From Naval Air Systems Command, Sept. 10, 2024 

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The U.S. and Australian fleets are one step closer to getting the next increment of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) system. The Navy awarded L3 Technologies Inc., Communication Systems-West a $587.4 million contract Aug. 26 for the engineering and manufacturing development of the Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) system. 

“NGJ-LB will meet current and emerging electronic warfare threats and increase the lethality of 4th and 5th generation platforms and strike weapons,” said Rear Adm. John Lemmon, Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs. “The Navy will partner with L3Harris to get this key capability into the hands of the warfighter.” 

The NGJ-LB is part of a larger NGJ system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on the EA-18G Growler aircraft. Using the latest software and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies, NGJ will provide enhanced AEA capabilities to disrupt, deny and degrade enemy air defense and ground communication systems. 

This latest increment will counter a larger capacity of adversary systems in the low-frequency electromagnetic spectrum. NGJ-LB is scheduled to reach early operational capability in 2029. 

The Navy originally awarded the contract in 2020. Following multiple protests, the Navy issued an amended request for proposals in 2023. This contract supports the final design efforts and manufacturing of operational prototype pods and system-level prototypes for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). NGJ-LB is a joint cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Australian Department of Defence. 

“The contract award is a major step for our fleet as well as the RAAF,” said Capt. David Rueter, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Office (PMA-234) Program Manager. “Our partnership with Australia to develop the newest AEA jamming capability exhibits our joint commitment to ensure continued superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum.” 

PMA-234 is responsible for acquiring, delivering and sustaining AEA systems including the NGJ, ALQ-99, and ALQ-231 Intrepid Tiger Pod II. The program office provides combatant commanders with electronic warfare capabilities that enable operational mission success. 

From SECNAV Public Affairs, 9 September 2024 

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 9, 2024) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro visited Philly Shipyard, Inc. and spoke at the christening for the second National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Patriot State (NSMV II) Sept. 9. 

“It was incredible to see how quickly the NSMV program and Philly Shipyard have come in just a few years,” said Secretary Del Toro.  “Building Patriot State and enabling its mission to train Massachusetts Marine Academy cadets will advance our Maritime Statecraft for decades.” 

Philly Shipyard is a U.S. shipbuilder pursuing a mix of commercial and government work, ranging from shipbuilding to repair and maintenance.  

Secretary Del Toro has made Maritime Statecraft and restoring the comprehensive maritime power of the United States a key component of his tenure as Secretary of the Navy. That component was advanced with Korean Shipbuilder Hanwha’s acquisition announcement of Philly Shipyard in June 2024. 

“I thank all those who answered the nation’s call to service to ensure we remain the most dominant maritime force in the world,” said Del Toro. “Your contributions to our shipbuilding industry and maritime training are vital to our Maritime Statecraft.” 

The christening was attended by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA 5th District), Maritime Administrator Hon. Ann C. Phillips, Massachusetts Maritime Academy President Adm. Fran McDonald, and Philly Shipyard President and CEO Steinar Nerbovik. 

When it is complete, Patriot State will be a key platform to train future leaders of the United States Merchant Marine and United States Navy. 

From U.S. Central Command 

Sept 9,2024 

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi missile systems and one support vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 

Additionally, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle over the Red Sea. 

It was determined these systems presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition and merchant vessels. 

Sept 8, 2024 

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command forces successfully destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles and two missile systems in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. 

It was determined these systems presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. 

Sep. 6, 2024

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle and one support vehicle in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. 

It was determined these systems presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. 

From the Department of Defense, Sept. 9, 2024 

The secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced today the following assignments: 

Rear Adm. Nicholas M. Homan is currently serving as commander, Fleet Information Warfare Command Pacific/Information Warfare Task Force (TF-501), Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Homan has recently served as director, J-2, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. 

Rear Adm. Thomas S. Wall will be assigned as deputy/reserve deputy commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.  Wall is currently serving as deputy chief of staff, Submarines, Maritime Command Headquarters, Northwood, United Kingdom; and commander, Submarines, NATO, Northwood, United Kingdom. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Dennis E. Collins, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as reserve deputy for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, N4R, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Collins is currently serving as commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, Williamsburg, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael L. Baker is currently serving as national geospatial director of operations; and military deputy, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Springfield, Virginia.  Baker has recently served as senior defense official/defense attaché – India, New Delhi, India. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) David M. Buzzetti is currently serving as deputy Joint Staff surgeon and director, Reserve Medical Readiness Operations and Affairs, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.  Buzzetti has recently served as deputy chief of staff, Reserve Component, N093, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Falls Church, Virginia.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Stephen D. Donald will be assigned as mobilization assistant to commander, Cyber National Mission Force, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.  Donald is currently serving as reserve deputy commander, Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Calvin M. Foster will be assigned as deputy commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.  Foster is currently serving as director, Maritime Partnership Program, Sixth Fleet; and vice commander, Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark F. Haigis will be assigned as deputy commander, Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia.  Haigis is currently serving as deputy commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Charles Kirol will be assigned as commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, Williamsburg, Virginia.  Kirol is currently serving as deputy director, Logistics, Fleet Supply and Ordnance, N4, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos will be assigned as reserve director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Martinez de Pinillos is currently serving as vice commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Tuan Nguyen is currently serving as senior defense official/defense attaché-China, Beijing, China.  Nguyen has recently served as a Maritime Cooperation and Competition director, U.S. Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael S. Richman will be assigned as deputy director for Hypersonics, Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C.  Richman is currently serving as deputy commander for Cyber Engineering, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) John D. Saccomando will be assigned as reserve deputy commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.  Saccomando is currently serving as reserve deputy director of Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Eric H. Ver Hage is currently serving as deputy to the deputy assistant secretary of defense for international industry engagement, Washington, D.C.  Ver Hage has recently served as special assistant to commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Kimberly A. Walz will be assigned as reserve director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.  Walz is currently serving as deputy commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia.  

