ARLINGTON,
Va. — American commerce depends on the seas, and it’s the U.S. Navy that
secures that economic prosperity, the chief of naval operations said here, arguing
for a bigger slice of the Defense Department budget.

“American
commerce is maritime commerce. The American economy flows from the sea,” Adm.
Michael Gilday told an audience Jan. 14 at the Surface Navy Association symposium.

Addressing a
ballroom packed with Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and foreign military personnel as
well as industry representatives, Gilday reminded them that infrastructure improvements
to several ports around the world were funded by the Chinese government, which he
said is trying to expand “a network of influence which helps them assert
control over an international system we’re trying to protect.”

To meet the
challenge of the “great power competition,” the Navy needs to grow the fleet’s
capabilities while it maintains and modernizes existing platforms, Gilday said.

“We need
more money. We need more top line,” he added.

The current
practice of dividing the topline defense budget roughly into thirds for the
Army, Navy and Air Force “does not reflect a strategy,” according to Gilday.
Just 1% of the total defense budget would give the Navy an additional $7
billion a year for shipbuilding.

As an
example of Navy funding challenges, the CNO cited the Columbia class submarine
program, which he called his highest priority. The Ohio class subs will be 42
years old when they are all retired.  In
the 1980s, when that program was in full swing, it accounted for about 20% of
the shipbuilding budget. Today, the Columbia program accounts for roughly 25%
of shipbuilding funding, and it is expected to grow to 32% between fiscal 2022
and 2030.

“Lot of
dough,” Gilday said, adding that, in the 1980s, the Navy’s share of the budget
was 38%. Now, it’s 34%, he said.

“We, collectively, have to do a better job of
making the case [for] what the United States Navy does for our fellow citizens,”
he added.

ARLINGTON,
Va. — Three foreign navies have expressed interest in the U.S. Navy’s Raytheon-built
SPY-6 scalable family of shipboard radars as the Navy prepares to take delivery
this year of its first shipsets for installation.

Mike Mills,
Raytheon’s SPY-6 program director, told Seapower in a Jan. 14 interview
at the Surface Navy Association convention here that Norway, Singapore and
Japan have expressed interest in the radars. He said Raytheon hopes to land its
first foreign military sale of the radars in 2020 or 2021.

The SPY-6(V)1
Air and Missile Defense Radar is designed for the Navy’s Flight III Arleigh
Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) and features 37 radar modular
assemblies (RMAs) in fixed arrays. The SPY(V)2 Enterprise Air Search Radar
(EASR) is designed for amphibious warfare ships and features nine RMAs in a
rotating antenna.

The SPY-6(V)3
EASR, also with nine RMAs but in fixed arrays, is designed for aircraft
carriers. Another version, the SPY-6(V)4, with 24 RMAs will be back-fit on
Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Navy’s FFG(X) next-generation
guided-missile frigate also will receive a version of the SPY-6 EASR as
government-furnished equipment.

Mills said that three shipsets — numbers 5, 6 and 7 — were placed on contract by the Navy in March and that a contract for shipsets 8 and 9 was awarded in December. The Navy ordered long-lead-time materials for the EASR radars to be installed on Bougainville (LHA 8) and USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Mills expects the Navy to order the shipsets for those two ships in May or June.

For the backfits to Flight IIA DDGS, Raytheon delivered the technical data package for the 24-RMA assembly to the Navy in October. The Navy plans on installation of the radars on many Flight IIA DDGs.

Raytheon has five AMDR arrays at the company’s facility in Andover, Massachusetts, with the first two in ranges for their scans. The company expects to deliver the next four between April and June, with the last one bound for installation of Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), the first Flight III DDG.

ARLINGTON.
Va. — As Textron’s Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) goes through the
paces of testing, it is attracting the U.S. Navy’s attention for missions
beyond minesweeping.

The CUSV, an
unmanned boat capable of towing or carrying payloads, is under development for
the Navy’s Mine Countermeasures USV (MCM USV) program. Designed to tow a
mission package for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System, the MCM USV has been
tested with Raytheon’s AQS-20 and Northrop Grumman’s AQS-24 mine-hunting
sonars.

The MCM USV
has completed developmental test and operational evaluation, Wayne Prender,
vice president of Textron Systems, said in an Jan. 14 interview with Seapower
at the Surface Navy Association convention here. He said the company is
expecting a Milestone C decision from the Navy “any day now” that would
authorize low-rate initial production.

Textron has
built four CUSVs and has expanded its testing in southern Florida to include
Panama City as well. The company is working with the Naval Surface Warfare
Center at Dahlgren, Virginia, to develop expeditionary and surface warfare
packages for the CUSV.

In July, a
CUSV was modified with a remote-controlled .50-caliber M2 machine gun and a
Hellfire missile vertical launcher. In this configuration the craft was demonstrated
at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in an Advanced Naval Technology Exercise
(ANTX).

The MCM USV
has been tested in operations from an Independence-class littoral combat ship
and from two vessels of opportunity, including an expeditionary base ship and a
foreign-equivalent ship.

