PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy conducted its first test flight of the MQ-4C Triton in its upgraded hardware and software configuration July 29 at NAS Patuxent River, beginning the next phase of the unmanned aircraft’s development, the Naval Air Systems Command said in a July 29 release. 

The MQ-4C Triton flew in its new configuration, known as Integrated Functional Capability (IFC)-4, which will bring an enhanced multi-mission sensor capability as part of the Navy’s Maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (MISR&T) transition plan. 

Triton’s Integrated Test Team (ITT) comprised of the U.S. Navy, Australian cooperative partners, and government/industry teams completed a functional check flight and initial aeromechanical test points, demonstrating stability and control of the MQ-4C after a 30-month modification period.   

“Today’s flight is a significant milestone for the program and a testament to the resolve of the entire ITT, their hard work, and passion for test execution and program success,” said Capt. Dan Mackin, Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems program manager. “This flight proves that the program is making significant progress toward Triton’s advanced multi-intelligence upgrade and it brings us closer to achieving the initial operational capability (IOC) milestone.”  

Multiple Triton assets have been modified into the IFC-4 configuration in support of IOC in 2023.  A single test asset is in the current IFC-3 configuration to support sustainment of deployed systems as well as risk reduction for IFC-4.  

Currently, two MQ-4C Triton aircraft in the baseline configuration known as IFC-3 are forward deployed to 7th Fleet in support of early operational capability (EOC) and Commander Task Force (CTF)-72 tasking. VUP-19 will operate Triton to further develop the concept of operations and fleet learning associated with operating a high-altitude, long-endurance system in the maritime domain. 

“The MQ-4C Triton has already had a tremendous positive impact on operations in [U.S. Indo-Pacific Command] and will continue to provide unprecedented maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities which are especially critical to national interests with the increased focus in the Pacific,” Mackin said. 

Triton is the first high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft that can conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to complement the P-8 in the maritime domain. The Navy plans to deploy Triton to five orbits worldwide.  

SAN DIEGO — The crew of USS Independence (LCS 2), the lead ship of the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, recognized more than a decade of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, July 29, commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, said in a July 30 release. 

Due to public health and safety restrictions on large public events resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the ceremony was a private event celebrated alongside ship plankowners and former crew members. 

During the ceremony, keynote speaker, Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, wished the crew of Independence fair winds and following seas as they said farewell to their ship. 

“The Independence crew shouldered a heavy responsibility. Since the ship’s introduction into the fleet we asked her to serve for a specific purpose; to test emerging equipment and concepts,” said Kitchener. “The crew accomplished that and so much more. Without their efforts and experiences, the ship class would not be where it is today with six ships deployed throughout the world. Those improvements, made largely in part due to this crew’s experience and input, will continue to carry the LCS class into the future.” 

The commissioning commanding officer of USS Independence gold crew, Capt. Michael Riley said it was the Sailors who rose to the occasion that made Independence prosperous. 

“What made Independence successful wasn’t the program managers, industry professionals or even her two captains. It was the officers, chiefs and Sailors of the blue and gold crews that made it operational. They shouldered the burden of shifting programmatic guidance, incomplete documentation or one-of-a-kind systems, and got it to sea,” said Riley. “They were honest in pointing out when system performances or operational processes failed to live up to their expectations. At the same time, they discovered hidden capabilities in the ship, repurposing equipment and systems to suit the situation.” 

Independence maintained a crew of nine officers and 41 enlisted Sailors. The ship was built in Mobile, Alabama, by Austal USA and commissioned Jan. 16, 2010. 

Independence is the sixth ship to carry the name, recognizing the cornerstone of our nation’s foundation for which so many Americans have fought and died. The first Independence was a 10-gun sloop that served during the American Revolution. The second Independence, the first ship of the line in the Navy, was launched in 1814 as a 74-gun ship, but later refitted to a 54-gun frigate. The third Independence served with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) following the end of World War I. The fourth Independence (CVL 22), a small aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943, earned eight battle stars during World War II. The fifth Independence (CV 62) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1959 and decommissioned in 1998. 

Independence has been a test and training ship and was key in developing the operational concepts foundational to the current configuration and deployment of LCS today. The decommissioning of LCS 2 supports department-wide business process reform initiatives to free up time, resources, and manpower in support of increased lethality. The LCS remains a fast, agile, and networked surface combatant, designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats. 

