NAVAL STATION NORFOLK — With plank owners, former crew members and veterans of the Battle of Hué in attendance, the crew of USS Hué City (CG 66) decommissioned their ship at a Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, ceremony on Sept. 23, the ship’s public affairs office said in a release. 
 
The event comes just nine days after the ship’s 31st commissioning anniversary. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the ship’s distinguished history and military service and to honor those who sacrificed in the battle for which the ship is named. 
 
The ceremony’s presiding officer and a native of Hue, Vietnam, Rear Adm. Huan Nguyen, Naval Sea Systems Command Deputy Commander for Cyber Engineering, shared his 1968 Tet Offensive experiences and the important place USS Hué City holds in the Navy. 
 
“To me, the Hue City represents the very simple democracy and freedom and fighting spirit of all the heroes who defend and protect her,” said Nguyen. “Those values are what continue to inspire me to serve our great nation, to live a life of fidelity, courage and honor. It is the crew, former and present, that I would like to honor and thank.” 
 
“BZ to the USS Hue City, to the former and present crew. Thank you for your service and may her fighting spirit live on forever.” 
 
Current Hué City Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Thad D. Tasso, spoke of the unbreakable connection between a ship and the Sailors who serve onboard and of the life-long connections made through shared experiences and challenges. His words resonated with the audience as they bade farewell to their ship. 
 
“While the decommissioning of a ship is traditionally a somber affair, it is also an opportunity for us to celebrate our warship’s heritage and the impact she has had on our Navy,” said Tasso. 
 
Hué City was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and commissioned there Sept. 14, 1991. The ship is named in commemoration of the Vietnam War battle which was fought in and around the city of Hué during the 1968 Tet Offensive from Jan. 31 to March 2, 1968. During the battle, three understrength U.S. Marine battalions, consisting of fewer than 2,500 men, attacked and soundly defeated more than 10,000 entrenched enemy troops, liberating the city of Hué and handing the enemy a costly defeat. 
 
The Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser is the only U.S. Navy warship to be named in commemoration of a Vietnam War battle. 
 
Over its 31 years of service, Hué City has played an important part in the Navy’s timeless role of protecting America at sea. The ship and its crew completed several deployments, supported numerous exercises and provided important humanitarian assistance, including off the coast of New York in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 
 
From 2002 to 2017, the ship deployed seven times in support of the Global War on Terror and Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship deployed for the final time in 2017 to support Operation Inherent Resolve. 
 
“For 31 years USS Hué City defended our nation and kept the oceans of the world free,” added Tasso. 
 
“Her crew sailed with the full knowledge of the heritage that sailed with them and in striving to remain true to it, built a legacy of success of their own. As she now takes her rightful place in our Navy’s history, I can think of no more fitting epitaph for her service than ‘she was worthy of the name she bears’.” 
 
After decommissioning, the ship is slated to be towed Oct. 31, to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Philadelphia, where it will be in a Logistical Support Asset status. 

WASHINGTON — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday met with the Commander of the Belgian Navy Rear Adm. Jan de Beurme at the Pentagon for an office call on Sept. 23, the CNO’s Public Affairs office said in a release.

The leaders discussed building maritime capabilities and capacity, as well as deterrence, defense and the need to continue to protect the stability and prosperity of the seas.

“Collectively, our capacity expands when we sail in company with like-minded navies around the world, and we are grateful for the continued partnership and collaboration with Belgium,” said Gilday. “We will continue to strengthen the bonds we share through increased operations, interoperability, and continued cooperation.”

Both heads of navy emphasized the need to develop high-end warfare capabilities, such as advanced mine countermeasures and ballistic-missile defense, while also leveraging enhanced capabilities and technology. The Belgian navy is currently leading a Belgian-Dutch mine countermeasures replacement program, which will supply the Belgian and Royal Netherlands navies with six new minehunter vessels each.

The U.S. Navy and Belgian navy regularly operate together around the world. In July, the Navy participated in the Bulgarian exercise Breeze alongside Allies and partners Albania, Belgium, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Turkey and the United Kingdom. This summer the U.S. and Belgium were two of the 16 NATO Allied and partner nations that participated in exercise Baltic Operations 22, the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region.