Prender said that Textron is continuing to work on the autonomy and mission behaviors of the CUSV.

OWEGO, N.Y. — Lockheed Martin has received
a $43 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to upgrade to the
AN/ALQ-217 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system for the E-2D Advanced
Hawkeye, the company said in a release.

This
modification increases the scope of the existing E-2D AN/ALQ-217D electronic
support measures and provides upgrades to the receiver/processor, active front
end and receiver antenna weapons replaceable assemblies.

These
upgrades will give the warfighter additional performance in dense littoral and
open-ocean environments. The system’s enhanced situational awareness and full
autonomy will also reduce operator workload, enable faster reaction time and
improve survivability.

“We
are pleased to provide an upgraded AN/ALQ-217 ESM system for our U.S. Navy
customer,” said Hamid Salim, vice president, Advanced Product Solutions,
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems. “The additional modifications are
critical upgrades for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to improve overall performance
in a contested battlespace and provide the capability required by today’s
warfighter.”

The
Lockheed team will deliver several AN/ALQ-217D ESM upgrade kits to support
development and test through 2023. This is a 12-month period of performance
adjustment from the initial contract award. 

The base AN/ALQ-217D contract upgrades include improved combat identification networked-electronic warfare for multiship geolocation with other carrier air wing aircraft and detection of advanced threat radar systems. In addition, the upgrades further improve the platform’s antennas and active front ends.

Lockheed Martin has been the AN/ALQ-217 ESM supplier on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program since 1999. Most of the work will be performed in Owego, New York, and is expected to be completed by September 2023.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —
Raytheon has signed an
exclusive teaming agreement with Major Tool & Machine Inc. to develop array
structures for the U.S. Navy’s SPY-6 radar program when it transitions from
low-rate initial production to hardware production and sustainment, Raytheon
said in a Jan. 14 release.

SPY-6 is a family of next-generation, integrated air and missile defense radars that is being installed on more than 50 ships across seven Navy ship classes.

“Major Tool’s array structures will literally serve
as the foundation upon which we build the U.S. Navy’s most advanced radars,”
said Paul Ferraro, vice president of Raytheon’s Seapower Capability Systems
business. “Our team of industry-leading partners is ready to deliver SPY-6’s
unmatched, multimission capability to the surface fleet.”

Since its inception in January 2014, the Raytheon-led SPY-6 program has met all 20 milestones, ahead of or on schedule. The radar has a track record of performance, demonstrating its multimission capabilities against an array of single and multiple, simultaneous targets throughout the Navy’s extensive testing program.

AN/SPY-6(V) remains on schedule for delivery to the first DDG 51 Flight III, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125). The first delivery of AN/SPY-6(V)2 to LHA 8, the USS Bougainville, an America-class amphibious assault ship, is on plan for 2021.

FALL RIVER, Mass. — L3Harris Technologies has been selected to
provide an unmanned undersea vehicle for expeditionary undersea missions for
U.S. military forces by the U.S. Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU),
the company said in a Jan. 14 release.

DIU, which accelerates commercial technology to solve national
security solutions, awarded the agreement to L3Harris for the Navy’s Next
Generation Small-Class Maritime Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures Unmanned
Undersea Vehicle (MEMUUV) program.

This award includes the delivery and testing of an Iver4-900 PW UUV and two field swappable modular payload sections, including real aperture and synthetic aperture sonars. Additional sensors, swappable battery chemistries and data solutions are included with the prototype system to provide U.S. military forces with a highly capable UUV that can detect, classify, localize and identify targets on the ocean floor and in the water column in support of Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and undersea search operations.

“The Iver4 is the culmination of many years of UUV development, customer feedback and application knowledge for military applications,” said Daryl Slocum, vice president and general manager of unmanned maritime systems for L3Harris. “This platform has been custom-built to address the needs of the ExMCM and EOD communities. With its flexible payload, transportable package, extended endurance and high-performance accuracy, the Iver4 is leading the next generation of small class UUVs.”

MARIETTA, Ga. — Lockheed Martin will deliver 50 C-130J Super Hercules to the U.S. government through a C-130J Multiyear III award, which was finalized by the government on Dec. 27, Lockheed announced Jan. 13.

The Department of Defense awarded more
than $1.5 billion in funding for the first 21 C-130J aircraft on the
multiyear award. The overall award, worth more than $3 billion, provides
Super Hercules aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (24 HC/MC-130Js), Marine Corps
(20 KC-130Js) and Coast Guard (options for six HC-130Js). Aircraft
purchased through the C-130J Multiyear III award will deliver between 2021
and 2025 and will be built at Lockheed’s Marietta, Georgia, facility.

“The C-130J Multiyear III award
represents a joint commitment between Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government
in delivering proven capability that meets our operators’ mission and
affordability requirements,” said Rod McLean, vice president and
general manager of air mobility and maritime missions at Lockheed.

