Nov. 12, 2024 | By C. Todd Lopez, DoD Public Affairs  

Since Friday, U.S. Central Command has conducted strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi targets in Yemen and against targets in Syria as part of the defeat-ISIS mission there.  

On Saturday and Sunday, Centcom forces executed airstrikes against multiple Houthi weapons storage facilities within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing today.  

“These facilities housed a variety of advanced conventional weapons used by the Iran-backed Houthis to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” Ryder said.  

Both Air Force and Navy assets, including F-35C fighter aircraft, were involved in the strikes, which were in response to Houthi attacks on commercial, U.S. and coalition vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden.  

“As you’ve heard us say before, we will continue to make clear to the Houthis that there will be consequences for their illegal and reckless attacks,” Ryder said.  

Yesterday, Ryder said, Centcom also conducted strikes against nine targets in two locations associated with Iranian groups in Syria. The strikes, he said, were in response to two attacks on U.S. personnel in Syria that happened Nov. 10 at Mission Support Site Green Village in northeast Syria.  

One of those attacks involved a UAV, while the second attack involved an indirect fire incident with two rockets. There were no U.S. injuries involved with either attack.  

Ryder said the U.S. strikes will degrade the ability of Iranian-backed groups to plan and launch future attacks on U.S and coalition forces who are in the region to conduct the defeat-ISIS operations.  

Centcom commander Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said the U.S. will do what’s needed to defend its personnel in the Centcom area of responsibility.  

“Our message is clear. Attacks against U.S. and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated,” said Kurilla. “We will continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks.”  

New trilateral arrangement formalizes collaboration on the production of Arctic and polar icebreakers  

From the Department of Homeland Security, Nov. 13, 2024 

WASHINGTON – Officials representing the Governments of the United States, Canada, and Finland today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin working together to develop world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers through the exchange of knowledge, information, and resources in each of our countries.  Today’s landmark MOU builds off the launch of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact by Prime Minister Trudeau, President Stubb, and President Biden on the margins of the NATO Washington Summit in July.  

In signing the ICE Pact MOU, we have embarked on a transformative partnership that strengthens our ability to uphold international rules and maintain security in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.  By jointly developing and producing world-class Arctic and polar icebreakers, we are laying the foundation for a resilient and competitive shipbuilding industry, capable of meeting both national and global demand for these critical assets.  This arrangement underscores our collective commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Arctic and polar regions, and is a testament to the strength of allied cooperation in addressing strategic challenges.  

Each of our nations recognizes the need to enhance our Arctic and polar icebreaking capabilities to assert our collective presence in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.  Building these specialized vessels at a faster pace, on a larger scale, and at competitive costs is a shared priority as we uphold safety and security in these strategically important areas.  

The ICE Pact includes four components:  1) enhanced information exchange between the United States, Canada, and Finland; 2) workforce development collaboration; 3) engagement with allies and partners, and; 4) research and development.  Given the high costs of shipbuilding, long-term orders are essential for shipyard success in each of our countries.  The collective investment in our domestic shipyards has the potential to scale production and reduce the cost of Arctic and polar icebreakers for our own use and for our allies and partners.  

By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, the MOU will facilitate knowledge, information, and resource sharing with shipyards, with the potential to create high-quality manufacturing jobs in the maritime infrastructure industry. ICE Pact will help provide the stability necessary to support the production of Arctic and polar icebreakers and strengthen our shipbuilding industries.  