Beurme attended the U.S.-led 2021 International Seapower Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island, and will see Gilday again in Venice, Italy, next month for the Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium. This was their first official meeting.

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK — With plank owners, former crew members, and families of the Battle of Anzio veterans looking on, USS Anzio (CG 68) crew decommissioned their ship at a Naval Station Norfolk ceremony Sept. 22, Naval Surface Force Public Affairs said in a release.

Retired Capt. H. Wyman Howard Jr., Anzio’s first commanding officer, fondly remembered how the ship was brought to life three decades ago.

“Four hundred young men with the average age of 20 years old, 66% of whom had never been to sea before, ran onto Anzio and brought her alive,” said Howard during his remarks.

“At the commissioning, I wrote the following letter to Team Anzio: ‘This day marks the most significant milestone in the life of Anzio: she comes alive! … Whether you fought at the Anzio beachhead, welded a piece of her steel, supervised her construction, or gave your love and support to us during 20 months of hard work, you are a valued member of Team Anzio. Thank you for all the hours, hard work, and sacrifices you made to make this day a reality.’”

The event comes just months after the ship’s 30th commissioning anniversary. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the ship’s distinguished history and military service.

Anzio was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and commissioned in Norfolk, May 2, 1992.

It is the second ship to bear the name Anzio and honors the Allied Forces beachhead invasion at Anzio and Nettuno, Italy, during World War II. The strategic importance of the Battle of Anzio to the overall Allied effort in Europe, however, is often underestimated. The two German corps engaged on the Anzio front were originally destined for Normandy. The success of the Allied landings on the beaches in France in June 1944 were due largely to the tenacity of the Allied forces at Anzio.

The Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser deployed for the first time Oct. 20, 1994, as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Battle Group. During that deployment the crew participated in operations conducted in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, Adriatic Sea and Black Sea. It would be the first of many Anzio deployments.

Over the years, the Anzio team supported Operation Iraqi Freedom, firing more than a dozen Tomahawk missiles while on station and served as the flagship for Combined Task Force 151 supporting anti-piracy efforts off the horn of Africa. The crew also picked up 10 U.S. Navy Sailors for transport and medical evaluations after being held in Iranian custody having been captured after their two naval boats unintentionally entered Iranian waters.

After decommissioning, the ship is slated to be towed in November to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Philadelphia, Pa., where it will be in a Logistical Support Asset status. 

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Retaining shipyard workers and increasing their efficiency are the top priorities — aside from ensuring their safety — for the Navy’s deputy commander of industrial operations, he said at an American Society of Naval Engineers Conference in Virginia Beach on Sept. 20.

Rear Adm. Scott Brown, deputy commander of logistics, maintenance and industrial operations at Naval Sea Systems Command, said the Navy is doing all it can to maximize its workforce’s capabilities while also growing it to meet maintenance challenges.

The Navy has been battling a submarine maintenance backlog for years, causing the service to even resort to sending some attack submarines to private yards and hiring more personnel. A Congressional Budget Office report predicted the Navy is likely to see labor supply shortages for the next few decades.

Brown said his top three priorities were safety, production capacity, and throughput and efficiency.

On the subject of safety, he stated there were 37,000 shipyard workers and their safety remains his top priority. After that, he is focused on production capacity as retention proves difficult in a hot economy where there is a high demand for workers. His office is trying to deal with that by focusing on retention so there are fewer gaps the Navy must fill through hiring, he said.

The final priority is throughput in efficiency, as Brown stated he wanted to make the workforce they have now as productive as they can possibly be.

MANAMA, Bahrain — Forces from Israel and the U.S. completed a four-day exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba on Sept. 22, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs said.

The exercise, called Digital Shield, was a bilateral training event between U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Israeli naval forces that focused on enhancing maritime awareness using unmanned systems and artificial intelligence in support of vessel boarding operations.

U.S. participants included members of NAVCENT’s unmanned systems and artificial intelligence task force, Task Force 59, and the U.S. Coast Guard. A Devil Ray T-38 and Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel also participated.

