From Naval Station Everett, Nov. 1, 2024 

EVERETT, Washington – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) returned to Naval Station Everett, Oct. 31, 2024 following an eight-month deployment with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) to the U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation. 

“I am incredibly proud of the dedication, resilience, and professionalism shown by our team throughout this deployment,” said Cmdr. Parina Somnhot, commanding officer of John S. McCain. “Our Sailors always answered the call and helped ensure mission success.” 
 
John S. McCain deployed in March and operated both independently and as part of the TRSCG. The TRCSG deployed to the Indo-Pacific region to support regional security and stability, to keep sea lanes open, and to reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment to the region. The strike group was later ordered to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to strengthen U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions. 
 
John S. McCain conducted various exercises with foreign navies, strengthening important relationships with allies and partners. These exercises enhanced warfighting readiness, interoperability, and maritime coordination between allies and partners. 
 
The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, and expeditionary strike groups. 
 
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is comprised of Carrier Strike Group 9 staff, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23 staff, the flagship Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and DESRON 23 ships that include guided-missile destroyers USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), USS Russell (DDG 59) and John S. McCain. 
 
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations – from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. 
 
For more information on John S. McCain, please visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ddg56/. 

From Leonardo DRS 

ARLINGTON, Va., October 31, 2024  ̶  Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced today that it was awarded a contract from NAVSEA to produce ship-based air and surface target detection AN/SPQ-9B radars.  The contract includes options, if exercised over five years, would bring the cumulative value to more than $235 million. 

Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will manufacture, inspect, and test AN/SPQ-9B radars and associated spare kits.   

“The SPQ-9B radar is a vital ship protection system used across the fleet, and we are proud that the U.S. Navy continues to entrust us to produce this important defensive technology,” said Cari Ossenfort, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business unit. “Our experienced team’s ability to execute complex manufacturing and proven engineering processes are the key reasons we remain a trusted partner to NAVSEA and PEO Integrated Warfare Systems.” 

The AN/SPQ-9B is an X-band, pulse Doppler, frequency-agile radar which was designed specifically for the littoral environment with a low false track rate in high clutter situations. It scans out to the horizon and performs simultaneous and automatic air and surface target detection and tracking of low flying anti-ship cruise missiles, surface threats, and low/slow flying aircraft, UAVs, periscopes and helicopters. 

This award builds upon our existing RF and EW systems capabilities and is an expansion of the support that DRS has provided for AN/SPQ-9B over the past six years. This work is an example of DRS’s deep experience as a leader in complex design and manufacturing supporting a wide range of missions. The company’s capabilities extend across all domains to support naval, ground, air, space, and cyber missions in areas of sensing, force protection, computer networking, as well as naval power and propulsion systems. 

By: Janina Lamoglia, Oct. 31, 2024 

NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. — Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) has been a pillar of naval aviation maintenance since its establishment in 1919. Over the decades, the facility has supported the U.S. Navy’s mission readiness, ensuring iconic aircraft like the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, and S-3 Viking remained airworthy. Now, FRCSW signifies a major shift with the final maintenance of its last legacy aircraft — an F/A-18 Hornet. 
 
Introduced in the 1980s, the F/A-18 Hornet has been a versatile and essential asset in naval aviation, serving in major conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm and the Kosovo War. This particular Hornet, designated AQ-99, carries a rich operational history, symbolizing both the aircraft’s role in naval conflicts and the legacy of FRCSW’s aircraft maintenance program. “This is monumental for the depot,” said Ehren Terbeek, FRCSW Tactical Air Program Manager. “Many artisans here began their careers working on these aircraft, and it’s a milestone for everyone involved.” 
 
The facility’s role in maintaining these legacy aircraft has been extraordinary. Through innovations like the center barrel replacement, FRCSW extended the operational life of the F/A-18 far beyond its original limit of 6000 flight hours, with some Hornets surpassing 9,000 hours. “The aircraft is old so parts were hard to source, and structural repairs were challenging, but our team’s skills and knowledge ensured these aircraft kept flying,” Terbeek emphasized. These efforts have been crucial in keeping naval aviation mission-ready for decades. 
 
