ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s top procurement official said he seeks to maintain the agility and efficiencies garnered by the Navy’s acquisition and repair workforce and procedures long after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.  

The pandemic is a “really good test of resilience and how dynamic your organization is,” said James F. Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, who spoke on July 15 during a webinar, NatSec 2020: Coronavirus and Beyond, co-sponsored by the Navy League of the United States, the Association of the United States Army and Government Matters. 

“What we’ve been working on for the last couple years of decentralizing, differentializing, digitizing the work and developing talent, in hindsight, is very important,” Geurts said in response to questions from the Navy League’s executive director, Mike Stevens. “It gave us a really sound foundation to pivot. I’ve been really impressed how fast we’ve been able to pivot. The Navy, at least in acquisition channels, has been accelerating through the crisis.” 

Geurts said the Navy is about 37% ahead in contract awards this year compared with the same period in 2019 and twice what was done by this time in 2018 — having awarded an additional $30 billion to $35 billion in contracts in motion in the middle of the crisis. He said the effort created stability and freed up bandwidth to deal with things that pop up. 

He said the pandemic has “re-taught us the value of resilience as the core attribute to an organization.” 

The assistant secretary said the Navy had been planning how to surge in the event of a security crisis and, when the pandemic hit, the “art of planning for a crisis allowed us to pivot in a really strong way.” 

He credited “empowering the workforce by massively decentralizing” as a key to success, “showing the workforce that, ‘Hey, we trust you, your decision-making, we’re going to empower you to make decisions.’” 

Geurts said he wants to preserve the momentum developed by his workforce beyond the pandemic. 

“Going back to where we were, as good as that was, is mission failure,” he said. “The fact that we were able to get 37% more efficiency in a crisis, I want to capture that efficiency … so that we’ve got both performance improvement and more resilience as we go forward. … We should get better at leading through disruption.”  

Geurts said no shipyards or repair yards — public or private — have been shut down during the pandemic. 

“To think that we had 100,000-plus shipyard workers continuously operating through the crisis is a pretty remarkable state of leadership,” he said. “We’ve had some delays, some disruption, some loss of productive work hours — which we’re going to have to manage our way through, and we’re working our way through that — but we never got to the point where we had to completely shut down.” 

The Navy recently mobilized 1,600 Reservists to shore up the shipyards during the pandemic. And Geurts noted that the Navy has not slowed down its deployments or overseas presence during the pandemic.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The firefighting efforts to save the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego carried over into a fifth day on July 16. 

Just after midnight, early in the morning, the work of firefighting teams had to be temporarily halted, the Navy reported. 

“Out of an abundance of caution the pier and ship were cleared of personnel due to an initial shift in the ship’s list,” Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a release. “Personnel are now pierside. We will continue to monitor as the ship settles.” 

As of 6 a.m. Pacific time, the firefighting teams were continuing operations on board the ship, according to the Navy. The total personnel treated for minor injuries remained 63 — 40 Sailors and 23 civilians. The fires were reportedly caused by an explosion, but the Navy has not officially disclosed a cause. 

NORFOLK, Va. — The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are returning from deployment this month, marking the end of seven months attached to the U.S. 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleets.  

The first of the ARG ships, the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill, returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on July 15. 

“I am tremendously proud of what the Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit accomplished during this deployment. Our team worked tirelessly to remain fully mission ready during the unprecedented challenge of a global pandemic,” said Capt. Lance Lesher, who was commander of Amphibious Squadron 8 through its pre-deployment workup cycle and deployment until conducting a change of command at sea on July 12. 

The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York are expected to return to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, and Naval Station Mayport, Florida, respectively, in the coming days. The MEU departed the ARG ships and returned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, over the weekend. 

“As a ‘certain force in an uncertain world’ the 26th MEU was flexible, resilient, and adaptable while forward deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet and 6th Fleet areas of operation,” said Col. Trevor Hall, commanding officer of the 26th MEU. “This deployment presented unique challenges, but the Navy-Marine Corps team prevailed and incessantly provided our fleet commanders with a responsive, sea-based Marine air-ground task force — even during the global novel coronavirus pandemic.” 

The ARG ships and MEU departed for deployment from their respective home bases in December and remained at sea for more than 150 straight days before returning home.  