From the U.S. Department of Defense, Nov. 13, 2024 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced today that the president has made the following nominations: 

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Robert C. Fulford for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commander, U.S. European Command. Fulford is currently serving as commanding general, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Adam L. Chalkley for appointment to the grade of major general.  Chalkley is currently serving as inspector general of the Marine Corps, Arlington, Virginia. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Clearfield for appointment to the grade of major general.  Clearfield is currently serving as senior military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Mark H. Clingan for appointment to the grade of major general.  Clingan is currently serving as commanding general, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Mark A. Cunningham for appointment to the grade of major general.  Cunningham is currently serving as commanding general, Force Headquarters Group, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Kyle B. Ellison for appointment to the grade of major general.  Ellison is currently serving as deputy director for Current and Integrated Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Walker M. Field for appointment to the grade of major general.  Field is currently serving as deputy director for Operations, National Joint Operations Intelligence Center, Operations Team Three, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson for appointment to the grade of major general.  Henderson is currently serving as commanding general, Training Command, Quantico, Virginia. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Valerie A. Jackson for appointment to the grade of major general.  Jackson is currently serving as commanding general, 4th Marine Logistics Group, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Matthew T. Mowery for appointment to the grade of major general.  Mowery is currently serving as deputy director, Requirements and Capability Development, J-8, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Andrew M. Niebel for appointment to the grade of major general.  Niebel is currently serving as commanding general, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Camp Pendleton, California. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Farrell J. Sullivan for appointment to the grade of major general.  Sullivan is currently serving as director, Capabilities Development Directorate, Department of Combat Development and Integration, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia. 

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jason G. Woodworth for appointment to the grade of major general.  Woodworth is currently serving as commander, Marine Corps Installations Command; and assistant deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Col. Joseph A. Katz for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Katz is currently serving as chief of staff, Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Col. David K. Winnacker for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Winnacker is currently serving as assistant chief of staff, G-7, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

By NAVSEA Office of Corporate Communications and AUKUS I&A Public Affairs, Nov. 12,2024 

PORT HUENEME, Calif. – A Royal Australian Navy Officer graduated for the first time from the U.S. Navy Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) School, during a ceremony at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, Calif. on 7 Nov. 

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) CMDR Stephen completed five weeks of training in support of the Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) enhanced trilateral security partnership’s Optimal Pathway that will establish a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability within the RAN. 

Engineering duty officers are an integral part of acquiring and maintaining the U.S. Navy’s surface and sub-surface fleets. The Basic Course, which Stephen graduated from, provides the foundational knowledge through instruction on research and development, design, acquisition, construction, maintenance, and modernization of ships and systems. For Stephen, it was an experience unique to the U.S. Navy’s training pipeline. 

 “The Basic Course introduces officers into the EDO community and provides the training needed to understand the principles associated with how the United States Navy designs, builds, maintains, and modernizes our warships,” said Capt. Neil Sexton, EDO schoolhouse commanding officer. “I believe this course of study on acquisition and maintenance principles will aid Stephen in being one of Australia’s leading engineers for the sustainment of its future submarine fleet.” 

 “The Royal Australian Navy does not have an EDO school,” said Stephen, who is currently assigned to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility as AUKUS’ first Submarine Rotational Force – West liaison officer. “The knowledge I gained here will definitely enhance my Navy career moving forward and directly support Australia’s SSN force.” 

A subordinate command under the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), the school manages the continuum of training and, professional development opportunities, for the United State Navy’s EDO community. The Schoolhouse is as a focal point for these officer’s professional development, enabling EDOs to apply practical knowledge and experience to integrate science, technology and design into affordable ships and systems. 

“As a career submarine operator, I know that our ships don’t sail without the direct support of the EDO community,” shared Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, AUKUS Integration & Acquisition Director. “Stephen’s training at the Schoolhouse benefits the program and, ultimately, contributes to Australia’s ability to maintain, operate, and support SSNs.” 

 “I’m exceptionally proud of the EDO School’s ability to support AUKUS and demonstrate its capabilities with one of our country’s closest allies,” said Vice Adm. James Downey, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the Navy’s senior EDO. “Within NAVSEA, we are dedicated to delivering on our country’s AUKUS commitments, to include training their civilian submarine maintainers at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, creating opportunities to include our allies across the broad submarine design and maintenance portfolios.” 

There are more than 50 Australian civilians training at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility and 65 uniformed Royal Australian Navy officers and enlisted personnel within the U.S. Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion and submarine training pipelines. 

