Release from Northrop Grumman 

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SAN DIEGO – Sept. 14, 2023 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft achieved a declaration of initial operating capability (IOC) by the U.S. Navy.   

• MQ-4C Triton is the U.S. Navy’s only uncrewed, high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft performing persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting. The U.S. Navy recently announced IOC for Triton. 
• Since achieving early operational capability in May 2020, the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet employed Triton in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility conducting maritime and reconnaissance missions. 
• Northrop Grumman has delivered five multi-intelligence Triton aircraft to the U.S. Navy, with the latest delivered June 2023. 

Experts: 

Rho Cauley Bruner, director, Triton program, Northrop Grumman: “Triton has proven to be invaluable for the maritime patrol and reconnaissance mission in the Indo-Pacific. Now that the system has achieved initial operating capability, commanders will be able to fully leverage Triton’s powerful sensor suite to detect and deter potential adversaries around the world.” 

Capt. Josh Guerre, Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems program manager, U.S. Navy: “Persistent global maritime awareness is central to deterring, or competing and winning against, our adversaries. Triton ensures we’re making informed decisions and effectively operating anywhere in the world.” 

Details on MQ-4C Triton:  

Built for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, the multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton supports a wide range of missions including maritime patrol, signals intelligence, search and rescue and communications relay. These aircraft provide commanders with persistent surveillance for the prediction of an adversary’s behavior and enabling better planning, greatly enhancing joint military responses and operations. 

With an operating altitude greater than 50,000 feet and endurance of 24 hours, Triton provides continuous communications relay to keep a distributed Navy connected, while ensuring commanders are operating off a common operational picture. Its unparalleled, long-range sensors allow it to detect, classify and track maritime targets well outside the detection of enemy ships and surface-to-air missiles. 

In one 24-hour mission, Triton can survey four million nautical miles.  

Release from U.S. Fourth Fleet 

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KEY WEST, Florida – Launched from Naval Air Station Key West’s Mole Pier and Truman Harbor, the Saildrones’ mission once on station is to improve maritime domain awareness, or MDA, by detecting and quantifying targets that pass within range of the Saildrones’ sensors. 
 
Operation Windward Stack is a long-term operation of unmanned and manned forces working together, also known as a hybrid fleet, as envisioned by the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations. Windward Stack is part of 4th Fleet’s unmanned integration campaign, which provides the Navy a region to experiment with and operate unmanned systems in a permissive environment, develop Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) against near-peer competitors, and refine manned and unmanned Command and Control (C2) infrastructure, all designed to move the Navy to the hybrid fleet. 
 
First, operators and watchstanders at U.S. 4th Fleet will conduct tests and coordinate information flow as the solar-powered Saildrones sail into the Caribbean. “Operation Windward Stack begins with testing as we integrate the information we receive from the Saildrones into our fleet command center to further increase maritime domain awareness in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (AOR),” said Lt. Cmdr. John Clark, U.S. 4th Fleet’s Current Operations (COPS) Director. “We will eventually have the opportunity to work through the command and control of both manned and unmanned forces operating throughout our region.” 
 
The 10 Saildrones will serve as the initial unmanned vessels in the operation. Plans are to add additional USVs, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and manned maritime forces over the next few months to further challenge C2 integration and to expand the MDA coverage. 
 
“We were able to demonstrate coordinated operations of manned and unmanned forces during UNITAS LXIV, a multinational maritime exercise, but that was for a relatively short time,” said Capt. David Fowler, U.S. 4th Fleet Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Director. “With Windward Stack, we’re going to coordinate these operations for many months. That is how we will truly learn what these unmanned vessels can do for us on a day-to-day basis.” 
 
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports USSOUTHCOM’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region

Release from HII 

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division recently hosted its first-ever hiring event focused exclusively on teenagers aging out of the foster care system. 

Wednesday’s hiring event, held in Virginia Beach, was a collaboration between NNS and Connect With a Wish, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that connects children in foster care with resources and support. 

“This is a great example of our intentional investments with external partners to ensure we reach the diverse workforce necessary to meet our hiring goals,” said Xavier Beale, NNS vice president of human resources and trades. “We appreciate the partnership with Connect With a Wish, and we look forward to welcoming our newest shipbuilders as they join our powerful national security mission at NNS.” 

“Community support is critical to our success at Connect With a Wish,” said president and founder Joy Rios. “We’re grateful with the partnership of Newport News Shipbuilding and Delegate Tata as we advance our mission to help these children grow into positive and productive members of our community.” 

Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-newport-news-shipbuilding-hiring-connect-with-a-wish-2023. 

“Making sure we connect foster children to the resources necessary to thrive as adults is a cause near and dear to my heart,” said Anne Ferrell Tata, board member of national foster care nonprofit iFoster and member of the Virginia House of Delegates whose district includes a portion of Virginia Beach. “I’m thankful for the incredible work Connect With a Wish does and for the support from Newport News Shipbuilding to ensure these young adults have an opportunity to build rewarding careers serving our national security.” 

NNS is on track to hire approximately 3,000 skilled trade positions by the end of this year to meet the Navy’s shipbuilding needs and anticipates hiring nearly 19,000 people within the next decade as it continues its support of the Navy’s mission. The shipyard is the nation’s sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. 

To learn more about career opportunities at HII, visit https://hii.com/careers/. 

To learn more about Connect With a Wish, visit https://www.connectwithawish.org/. 

Release from Crowley and SEACOR 

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(JACKSONVILLE & FORT LAUDERDALE Fla.; Sept. 13, 2023) – Global maritime and logistics leaders Crowley and SEACOR Holdings (“SEACOR”), through its subsidiary Seabulk Tankers, Inc.(“ Seabulk”), today announced an agreement to form a joint venture that will integrate their liquid energy and chemical transportation vessels, operations and related services into a new, independent U.S. Jones Act service provider, Fairwater Holdings LLC (“Fairwater”).  

Fairwater will leverage and scale both entities’ unique operational and safety-focused capabilities to serve the U.S. domestic market with vessels and marine transportation solutions across the petroleum and chemical trades, as well as related third-party ship management services. It will include 20 ocean-going, articulated tug-barges and 11 tankers, many under long-term charter. The joint venture will provide crewing and technical management for an additional 21 third-party owned vessels. 

Daniel Thorogood, CEO of Seabulk, will assume the CEO role at Fairwater at closing. The joint venture will be based in Fort Lauderdale with offices in Fairfield, Conn.; Houston, Jacksonville and Seattle.  

“Fairwater marks an important milestone in meeting the evolving needs for safe, efficient and sustainable U.S. domestic maritime transportation solutions,” said Thorogood. “I am honored to take the helm alongside highly experienced seagoing and shoreside team members and provide our customers and the communities we serve with a maritime transportation provider whose values and performance will set the industry standard.”   

“Through this new joint venture, Fairwater will create more value for customers. Seabulk is an ideal and complementary partner with proven expertise in providing safe, sustainable and reliable maritime results and in driving innovation, much like Crowley,” said Tom Crowley, chairman and CEO of Crowley. “The new company will not only be a historic moment for Crowley and SEACOR, but it will also align with our continuing growth strategy with solutions for customers and partners that deliver clear benefits for today and promise to advance tomorrow.”     

“Fairwater provides an exciting path for continued growth and investment benefiting our exceptional talent pool, our customers and this essential industry at large,” said Eric Fabrikant, CEO of SEACOR. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with Tom and the entire Crowley organization and look forward to jointly supporting this new venture ensuring seamless service during this transitional time and beyond.”    

Through a shared commitment to deliver on and exceed the needs of the day, the new company will offer a unified, seamless transition for customers and partners to continue the reliable, uninterrupted support for their energy supply chain and related activities. In the coming months, both companies will complete activities to support the integration of the assets and services into the new entity.   

The joint venture transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024 and begin operations following the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.  

Vinson & Elkins LLP acted as legal advisor to Crowley. Milbank LLP and Watson Farley & Williams LLP acted as legal advisors to SEACOR. 

Release from Austal USA

MOBILE, Ala. – Austal USA received an order for the manufacture and outfitting of three electronic deck modules for the Virginia-class submarine program. The order, valued at $10.6 million, was issued by prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat. Construction will begin in fall 2023 and the modules are scheduled to be delivered to Electric Boat by the middle of 2025. 

The construction of these modules is the result of the strategic partnership formed in 2022 between Austal USA and Electric Boat, supported by the U.S. Navy, to take a strategic sourcing approach to expanding the production capacity of the submarine industrial base.  As part of the partnership, Austal USA is constructing and outfitting Command and Control Systems Modules (CCSM) and Electronic Deck Modules (EDM) for the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs. 

“This order signifies the confidence Electric Boat and the Navy have in Austal’s talented workforce to maintain a steady production line building quality modules on time and on budget,” said Austal USA Vice President of New Construction Programs Dave Growden. “We are excited to play an important role in the submarine industrial base and about being part of a program critical to our Nation’s security.” 