FRCSW’s artisans, many of whom are veterans, take immense pride in their work. The departure of the second-to-last Hornet to Fort Worth, Texas and now the final Hornet returning to Miramar, marks a bittersweet moment for those who spent their careers ensuring these aircraft remained battle-ready. For many, working on the F/A-18 has been a career-defining experience. “It was bittersweet knowing we were saying goodbye to an aircraft that defined our work for decades,” Terbeek reflected. 
 
As FRCSW transitions to newer aircraft models like the F-35 and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle like the MQ-8, the experience and expertise gained from decades of maintaining legacy aircraft will continue to inform its evolving role. The final maintenance effort on this F/A-18 Hornet is both the end of a chapter and a tribute to FRCSW’s historical contributions and the skilled workforce that has upheld the highest standards of aircraft maintenance. The legacy of excellence remains, as the facility prepares to support the next generation of naval aviation. 
 
Fleet Readiness Center Southwest is the Navy’s premier West Coast aircraft repair, maintenance, and overhaul organization specializing in the Navy and Marine Corps aircraft and their related systems. 

From Northrop Grumman, October 31, 2024 

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. – Oct. 31, 2024 – (PHOTO RELEASE) Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) LITENING targeting pod has completed initial flight testing on the U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft, a critical step on the path to fleet operations. The tests put the electro-optical/infrared pod through a set of demanding maneuvers representative of operational scenarios. LITENING’s daylight and infrared sensors provide high-definition video in multiple wavelengths to deliver a decisive advantage in surveillance and targeting missions. 

From the U.S. Navy Office of Information, 31 October 2024 

The Department of the Navy is establishing a Naval Strategic Studies Group (NSSG) program in January administered by the DON Office of Strategic Assessment (OSA). 

The Department of the Navy is establishing a Naval Strategic Studies Group (NSSG) program in January administered by the DON Office of Strategic Assessment (OSA). 
 
The NSSG will be modeled after the Strategic Studies Group created during the Cold War, which had a twofold mission to train future flag officers in strategic thinking and to conduct research on some of the DON’s most vexing strategic challenges. 
 
The first cohort will include uniformed and civilian members from the Navy and Marine Corps. These plank-owners will conduct a capstone research project that advances Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s strategic maritime statecraft initiative. 
 
“I expect my seasoned, mid-grade officers to be brilliant on naval tactics and operations by the time they report for graduate education,” Del Toro said. “I need future flag and general officers who will think strategically about how to lead naval forces in an increasingly contested maritime domain and amidst intense economic, technological and military competition.” 
 
The education in strategic studies the NSSG members will receive supports DON’s focus on reinvigorating the strategic workforce, under the Secretary’s enduring priority of building a culture of warfighting excellence. 
 
Members’ research – focused on broad strategic challenges, rather than narrower problems already addressed by fleet experimentation on specific tactics or technologies – will support DON’s aim of strengthening maritime dominance. 
 
“The Department of the Navy meets our nation’s maritime needs, both today and into the future. As the Office of Strategic Assessment builds a net assessment capability for the DON to understand the complex challenges we face, the Naval Strategic Studies Group will bring together a cohort of rising leaders who will address these challenges and build the strategic leadership skills to guide our Navy and Marine Corps in a dynamic and shifting global environment,” OSA Director Dr. Cara LaPointe said. 
 
The chief of naval operations created the previous SSG in 1981 to tackle key strategic challenges related to the Cold War. Over time, the SSG’s focus evolved to reflect the needs of the Navy until 2016, when it was sundowned. 
 
As the Department of the Navy returns to an era of competition, stakeholders have agreed on the need to amplify strategic leader education as the United States faces an increasingly complex web of threats that includes China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. In 2023 Secretary Del Toro released a Naval Education Strategy to guide investments to modernize naval schools and professional military education. The NSSG will focus students’ strategic leadership studies on DON’s most pressing strategic challenges for greater effect. 
 