The AUKUS Optimal Pathway consists of three interrelated phases that are in concurrent execution. Phase 1 involves establishing Submarine Rotational Force – West which will have up to four U.S. Virginia-class SSNs and one UK Astute-class SSN rotationally deploying out of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.  The U.S. submarines will be maintained primarily by Australian personnel trained at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility as a way to build Australia’s sovereign ability to maintain SSNs. In Phase 2, the U.S. sells Virginia-class SSNs to Australia as its first conventionally armed SSNs. Phase 3 is the design, construction, and delivery of SSN AUKUS based on the UK’s design that incorporates advanced technologies from the three partner nations. SSN AUKUS will serve as the sovereign, enduring SSN capability for both the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy. 

AUKUS Pillar 1 will deliver a conventionally armed SSN capability to the RAN by the early 2030s. The Department of the Navy’s AUKUS I&A Program Office is the U.S. lead responsible for executing the trilateral partnership for Australia to acquire conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines at the earliest possible date while maintaining the highest nuclear stewardship standards and setting the highest standards for nuclear non-proliferation. 
  
NETC is the U.S. Navy’s Force Development pillar and the service’s largest shore command with a mission to recruit, train, and deliver those who serve our Nation, taking them from street-to-fleet by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat ready warfighters. 

By Lt. j.g. Julian Jacobs, Nov. 12, 2024 

NEW YORK – On Saturday morning, nestled between the USS Intrepid, New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, and the cruise terminal, the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS John Basilone, was brought to life. 

Commissioning ceremonies, as described by Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, are a time-honored tradition dating back to 1775. Now, 249 years later, the USS John Basilone became the 74th ship of her class and the second ship to bear the namesake of John Basilone. 
 
Throughout the week leading up to commissioning, the crew of the USS John Basilone spent time learning about the life and legacy of Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, the only Enlisted Marine to earn the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross during World War II. 
 
While John Basilone and his beloved wife Lenah Mae (Riggi) Basilone didn’t have children, GySgt Basilone’s niece, Diane Hawkins, has taken up the mantle of representing her uncle’s memory and his heroism. While exploring the history behind her uncle’s actions, a Marine Corps representative sent Hawkins a bottle of black sand, a vial taken from Iwo Jima, the beach where her uncle gave the ultimate sacrifice. That bottle included a recommendation to retrace her uncle’s footsteps. In her remarks, Hawkins recounted traveling to Guadalcanal, where Basilone and his regiment defeated a much larger Japanese force, to the Philippines, where he earned the nickname “Manilla John,” to Australia, where he received the Medal of Honor, and to Iwo Jima where he perished “with his boys.” Through her journey, Hawkins learned more about the man behind the myth and gained a deeper appreciation for his legacy. Most importantly, she recounted John’s love for his wife, Lenah Riggi, and how Basilone outranked Riggi: “It was Lenah who was in charge.” Hawkins closed her remarks by thanking the crew of DDG 122, saying that those who comprise John Basilone’s legacy are delighted to have this magnificent ship become part of his legacy “to the service to this nation.” 
 
Unique to this Navy event was the presence of Marines from John Basilone’s historic 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, and the references and speeches related to USMC culture throughout the event. 
 
Continuing on themes of sacrifice, the ship’s sponsors Ryan Manion and Amy Looney Heffernen, both from Gold Star families, spoke to the grief that comes with loss and the responsibility to uphold the memory of the fallen. Heffernen notes that she believes her late husband, Navy Seal Brandon Looney, was “cut from the same cloth as John Basilone” making her presence and participation in the life of the USS John Basilone all the more meaningful and humbling. Standing before the crew, Manion, sister of fallen Marine Travis Manion, noted the towering shadow over the crew of the Basilone, the shadow of a man who made the ultimate sacrifice and built a profound “legacy of service” in his wake. Heffernen recounted moving her way through grief with a quote, “No one is dead until the ripples they cause in the world fade away.” It is evident from the passion, dedication to service, and commitment to excellence shown by the DDG 122 crew that John Basilone won’t fade for generations to come. 
 