Austal USA has continued to expand its facilities and workforce to support the growing demand of the submarine industrial base.  The order for the three modules follows an initial order for a CCSM in February 2023.  

U.S. Coast Guard Release 

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Sept. 6, 2023 — The Coast Guard successfully performed the first flight of the newly missionized HC-27J prototype aircraft, CGNR 2712, today at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland. The milestone flight is part of the Coast Guard’s effort to enhance its fixed-wing surveillance aircraft fleet with improved capabilities to gather, process and transmit information during maritime patrol aircraft joint operations.

The flight was a culmination of efforts by the Coast Guard’s Aviation Projects Acquisition Center and Medium Range Surveillance Aircraft program office along with Naval Air Systems Command’s Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division AIRWorks Team and the original equipment manufacturer, Leonardo Aircraft Division (LAD). The first flight of the HC-27J was a modified functional check flight and was tailored to exercise the program’s Safety of Flight and Safety of Test systems prior to fully proceeding into the flight test phase. The initial flight tests will be performed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 HC-27J test team with support from the Coast Guard and LAD at NAS Patuxent River.

The Coast Guard is in the process of missionizing 14 C-27J aircraft that were transferred from the U.S. Air Force under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014. As originally delivered, the C-27Js were outfitted with weather radar and communications equipment. Missionization refers to the process of integrating specialized equipment, such as radar, sensors and processors, that enhance the aircraft’s effectiveness in carrying out Coast Guard missions. The Coast Guard is using Minotaur mission system architecture developed by the Navy across its fixed wing fleet to integrate the specialized components such as surface search radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors because it offers significant increases in speed and memory capability.

Release from Bell Textron 

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HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. ( 13 September, 2023) Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the delivery of a High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) test article to Holloman Air Force Base for demonstration and technology evaluation. The team will leverage the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Holloman High Speed Test Track to test the folding rotor, integrated propulsion and flight control technologies at representative flight speeds.

“The HSVTOL test article delivery and start of sled testing operations serves as a major milestone in our mission to develop the next generation of high-speed vertical lift aircraft,” said Jason Hurst, executive vice president, Engineering, Bell. “Bell plans to showcase HSVTOL technology informed by more than 85 years of high-speed rotorcraft development and leverage lessons learned to produce a flying prototype with game-changing capabilities.”

The objective of Bell’s sled test operations is to validate key technologies through a full-scale, integrated demonstration in a representative operating environment. Bell plans for the test article to execute a series of HSVTOL high-speed transition maneuvers, a first of its kind capability for vertical lift aircraft. Prior to delivery at Holloman Air Force Base, Bell successfully completed functional demonstrations at Bell’s Flight Research Center.

Bell’s High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) technology blends the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed (400+ kts), range, and survivability of jet aircraft. Bell has developed high-speed vertical lift technology for more than 85 years, pioneering innovative VTOL configurations like the X-14, X-22, XV-3 and XV-15 for NASA, the U.S Army and U.S. Air Force, and continues to build on its proven history of fast flight from the Bell X-1.

Release from Austal USA 

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Sep 12, 2023 

Austal USA Awarded US$91.5 m LCU Contract by US Navy 

Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX: ASB) is pleased to announce Austal USA has been awarded a US$91,535,551 (AU$143.4 million) fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price type contract for the construction of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 class craft. 

The contract follows a previous contract for the detail design of the vessels and includes options for manufacture of an additional nine vessels and associated support arrangements. 

The steel hull LCU 1700-class possess heavy-lift capability with 170 ton payload capacity, and will be deployed with the Navy’s amphibious assault ships to support a range of military operations including the delivery of tracked and/or wheeled vehicles, troops and cargo from ship to shore, shore to shore and back to ship. 

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the new contract reinforces Austal USA’s position as a critical capability partner to the United States Navy and further diversified the company’s steel shipbuilding portfolio. 

“The LCU are an essential capability of the US Navy, and we’re proud to be contributing to this important shipbuilding program with up to 12 vessels to be constructed,” he said. 

“Austal USA continues to diversify its product portfolio, with production continuing on two Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ships (T-ATS) and the 8,500sq metre Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM) on the company’s state-of-the-art steel line. Austal USA also holds multiple ship contracts for the Navy’s TAGOS-25 ocean surveillance ship, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programs.” 

