ABOARD USS JOHN FINN — The latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System, Baseline 9.C2 (BMD5.1), successfully supported a Missile Defense Agency-led at-sea Ballistic Missile Defense System test event, Lockheed Martin said in an Oct. 26 release. During the test, the Lockheed Martin-built Aegis system detected, tracked, engaged and launched a missile to intercept a medium-range ballistic missile target.

The test, called Flight Test Standard Missile-45, demonstrated the integrated capabilities of the system and how it has continually evolved to counter advanced threats. This test demonstrated the new engagement assessment functionality, bi-directional missile communications and sensor improvement algorithms.

“This test authenticates the strengthening global security of the United States and its allies as we deepen the defense capabilities with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System,” said Paul Klammer, director, Aegis BMD. “This exercise showed that Aegis is the most advanced combat system and the proven choice for a layered defense.”

This test builds upon joint research investments by the United States and Japan and comes on the heels of a successful test with the JS Atago in September. Lockheed Martin is developing a Baseline 9/BMD 5.1 variant computer program, for deployment on Japan’s Aegis destroyers.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — StandardAero has been selected as the U.S. Navy’s primary engine depot for support of the CFM56-7 engines used on the P-8A aircraft, the company announced in an Oct. 24 release.

This is the second straight year StandardAero has been selected to perform this work, which is carried out under a U.S. federal government indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity-type contract that is competed and awarded each year among the U.S. Navy’s approved sources. The contract supports the U.S. Navy, the government of Australia and other foreign military sales customers.

The P-8A is the replacement for the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, which was introduced into service in the early 1960s. The CFM56 engines, used on the P-8A aircraft, are a commercially developed platform, capable of generating more than 27,000 pounds thrust.

StandardAero has been supporting the U.S. Navy for more than 20 years, providing maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) support across a number of engine and aircraft platforms. Under the P-8A award, StandardAero will provide depot-level repair and overhaul for the propulsion systems used to power this critical U.S. Navy mission.

“StandardAero appreciates the Navy’s continued confidence in our ability to carry out this work,” said Scott Starrett, president of StandardAero Military & Energy division.

PORT HUENEME, Calif. — Work has commenced on the refurbishment and modification of the NATO SeaSparrow Missile System (NSSMS) platform and Mk132 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) located at the Surface Warfare Engineering Facility aboard Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD).

The surface-to-air ship defense system is being upgraded to support the deployment of the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2, which employs an active and semi-active guidance system to meet current and expected future threats.

“The effort is in support of ESSM Block 2 integration efforts for the CVN, LHD and LHA ship classes,” according to Son Nguyen, electronics engineer. “NSWC PHD is the In-Service Engineering Agent [ISEA] leading the testing of a new servo motor, launcher cell extensions and qualification of ESSM Block 2 loading and operations.”

The project is one of many current and future endeavors launched by NSWC PHD in support of the ISEA of the Future, which builds upon key innovation milestones and actions to support the next-generation Navy.

“The modification, known as MIN-MOD, will include an overhauled launcher that will bring together all of the program elements to prove and verify required changes as well as demonstrate that the change is fleet ready,” said Robert Barrett, NSSMS customer advocate and program manager. “This also provides the ISEA with the latest launcher that is in the fleet, allowing us to better execute our jobs in both fleet support as well as obsolescence management.”

The NATO SeaSparrow Project is now in its 50th year and is the longest running, most successful cooperative weapons program in NATO.

“Over the years I worked various details through the NSSMS program, learning all aspects of what it takes to be an ISEA and supporting the fleet both technically and logistically,” said Barrett.

“The MIN-MOD program came about when the program office and NAVSEA could not come to a contractual agreement with the design agent for a replacement launcher for the NSSMS Mk57 system,” he said. “The replacement launcher had to have the ability to be able to fire the ESSM Block 2. This situation also drove a new requirement to make the contractual process competitive, which meant a minimum of at least two to three years were needed before a first article replacement would be seen by the fleet.

“This effort also delivers ESSM Block 2 capabilities to large flat decks three years in advance of their original fleet issuance. The added bonus with this program is that it is reverse compatible, so current ESSM shooters will get the advantages of improved readiness and affordability of the LRUs [Lowest Repairable Units] long before they get the mechanical modifications to shoot the ESSM Block 2,” he said.

The NATO SeaSparrow Project is an international consortium of 12 nations consisting of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United States. The 12 member nations are partners in engineering, development, production and sustainment of the missiles and supporting equipment. NSWC PHD provides advanced technical training to partner allies in support of NSSMS.

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard medevaced an injured person via helicopter and rescued 17 passengers after a vessel collision near the maritime boundary line, the 11th Coast Guard District said in an Oct. 27 release.

The crew of the 332-foot yacht Attessa IV contacted Coast Guard Sector San Diego’s Joint Harbor Operations Center watchstanders at approximately 7:50 p.m. reporting a collision with the 65-foot sportfisher Prowler approximately nine miles offshore of Imperial Beach that resulted in extensive damage to the starboard quarter of the vessel and multiple injuries.