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin and is a steel monohull design constructed in the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The Independence variant is an aluminum trimaran design originally built by an industry team led by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for LCS 2 and LCS 4. Currently, Independence variant LCS are constructed by Austal USA in the company’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard. 

LCS are outfitted with mission packages (made up of mission systems and support equipment) that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare or surface warfare missions. 

After the decommissioning of Independence, 22 littoral combat ships remain in service to the fleet. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The shipboard laser weapon system built for the U. S. Navy by Lockheed Martin is being tested at Wallops Island, Virginia, a company official said. 

The first High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS, was delivered to the Navy in January 2021 and was shipped to the Navy’s test site at Wallops Island.  

The HELIOS is being test-fired and real-world test data from the weapon is being collected to confirm the models, said Jon Rambeau, vice president and general manager for Integrated Warfare Systems & Sensors at Lockheed Martin. 

The single 60-kilowatt HELIOS unit is scheduled to be installed on the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Preble in line with its deployment schedule, Rambeau said. 

Lockheed Martin built one HELIOS under the Navy contract, which has options for multiple units. 

Rambeau said the HELIOS, which is fully integrated into the Aegis Combat System, has the potential to be a significant counter to anti-ship cruise missiles. The weapon is scalable with additional of fiber-optic laser modules. The HELIOS is adaptable to the Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) on aircraft carriers and most amphibious warfare ships.   

NEW LONDON, Conn. — A more than $23 million project is now underway at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy that will transform the waterfront area of the 90-year-old campus, the academy’s public affairs office said in a July 29 release.  

The future Maritime Center of Excellence (MCOE) will enhance the waterfront facilities at the Academy by offering interactive and high-tech classrooms for a variety of educational and leadership development courses.   

The 20,000 square foot structure will be the Academy’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building and will highlight the unique waterfront leadership programs and nationally prominent intercollegiate sailing program. 

In a twist on the traditional groundbreaking ceremony, leaders signed a ceremonial steel beam which will be used in the construction of the future center during a July 29 event to commemorate the start of the project.    

Present at the event were Rear Adm. Bill Kelly, superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy, retired Coast Guard Capt. Andrea Marcille, president of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association and retired Coast Guard Vice Adm. Manson Brown, chair of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.   

The modern design of the MCOE includes ambitious sustainability design goals in line with coordinated climate resiliency efforts across the service, and one of several lines of effort that the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies have taken to address the dangers posed by global climate change.  

The construction is targeting LEED Gold certification. LEED certification involves a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of modern buildings to achieve sustainability and resource efficiency goals.   

“This LEED certified, multi-purpose facility will serve as gathering spot for cadets and officer candidates from across our great nation,” said Rear Adm. Kelly. “It will be a space where young women and men can gather to learn and grow and I am certain it will serve as a facility that will enhance an appreciation for the water and all its power and beauty and ultimately it will help us instill a liking for the sea and its lore.” 

The interior spaces of the future center have been designed with access to daylight, and natural ventilation to minimize reliance on artificial lighting and air conditioning. Double-height spaces for vessel maintenance, office space, and an atrium will provide natural ventilation. Other sustainability goals include the exploration of ground-source heating and cooling, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting. The building exterior will also feature durable, resilient materials that are easily maintained. 

With a curvilinear vaulted roof, wooden decks, and true north orientation the building is designed to highlight the waterfront landscape. The new facility will also feature interactive and high-tech classrooms such as the Science and Engineering Innovation Laboratory designed to encourage collaboration in areas of digital processing, robotics, alternative fuels and emissions, and environmental and coastal resiliency among others.  

This represents a significant step forward as the Academy works to recapitalize 1930’s infrastructure and build modernized training and education venues to deliver the knowledge, skills, experience and values necessary to develop the future Coast Guard workforce. 

GROTON, Connecticut – The Navy’s newest Virginia-class attack submarine, future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), was christened during a ceremony at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Connecticut, July 31, the U.S. Navy said in a release.

“This submarine is a fitting tribute to Admiral Rickover, who truly transformed our Navy,” said Adm. James Caldwell, director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, during his remarks at the celebration.

Caldwell credited Rickover — who served for 63 years in the Navy and is credited with spurring the service to adopt nuclear propulsion after World War II — with not only technological advances but cultural ones. He lauded Rickover’s legendary work ethic, frankness, attention to detail and commitment to excellence, which he said has since permeated throughout the Navy.