In his principal address, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro spoke about the role of the sponsors of a ship. According to naval tradition, a ship’s sponsor “guides her and her crew” through her time in service, offering his gratitude that Manion and Heffernen will forever be the connection between “this ship, her crew, and the nation.” He talked about his connection to New York, having grown up just blocks from where the ship sits today, the same pier where the USS Bunkley (DDG 84) commissioned under his command. Paying tribute to Basilone, Secretary Del Toro took a moment to spotlight Marine Sgt Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroism in Iraq, resulting in a standing ovation to the Marine. 
 
Del Toro recognizes the “rapidly evolving” global security environment for DDGs like the John Basilone. He remarked that today’s world differs from the American Revolution, World War II, or even his active duty tenure twenty-three years ago. Today, ships of the same class as the John Basilone are over the horizon, defending America and her allies from the threat of “Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks” in the Red Sea. Making it clear that there is “nothing ordinary” about what is being asked of America’s Sailors and Marines since the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, Del Toro reminded the crew of the USS John Basilone and event participants that “Service is not an obligation, it is a privilege, a chance to be part of something greater than ourselves and uphold the values that define us as a nation.” 
 
Referencing a history of sacrifice, the perils of the future, and the hope for the present, the crew of the former USS Basilone (DDE 824) passed the torch as John Basilone’s living legacy as sponsors Ryan Manion and Amy Looney gave the order to “man our ship and bring her to life.” 
 
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface, and subsurface. Flight IIA DDGs host dual helicopter hangers, allowing for expanded anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air warfare capabilities through integrated operations with helicopter squadrons. 
 
The mission of CNSP is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore. 
 
For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit DVIDS – Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMNAVSURFPAC or Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/. 
 
For additional information about the ship, visit USS John Basilone (DDG 122), https://ussbasilone.org/uss-john-basilone-ddg-122/. 

By Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications, Nov. 8, 2024 

WARREN, Mich. — In a significant step forward for maritime manufacturing in Michigan, the U.S. Navy and Macomb Community College launched the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M3) Initiative’s Accelerated Training Industry Partnership today at the college’s Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC). This event, which marks a step in the larger M3 Initiative first announced in July, will begin training the next generation of maritime manufacturing workers to support the Navy’s strategic needs 

The partnership is critical in addressing the nation’s Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) workforce needs through accelerated training programs in maritime welding and CNC machining. The first 16-week cohort, beginning classes on November 12, includes 24 students split evenly between welding and CNC machining programs, including two veterans among the inaugural class. 

These programs are designed to meet the urgent demand for skilled labor in the MIB, a critical component of national security. The program is open to anyone interested in starting a career in maritime manufacturing. To launch a career in the maritime skilled trades, interested students can apply at Macomb’s website. 

“This partnership exemplifies our commitment to rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing workforce,” said Rear Adm. Pete Small, Naval Sea Systems Command deputy commander for naval systems engineering, during today’s event. “By leveraging Michigan’s manufacturing expertise and Macomb’s proven training capabilities, we’re creating a direct pipeline of talent tailored for the demands of our Navy and nation.” 

The event showcased the college’s new maritime skilled trades training facilities and initiated an intentional connection between defense industry partners and Macomb in order to establish a long-term talent pipeline of well-trained graduates for those employers. 

“Macomb is uniquely positioned to support the Navy’s mission, known for preparing area residents for jobs that sustain metro Detroit’s legacy of a technical workforce powerhouse in state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing training facilities,” said Patrick Rouse, director of Workforce & Continuing Education for Engineering and Advanced Technology at Macomb Community College. “We’ve designed these accelerated programs to meet specific industry demands while maintaining the high standards required for defense manufacturing. This partnership accelerates the development of a skilled workforce that is essential for both local industry growth and national defense.” 

The partnership builds on momentum from the broader M3 Initiative, announced in July by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. The initiative represents an investment exceeding $50 million in Michigan’s maritime manufacturing future and aims to meet the Navy’s demand for thousands of new workers across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. 

