Despite some improvements in combat readiness, the U.S. military has “marginal” overall capability to meet the increasing global security challenges it faces because all four of the armed services are too small and much of their major combat systems are too old, according to the latest of the…
HII Finishes Acceptance Trials for Amphibious Assault Ship Tripoli
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the successful completion of acceptance trials aboard the amphibious assault ship Tripoli (LHA 7) in an Oct. 30 release. The second ship in the America class spent three days at sea in the Gulf of…
USS Gerald R. Ford Completes Post-Shakedown Availability
WASHINGTON — The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is back in its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after successful completion on Oct. 30 of its post-shakedown availability/selected restricted availability, Program Executive Office (PEO) Aircraft Carriers announced. Completion of the availability marks a significant milestone for the Ford, the…
JFK Crew Marks Another Milestone — Flooding of Newport News Dry Dock
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The future John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) marked another milestone leading up to the christening of the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier as Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) flooded the ship’s dry dock on Oct. 29. The John F. Kennedy has been under construction at…
USS John S. McCain Returns to Warfighting Readiness
YOKOSUKA, Japan — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain completed its necessary repairs and is underway to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing, according to a U.S. Pacific Fleet release. The ship underwent repairs and extensive and accelerated upgrades over the last two years following an…
Navy Commissions Newest LCS, USS Indianapolis
BURNS HARBOR, Ind. — The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest littoral combat ship, USS Indianapolis, on Oct. 26 at Burns Harbor. “To the citizens of the great state of Indiana who have joined us here today, thank you so much for enduring the weather to show…
BAE to Develop Advanced Decoy Countermeasures to Protect Aircraft
NASHUA, New Hampshire — BAE Systems has been awarded a $36.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop and demonstrate a next-generation, dual band fiber-optic towed decoy (FOTD) to protect aircraft and pilots from advanced threats, the company said in a release. BAE…
USS Gerald R. Ford Returns to Sea
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford got underway Oct. 25 for sea trials from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division following a 15-month pierside maintenance period. “I am proud of the crew’s efforts to get USS Gerald R. Ford…
Secretary: Navy Discussing Next-Gen Carrier Concepts, Including ‘Lightning Carrier’
WASHINGTON — The secretary of the U.S. Navy said the sea service is looking ahead to determine what the follow-on aircraft carrier design will look like, even as work continues to get the new USS Gerald R. Ford out to regular operations at sea. “With…
Navy to Commission Littoral Combat Ship Indianapolis
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy will commission its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Indianapolis, during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony on Oct. 26 in Burns Harbor, Indiana, the Defense Department said in a release. The future USS Indianapolis, designated LCS 17, honors Indiana’s…
