MARINETTE, Wis. — The Lockheed Martin-led shipbuilding team launched littoral combat ship (LCS) 19, the future USS St. Louis, into the Menominee River at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Shipyard. Ship sponsor Barbara Broadhurst Taylor, the daughter of a decorated World…
Riachuelo, the First Brazilian-Built Scorpène Submarine, Has Been Launched
ITAGUAI, Brazil — The Brazilian Navy launched its first Brazilian-built Scorpène submarine, Riachuelo, on Dec. 14, the Naval Group said in a release. The ceremony took place at the Itaguaí Navy base. In 2009, Naval Group was entrusted by the…
Comfort Returning to Norfolk After Completing Mission in South and Central America
NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort is scheduled to return to Naval Station Norfolk Dec. 18, after completing a deployment to South and Central America, Military Sealift Command announced in a Dec. 14 release. Returning to…
Marine Task Force Operates Across Africa During ‘New Normal’ Mission
ARLINGTON, Va. — A relatively small Marine Corps task force spent seven intense months operating across the vast expanse of Africa, focusing on the “New Normal” mission of ensuring there would be no repeat of the deadly 2012 attack on…
Coast Guard Commandant ‘Guardedly Optimistic’ for Icebreaker Funding in 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. — Funding for the Coast Guard’s requirement for new icebreakers in fiscal 2019 is in peril but the Coast Guard remains confident that a conference between the House and Senate will allow the service to begin procurement. “We’re…
Strike Fighter Squadron 147 Declared Safe for Flight Operations
PACIFIC OCEAN —The “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 completed their carrier qualifications Dec. 12 aboard USS Carl Vinson, the final required component for Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, to issue the squadron its safe-for-flight-operations certification. This marks a…
L3 OceanServer Awarded Contract for UUV to Support the Marine Corps
FALL RIVER, Mass. — L3 OceanServer was awarded a contract to support the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command with an Iver3 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to be used for testing and evaluation, the company announce in a Dec. 13 release….
Coast Guard Cutter Abbie Burgess Returns After Great Lakes Patrol
BOSTON — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Abbie Burgess returned to its homeport of Rockland, Maine, Dec. 12 after a 37-day patrol to the Great Lakes region in support of Operation Fall Retrieve. During the patrol, Abbie Burgess’ crew…
Marine Corps Awards OTAs to Assess Handheld Targeting Capabilities
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) has awarded four Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) to assess industry’s capability to produce a Next Generation Handheld Targeting System (NGHTS) that is compact, rugged and lightweight. The use of…
San Pedro-Based Cutter Returns to Homeport Following First Drug Bust
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The crew of a San Pedro-based Coast Guard cutter returned to their homeport Dec. 8 following a two-week patrol that included the ship’s first drug bust, the 11th Coast Guard District said in a release. The…