Capt. Benjamin E. Baran, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee.  Baran is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (N1), Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

Capt. David N. Barnes, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Navy Recruiting Command, Millington, Tennessee.  Barnes is currently serving as deputy commander, Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas.  

Capt. Shawn G. Denihan, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as reserve deputy commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.  Denihan is currently serving as chief engineer, Navy Reserve, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.  

Capt. Michael L. Freidberg, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as Reserve Support, N2/N6, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Freidberg is currently serving as regional commander, Navy Reserve Naval Information Force Reserve Headquarters, Suffolk, Virginia. 

Capt. Reginald H. Hendrix, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Hendrix is currently serving as deputy commander, Maritime Expeditionary Security Group Two, Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

Capt. Marcus J. Lockard Jr. selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as reserve deputy director, Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Lockard is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve Pacific Fleet Command, N3N5, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Capt. Ryan K. Mahelona, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as reserve deputy commander, Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland.  Mahelona is currently serving as deputy chief of staff for Warfare Readiness and Integration, Navy Reserve, Naval Information Force Reserve Headquarters, Suffolk, Virginia. 

Capt. Jason M. Naidyhorski, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Maritime Partnership Program, Sixth Fleet; and vice commander, Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy.  Naidyhorski is currently serving as deputy commander, Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Capt. Troy S. Pugh, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy director, Logistics, Fleet Supply and Ordnance, N4, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Pugh is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, U.S Indo-Pacific Command, J4 KIT, Camp Smith, Hawaii.  

Capt. Katie F. Sheldon, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as vice commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan.  Sheldon is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, U.S. Third Fleet, San Diego, California. 

From Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs 

NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. (September 7, 2024) – The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Richard M. McCool, Jr. (LPD 29) commissioned aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, September 7. 

 
Welcomed throughout the week, the crew, joined by the ship’s sponsor, Shana McCool, and McCool’s great-grandchildren, attended community events supported by local businesses, flyovers by the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, a visit by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and ceremony host, Naval Air Station Pensacola. Participating in the ceremony were Marine Aviation Training Support Groups Two-One and Two-Three, Navy Training Wing Ten (VT-10) Wildcats, Navy Band Southeast, McGuire’s Pipe and Drum Band, and 350 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and Navy League Sea Cadets from Alabama, Arkansas, and Pensacola. 

During the ceremony guest speaker, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, honored the ship’s namesake as they brought the ship to life, beginning its commissioned service. “Captain McCool’s leadership in the face of grave danger and his acts of heroism to save the crew and the ship our nation entrusted to him are indeed an example for all throughout.” 

“I am proud that the Department of the Navy is pursuing the award of the Amphibious Multi-Ship Procurement Contract for a total of three San Antonio Class amphibious ships—just like USS Richard M. McCool Jr.—along with an America Class amphibious assault ship,” Del Toro continued. “I am proud to see these Sailors and Marines bring this incredible warship to life in service to our nation, much like this ship’s courageous namesake.” 

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti also reflected on the importance of the Navy-Marine Corps team. “The LPD plays an essential role on our Blue-Green team as the workhorse of our Amphibious Fleet, and soon the USS Richard M. McCool, Jr. will set sail and begin embarking, transporting, and landing elements of our Navy-Marine Corps team for a variety of expeditionary warfare training and missions,” said Franchetti. “The commissioning of this ship puts more players on the field in America’s Warfighting Navy—players the Navy needs to promote our Nation’s prosperity and security, deter aggression, and provide options to our Nation’s leaders. We need more of these players—platforms that are ready with the right capabilities, weapons, and sustainment to ensure we are fully prepared to fight and win our Nation’s wars in this decade and beyond.” 

“LPD 29 represents a shift in what an amphibious warship is,” said Gen. C.J. Mahoney, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. “With the latest in integrated SPY-6 (air and missile defense radar system) and Next Generation Surface Search Technology, she enables reconnaissance and counter reconnaissance on the forward edge of the battlespace – making sense and decision space for the Fleet and Joint Force Commanders.” 