“Today we face a comprehensive maritime power in the Indo-Pacific, Russian aggression in Ukraine, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea – all of which will shape our security environment for several decades,” Del Toro said. “A revitalized, Naval SSG will help the Department of the Navy engage with and look ahead of these trends with sufficient access, resources, and guidance from leadership.” 
 
The first cohort will also tackle questions that will help shape the enduring NSSG program, including working with the Naval University System to deliver a world-class curriculum, and will be located in Washington, D.C. 
 
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, the commanding general of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command, said recent conflicts have reinforced the importance of having Marine Corps leaders at all levels who can outthink the enemy. 
 
“Domains like information and cyber, along with the rise of non-state actors, don’t fit neatly into old frameworks. Our current operating environment demands nothing less than a renaissance in strategic thinking,” said Watson. “To stay ahead of our adversaries, we need to keep evolving—updating our training, sharpening our minds, and learning – not just observing – the lessons of contemporary conflict. The fight isn’t just on the battlefield anymore, and we need every Marine to possess the training, education, and intellectual agility to adapt and overcome.” 
 
Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, Strategy and Warfighting Development, agreed the Navy needs Sailors and civilians “with superb education and training, who are able to think, act and operate differently to ensure we can defeat our adversaries.” 
“The establishment of the NSSG will enhance our culture of warfighting excellence and strengthen our maritime dominance by developing strategically minded warfighters who will be the future senior leaders of the service and will lead our Navy through uncertain times,” said Dwyer. 
 
Del Toro established the Office of Strategic Assessment in October 2023 and tasked the office to reconstitute the strategic studies program to help rebuild the naval strategist community. 

From U.S. Coast Guard District 17 Oct. 29, 2024 

JUNEAU, Alaska – The U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian forces, and international partners wrap-up Northern Pacific counter Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing patrol, Operation North Pacific Guard 2024.   

Operation North Pacific Guard is an annual multi-mission effort between international partners that provides surface and air patrols and shares intelligence that guides patrol assets to detect and intercept illicit fishing activity.   

The joint mission included U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, U.S. Coast Guard District Seventeen, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Japan Coast Guard, Fisheries Agency of Japan, and Korea Coast Guard.   

As a result of the high seas patrols, air surveillance, and electronic monitoring, the joint crews identified potential instances of illegal harvesting of shark fins and dark vessels, a term for vessels that intentionally turn off their monitoring systems.  
   
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett patrolled the North Pacific for 65 days and conducted 21 high-seas boardings and inspections which detected four potential violations of conservation and management measures under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC).   
   
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130J Super Hercules airplane crewmembers conducted five 12-day deployments near Yokota Air Base and Misawa, Japan and observed 411 vessels. The crews observed potential shark finning violations and improper fishing vessel markings on multiple vessels.   
   
“IUU fishing is a complex and global problem that calls for an international unified response,” said Capt. Ryan Waters, chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District. “North Pacific Guard is a prime example of a strong, sustained multi-lateral partnership to maximize the impact of collective counter-IUU fishing enforcement efforts and promote the rule of law at sea.”   
   
IUU fishing is detrimental to long-term, stable national security, international relations, and global economics. Up to 27 million tons of fish are caught illegally each year worldwide. The U.S Coast Guard leads U.S. Government efforts in multinational campaigns like North Pacific Guard that counter IUU fishing at-sea, uphold global rules-based order, and promote economic prosperity. 

For breaking news, follow @USCGAlaska on X (formerly twitter)  

From Lockheed Martin 

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Oct. 29, 2024 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) was awarded a $113 million contract by Naval Sea Systems Command for full rate production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 AN/SLQ-32(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 systems.   

This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. It serves as a modification to a previously awarded SEWIP full rate production contract, that allowed for additional production based on need.  