“The crews onboard USS Bataan, USS New York and USS Oak Hill should feel great satisfaction and fulfillment knowing that, during this deployment, they played a crucial role as part of a premier crisis response team across the U.S. 2nd Fleet, 5th Fleet and 6th Fleet,” said Lesher. “The daily actions of our Sailors and Marines over the past seven months have made a positive impact on the world, and I’m pleased they will now be reunited with their friends, families and loved ones.” 

Lesher turned over command of PHIBRON 8 to Capt. Jason Rimmer during a change-of-command ceremony at sea onboard Bataan in the Atlantic Ocean. 

While in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, the Bataan ARG and 26th MEU remained healthy and fully mission ready while working with regional partners. The Blue-Green team worked with partners from Saudi Arabia to coordinate multiple complex training evolutions on the uninhabited Karan and Kurayn islands in the Arabian Gulf as well as with partners from the United Arab Emirates to hold training in an isolated location within that country. 

While in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, the ARG-MEU increased interoperability with regional allies and partners by conducting maneuvering operations and at-sea exercises with navy and coast guard ships from Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Turkey in the Black Sea. The crew additionally worked with allied ships from France and Italy during their time in the Mediterranean Sea.  

U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venoms and AH-1W Super Cobras assigned to the 26th MEU additionally participated in a live-fire training exercise in Bize, Albania. 

The Sailors and Marines of the ARG-MEU also strengthened international partnerships by hosting the head of the Royal Jordanian Navy and deputy commander of Kuwait Naval Forces aboard Bataan in separate visits that reinforced shared goals and fostered personal relationships.  

There are more than 4,000 Sailors and Marines assigned to the units of the ARG-MEU, nearly 2,500 of which were aboard the Bataan. Also embarked on the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group were the staff of Amphibious Squadron 8 and personnel from Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Fleet Surgical Team 4, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, Naval Beach Group 2, Assault Craft Unit 4 and Assault Craft Unit 2. 

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson operated in the Spratly Islands on July 14 in a freedom of navigation operation that upheld the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea, recognized in international law, by challenging restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan, U.S. Pacific Fleet public affairs said in a release.

Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea threaten the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations.

The U.S. challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant. The international community has an enduring role in preserving the freedom of the seas, which is critical to global security, stability, and prosperity.

U.S. forces continue to operate in the South China Sea daily as they have for more than a century. U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Pacific area of operations. As the Navy’s largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability and prevent conflict.

CARIBBEAN SEA — The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Pinckney challenged Venezuela’s excessive maritime claim in international waters during a successful freedom of navigation operation on July 15 in the Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command public affairs said in a release.

The Navy previously contested Venezuela’s excessive claim on June 23, when the USS Nitze completed a similar operation in international waters outside of Venezuela’s 12 nautical-mile territorial sea.

The Maduro regime claims excessive controls over those international waters, which extend 3 miles beyond the 12-mile territorial sea, a claim that is inconsistent with international law.

The Navy conducts freedom of navigation operations worldwide to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to uphold the rights, freedoms, access and lawful uses of international waters and airspace guaranteed to all nations. Freedom of navigation operations help preserve the navigation and access rights guaranteed to all nations.

Global access to international waters protects U.S. national interests, promotes a just international order, and ensures the Navy can accomplish key missions, including humanitarian assistance deployments, disaster relief operations, support to international counter-narcotics efforts, and multinational exercises that strengthen regional partnerships.

USS Pinckney, as well as other Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships, are operating in the Caribbean as part of the president’s enhanced counter narcotics operation.

“We will exercise our lawful right to freely navigate international waters without acquiescing to unlawful claims,” said Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command. “The guaranteed right of nations to access, transit and navigate international waters is not subject to impositions or restrictions that blatantly violate international law.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The United States needs a larger merchant fleet, including ships available for sealift and tankers to meet the challenges of the new era of “great power competition,” particularly a conflict in the Pacific, said a senior Navy League of the United States official.

Jonathan Kaskin, who spoke July 14 during a webinar, NatSec 2020: Coronavirus and Beyond, co-sponsored by the Navy League, the Association of the United States Army and Government Matters, said the “fleet itself just needs to grow.”

