MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. crew repatriated 27 Cuban migrants Nov. 22 to Cuba, the 7th Coast Guard District said in a release.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew located a rustic vessel traveling northbound approximately 29 miles north of Cuba Nov. 17. Charles David Jr. arrived on scene and safely embarked 27 Cuban migrants who attempted to enter the United States illegally.

“The Coast Guard diligently patrols the Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea to ensure the safety of life at sea and the security of the United States. United States policy is to promote safe, orderly and legal travel and migration,” said Rear Adm. Peter Brown, commander of the 7th District and director of Homeland Security Task Force Southeast. “When unsafe, disorderly and illegal maritime migration attempts are discovered by the Coast Guard or our partners, migrants are rescued from distress, humanely treated and promptly repatriated to their country of origin or departure.”

Once aboard Coast Guard cutters, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and medical attention.

Approximately 296 Cuban migrants have attempted to illegally enter the U.S. via the maritime environment since Oct. 1 in fiscal 2018 compared to 2,098 Cuban migrants in fiscal 2017. These numbers represent the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Charles David Jr. is a 154-foot Sentinel-class cutter homeported in Key West, Florida.

WASHINGTON — The growing capabilities of potential adversaries in the Indo-Pacific Command area has led the U.S. services to better integrate their air and missile defense systems, but more needs to be done in that effort and the available resources are not adequate to the threat, two Army officers with recent experience in the theater said Nov. 26.

“The requirements out there exceed the capacity we have,” Brig. Gen. Clement Coward, currently commander of 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command and a former Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization (JIAMDO) director, told a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum.

From the view of the military commanders, “we don’t have what we need,” in theater air and missile defenses, he said.

While serving in the joint command, “I saw the same interest from a Marine leader as an Air Force leader” for integrated air and missile defenses, Coward said.

But Coward questioned if the services have the right procedures, the right framework to set the conditions for truly integrated air and missile defense.

Col. Sean Gainey, the current JIAMDO director and deputy director for force protection on the Joint Staff who previously led an Army air and missile defense command in the Indo-Pacific, said because of the capabilities shortage, “we had to prepare to fight with what we had.”

To do that, the services took capabilities like the Aegis ballistic missile defense systems and the TPY-2 radars on the Navy’s warships and synergized them with the Army’s Patriot and Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, Gainey said.

But he asked how the services will get the joint “sensor-shooter interface” they need to synergize all the separate capabilities in the theater.

In a second panel, four retired officers, all of whom had served as directors or as the technical director at JIAMDO, noted the deep cuts in funding, staffing and authority that have hit the joint organization and argued that the military cannot get to truly integrated air and missile defenses without someone able to force the services to buy the systems and create commands that put the overall requirements ahead of their own priorities.

Retired Air Force Col. Richard Glitz, who served as JIAMDO technical director for nine years, cited the drop in annual funding from $100 million to $20 million while the missile threat to the U.S. homeland from Russia, China and North Korea has increased.

Retired Navy Rear Adm. Archer M. Macy Jr. emphasized the new threats from hypersonic weapons and electromagnetic effects, which reduce the time to respond from hours to minutes and seconds. Macy and others on the second panel said the nation needed an organization directly under the Joint Chiefs chairman or vice chairman who could force decisions on research and procurement to meet the greater threats, instead of what each service believes it needs.

“The only ones interested in SHORAD are the Army and Marines,” said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Kenneth Todorov, referring to short-range air defense systems the ground services are seeking. And the services also see the threat from cruise missiles differently, he added.

Gainey suggested the joint staff is “starting to touch the fringes of global force integration,” but may need to force the combatant commanders “to accept some tough risks” in allocation of resources across the threat.

Because any major conflict is likely to involve more than one of the regional combatant commands (CoComs), it will take the chairman to ensure “there are “no seams between the CoComs.”

WEST WAREHAM, Mass. — EdgeTech, the leader in high-resolution sonar imaging systems and underwater technology, is honored to learn that its industry-leading side scan sonar technology was used to help find the missing Argentine submarine, ARA San Juan, the company said in a Nov. 19 release.

The deep-water search was performed by Ocean Infinity and its advanced fleet of 6,000-meter-rated autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) equipped with EdgeTech 2205 side scan sonars. EdgeTech’s unique tri-frequency side scan sonar frequency combination of 75/230/410 kHz enables the host AUV to perform long-range searches in deep water, with the middle and higher frequency providing added resolution for better target identification.