The purchase for Japan marks the first international sale of the premier shipboard electronic warfare system in the world. Japan is a critical ally in the Western Pacific. Having SEWIP provides the same state-of-the-art system for detecting and identifying threats that the U.S. Navy uses, enhancing shipboard capabilities, and increasing interoperability with the U.S. Navy.   

“The SEWIP program has proven critical for the U.S. Navy in the early detection of threats,” said Deon Viergutz, vice president of Spectrum Convergence, Lockheed Martin Rotary & Mission Systems. “With this first purchase in Japan, we are setting the stage to continue to expand this key technology around the globe for an improved network of electronic surveillance, enabling U.S., allied and partner forces to continue to evolve and outpace modern threats.”  

For more than 13 years, Lockheed Martin has partnered with the U.S. Navy to develop and produce SEWIP Block 2, producing over 130 units. Work on this new contract will be performed in Liverpool, New York and Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by October 2026.   

From Leidos 

RESTON, Va. (Oct. 30, 2024) – Leidos (NYSE:LDOS) announced today a new contract to provide critical supply support for weapons systems that keep the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces mission-ready. The Technical Assistance for Repairables Processing (TARP) contract was awarded by the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center, supporting NAVSUP’s Weapon Systems Support (WSS). The contract has a base period of performance of one year with four one-year options and one six-month option.  

“Leidos’ solutions in advanced traceability and control support our Navy and Marine forces in moving, controlling, and tracking depot-level repairables worldwide – ultimately helping to reduce repair pipeline time and the cost of future investment,” said Jason McCarthy, Leidos senior vice president, Engineering, Integration & Operations. “We are proud to continue to deliver mission-enabling technology and data-driven logistics to our long-time customer.” 

New under this contract, Leidos plans to develop a business intelligence dashboard with live data and reporting to put a powerful decision support system at the fingertips of the NAVSUP WSS customer, including in offline environments.  

Under the TARP program, global field representatives train and assist the U.S. Navy field and fleet on all aspects of the Reverse Supply Chain (RSC). The training covers the proper packaging of expensive military assets as well as use of the electronic Retrograde Management System (eRMS), an IT system that provides visibility and accountability for repairables moved through RSC transportation channels.  

This is the seventh TARP program contract awarded to Leidos. Since 2000, the Leidos team has consistently delivered innovations, including automated reporting and multi-platform mobile applications to capture project data. 

From Amentum 

CHANTILLY, Va., October 28, 2024 – The U.S. Navy awarded Amentum (NYSE: AMTM) a $490 million contract to deliver comprehensive contractor logistics support (CLS) of the state-of-the-art T-54A Multi Engine Training System (METS). This innovative system will supersede the aging T-44C aircraft, as Amentum collaborates with the Navy and Textron, the original equipment manufacturer, to modernize the Navy’s training aircraft fleet. 

Amentum’s expert fleet management support to the METS program strategically positions the U.S. Navy’s pilot training for unparalleled success. By offering its services to the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) for the cutting-edge multi-engine platform, Amentum will be instrumental in shaping the future of naval aviation. The METS program will seamlessly enable future Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and select U.S. allied pilots to transition into advanced multi-engine and tilt-rotor fleet aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey, E-2D Hawkeye, C-130 Hercules, and P-8 Poseidon ensuring operational readiness through 2055.   

“Amentum’s extensive experience delivering comprehensive fleet management—encompassing modifications and engineering to sustainment and logistics—makes us the premier partner for modernizing the Navy’s training aircraft fleet,” said Dr. Karl Spinnenweber, President of the Mission Solutions Group. “Our team, understanding the critical nature of our mission, excels in the accelerated pilot training environment and is fully committed to providing ready-to-train aircraft every single day.” 

Amentum’s dynamic, highly skilled workforce consistently delivers ready-for-production (RFP) aircraft for daily training missions, ensuring excellence through both scheduled or un-scheduled maintenance and modifications in a highly demanding student training environment. These aircraft systems provide the foundation for advanced fleet aircraft training syllabi. Amentum delivers critical training on full system maintenance, service, and repair of avionics, airframes, and power plants, as well as overhaul of aircraft engines, propellers, and avionics components, enabling continuous flight operations. 

