ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy plans to put two Virginia-class attack submarines in commission in April despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ceremonies marking the events will be delayed. “Due to public health safety and restrictions on large public events, the commissioning ceremonies…
Theodore Roosevelt Becomes First Navy Ship at Sea with COVID-19 Cases
ARLINGTON, Va. — In the first case of COVID-19 detected aboard a U.S. Navy ship at sea, three people quarantined with the coronavirus aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Pacific Ocean have been evacuated for further treatment, acting Navy…
Marine Corps to Double UAS Squadrons, Reduce Rotary Squadrons by 2030
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps is planning to change its aviation community significantly as part of a long-range effort to align its force structure more with the National Defense Strategy, including doubling the number of unmanned aerial system (UAS) squadrons and…
First Marine Corps F-35C Squadron One Step Closer to Deployment
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Marine Corps’ first squadron to operate the F-35C Lightning II strike fighter has achieved certification as “safe for flight,” a major milestone toward eventual combat readiness and deployment. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314), based at Marine Corps Air Station…
USS Gerald R. Ford Completes Flight Deck, Air Traffic Control Certifications
ATLANTIC OCEAN — “Man all flight quarters stations!” These words were heard across every space on the USS Gerald R. Ford as the carrier prepared to launch and recover aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) to complete flight deck certification (FDC) and carrier air traffic control center (CATCC) certification on March 20. Conducting flight operations is the key role…
NAVFAC Southeast Orders Kings Bay Dry Dock Recapitalization for Columbia SSBN
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $191.9 million fixed-price award-fee contract March 20 to Alberici-Mortenson, Joint Venture out of St. Louis, Missouri, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast Public Affairs said in a March 23…
Hospital Ship Mercy Deploying to Los Angeles
ARLINGTON, Virginia — The secretary of defense said the Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) is deploying to Los Angeles to relieve the city’s hospitals of some of their non-COVID-19 patient burden as they deal with the virus…
COVID-19 Causes Boeing to Suspend Puget Sound Production
CHICAGO — Boeing has temporarily suspended production operations at its Puget Sound-area facilities in light of the state of emergency in Washington state and the company’s continuous assessment of the accelerating spread of the coronavirus in the region, the company…
Defense Department Tests Hypersonic Glide Body
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department successfully tested a hypersonic glide body in a flight experiment conducted from the Pacific Missile Range at Kauai, Hawaii, on March 19, the Pentagon said in a release. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army jointly executed the launch of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB),…
Navy’s Top Doctor: No Active COVID-19 Transmissions Aboard Ships Yet
ARLINGTON, Va — The U.S. Navy’s top medical officer said that no COVID-19 cases have been detected on board Navy ships at sea. “Because of those enhanced measures that were undertaken weeks ago, we have not seen active transmission,” Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, surgeon…