The ARA San Juan was imaged by the EdgeTech sonar operating at a frequency of 230 kHz and a 400-meter range scale. The submarine, which had been missing for one year, was discovered in more than 900 meters of water.

EdgeTech side-scan sonar systems provide operators the ability to image large areas of the sea floor during important deep-water searches when the whereabouts of sunken objects are largely unknown. EdgeTech takes great pride in knowing its high quality reliable underwater acoustic imaging systems continue to assist in these demanding endeavors.

WASHINGTON — The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of eight Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1B Missiles and 13 SM-3 Block 2A Missiles for an estimated cost of $561 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a Nov. 19 release.

\The DSCA delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on Nov. 16.

Also included in the proposed sale are SM-3 1B and 2A missile canisters, U.S. government and contractor provided technical assistance, engineering and logistical support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.

The proposed sale will provide Japan with an increased ballistic missile defense capability to assist in defending the Japanese homeland and U.S. personnel stationed there. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these additional munitions and support into the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, the release said.

The principal contractor for the SM-3 Block 1B and 2A all-up rounds will be Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona. The prime contractor for the Mk-21 and Mk-29 canisters and packing, handling, shipping and transportation kits will be BAE Systems, Minneapolis.

ANDOVER, Mass. — Mercury Systems Inc. has received a $6.7 million follow-on order from a leading defense prime contractor for custom-engineered, high-performance subsystems with integrated radio frequency (RF) and digital microelectronics for a naval electronic warfare (EW) application, the company announced in a Nov. 20 release. The order was booked in the company’s fiscal 2019 first quarter and is expected to be shipped over the next several quarters.

Mercury Systems is a leader in the development and commercialization of EW solutions optimized for ground, sea, and airborne applications. Engineered to reliably operate in the harshest of environmental conditions, Mercury’s EW solutions densely integrate both analog and digital technologies using open architecture standards to reduce the risk of schedule of cost overruns while providing an affordable path for upgradeability in the future.

“Receiving this order from our valued customer exemplifies Mercury’s market-leading position in the design and manufacturing of affordable microelectronics solutions spanning the RF and digital domains,” said Neal Austin, vice president and general manager of Mercury’s Embedded Sensor Processing group. “We are fully committed to supporting the U.S. warfighter with commercial innovations delivering critical electronic warfare information required to make timely and accurate operational decisions.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract to shipbuilder VT Halter Marine toward advance work for the eighth Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship (T-AGS).

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded to VT Halter Marine a “not-to-exceed $9 million undefinitized contract action for functional design engineering, procurement of long-lead time material, and limited advanced production to support the Oceanographic Survey Ship (T-AGS 67),” the Defense Department announced on Nov. 19.

VT Halter Marine, based in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has built seven Pathfinders, six of which were delivered between 1994 and 2001. One of these, USNS Sumner, was withdrawn from service in 2014. A seventh, USNS Maury, was delivered in 2016. It is 15 feet longer than the earlier Pathfinders and features a moon pool to facilitate operation of unmanned underwater vehicles.

The Pathfinder class is operated by the Military Sealift Command for the Naval Meteorology & Oceanography Command.

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — Rite-Solutions recently was awarded a $49.6 million contract to support the Naval Undersea Warfare Center’s (NUWC’s) Activity Chief Information Officer (ACIO)/Information Technology (IT) division, which is responsible for strategic planning, operations, maintenance, and compliance of the center’s IT systems and infrastructure, the company said in a Nov. 19 release.

“We are thrilled that NUWC chose to renew the contract with us,” says Rocky Reeves, Rite-Solutions vice president and director of IT services.

The company will provide IT services in several areas including software engineering, client support services/help desk, Navy Marine Corps Intranet support, IT governance and application portfolio management support, and more.

“Cybersecurity touches every one of these areas,” Reeves said. Over one-half of the personnel supporting this contract must meet the Navy’s strict Cyber Information Technology/Cybersecurity Workforce requirements.

“This was a major reason Rite-Solutions won the contract. Many of our employees have degrees in cybersecurity or computer science as well as security and operating system certifications,” added Reeves.