“Integrating unmanned systems with our partners advances our integration efforts,” said Lt. Cmdr. William Ricketts from Task Force 59. “Ultimately, we are strengthening ties and innovating new capabilities with regional partners to enhance maritime security.”

NAVCENT established Task Force 59 in September 2021 to integrate new unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into U.S. naval operations across the Middle East. Since its launch, the task force has operated a suite of new unmanned systems based at operational hubs in Bahrain and Aqaba, Jordan.

The task force partners with industry and international forces for operational evaluation and employment. The Middle East region’s unique geography, climate and strategic importance offer an ideal environment for unmanned innovation.

NAVCENT is headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, and includes maritime forces operating in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.

WASHINGTON (NNS) — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday hosted the Royal Australian Navy’s Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond at the Pentagon on Sept. 22, Gilday’s press office announced.

During the visit, the two leaders focused on interoperability and their ongoing work to expand and strengthen maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Our partnership with Australia is rooted in our shared common values and friendship,” said Gilday. “Our history and like-minded goals allow us to work seamlessly together across a range of military operations to keep the seas open and free.”

Gilday and Hammond discussed progress of the trilateral security partnership signed in September 2021, known as AUKUS — referencing Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States — which was implemented to develop and provide joint advanced military capabilities to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since the announcement, each of the participating countries have reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and more broadly to an international system that respects human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion.

“We are excited for the future and are honored to work with the Royal Australian Navy day-in and day-out, committed to a warfighting force capable of assurance, deterrence, and the high-end fight,” said Gilday.

The U.S. and Australian navies share mutual interest in maintaining freedom of navigation and adherence to the rules-based international order.

The two navies conduct frequent cooperative deployments, and regularly operate together during flagship theater exercises like Pacific Partnership, Rim of the Pacific and Australian-led Kakadu.

This was Gilday’s first in-person meeting with Hammond, who assumed command of the Royal Australian Navy in June 2022.

SOUTH CHINA SEA — Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) concluded exercises in the South China Sea with Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) Sept. 18, Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15 Public Affairs announced Sept. 21. 

Vancouver and Higgins conducted bilateral surface action group operations demonstrating interoperability in the execution of joint exercises in the South China Sea and highlighted the U.S. Navy’s support to Canada’s Indo-Pacific deployment and their presence and role in the Western Pacific. 

“Working with USS Higgins in the South China Sea has been an incredible opportunity for HMCS Vancouver,” said Cmdr. Kevin Whiteside, HMCS Vancouver commanding officer. “The two teams seamlessly integrated, conducting a variety of training exercises together. As part of our deployment on Operation PROJECTION, Team Vancouver has been delivering robust capabilities, working with our partner navies since we departed home in June. It was awesome working with the Higgins team, demonstrating our commitment to promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific region.” 

The bilateral training between U.S and Canadian maritime forces served to strengthen skills in maritime operations, anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations and maneuvering. 

“It has been an honor to sail alongside HMCS Vancouver for the past few weeks,” said Cmdr. Joseph McGettigan, Higgins commanding officer. “Operating with our closest allies and partners in the South China Sea provides us an opportunity to deepen our relationships as well as improve our capabilities as a combined force. Gaining familiarity with these waters and each other, provides us a greater ability to assure the stability of the region and demonstrates our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.” 

Higgins is assigned to Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force. 

NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — A variety of robots crawling in, on and below a decommissioned U.S. Navy destroyer, as well as replacement parts being additively manufactured on site, comprised just a small part of the activity that took place during the first-ever U.S. Navy Repair Technology Exercise, or REPTX, held Aug. 22-Sept. 1 at Naval Base Ventura County in Ventura County, California.

Teams from various companies as well as academic and government laboratories arrived from around the world with their technology applications to conduct demonstrations and field experiments aboard the decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer, known as the Self Defense Test Ship. The ship is operated by personnel from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) in Port Hueneme, California, a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command and located at NBVC.

NAVSEA’s Naval Systems Engineering and Logistics Directorate Technology Office (NAVSEA 05T) sponsored REPTX 2022, which was hosted by NSWC PHD and held both pierside and aboard the SDTS, which took to the sea for the second week of the event.