A Coast Guard Sector San Diego MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Station San Diego 45-foot response boat-medium crew were dispatched to respond. The Coast Guard Cutter Sea Otter was also diverted to assist.

Crews arrived on scene at approximately 8:45 p.m. The Jayhawk crew hoisted a critically injured passenger and returned to Sector San Diego where awaiting EMS took the man to UC San Diego Medical Center–Hillcrest in critical condition.

The RB-M crew transferred 17 passengers, two reporting injuries, from the Prowler and took them to Sector San Diego.

The remaining 10 passengers were transferred to the Attessa IV and are scheduled to return to San Diego, while the captain remained aboard the Prowler.

The Sea Otter remained on-scene with the Prowler awaiting commercial salvage. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard signed for the newest Coast Guard Fast-Response Cutter, Terrell Horne, Thursday during a signing ceremony in Key West, Florida, the Coast Guard 7th District said in an Oct. 26 release.

Lt. John Beal, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne, signed documents to take possession of the cutter Terrell Horne on behalf of the Coast Guard at the signing ceremony.

Members of Coast Guard Sector Key West, cutter Terrell Horne crew and the Horne family attended the ceremony.

The cutter Terrell Horne is named after Senior Chief Terrell Horne, who placed himself in harm’s way to protect a shipmate from being struck by a non-compliant vessel near Santa Cruz Island, California, on Dec. 2, 2012 while conducting counter-smuggling operations.

The fast-response cutters are named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes and are replacing the Island-class 110-foot patrol boats.

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The U.S. Navy awarded Demonstration of Existing Technologies (DET) contracts Oct. 25, valued at approximately $36 million each to L3 Technologies Communications Systems West and Northrop Grumman Corp. Mission Systems in support of the Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) capability, the Naval Air Systems Command said in an Oct. 25 release.

The Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) Systems and EA-6B Program Office (PMA-234) headquartered here manages the NGJ-LB program.

NGJ-LB is an external jamming pod that is part of a larger NGJ weapon system that will augment and, ultimately, replace the aging ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System currently in use on EA-18G Growler aircraft.

“NGJ-LB is a critical piece of the overall NGJ system in that it focuses on the denial, degradation, deception and disruption of our adversaries’ abilities to gain an advantage in that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,” said Capt. Michael Orr, PMA-234 program manager. “It delivers to the warfighter significant improvements in power, advanced jamming techniques, and jamming effectiveness over the legacy ALQ-99 system.”

Each DET contract has a 20-month period of performance, during which the NGJ-LB team will assess the technological maturity of the industry partners’ existing technologies in order to inform future NGJ-LB capability development, as well as define the NGJ-LB acquisition strategy.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aerojet Rocketdyne’s propulsion systems supported a key intercept test of Raytheon’s Standard Missile-3 Block IIA guided missile, the company said in an Oct. 26 release.

During the FTM-45 flight test, conducted by the U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency, the SM-3 Block IIA interceptor was launched from USS John Finn (DDG 113). The intercept test was designed to further prove the effectiveness of the larger and faster SM-3 Block IIA variant in intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile.

Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Mk72 booster provided the first-stage propulsion on the SM-3 Block IIA, and the company’s Throttling Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS) maneuvered the kinetic warhead to successfully impact the ballistic missile target.

“We are proud that our TDACS and Mk72 booster played key propulsion roles in demonstrating the capabilities of the SM-3 Block IIA to defend our nation,” said Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “We are excited to support the transition to production for the advanced SM-3 Block IIA interceptor that provides increased range, velocity and capability.”

This second intercept for the SM-3 Block IIA is a success we share with the Missile Defense Agency and the country of Japan, our cooperative development partners,” said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. “Together, we are building the most advanced solutions for ballistic missile defense.”

The SM-3 Block IIA represents the newest generation of U.S. missile defense capabilities and is a key component of the European Phased Adaptive Approach for deployment at sea and ashore. Deployment of larger rocket motors and key technology improvements increases the area that can be defended and improves the probability of intercept against a larger threat set.

PENSACOLA, Fla. ― Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless is scheduled to return home to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, Oct. 27 following a 54-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard 8th District said in an Oct. 27 release.

The 76-person crew interdicted two vessels with an estimated combined total of over 2,000 pounds of cocaine, which is worth more than approximately $27.2 million dollars.

The crew departed Pensacola in September for a patrol in support of Operation Martillo. The operation sends Department of Defense and U.S. Coast Guard crews to work with partner nations to curtail the flow of drugs coming to the U.S. from Central and South America.

The crew of Dauntless assisted with dismantling transnational criminal organizations as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Southern Border Campaign Plan and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Western Hemisphere Strategy.

The cutter patrolled over 7,000 nautical miles and transited the Panama Canal.

