicopter assigned to the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 located the vessel and Pinckney soon arrived on scene. After coordination with the government of Colombia and the Colombian navy, the vessel was searched and six suspected drug smugglers were detained. The mariners are now in Colombia’s custody. 

Upon examination, Pinckney personnel determined one detainee required medical assistance, and a medical evacuation was necessary for the patient to survive. That individual was transported further medical treatment.   

Pinckney and the embarked LEDET recovered an estimated 120 kilograms of suspected cocaine worth an estimated wholesale value worth over $4.5 million. 

USS Pinckney is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations conducting U.S Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s enhanced counter drug operations missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has ordered 24 Harpoon Block II+ Harpoon cruise missiles from Boeing Defense, Space & Security, the Defense Department said in an August 12 announcement. 

The Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Boeing a $15.6 million firm-fixed-price order for the 24 missiles plus 25 captive air training missiles (CATMs). 

The Harpoon Block II+ includes a new GPS guidance kit, improved weapon reliability and survivability, and a new data-link interface that enables in-flight updates and improved target selectivity. Fleet introduction of the Block II+ was achieved in 2017 on the F/A-18E/F followed by the P-8A in 2019.  

A CATM is installed on the weapon pylon of an aircraft and gives the electronic signals of a live missile without an actual launch.  

The order is expected to be completed in August 2023. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s top acquisition official said the Columbia ballistic-missile submarine is on track and ready for a fiscal 2021 official construction start. 

Speaking Aug. 12 in a teleconference with reporters, James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said the Columbia SSBN program went through a review Aug. 11 with program and shipyard teams. 

“The design maturity of Columbia is exceeding 86% right now,” Geurts said. “We’re focusing on converting that design into manufacturing plans, instructions, [and] material parts. Advance construction is continuing on all of the super-modules.”  

The Navy announced on June 22 a contract modification with Electric Boat that featured an option — that already has been fully priced by the Navy — that would start construction of the first Columbia, SSBN 826, in October (the first quarter of fiscal 2021) and fund advance procurement, advance construction and 2024 construction start of the second Columbia sub, SSBN 827.  

Geurts said at the time that the work of the Navy to price out the two SSBN contract options will help the service keep on schedule and achieve economies on materials and advance procurement for the Columbia class.   

“We’ve got the Build 1 contract in place,” he said in the latest teleconference. “We’re ready to exercise that upon appropriation and authorization in fiscal year 2021. … We’re continuing to ensure that Columbia stays on track as our highest priority program.” 

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic “has not impacted Columbia in terms of readiness to proceed.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — BAE Systems has received an $83.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy to modernize the guided-missile destroyers USS Carney and USS Winston S. Churchill, the company said in an Aug. 11 release. 

The modernization work will be performed sequentially by the company’s shipyard in Jacksonville. The contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $211.6 million.  

The USS Carney will be first in the shipyard, arriving in September 2020. The 23-year-old ship just returned from a six-year operational period in Rota, Spain, and will undergo extensive repair and upgrade work that will take more than 400 days to complete. The shipyard will drydock the ship and perform maintenance of the underwater hull, renovation of crew habitability spaces and upgrades to shipboard systems. The modernization is scheduled to be completed in November 2021. 

The Winston S. Churchill will undergo a 390-day maintenance period when the ship arrives in June 2021. The shipyard’s work aboard the 18-year-old ship will include drydocking, replacement of steel structures onboard and support of the electronic systems upgrades. The modernization of the Winston S. Churchill is scheduled to be completed in July 2022. 

“The modernization work aboard the Carney and Winston S. Churchill are significant for our Jacksonville maritime team and important for the service lives and mission capability of these combatants,” said Tim Spratto, general manager of BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair. “The back-to-back sequencing of work is efficient and beneficial for our employees, our subcontractors and our Navy customer.”  

BAE Systems’ Jacksonville shipyard has posted jobs and is expecting to hire workers in a number of trades, including welders, pipefitters, electricians, and painters, over the next two years to work on the two destroyers and for its ongoing repair and modernization work on other ships. 