“This program represents a transformative opportunity for our students and our region’s manufacturing sector,” said James O. Sawyer IV, President of Macomb Community College, addressing the gathered industry representatives. “By partnering with the Navy and local industry, we’re creating accelerated pathways to rewarding careers while supporting critical national security needs.” 

The 600-hour accelerated training programs, fully funded for students, will run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., emphasizing hands-on learning. Graduates will earn certificates and be prepared for industry-recognized certifications from organizations, including the American Welding Society and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills. 

The program specifically targets Michigan’s robust manufacturing supply chain, which includes more than 400 businesses supporting naval nuclear programs, with 175 located in the Greater Detroit area. 

Small emphasized the immediate impact this program will have on the submarine industrial base. “The graduates from this program will be exactly what our suppliers need – skilled professionals ready to contribute from day one,” he said. “This accelerated training model allows us to maintain the highest standards while meeting our urgent workforce needs. When these students complete their training in March, they’ll be ready to support any of our MIB suppliers.” 

During today’s event, industry partners toured the training facilities and learned about opportunities to connect with and hire program graduates, supporting both workforce development and the nation’s maritime industrial base. 

By Kris Patterson, NIWC Atlantic Public Affairs Office, Nov. 6, 2024 

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Members of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) Engineering Division are engaged in developing a new generation of mobile ATC towers designed for rapid deployment.  

The team’s medium mobile ATC tower — a smaller, trailer-sized facility — can be quickly deployed to any airfield that requires emergency ATC support due to weather, equipment failure or other disruptions.  

“This tower is a visual facility that can be pulled onto an airfield, ensuring operations continue seamlessly even if the main facility is compromised,” said Jim Spivey, an electrical engineer with NIWC Atlantic’s ATC Special Programs team. “In other words, it’s a mobile asset that can provide the air traffic control systems necessary to keep an airfield up and operational. 

Despite its smaller size compared to a traditional tower, it continues to offer air traffic controllers the capabilities they need to manage air traffic safely.  

The new medium mobile tower is small enough to fit on a C-17 Globemaster III military aircraft, which allows for swift transport, and once delivered, the system can be up and operational within days, providing a crucial backup during emergencies.  

The medium is particularly designed for smaller airfields such as executive airports and adjunct airfields like those on the West Coast used for firefighting efforts, highlighting their role in disaster response. 
 
The idea for the medium mobile tower was born out of the partnership between the ATC Special Programs team and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

The FAA created the Mobile Asset Sustainment Program (MASP), whose mission is to provide support, restore and maintain any ATC facility in the United States.  

When the MASP team found out the NIWC Atlantic ATC Special Programs team was working on mobile ATC systems and towers for the Air Force, they asked the team for help. 

“These mobile assets were created specifically to go out and support a brick-and-mortar air traffic control tower that has been damaged or is getting a refurb,” said Clayton Fronk, lead for the ATC Special Programs team. 

Now that the country is in hurricane season, the need for easily transportable mobile towers can be particularly critical. 

“Currently, we are still integrating the electronics in the medium mobile towers, but three large mobile towers were previously delivered to the FAA. They’ve been staged and positioned at FAA Mobile Asset Deployment Centers (MADCs) around the country, so that if a hurricane or tornado or other natural disaster takes out an airfield’s tower, the FAA is quickly able to respond and get a mobile tower moved to that location for backup,” Fronk said.  

By enhancing this critical asset, the ATC Special Program team is able to support a broader spectrum of ATC needs worldwide. The military shares many airfields with the FAA and having these mobile assets available means that disruptions in air traffic control, whether civilian or military, can be mitigated, maintaining safety and operational continuity.  

“A lot of the military sites in CONUS [stateside] are using our shared assets with civilian sectors,” Fronk said. “They do a lot of testing, evaluation and training at sites and locations, and the military uses shared civilian airspace, so if a tower was damaged or destroyed and the FAA moved this in, it would directly affect the military aircraft in the air at those locations.” 