“It’s really great to see this ship come together, and to see so many people here to celebrate the christening of the Hyman G. Rickover and honor the Hyman G. Rickover legacy,” said Cmdr. Thomas Niebel, commanding officer of the newly christened submarine.

The Honorable James F. Geurts, performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Navy, told those in attendance that the construction of the future USS Hyman G. Rickover is a testament to the dedication of America’s shipbuilders and sailors.

“We did not close a shipyard, public or private, for one day during the pandemic,” Geurts said. “The sustained commitment to excellence displayed by this workforce shows in the construction of this boat and adheres to the culture of excellence promoted by Hyman G. Rickover.

“It’s not just a matter of having the world’s best ships,” he continued, “you have to have the world’s best Sailors to maintain the world’s best Navy, and we have both.”

Darleen Greenert, the submarine’s sponsor, a Navy veteran, and wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert, highlighted the sacrifice of military families during her remarks, and remembered the late Eleonore Rickover, the namesake admiral’s wife.

“She set the bar [for ship sponsors],” Greenert said of Eleonore Rickover, who was the sponsor for a previous Los Angeles-class submarine to bear the Hyman G. Rickover name, SSN 709. “She loved her crew.”

The first Hyman G. Rickover was commissioned at Submarine Base, New London, in Groton, on July 21, 1984. SSN 709 and its crew deployed 12 times until its decommissioning in December 2007. Over the years, its decorations included the Atlantic Fleet Golden Anchor Award, Submarine Squadron Eight’s anti-submarine warfare white “A” and engineering red “E” awards and the prestigious Sixth Fleet “Hook ‘Em” award for anti-submarine warfare excellence.

Greenert asked family members of the crew of the future USS Hyman G. Rickover to stand together when her daughter, Matron of Honor Sarah Greenert McNichol, broke the ceremonial bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Electric Boat President Kevin Graney, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-CT and U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI.

Rickover will eventually joint the fleet with a displacement of 7,835 tons, crew of 132, and a weapons payload of 12 vertical launch systems and four torpedo tubes.

Fast-attack submarines like Rickover are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities — sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. The submarine is designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare; anti-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare – from open ocean anti-submarine warfare to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to projecting power ashore with Special Operation Forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.

The Jones Act and commercial cargo operations in general must be strengthened to avoid further erosion of U.S. shipping strength versus commercial powerhouse China, said speakers at a Navy League Sea-Air-Space Prequel “Lunch and Learn” virtual session on July 21.

Dr. Sal Mercogliano, associate professor of history at Campbell University in North Carolina and a former merchant mariner, led a panel discussion entitled “The Jones Act, Where Commerce and Defense Converge.”

Mercogliano and the speakers sounded the alarm about the status of the U.S. merchant marine, particularly when compared to China.

“Are we a true proponent of sea power if we have the No. 1 Navy in the world and the No. 21 merchant marine in the world, when China is basically No. 2 in both and growing?” Mercogliano asked.

China has the largest merchant fleet, “which dwarfs ours,” the largest coast guard, the world’s only maritime militia, produces 96% of the world’s shipping containers and owns seven of the 10 busiest ports in the world, said panelist Tony Padilla, director of the Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift at the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration.

On an average day in the United States, 23 U.S.-flagged vessels call at ports, compared with 2,800 foreign-flagged vessels, he said. In the critical Indo-Pacific region, 35 U.S.-flagged vessels call at ports on an average day, compared with 20,000 foreign-flagged vessels.

“This should be a wake-up call,” he said. “This is a major issue that we need to get to like yesterday, like last year, like 10 years ago.”

Panelist Mike Roberts, senior vice president of government relations for Crowley Maritime Corp. and president of the American Maritime Partnership, joined Padilla in pointing out the dangers posed by China, an authoritarian country.

“China’s advantage in the commercial maritime sector is simply overwhelming in sheer numbers. The Navy League reported last December that there were roughly 6,000 large commercial ships controlled by China internationally. The corresponding number of American-flagged ships is below 200 and that includes ships operating in U.S. domestic trades,” Roberts said.

“It’s all about policy — laissez faire on steroids on the U.S. side, versus mercantilism on steroids on the China side.”