The award of these two ships will also provide work for our team of subcontractor partners and third-party vendors in the port.  

Commissioned in 1996, the USS Carney is named after Adm. Robert Carney, who served as chief of naval operations during the Eisenhower administration. The USS Winston S. Churchill is named after the renowned British prime minister and was commissioned in 2001. 

NORFOLK, Va. — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group returned home to Norfolk Naval Station on Aug. 9 after seven months operating in 5th and 6th Fleet, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, said in a release. 

Returning ships include the Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto. More than 1,800 Navy aviators from nine squadrons from Carrier Air Wing Three 3 returned Aug. 6-7 to their home bases in Naval Air Station Oceana, Norfolk Naval Station, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, and Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.  

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS James E. Williams and USS Truxtun are scheduled to return to Norfolk on Aug. 10. USS Stout remains on deployment and will return to Norfolk at a future date. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group ships left Norfolk on Jan. 17 for the strike group’s composite training unit exercise and follow-on deployment. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, the Ike strike group continued operations to maintain maritime stability and security and ensure access, deter aggression, and defend U.S., allied and partner interests. 

“Words cannot express the admiration I have for each and every Sailor onboard. These young men and women were thrust into a situation no one could have predicted and they responded as only Navy Sailors can — they adapted and overcame the adversity. I witnessed their excellence day in and day out as they accomplished repairs never before attempted at sea,” said Capt. Kyle Higgins, Ike’s commanding officer. 

Sailors assigned to the Eisenhower and San Jacinto transited to the equator and participated in a crossing-the-line ceremony, becoming the Navy’s first “Iron Shellbacks,” with more than 100 days at sea, on May 14. Ike petitioned Naval History and Heritage Command to commemorate this feat in conjunction with crossing the equator as a new title: “Iron Shellback.”  

While in U.S. 5th Fleet, Vella Gulf, James E. Williams, Stout and Truxtun participated in Operation Sentinel, providing freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in and out of the heavily transited Strait of Hormuz and Strait of Bab el Mandeb. 

Carrier Air Wing 3 supported U.S. Central Command with 166 sorties and 1,135 flight hours in support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and 112 sorties and 492 flight hours in support of Strait of Hormuz transits and deliberate presence patrols. During deployment, CVW-3 completed 10,466 rotary and fixed wing sorties, 7,751 traps with more than 21,995 mishap-free flight hours.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Training of some U.S. Marine Corps student aviators in carrier qualifications temporarily has been waived because of a shortage of engines for T-45C Goshawk jet training aircraft, a U.S. Navy spokeswoman said. The shortage also is forcing a reduction in part of the syllabus for Navy student aviators. 

“Due to a shortage of T-45C engines, Chief of Naval Air Training temporarily waived a portion of the advanced strike syllabus for Navy T-45C students, and the carrier qualification syllabus for U.S. Marine Corps T-45C students who will fly the F/A-18C Hornet, F-35B Lightning II, and AV-8B Harrier, which do not deploy on aircraft carriers,” said Lt. Michelle Tucker, a spokeswoman for the Chief of Naval Air Training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.  

“These temporary waivers account for about 10% of the original syllabus,” Tucker said. “Each service branch chose which parts of the syllabus to waive based on how their respective fleet aircraft are employed. The U.S. Marine Corps chose to retain the tactical skillsets over carrier qualifications while the Navy retained carrier qualifications during this period. The Navy and Marine Corps will re-evaluate this decision once production has returned to normal levels.” 

Because Marine F/A-18Cs no longer are scheduled to deploy on aircraft carriers — the last squadron to do so is currently deployed — the only Marine aviators needing carrier qualification in the foreseeable future are F-35C pilots. 

During the Vietnam War, because of the high demand for pilots, some Marine aviators bound for tactical jet squadrons were trained by the Air Force and joined their first squadrons — land-based — without carrier qualification.  

Training Wing 1 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi, and Training Air Wing 2 at NAS Kingsville, Texas, conduct all of the Navy’s strike training and carrier qualification for student naval aviators in the T-45C.