“Our partnership with the U.S. Navy and CNATRA strengthens as Amentum delivers innovative engineering, modification and sustainment solutions to maximize aircraft availability for naval aviator training,” said Joe Kelly, Senior Vice President for Sustainment and Analytics. 

The task order transition phase in began June 1, 2024, and full performance started Sept. 1 under the CMMARS Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Multiple Award Contract. It has a one-year base period and four additional one-year option periods and is contracted through Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Operations will be conducted at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas supporting the phase-out and divestiture of all T-44C aircraft and the introduction of all T-54A fleet over the next three years. 

About Amentum 

29 October 2024 

From Cierra Burch, Shauna Love-vonKnoblauch, Katherine Mapp and Jeremy Roman 

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) James Honea visited Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), Oct. 24. 

Franchetti and Honea’s visit provided the opportunity for them to see firsthand how NSWC PCD, one of the Navy’s premiere research, development, test and evaluation laboratories, supports the fleet through capabilities including mine warfare, expeditionary warfare, robotics, autonomous systems, and naval special warfare. 

“It was really exciting to see all the amazing work that is going on all around here. I got to walk around and talk with many [people from this workforce], the commands here and the service members,” said Franchetti. “I’m very excited about the future. It is a very bright future thanks to all the great work that you’re doing here today and have been doing for quite some time.” 
 
Franchetti and Honea spent the first part of their visit engaging with sailors and civilians, while learning more about capabilities to ensure wartime readiness. 
 
“NSWC PCD continues to meet mission readiness by ensuring alignment to the CNO’s Navigation Plan, which poises our Navy to enhance the Navy’s long-term advantage,” said Capt. David Back, NSWC PCD commanding officer. “It is an honor to host the CNO and MCPON.” 
 
Dr. Peter Adair, SES, NSWC PCD technical director, emphasized the significance of getting NSWC PCD’s capabilities to the fleet rapidly. 
 
“Taking sailors and marines out of harm’s way and reducing the operational timeline is imperative. Unmanned technologies are how we are going to get there,” said Adair. “It is our role to ensure the fleet has the capabilities they need for today, tomorrow and the Navy after next.” 
 
The visit concluded with a CNO and MCPON-led All Hands Call with sailors and civilians across Naval Support Activity Panama City. 
 
The warfighter is the Navy’s asymmetric advantage. Franchetti’s Navigation Plan 2024 America’s Warfighting Navy outlines the need to build our unmatched warfighting teams—active and reserve Sailors, with Navy civilians—through a relentless focus on training and learning. 
 
“When I am asked ‘who is the warfighter’ many groups of people come to mind. There are our sailors, on the frontline, but there are also those in the behind the scenes that contribute significantly to Project 33 and to the Navy getting real, getting better,” said Franchetti during her All-Hands address. “I am incredibly grateful for the hard work each of you put into ensuring our mission not only advances operationally, but processes continue to improve so we can support the frontline more efficiently and safely.” 
 
Fourteen individuals were recognized for their significant contributions to the Navy, including 13 sailor recognitions for achievements. 
 
CNO and MCPON presented a Meritorious Civilian Service Award to Andrea Perles, leader in mine warfare for the U.S. Navy. NSWC PCD also announced Hospital Corpsman Second Class Nicholas Harburckak from Chambers, Neb., as the Junior Sailor of the Year and Aviation Ordnanceman First Class Kevin Rodriguez from Smithfield, Va., as the Sailor of the Year at this installation. 
 
The visit provided Franchetti and Honea with a richer understanding of NSWC PCD’s mission to support the America’s Warfighting Navy. 
 
“It is your efforts, your dedication, and your expertise that provides us with the capabilities and enablement of manned and unmanned vessels in the fleet,” said Honea. “Whether you are wearing a uniform or intricately in the behind the scenes, the work you do matters.” 
 
This was Franchetti and Honea’s first visit to NSWC PCD as Chief of Naval Operations and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.