One of NIWC Atlantic’s larger mobile ATC towers was recently deployed to Homestead Air Reserve Base, Homestead, Florida, where it was used to manage air traffic while permanent facilities were under reconstruction. 

In 2020, the ATC Special Programs team built and installed transportable ATC facilities to address an existing flight safety risk at an air base in Southwest Asia. This installation occurred during the heart of the pandemic and was completed primarily by NIWC Atlantic civilian personnel. 

NIWC Atlantic’s involvement with mobile ATC towers traces back to the early 2000s when the command, then known as Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWARSYSCEN),provided mobile ATC systems for the Navy. The command expanded its services to provide ATC systems for the Marine Corps and Air Force during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

As the ATC Special Programs team’s work evolved and the FAA learned that the team was providing mobile and transportable assets for the Air Force, the team’s expertise in this area became particularly relevant for the FAA, who sought to modernize its aging mobile tower fleet, Fronk said.  

“The FAA’s mobile fleet is decades old, and the systems we’re building and integrating are kind of a next-generation, new capability system to replace the old antiquated towers that they have,” Fronk said.   

Delivered by the ATC Special Programs team, these new capabilities demonstrate the importance of the team’s contributions to national safety and operational readiness. Fronk and Spivey both noted the feeling of immense pride they share for their team.  

“We have outstanding young engineers at NIWC Atlantic, such as Beka Deason and Mike Thompson, integrating the electronics in the medium mobile towers,” Spivey said. “They understand the importance of the work and you always know they’re going to step up.”    

“We’ve got a great team that’s very dedicated and very humble about the work that they do,” said Fronk, echoing Spivey’s sentiment. “They’re a group that is going to do whatever it takes to help others out. I have a great working relationship with the team, and I’m proud every day that the team does everything they do, both for the civilian sector as well as for the warfighter.” 

To learn more about the mobile ATC towers, you can hear Spivey and Fronk’s interview on Episode 22 of NIWC Atlantic’s podcast “Technically Speaking” at Technically Speaking Podcast – NIWC Atlantic (navy.mil).  

About NIWC Atlantic  

As a part of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, formerly known as SPAWAR, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities. 

11 November 2024 

Chief of Naval Operations / Admiral  

Lisa Franchetti 

On behalf of the United States Navy, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Royal Australian Navy for locating the final resting place of the destroyer USS Edsall (DD 219), lost in a valiant battle against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early days of World War II. The commanding officer of Edsall lived up to the U.S. Navy tenet, “Don’t give up the ship,” even when faced with overwhelming odds. The wreck of this ship is a hallowed site, serving as a marker for the 185 U.S. Navy personnel and 31 U.S. Army Air Force pilots aboard at the time, almost all of whom were lost when Edsall succumbed to her battle damage. This find gives us the opportunity for today’s generation of Sailors and Navy civilians to be inspired by their valor and sacrifice. 

The U.S. Navy would also like to take this opportunity to salute the valor of the crew of the Australian sloop HMAS Yarra, lost two days after the Edsall, under similar circumstances in a heroic battle against overwhelming odds. 

Finding the Edsall further cements the strong alliance that has existed between the United States and Australia since World War II, the relationship between the Royal Australian Navy and the U.S. Navy, further reinforced by the current Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership. A key component of AUKUS is the development of the most cutting-edge underwater technologies of the type that enabled the discovery of Edsall in the vastness of the Indian Ocean, something not possible just a few years ago. These advanced technologies, enabled by interoperability between long-standing Indo-Pacific Allies and partners, ensure our collective capability to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war, if called. 

12 November 2024 

From Heather Wilburn, Fleet Readiness Center East 

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. – Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) met a new milestone with the induction of its first Navy CMV-22B Osprey for maintenance Aug. 21. With receipt of this aircraft, the depot now services all three variants of the V-22 platform, which also include the Marine Corps MV-22B and the Air Force CV-22. 