The purpose of the inaugural exercise was to see if the technology can tackle real-world fleet maintenance and battle-damage related repairs of ships while operating in a true maritime environment — boosting the Navy’s ability to keep ships at sea by aiding Sailors in carrying out needed repairs.

“The format provides a realistic fielding environment, both pierside and underway, allowing teams the chance to field, adjust, learn and retest their solutions,” said Janice Bryant, sustainment technology program manager at NAVSEA 05T.

“REPTX didn’t just showcase technology but applied it to solve Navy challenges,” Bryant added. “It was a problem-centric event that promoted collaboration rather than competition. Many problems require a complex solution, and multiple participants have independent pieces of that solution.”

The more than 60 REPTX participants demonstrated technologies designed to address four focus areas: visualization, command and control aids, forward manufacturing and expeditionary maintenance.

The technology also needed to be capable of taking on a “day job” — in other words, serving a purpose that adds value to Navy ships and crew on a routine basis. And, it has to be user-friendly enough for a ship’s crew to learn quickly.

“Our priorities as a warfare center are to deliver and sustain readiness, modernize and maintain the current fleet, and field the surface fleet of the future,” said Capt. Andrew Hoffman, NSWC PHD commanding officer. “REPTX demonstrates these priorities by allowing both industry, government and academia to work side-by-side while exploring innovative maintenance concepts that we can rapidly deliver to our forward-deployed warfighters.”

Approximately 20 reservists from the Navy’s Surge Maintenance (SurgeMain) program provided that ship’s crew perspective as they got hands-on with much of the technology, learning how to operate the remote-controlled robotics, wearing augmented reality (AR) headsets to view repair instructions and videos, measuring corrosion on the deckplate of the SDTS, and more.

“The SurgeMain sailors typically don’t get chances like this to provide input on new technologies, so it was hugely important for them to have that opportunity,” said REPTX Project Manager Suzie Simms. “At the end of the event, all of the SurgeMain sailors who participated said they want to be involved again next year.”

Scenarios where reservists were able to remotely control robots included identifying unknown objects on the side of the ship’s hull, detangling a fouled propeller, measuring the depth of metal wastage due to corrosion using ultrasonic waves, and inspecting tight spaces that would be difficult or dangerous for a human to go into.

Several companies brought AR technology to the SDTS, providing both communication and real-time visuals during simulated battle damage assessment scenarios as well as repair work instructions and videos that can be viewed through the headset while simultaneously looking at the damaged area.

Additive manufacturing technology installed in compact shipping containers both pierside and aboard the SDTS provided the capability to 3D print replacement parts as needed in a variety of materials.

Other scenarios involved ship-to-shore communication systems, inspection and repair tools, and above- and below-water visualization devices.

Technology suppliers assisted SurgeMain reservists in using and demonstrating the technology aboard the SDTS during week two — this time in a true maritime environment as the vessel went underway off the coast of Port Hueneme. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators got a chance to fly their camera-equipped drones around the ship to inspect it.

The main goals of the UAV demonstrations during REPTX were to identify issues like corrosion and misplaced items and to test the UAVs’ capabilities to aid in battle damage assessment and repair — a key focus area for the Navy — by rapidly creating digital models, among other things.

In one scenario, a flange with a leaky gasket was the focus of a collaborative effort on the last underway day of REPTX. The SDTS crew had identified the issue in the ship’s state room, and several technology suppliers worked on a fix with SurgeMain sailors.

A reservist used an AR headset during the scenario to connect remotely with a subject matter expert elsewhere to help inspect and measure the faulty flange.

Armed with measurements of the flange assembly, two additive manufacturing companies participating in REPTX later 3D-printed parts that could be used to replace the flange and gasket in the state room.

Other underway demonstrations tested, repaired and monitored vital equipment on the ship.

Participants and organizers agreed that some of the best things to come out of REPTX were the spontaneous collaborations between attending organizations that revealed more efficient uses of their individual technologies when used together.

Along with the focus on collaboration, organizers designed the event to be educational for everyone involved.