“Dauntless once again demonstrated the value of the U.S. Coast Guard to the nation as a military service, law enforcement agency and member of the intelligence community in securing our borders and protecting our national security interests,” said Cmdr. Timothy Sommella, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless. “The interdictions and apprehensions were the result of months of preparation and hours upon hours of training and maintenance followed by precise mission execution at a moment’s notice. The crew did a phenomenal job keeping the 50-year-old ship at the highest state of readiness while overcoming enormous logistic and engineering challenges, including at-sea repairs to critical equipment to keep us in the fight.”

Operation Martillo is a Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) led multi-national detection, monitoring and interdiction operation conducted by U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection vessels and aircraft working in cooperation with military and law enforcement agencies from various Central and South American nations, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The nation’s top military officer argued that the U.S. military role in Afghanistan was necessary to protect the U.S. homeland from violent extremists and that the strategy was working in the sense that Afghan security forces were carrying the fight, not Americans.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford said if he thought it was in America’s interest to withdraw U.S. forces, he would have recommended that, but did not because he believed it was essential to homeland security.

As far as justifying the continued presence to U.S. forces making multiple deployments after 17 years of conflict in Afghanistan, Dunford said, “I’m not promising anything other than this is not what we did 2015,” before the new strategy was adopted. The 15,000 U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan are not leading the fight. “We are providing support to Afghan security forces,” he said.

Addressing an Oct. 26 conference held by military reporters and editors at the Navy League headquarters, Dunford said the drive to end the war in Afghanistan had three tracks — military and political pressure on the Taliban to convince them they could not win and religious and social pressure from Afghans.

“We need to continue doing what we’ve been doing to support the Afghan security forces. … But it would be a mistake to focus on the military aspect,” he said.

On another current issue, Dunford said no mobilization orders have been given to send active-duty forces to the Mexican border in anticipation of the convoy of Central American asylum seekers moving north through Mexico and he only knew of the plan for 800 such troops from the news media.

Asked whether he was concerned about the continued cancelation of U.S. exercises with South Korean forces, Dunford hedged a bit, saying they had to balance the security risks of not holding the regular joint exercises against supporting the diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea. The military’s focus was on supporting Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s negotiations, he said.

On broader issues, Dunford said the Defense Department could not assume it would continue to receive higher funding, as it did the last two years, and had to focus the expected limited resources on developing the forces it would need to confront the return of great power competition and to modernize the force to reverse the erosion in the U.S. strategic advantage against Russia and China.

He said decisions on how to prioritize spending would be shaped by a planned series of exercises and wargames.

Dunford said the recent increases in defense funding have enabled the military to fix the readiness problems “that can be fixed by money” but noted the need to substantially increase the size of its cybersecurity components. To get the skilled people needed, he said the services would have to change some personnel policies, such as allowing easier moves between active and reserve components and allowing people who wanted to specialize in cyber to remain in those jobs without the usual rotations into other jobs now considered necessary for career development.

PARIS — Terma A/S, as a market leader in ship defensive systems, and Chemring Countermeasures, as a world leader in 130 mm naval countermeasures, have teamed up to develop a complete soft-kill solution for surface unit defense, the companies said in an Oct. 24 release.

By integrating Terma’s C-Guard defensive aid suite and Chemring’s Centurion fully trainable 130 mm launcher, both capable of deploying a range of off-board expendable decoys, a scalable system has been developed to offer a step change in the antiship missile defense (ASMD) capability. This scalable system offers the maritime commander greater operational awareness and survivability in the contemporary battle space.

“The combined system solution offered by Terma and Chemring enhances soft-kill capabilities through refined and dynamic threat evaluation followed by accurate payload placement to maximize the decoy effect, providing the maritime commander with a balanced response by deploying the right decoy in the right position at the right time,” said Mogens Nørregaard Cramer, Terma director for naval sales.

Terma has more than 25 years of experience protecting naval platforms from above and below water threats and offers the C-Guard system for effective protection against coordinated multithreat/multidirectional attacks by missiles and torpedoes.

C-Guard relies on combat proven 130 mm decoy rounds. Rapid response and constant threat evaluation are key in building a multilayered, 360-degree defense to defeat multiple coordinated attacks. C-Guard is integrated with major combat management systems, and more than 200 C-Guard systems are currently in operation worldwide.

“Extending C-Guard with the Chemring Centurion fully trainable 130 mm launcher provides both existing and new C-Guard customers with an upgrade path to the benefits offered by a trainable launcher capability,” said Andy Hogben, business director, Chemring Countermeasures.

This capability is realized to the full in larger platforms where the 130mm round in combination with the trainable launcher provides fast and accurate deployment of countermeasure rounds matched to offer platform protection against the anti-ship missile threat.

C-Guard may be deployed on naval platforms using any combination of the existing fixed launchers and/or the Centurion launcher. The trainable capability optimizes missile countermeasure performance in the anti-air warfare domain, whilst also offering a hard point for launching a range of off-board expendables to provide capability in antisurface warfare, antisubmarine warfare, antiair warfare and C4ISR disciplines.

The combination of fixed and trainable launchers offers increased capability and flexibility to the maritime commander enabling prioritization of decoy load out to maximize platform protection.