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) met a new milestone with the induction of its first Navy CMV-22B Osprey for maintenance Aug. 21. With receipt of this aircraft, the depot now services all three variants of the V-22 platform, which also include the Marine Corps MV-22B and the Air Force CV-22. 

The CMV-22B is the newest member of the Osprey family, entering service in June 2020 on the West Coast and April 2024 on the East Coast. In comparison, the Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey has been in use since achieving initial operational capability in 2007, and the Air Force CV-22 variant has been in operational use since 2009. FRCE will take on responsibility for the Navy’s East Coast-based CMV-22B fleet. 

FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. Randy J. Berti said the new workload comes in as a direct result of the quality workmanship the command is known for across the board. 

“FRC East’s maintenance of all three variants of the V-22 Osprey, for three different branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, really highlights the reputation for excellence our artisans, engineers and support staff have built,” Berti said. “I couldn’t be more proud that the Navy is entrusting us with this new mission. Every day, our workforce strives to provide high-quality service to the fleet at the best possible cost, and our success in that effort leads to the mutual trust and respect we have with our customers – our nation’s warfighters. The work we do here makes a real-world difference for them.” 

The Navy is fielding the CMV-22B for long-range, medium-lift aerial logistics capabilities, including the carrier onboard delivery (COD) mission. Like all V-22 aircraft, the tiltrotor, vertical/short takeoff and landing aircraft can take off and land as a helicopter but transit as a turboprop aircraft, and is capable of shore-based, “expeditionary” or sea-based operations. Its features include an extended operational range compared to the MV-22B, and the aircraft offers increased mission flexibility over the Navy’s legacy C-2A Greyhound, which it is replacing. 

FRCE V-22 Branch Head Allen Williamson said the depot will provide Planned Maintenance Interval (PMI) 1 service to the CMV-22B aircraft. He anticipates the work scope will closely mirror the PMI-1 evolutions already performed on the MV-22B, which the depot has serviced since 2009, at Marine Corps Air Stations Cherry Point and New River, and the Air Force CV-22 variant at FRCE’s detachment at Hurlburt Field, Florida.  

“While the CMV-22B does have some additional capabilities, the maintenance specifications largely remain the same between the Navy and Marine Corps variants of the Osprey,” he said. “The CMV-22B aircraft is structurally identical to the MV-22B, with the exception of the stub wing fuel tanks. Those tanks on the Navy aircraft are actually quite a bit larger, to provide that extra flight range needed for carrier delivery operations. 

“There are very, very low flight hours on these initial CMV-22 aircraft we’ll be receiving, so they’re essentially in new condition,” Williamson continued. “We presume the work scope is going to build in the future, based on the theater they’ll be operating in. The Navy has indicated they plan to deploy the aircraft on ships, which is a harsh environment, and they will be high-use aircraft. With that in mind, I believe there will be a learning curve in regard to what condition we can expect to see these aircraft in as they come in for maintenance in the future, based on the environmental factors.” 

Williamson said his guidance to the artisans on the production line is to approach the CMV-22B maintenance as if it were a new capability, rather than an extension of the familiar workload. This will give the team the opportunity to look at the aircraft and its needs with fresh eyes, rather than with preexisting expectations, he added. 

“Obviously, the instructions should marry over fairly well – everything, we presume, is the same,” Williamson explained. “But especially with this first aircraft, we’re emphasizing to the team that they should take their time and really explore whether there are any additional differences in the aircraft itself, of the way we work it versus how we would work an MV.” 

At the moment, Williamson said, the biggest difference in CMV-22B depot-level maintenance appears be the aircraft’s paint job – the newer variant uses a different type of paint than the standard MV-22B and, as a Navy aircraft, has different markings than the Marine Corps version. 

“The aircraft uses a high-gloss paint, so the prep and the application are going to be a little bit different than what we’re used to with the standard MV-22B,” said Paint and Clean Branch Head Matt Sinsel. “There will be some differences in the masking process, because the paint scheme is a little higher-profile than the standard grey Ospreys. 