Rite-Solutions will support NUWC headquarters in Newport, Rhode Island, as well as NUWC locations in Connecticut, Virginia, Florida, and the Bahamas.

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — Teledyne Microwave Solutions (TMS), a business unit of the Teledyne Defense Electronics Group and its parent company, Teledyne Technologies, has been awarded a $7.5 million sole-source contract from the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Weapon Systems Support in Philadelphia, the company said in a Nov. 15 release.

The contract is for the repair of Traveling Wave Tubes (TWTs) used on the ALQ-99 system in support of the EA-18G Growler aircraft. Teledyne, a long-time world leader in the design and production of advanced TWTs, has supported the ALQ-99 system and its associated aircraft since the 1970’s. Teledyne’s engineering innovations in TWT technology continue to be deployed today to meet the stringent requirements of the U.S. Navy and other military purposes.

Execution of this firm-fixed-price contract award will be performed at Teledyne’s 160,000-square-foot production facility in Rancho Cordova, California. TMS is expected to complete the contract work by November 2021.

TMS manufactures a broad range of TWT technologies and applications for use in diverse markets. Teledyne TWTs are found on nearly all major electronic warfare, radar, and communication platforms of the U.S. and its allies throughout the world. Our various product lines also include TWTs used for instrumentation, satellite communications, and other mission critical applications.

FAIRFAX, Va. — General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) will deliver commercial cloud services for the U.S. Navy to accelerate cloud adoption. The Navy’s Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) awarded CSRA LLC, a managed affiliate of GDIT, a $22.4 million blanket purchase agreement (BPA), the company said in a Nov. 19 release.

The award includes a one-year base period with four one-year options that, if exercised, would bring the estimated cumulative value to $96 million.

“GDIT will continue supporting PEO EIS as it executes the Navy’s ‘Cloud First’ strategy of increasing data reliability and cost-effectiveness, while maintaining a robust security profile,” said Leigh Palmer, senior vice president and head of GDIT’s Defense Division. “Through this award, the Navy will gain access to premium commercial cloud services through GDIT’s strategic relationships with Microsoft and Amazon. Our secure, scalable and containerized environment will enable the Navy to store its data securely, reap significant savings and gain impressive resources to accomplish their mission.”

GDIT will deliver commercial cloud services to the Navy through the General Services Administration’s Schedule 70, which includes Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Both companies are Strategic Alliance Partners with GDIT.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The U.S. Navy commissioned USS Sioux City (LCS 11) — the nation’s sixth Freedom-variant littoral combat ship — at the U.S. Naval Academy Nov. 17, Lockheed Martin said in a release.

“We are confident that LCS 11 will be what the Navy needs, when the fleet needs it,” said Joe DePietro, vice president, Small Combatants and Ship Systems, Lockheed Martin. “We remain focused on delivering these ships as quickly as possible with increasing capability and lethality. These ships will have a long lifespan, and we’re working with the Navy to make LCS even stronger and more resilient.”

The Freedom-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to affordably support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littorals. LCS 11 is equipped to support surface warfare.

LCS continues to increase in capability. This year, LCS 5 and 7 completed Longbow Hellfire missile testing, LCS 9 completed Rolling Airframe Missile testing and LCS 5 and 9 participated in Fleet Weeks around the United States.

The Freedom-variant LCS is designed to integrate modular weapons, as well as manned and unmanned vehicles to deliver critical warfighting capability to the fleet in mine counter measures, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare.

“LCS is our most effective fleet asset to counter asymmetric small craft threats,” said Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations. “This ship and the ships like her are going to complicate any adversary’s operating picture. You’re going to need to keep track of Sioux City when she’s at sea, because if you don’t, she’s going to make you pay for that.”

There are seven ships in various stages of production and test at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, where the Freedom-variant LCS is built. The next Freedom-variant in the class is LCS 13, the future USS Wichita, slated for commissioning in Mayport, Florida, in January. LCS 19 is scheduled for christening on Dec. 15.

“Two thousand men and women crafted this ship from flat steel to the capable and agile surface combatant being commissioned. The men and women who sail this ship have an enormous responsibility in protecting our nation and allies, and we consider it a privilege to support these missions,” said Jan Allman, president and CEO of Fincantieri Marinette Marine. “I am confident that when called upon, the USS Sioux City will always prevail.”