“REPTX facilitated learning on both the government and participant sides,” said Jason Bickford, research manager at NSWC PHD. “We’ve heard unanimous positive feedback from participants that it was a valuable experience for them.”

The learning experience was impactful in that it was hands on, operationally based and held aboard an active ship.

Bryant said that next steps include determining how to invest $2 million in follow-on funding to further develop technologies for fielding in the fleet. The REPTX team will also release to the public a comprehensive after action report on the event.

Meanwhile, discussions are underway for a sequel.

“Events like REPTX enable NAVSEA to be more agile and competitive in the future fight,” Bryant said. “Providing access to Navy assets, crew and problems allows traditional and non-traditional players to engage together, quickly and effectively. Continuing efforts like REPTX are essential as the Navy looks to build a more resilient and sustainable fleet and innovative and responsive industrial base.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — The guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is operating under the command of the U.S. 7th Fleet for the first time, according to a Navy release.  

The Zumwalt completed its first port call in Guam on Sept. 19, according to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15 Public Affairs. This “marks the farthest it’s ever been from its home port of Naval Base San Diego since its commissioning,” the squadron’s release said.  

While in the region, the Zumwalt is assigned to Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15, the 7th fleet’s principal surface force. 

The Zumwalt is the lead ship of a three-ship class of DDGs, two of which have been commissioned and one is still under construction. All three are or will be assigned to Surface Development Squadron One in San Diego. 

The Zumwalt class has been selected to be the initial platform for the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike capability. The ships’ Advanced Gun Systems will be removed to make way for Large Missile Vertical Launch Systems to handle hypersonic missiles because the ship’s existing Mk57 launchers for its Standard and Tomahawk missiles are too small to accommodate the CPS missile.   

The Zumwalt will be the first ship to receive the modifications. The Navy’s Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, Bath, Maine, awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $20 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification “for procurement of long-lead time material for the Large Missile Vertical Launch System [LMVLS] launch module fabrication on DDG 1000,” an Aug. 18 Defense Department contract announcement said. Work is expected to be completed by June 2024.   

The Navy plans to field the Conventional Prompt Strike capability on the Zumwalt in 2025. The Conventional Prompt Strike capability will be fielded later in the decade on the Block V version of the Virginia-class attack submarine.  

The Zumwalt is commanded by Capt. Amy McInnis. 

NORFOLK, Va. — The crew of the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) held a decommissioning ceremony onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, Sept. 16, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) public affairs said in a release. 

Plankowners, including the ship’s commissioning commanding officer Capt. Joel Heaton, as well as former crew members, joined hundreds of attendees to celebrate the ship’s distinguished 32-year history of naval service. 
 
“Unique to the Navy, when we serve on a ship, it becomes part of us — I mean who we are, how we act, think and live. Similarly, we all in turn become part of that ship — it is a tremendously powerful legacy. This is most definitely the case with USS Monterey, she is certainly a testament to her excellent crews and she has been ‘rough in battle and ready in peace,'” said Vice Adm. Jim Kilby, deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. 
 
“Monterey executed 14 deployments, many availabilities, and as many training cycles. She was modified over her life to continue to be a relevant and a key ship in our fleet. She will leave a great legacy for many years in the future as those who proudly call themselves Monterey Sailors continue to serve our Nation.” 
 
Monterey’s current Commanding Officer, Cmdr. David M. Schaller, spoke of the powerful bond between Sailors and their ships and the lives shaped aboard.

“Nobody joins the Navy to decommission a ship,” said Schaller. “The Monterey crew performed their duties of putting her to rest in the most professional and exemplary manner, honoring her storied history and service to our nation.” 
 
Monterey was built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and commissioned in Mayport, Florida, June 16, 1990. Monterey’s namesake commemorates the battle fought Sept. 20, 1846, in the war with Mexico. 
 
“She has served her crews and her nation well and rightfully takes her place among the ships that, for well over 200 years, have played an indispensable role in protecting the United States of America and serving her strategic interests across the world,” said Schaller. “This ship and her crews will forever share a legacy that will be felt across the fleet for years to come.”