“Spraying high gloss is nothing new for the our team; we do it with the Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 Ospreys, and we do it with the white-top H-1 helicopters for the Air Force, and the State Department H-46 helicopters,” he added. “But there will be some differences, and there will be some learning involved.” 

Sinsel said the unique paint scheme of the CMV-22B also gives his team another opportunity to use the laser projection system the depot began using in January to streamline the final finish process, during which an aircraft’s insignia and other markings are applied to the finished base paint. The system acts as a guide for the precise placement of the markings without having to use paper stencils. 

Despite the anticipated challenges that come along with learning the ins and outs of maintaining a new aircraft – even one so similar to familiar products – leaders believe the new workload offers FRCE a chance to shine by rounding out its support of the entire V-22 family. 

“The V-22 program at FRCE has received its accolades,” Williamson said. “We’re known for what we do, and not just within the brick-and-mortar site at Cherry Point. We have our detachment at New River, which is revered in its own light for the way they conduct a PMI. We have the In-Service Repair team down at New River that is making depot-level repairs while embedded with the Marine squadrons. And we have Hurlburt Field, where we support Air Force Special Operations Command. This isn’t a totally new workload, but it adds a new capability. 

“I don’t think the Navy would have considered us for the CMV-22 workload if we didn’t have that track record of superior performance with the products we return to the fleet, and didn’t have the good rapport that we already have with our current customers,” he continued. “I think this is a chance for us to succeed. This is an opportunity to show the Navy that we own the maintenance process on the MV-22s, now let us keep this CMV business for a while and show them our success in providing the fleet with a quality product that we know is going to make that next flight window with no issues.” 

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers. 

From U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Nov. 7, 2024 

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) returned to their home port in Pensacola, Oct. 28, following a 60-day patrol in the Windward Passage.   

Throughout their deployment in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility, the crew’s primary missions were to protect the safety of life at sea and deter dangerous and unlawful migrant ventures bound for the United States. Deployed in support of the Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE) initiative Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS), Reliance’s crew worked alongside additional Coast Guard and partner assets to dissuade maritime migration and enforce immigration laws on the high seas.  

While on patrol, Reliance’s crew interdicted four overloaded and unsafe vessels, ultimately saving the lives of 441 Haitian and Dominican migrants, including many infants and children.   

During two hazardous and similar cases, Reliance’s crew located the unseaworthy migrant voyages in the dark of night and evacuated nearly 200 migrants from each vessel. Crew members moved the migrants to safety while preventing their grossly overloaded vessels from capsizing. After transferring the migrants from their unsafe vessels aboard the cutter, the crew provided humanitarian aid and care until the migrants could be safely repatriated to their countries of origin.   

Of note, this was an historic patrol for the Coast Guard’s oldest medium endurance cutter; after 60 years in service, this was Reliance’s first patrol with a fully mixed-gender crew. Reliance recently completed a project to provide onboard accommodations for female enlisted crew members, increasing opportunities for female Coast Guard members to serve afloat.   

“I am extremely proud of and have been continually impressed by our crew during my first deployment onboard Reliance,” said Cmdr. Aaron Kowalczk, commanding officer of Reliance. “Their tireless effort and relentless compassion for the Coast Guard’s humanitarian mission was inspiring and ultimately resulted in saving hundreds of lives while deterring illicit maritime migration. As Reliance enters her seventh decade of service, the ship and especially this crew remain ‘Semper Paratus – Always Ready’ for the next mission.”   

Established in 2003, HSTF-SE is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-led interagency task force charged with directing operational and tactical planning, command and control, and functions as a standing organization to deter, mitigate and respond to maritime mass migration in the Caribbean Sea and Florida Straits.   

OVS is the 2004 DHS plan that provides the structure for deploying joint air and surface assets and personnel to respond to irregular maritime migration in the Caribbean corridor of the United States. Its primary objectives are to protect life at sea while deterring and dissuading mass maritime migration alongside our federal, state, and local partners.    

Reliance is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 77. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-narcotics and migrant interdiction operations, living marine resources protection, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.  

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty, reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.