The LCU 1700-class has a roll-on / roll-off monohull configuration, with hydraulically controlled bow and stern ramps that allow multiple vessels to connect and form a causeway for fast and secure unloading and loading. The craft are designed to be transported within, and load/unload from the well decks of amphibious assault ships, carrying loads up to 3.5 metres high, above the vessel’s vehicle deck. With a crew of 13, each vessel can conduct independent open ocean Page 2 of 3 transits or operations at sea with a range of 1,200 nautical miles (at 8kn) and a top speed of 11 knots. 

This ASX announcement has been approved and authorised for release by Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited’s Chief Executive Officer. 

Release from the U.S. Department of Defense

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SEPT. 13, 2023 

As part of the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) initiative Project Pele, the Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded a contract option to X-energy, LLC of Rockville, Maryland in order to develop an enhanced engineering design for a transportable micro nuclear reactor. 

In 2022, SCO selected BWX Technologies, Inc. of Lynchburg, Virginia to build a prototype micro reactor. This work is underway and long lead hardware fabrication has begun. By executing this contract option with X-energy, SCO seeks to develop a complementary micro reactor design that builds upon X-energy’s developments completed under Project Pele in 2022. This option continues funding for X-energy to develop its design to meet the technical requirements of Project Pele, targeting a reactor design which is ready for licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for both commercial ventures and military resiliency. 

“Due to their extraordinary energy density, nuclear reactors have the potential to serve multiple critical functions for meeting resiliency needs in contested logistical environments,” said Dr. Jeff Waksman, Project Pele program manager. “By developing two unique designs, we will provide the Services with a broad range of options as they consider potential uses of nuclear power for both Installation and Operational energy applications in the near future.” 

The DOD uses approximately 30 Terawatt-hours of electricity per year and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day—levels that are only expected to increase due to anticipated electrification of the vehicle fleet and maturation of future energy-intensive capabilities. A safe, small, transportable nuclear reactor would address this growing demand with a resilient, carbon-free energy source that does not add to the DOD’s fuel needs, while supporting mission-critical operations in remote and austere environments. 

This contract option for one year of work by X-energy will not result in a completed engineering design, but will allow a thorough analysis of design options, leading to a Preliminary Engineering Design and initiation of a regulatory preapplication process. 

“The Strategic Capabilities Office specializes in adapting commercial technology for military purposes,” said Jay Dryer, SCO director. “By nurturing and developing multiple micro reactor designs, SCO will not just provide options for the military Services, but will also help jumpstart a truly competitive commercial marketplace for micro reactors.” 

Release from Teledyne FLIR 

‘Black Recon’ tech concept will enable crews in fighting vehicles to autonomously launch and recover small drones for immediate, covert situational awareness without leaving the vehicle 

LONDON, September 12, 2023 ― Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), is showcasing a new technology concept at this week’s DSEI conference in London that will allow crews to autonomously launch small drones operated from inside a military vehicle; perform reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA); and then recover the aircraft without ever having to leave the safety of the vehicle.

The Black Recon™ Vehicle Reconnaissance System (VRS) is a development program that features an entirely new micro-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to withstand the rigors of traveling on infantry and other fighting vehicles. The system is built to provide continuous untethered reconnaissance at flight speeds that allow the UAV to work ahead of advancing vehicles, supplying valuable situational awareness even beyond line of sight.

Fitted inside a hardened launch box mounted to a vehicle, Black Recon’s deployment system can launch up to three UAVs during a mission. When one returns, a unique cradle-arm autonomously recovers the drone using patented technology to precisely track, capture, and dock the UAV – day or night, even in poor weather. Drones are then automatically recharged for the next mission

With its thermal and visual payload, Black Recon delivers live imagery and targeting information to vehicle crews. Operators can use the system for a wide range of missions, such as assessing if terrain is passable, sweeping for mines and improvised explosive devices, or performing close-up inspection under bridges using onboard illumination. The system provides high precision RSTA and can perform GPS-denied operations.

“Black Recon represents a groundbreaking new capability and a force multiplier for warfighters to take on near-peer adversaries,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne FLIR Defense. “The ability to launch and recover UAVs in seconds from a vehicle, without exposing the crew, will enable fighting units to maintain operational tempo and leverage the system when it’s needed most – in dynamic, uncertain, and complex environments.

“We continue to refine Black Recon’s technology and are excited about future applications, not only for the military but also other areas like law enforcement, border security, and critical infrastructure protection. We look forward to sharing the concept with industry partners during DSEI,” Lei added.