The Jones Act — officially known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — ensures that only U.S.-built, flagged and crewed ships can operate in domestic commerce, although it does allow for waivers of those requirements. Roberts said it is sometimes derided as a protectionist law aimed at bolstering the defense market, but one big value is promoting U.S. industry and workers.

“Foreign ships don’t obey American rules, hire American workers or pay American taxes. They should not be allowed to trade in our domestic markets, and that’s simply a function of American sovereignty, and not protectionism,” he said.

Costs are higher using U.S. workers versus developing nations’ labor, but “it’s simply not OK to replace American workers with foreign workers right here in America,” he said. “Those who complain about the cost of the Jones Act invariably miss that point.”

Jennifer Carpenter, president and CEO of the American Waterways Operators, a trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, said the U.S. commercial fleet showed its worth during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping goods flowing.

Throughout the worst days of the pandemic, “tugboats, towboats, barges and other domestic vessels continued to move the commodities that kept a weakened economy afloat,” not least by delivering equipment to fight the virus.

“How much worse could things have been if we’d had to rely on foreign vessels to move supplies on our domestic waters and if we had to deal with the potential to the disruption to our maritime commerce in the middle of contending with COVID?” Carpenter said. “Thanks to the Jones Act, we didn’t have to find out.”

Carpenter said commercial shipping can respond quickly in the case of disaster, such as when ships stepped up to deliver oil to riverine ports in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline shutdown. Jones Act opponents sometimes call for waivers in the wake of such events, but she said the recent National Defense Authorization Act puts new requirements on such waivers and includes transparency and accountability as to who is asking for them, “so Congress can provide oversight.”

The act also specifies that renewable energy projects — mainly, offshore wind farms — are subject to the Jones Act, just like oil and gas work is.

Building wind farms is a “generational opportunity,” Carpenter said. “Let’s let American maritime companies and American mariners make this tremendous investment that is going to serve our country and our economy and our security so well.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has brought charges against a Sailor who was a crew member of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard for starting the fire that resulted in the devastation of the ship, the U.S. 3rd Fleet said in a July 29 release. 

“On July 29, charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice [UCMJ] were brought forth against a Navy Sailor in response to evidence found during the criminal investigation into the fire started on USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on July 12, 2020,” said Cmdr. Sean Robertson, U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesperson. “Evidence collected during the investigation is sufficient to direct a preliminary hearing in accordance with due process under the military justice system. The Sailor was a member of Bonhomme Richard’s crew at the time and is accused of starting the fire.  

“Vice Adm. Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet is considering court-martial charges and has directed a preliminary hearing at which an impartial hearing officer will make determinations and recommendations required by the UCMJ prior to any further trial proceedings — including whether or not there is probable cause to believe an offense has been committed and to offer a recommendation as to the disposition of the case.” 

The Bonhomme Richard was pierside at the naval base in San Diego going through modernization when a fire started and spread through much of the ship over a period of days. The Navy considered several options to repair the ship, possibly in another role, but the service decided to decommission and scrap it. 

“Following an extensive material assessment in which various courses of action were considered and evaluated, we came to the conclusion that it is not fiscally responsible to restore her, then-Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said in a Nov. 30 release. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Lockheed Martin’s deliveries of electronic warfare capabilities to U.S. Navy now include Surface Warfare Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Lite as deliveries of (SEWIP) Block 2 reaches 100, a company official said. 

SEWIP Lite is a scaled version of SEWIP Block 2 designed for installation on smaller warships such as the Navy’s littoral combat ships (LCSs) and the Coast Guard’s new offshore patrol cutters now under construction. SEWIP Lite operates with the same hardware software and same inboard processing as SEWIP Block 2. 

“SEWIP Lite now is in production” said Joe Ottaviano, director for Maritime and Air Cyber/Electronic Warfare at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, in an interview with Seapower. “We’ve delivered several of those already. Some are on the way for installation on LCS.”  

Ottaviano said that some international customers have expressed an interest in SEWIP Lite, designed for ships smaller than an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer which have size, weight, and space limitations. Block 2 currently is planned for the Constellation-class frigate. 

The SLQ-32(V)6 SEWIP Block 2, including SEWIP Lite, is being installed on all active U.S. Navy surface combatants. Block 2 is in its second five-year full-rate production run. 