Kaskin, a former Navy logistics official, said “we in the Navy League would like to … advocate for a much larger Merchant Marine in order to support the tenets of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which says that we should have a [merchant] fleet large enough to support not only our domestic trade but a portion of our international trade to be able to maintain our commerce at all time in peace and war. I don’t think we have adequate capability in both areas right now.”

Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby, a retired Navy admiral and former commander of Military Sealift Command (MSC), also spoke during the webinar.

“We need more ships,” Buzby said, noting that about 50 more vessels are needed for sealift; 87 U.S.-flag international-trading cargo ships (of which 60 are enrolled in MARAD’s Maritime Security Program, a stipend paid to keep ships available for sealift), available for mobilization for military use; and 99 large Jones Act ships.

Buzby said that the nation’s Merchant Mariner workforce is short about 1,800 personnel for a sustained sealift mission.

He said he prefers to have more commercial ships operating rather than Reserve ships tied up at the pier, because they would be more ready and would have trained mariners already on board and qualified.

Kaskin said that there are two ways to grow the merchant fleet, one being an expansion of the Maritime Security Program. The other is a MARAD proposal to create a Tanker Security Program “to help mitigate a shortfall of tankers required to support a war in the Pacific.”

He said only six U.S-flag international trade tankers are available for use by the military — and three of those are already leased by the Navy to support current operations.

“The requirement that U.S. Transportation Command has shown — and earlier studies have shown — that we need more than 78 tankers. Adding 10 is not going to be sufficient,” he said. “So, what we really need to do is find ways of utilizing the tankers that we have in the domestic fleet — the Jones Act [ships] — to be able to support wartime operations.”

HOUSTON — The U.S. Coast Guard held a commissioning ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller, the service’s 38th fast-response cutter, at Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, on July 15, the Coast Guard 8th District said.

The district commander, Rear Adm. John Nadeau, presided over the ceremony, along with Lt. Michael Salerno, the Harold Miller’s commanding officer.

Harold Miller, the cutter’s namesake, was a Coast Guard boatswain’s mate second class and a Silver Star recipient for his heroic actions that led to the victory at Tulagi Island during World War II.

On Aug. 7, 1942, while stationed aboard the USS McKean, Miller piloted the first wave of landing craft on Tulagi Island in the Pacific theater against a Japanese force on Guadalcanal Island. Miller then made repeated trips despite heavy enemy fire to affect the landing of his embarked troops, equipment ammunition and supplies.

The Harold Miller’s patrol area will encompass 900 miles of coastline for the 8th District, from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. Fast-response cutters are named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes and will replace the service’s 110-foot patrol boats.

These vessels feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Tripoli on July 15, the Navy’s Office of the Navy Chief of Information said in a release.

Although the Navy canceled the traditional public commissioning ceremony due to public health and safety restrictions on large public gatherings, the sea service commissioned the USS Tripoli administratively and the ship transitioned to normal operations. Meanwhile, the Navy is looking at a future opportunity to commemorate the event with the USS Tripoli’s sponsor, crew and commissioning committee.

“USS Tripoli is proof of what the teamwork of all of our people — civilian, contractor and military — can accomplish together,” Navy Secretary Kenneth J. Braithwaite said. “This ship will extend the maneuverability and lethality of our fleet to confront the many challenges of a complex world, from maintaining the sea lanes to countering instability to maintaining our edge in this era of renewed great power competition.”

Rear Adm. Philip E. Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, welcomed the Navy’s newest amphib and its crew to the amphibious force.

“Tripoli is an example of the continued investment in our Navy, to increase and maintain our edge on the battlefield,” Sobeck said. “Congratulations to Tripoli’s crew for all of your hard work, amidst these challenging times, to reach this milestone.”

LHA 7 incorporates key components to provide the fleet with a more aviation-centric platform. Tripoli’s design features an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity. The ship is the first LHA replacement ship to depart the shipyard ready to integrate the entire future air combat element of the Marine Corps, to include the F-35B joint strike fighter.

Along with its pioneering aviation element, LHA 7 incorporates a gas turbine propulsion plant, zonal electrical distribution and fuel-efficient electric auxiliary propulsion systems first installed on USS Makin Island (LHD 8). LHA 7 is 844 feet in length, has a displacement of about 44,000 long tons and will be capable of operating at speeds of over 20 knots.