The
C-130J is the global standard in tactical airlift, providing a unique mix of
versatility and performance to complete any mission. The Super Hercules
worldwide fleet has more than 2 million flight hours and is the airlifter of
choice for 20 nations.

ARLINGTON,
Va. — Lockheed Martin is on tap to deliver the latest version of the Ship
Self-Defense System (SSDS) to four Navy ships this summer, a company official
said.

Lockheed
Martin was confirmed as the Combat Systems Engineering Agent (CSEA) for the
SSDS program on Dec. 13 when a protest to the selection by the previous CSEA
was denied, Jim Sheridan, Lockheed’s vice president for naval combat and missile
defense systems, said in a Jan. 14 briefing to reporters at the Surface Navy
Association convention here. The initial bid was made in August 2017.

Sheridan said
the major challenge since the resolution of the protest was the tight timeline
to make the deliveries by July.

The SSDS
Advanced Capability Build 20 (ACB 20) will be delivered to the aircraft USS
George Washington (CVN 73), the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) and
the amphibious platform dock ships USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and USS Fort
Lauderdale (LPD 28).

SSDS ACB 20 is
a combat system that will integrate such systems as the Evolved SeaSparrow
Missile Block II system, the SLQ-32 Surface Electronic Warfare Program III
system and the Enterprise Air-Search Radar. The upgrade features cybersecurity
enhancements and fire-control loop modernization. It also will integrate the
Advanced Training Domain.

In addition,
the SSDS ACB 10 will be migrated from Hardware Technology Insertion (HTI) 12 to
HTI 16 infrastructure.   

Sheridan said
the selection of the Lockheed Martin as CSEA for the SSDS makes the company the
CSEA for aircraft carriers and most surface combatants, the major exception
being the Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyers. The company plans to bid to
become the CSEA for the new FFG(X) guided-missile frigate.

Lockheed Martin is adding
the SSDS ACB 20 software to its Common Source Library, also inhabited by its
Aegis Combat System software.

ROME — Leonardo, through AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp., has been awarded a contract valued at $176.5 million for the production and delivery of 32 TH-73A helicopters, initial spares, support and dedicated equipment and specific pilot and maintenance training services, the company said in a release. 

Work will be mostly performed at Leonardo’s Philadelphia facility and is expected to be completed by October 2021. 

“On the cusp of celebrating nearly 40 years of operating in Philadelphia, Leonardo is thrilled the U.S. Navy has selected our TH-119-based offer and us as a local and long-term partner,” said Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo’s CEO. “We are proud to be a core contributor to the future of U.S. defense.” 

“Today’s brilliant news is a ringing endorsement for our solutions setting new industry standards for training,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters. “We are committed to working with the U.S. Navy to ensure future pilots meet all evolving service requirements.” 

“Our plan since day one has been to offer the U.S. Navy the training capabilities they asked for, without compromise,” said William Hunt, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters Philadelphia. “We are honored to deliver on that promise, build the new fleet in Philadelphia and maintain it from Milton, Florida.”

Retired Adm. Vern Clark will assume the position of chairman
of the board of directors of the Surface Navy Association (SNA) this week at
the association’s annual banquet on Jan. 16.

Clark was approved by the board on Jan. 13 at the
association’s annual board of directors meeting. He succeeds retired Adm. James
Hogg, who has been chairman since 1994.

In addition to numerous ashore assignments, Clark served at sea aboard the destroyers USS John W. Weeks and USS Gearing. He commanded USS Grand Rapids, USS McCloy, USS Spruance, the Atlantic Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, Destroyer Squadron 17 and Destroyer Squadron 5.

As a flag officer, he commanded the USS Carl Vinson Battle Group/Cruiser-Destroyer Group 3, the U.S. 2nd Fleet and U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He became the 27th chief of naval Operations in 2000 and retired in 2005. He serves on boards or as a trustee of corporations, organizations and universities.

Hogg is a 1956 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in 1956. His sea commands included a guided missile cruiser, two destroyer squadrons, a cruiser-destroyer flotilla and the U.S. 7th Fleet. He served for 35 years and retired from active duty in 1991 as an admiral. He was the director of the NO’s Strategic Studies Group at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, from 1995 to 2013. Hogg succeeded Adm. Arleigh Burke (then chairman emeritus) as chairman of SNA’s board.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to lead SNA for the past 25 years, and it has been immensely gratifying — both professionally and personally — to see our association grow in support of the surface warfare professionals in the Navy and Coast Guard in so many meaningful ways,” Hogg said. “Vern Clark, with his experience and expertise as a surface warfare officer and as a leader, will ensure our association continues its steady course of growth, success and increasing value to the Navy and all those it serves.”

“We have been incredibly fortunate to have Adm. Jim Hogg at the helm of our association during a period of incredible growth and success in meeting its mission,” said retired Vice Adm. Rick Hunt, who is the president of SNA. “Surface warriors have benefited from his leadership and his dedication to his shipmates, past, present and to come. SNA’s success in maintaining a strong membership, growing participation in our symposiums and professional development events, active chapters and sound financial health is in no small part due to his contributions.”