“We’re going through tech refresh now,” Ottaviano said. “A lot of the open-architecture things we had put in place over the years is allowing us to tech refresh SEWIP, our submarine programs, our airborne programs at a pretty rapid pace, every couple of years without causing a huge development cycle.” 

Lockheed Martin is continuing to work with the Navy as they integrate the [electronic attack] Block 3 portion into [SEWIP]. Block 3 is a Northrop Grumman program. 

“Block 2 brings the foundation of the Navy’s EW battle management — the displays, integration, the sharing of EW information across the fleet, and providing the enterprise protection,” Ottaviano said. “It actually cues Block 3 and helps drive its response.” 

He said the SEWIP is now tightly integrated into the Aegis Combat System.  

“Now we can do everything we need to do passively,” he said.  

The Naval Sea Systems Command Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships) is establishing a new program office to distribute the support ships, boats and craft responsibilities of PMS 325. PMS 325 currently manages acquisition and life-cycle support for auxiliary ships, boats, service craft and targets, special mission ships and foreign military sales. PMS 300 will assume the duties for boats and craft, while 325 will focus on the larger platforms.

According to NAVSEA spokesman Alan Baribeau, PEO Ships continually assesses and where necessary adjusts program office resources to ensure they are best aligned to efficiently and effectively deliver capability to requirements. 

“The PMS 325 portfolio has grown significantly over time and based on forecasted workload has reached the point where splitting into two separate, focused program offices is prudent,” Baribeau said.  “PMS 300 is being established as the USN & FMS Boats and Craft Program Office; it will oversee FMS, boats & combatant craft and service craft/targets. PMS 325 will be renamed the Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office and will oversee auxiliary ships and special mission ships including Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS), the Navy Cable Ship (T-ARC(X)) Program to replace the Navy’s only undersea cable installation and repair ship, and the ), and new TAGOS(X) Ocean Surveillance Shipbuilding Program.”

SANTA RITA, Guam — The Coast Guard’s three newest Fast Response Cutters were commissioned July 29 during a ceremony presided over by Adm. Karl Schultz, the Coast Guard’s commandant, the Coast Guard 14th District said in a release. 

The Coast Guard Cutters Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139), Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) and Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) were commissioned during a rare triple-commissioning ceremony at their new homeport at Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam.  

“The triple commissioning of Coast Guard Cutters Myrtle Hazard, Oliver Henry, and Frederick Hatch signals our dedication to regional partners and the growing maritime demand in the region,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander, Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam. “It was an honor to celebrate this historic event with the crews, families and sponsors for each cutters’ namesake.”  

Like the 30-year-old Island-class patrol boats before them, they will support the people of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and our international partners throughout Oceania. The FRCs represent the Coast Guard’s commitment to modernizing service assets to address the increasingly complex global Maritime Transportation System.  

The Coast Guard already has a well-established presence within the region due to its bilateral shiprider agreements with Pacific Island Forum countries. These shiprider agreements allow partnering nations’ defense and law enforcement officers to go aboard Coast Guard vessels to observe, board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within their exclusive economic zones.  

By embarking shipriders, Coast Guard crews are able to support allies in the region and work towards expanding security by addressing regional challenges to peace, prosperity, and social inclusion. The retention of crewmembers from these invaluable missions means the lessons learned from joint operations will carry over to the new FRCs, ensuring goodwill developed by past Coast Guard assets will remain applicable.  

“These initiatives cultivate relationships and they solve practical problems,” said Schultz. “In this way the Coast Guard’s distinct contributions to maritime government are built on people-to-people relationships.” 

Named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes, FRCs are equipped with advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and boast a greater range and endurance. At 154-feet long, they reach speeds of over 28 knots covering a distance of 2,500 nautical miles over a five-day patrol. They are armed with a stabilized 25-mm machine gun mount and four crew-served .50-caliber machine guns. 

These advanced capabilities greatly improve the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct missions ranging from search and rescue to national defense while also contributing to joint operations between the United States and its regional partners as they work towards common goals such as the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.  

“The people of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Micronesia can rest assured that these multi-mission platforms stand ready to support our partners throughout the region,” said Simmons.  

Each FRC has a standard 24-person crew. This brings over 70 new Coast Guard members to Guam, along with their family members. Prior to the FRCs’ arrival, the Coast Guard presence on Guam was composed of approximately 250 active-duty personnel and 40 reservists.