Tripoli’s commanding officer, Capt. Kevin Myers, highlighted Tripoli’s accomplishments over the past several months getting through initial sea trials.

“Being the third ship to bear the Tripoli namesake is a profound honor and this crew stands ready to carry on the legacy of our longstanding Navy and Marine Corps amphibious community,” Meyers said.

LHA 7’s name honors the Marines and approximately 370 soldiers from 11 other nationalities who captured the city of Derna, Libya, during the 1805 Battle of Derna. The battle resulted in a subsequent peace treaty and the successful conclusion of the combined operations of the First Barbary War and was later memorialized in the Marines’ Hymn with the line, “to the shores of Tripoli.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy secretary and chief of naval operations announced on June 13 these flag assignments:

Rear Adm. Kathleen M. Creighton will be assigned as director, information warfare integration, N2/N6F, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Creighton is serving as Navy Cyber Security Division director, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. John V. Fuller will be assigned as deputy director for force protection, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Fuller is serving as director, J-5, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

Rear Adm. James E. Pitts will be assigned as director, warfare integration, N9I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Pitts is serving as commander, Submarine Group 7; commander, Task Force 74; and commander, Task Force 54, Yokosuka, Japan.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Douglas W. Small, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego. Small is serving as program executive officer for integrated warfare systems, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) William E. Chase III will be assigned as senior military adviser for cyber policy to the undersecretary of defense for policy, and deputy principal cyber adviser to the secretary of defense, Washington, D.C. Chase is serving as deputy director, command, control, communications, and computers/cyber, J-6, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Leonard C. Dollaga will be assigned as commander, Submarine Group 7; commander, Task Force 74; and commander, Task Force 54, Yokosuka, Japan. Dollaga previously served as commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center, Groton, Connecticut.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas M. Henderschedt is assigned as senior defense official/defense attaché, China. Henderschedt previously served as naval attaché, U.S. Defense Attaché Office, Beijing, China.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Nicholas M. Homan will be assigned as director of intelligence, J-2, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Homan previously served as deputy, deputy chief of staff, intelligence, Resolute Support; and deputy director, J2, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Matthew N. Ott III will be assigned as executive director, operational contract support, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Washington, D.C. Ott is serving as special assistant for audit readiness, Office of the Assistant Navy Secretary (Financial Management and Comptroller), Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) William P. Pennington will be assigned as commander, Task Force 70; and commander, Carrier Strike Group 5, Yokosuka, Japan. Pennington served as special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy, N3/N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey S. Scheidt will be assigned as deputy chief, computer network operations, National Security Agency, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Scheidt is serving as commander, Naval Information Warfighting Development Center, Norfolk, Virginia. Rear Adm. (lower half) Philip W. Yu will be assigned as U.S. senior defense official/defense attaché, Moscow. Yu served as China branch chief, N5I1, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy and supporting firefighting teams continued to battle blazes on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard for the fourth straight day, a Navy spokesperson said.

“As of 06:00 a.m. Pacific time July 15, firefighting teams continue operations on board USS Bonhomme Richard — 63 personnel, 40 Sailors and 23 civilians have been treated for minor injuries, including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation,” the public affairs office for commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a July 15 release.

“Currently, there are no personnel hospitalized. Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 [HSC-3] has conducted more than 1,500 helicopter water bucket drops, which is cooling the super structure and flight deck enabling fire crews to get onboard internally to fight the fire,” the release said.

The Navy has not said what caused the fire, though numerous reports attribute it to an explosion aboard.

In a July 14 release the Navy listed the units that have assisted in the firefighting efforts in addition to HSC-3:

• USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)
• USS Cowpens (CG 63)
• USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62)
• USS Decatur (DDG 73)
• USS Tulsa (LCS 16)
• USS Shoup (DDG 86)
• USS Rushmore (LSD 47)
• USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)
• USS San Diego (LPD 22)
• USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)
• USS Stethem (DDG 63)
• USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26)

Federal Fire entities:

• Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
• San Diego
• Ventura County
• Naval Air Facility El Centro

Additional Defense Department firefighting agencies:

• Camp Pendleton Fire Department
• Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Fire Department