Emphasizing the critical role of the integrated Navy-Marine Corps team in the event that deterrence fails, Gen. Mahoney concluded, “If the Marine Corps is a bullet to be fired by the Navy, the USS Richard M. McCool, Jr. – with the very crew you see here today – will pull the trigger.” 

Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Baker thanked family, friends, the commissioning committee, those who were not able to be present, the communities of Pascagoula and Pensacola, and Gulf Coast shipbuilders – electricians, machinists, pipe fitters, painters, riggers, welders, and more; everyone who helped to bring this ship to life 

Echoing McCool’s words when receiving the Medal of Honor “Fight as a unit, not as an individual”, Baker talked about the importance of the crew. “I hope that we’ve made him proud. I hope that we have lived up to and will continue to honor his legacy. The remarkable warship moored behind me, is ready for pictures, but its full of potential energy. It takes 330 officers, chief petty officers, and enlisted crew to sail her and make our warship ready for tasking. Manning these rails are the finest men and women this country has to offer. I couldn’t be prouder of them. The ship needs them all. I need them all. The Navy and our country need them all. Please thank them. They’ve got the watch.” 

“LPD 29, Richard M. McCool, when deployed comes equipped with the most advanced weapons system ever produced. The weapons system with unlimited reach, lethality, and combat effectiveness. The only system known to mankind that cannot be defeated by any adversary anywhere in the world. The weapons system of the United States Marines Corps.” 

LPD 29 is the 13th San Antonio-class LPD commissioned in the United States Navy, and the first U.S. Navy ship to bear this namesake. 

The naming of LPD 29 honors U.S. Navy Capt. Richard M. McCool, Jr., Ret. who received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for the heroism he displayed after his ship, USS LSC 122, was attacked by kamikaze aircraft in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite suffering from shrapnel wounds and painful burns, he led efforts to battle a blazing fire on his ship and rescue injured Sailors. 

McCool was a leader whose life and legacy revolved around service. In addition to USS LSC 122, he commanded the USS LSC 44 and served on the USS McKean (DD-784), USS Frank Knox (DD-742), and USS Leyte (CV-32), and at the University of Oklahoma, and Eighth Naval District, New Orleans, Louisiana. Attending Boston University in Massachusetts, he was redesignated as a public information officer with assignments as the deputy commander at the Armed Forces Information School at Fort Slocum, New York; and to Commander, Naval Base, Long Beach, California; Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C.; Commander, South Eastern Asia Treaty Organization, Bangkok, Thailand; Ninth Naval District at Great Lakes, Illinois; Commander, First Fleet; and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, and Commander, Seventh Fleet, Japan. Retiring as a captain in 1974 after 35 years of active duty, he continued serving his community through engagement in local politics in the Bremerton, Washington, area. McCool died in March 2008 and is buried at Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. 

San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport, and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions. They provide the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable, and built to operate in the 21st century, with the MV-22 Osprey, the upgraded Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and future means by which Marines are delivered ashore. 

From SECNAV Public Affairs, 6 September 2024 

MOBILE, Ala. (Sept. 6, 2024) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro attended the keel laying ceremony for USNS Lansing (EPF 16) alongside ship sponsor Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Mobile, Alabama, Sept. 6, 2024. 
 
The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) shipbuilding program provides high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. 
 
“Our EPFs are force multipliers for our combat logistics fleet,” said Secretary Del Toro. “They allow for quicker responses to crises, strengthen our ability to conduct humanitarian and disaster relief operations, and provide logistical support for special forces missions.” 
 
Lansing will be manned by dedicated crews, comprised of both civilian mariners from the Military Sealift Command and embarked military personnel, whose expertise and teamwork will ensure the ship operates at peak efficiency, delivering critical resources and services exactly when and where they’re needed. 
 
The keel laying represents the success and importance of our Maritime Statecraft initiative, which encompasses a national, whole-of-government effort to restore the comprehensive maritime power of our nation. 
 
“Michigan has a world-class skilled workforce and is a leader in developing the techno-industrial workforce we need to build and assemble the ships, munitions, parts, and pieces our Navy, Marine Corps, and indeed our nation need to promote peace around the world,” said Del Toro. “Austal, building this ship, represents another key line of effort under our new, national approach to Maritime Statecraft—a foreign shipbuilder establishing a U.S. subsidiary, investing in America, and partnering with us to build American ships.” 
 
USNS Lansing is the first ship named in honor of Michigan’s capital city, Lansing. A previous USS Lansing (DE 388) was named for Aviation Machinist Mate First Class William Henry Lansing and decommissioned in 1965. 
 
Bridging the gap between low-speed sealift and high-speed airlift, EPFs transport personnel, equipment and supplies over operational distances with access to littoral offload points including austere, minor and degraded ports in support of the Global War on Terrorism/Theater Security Cooperation Program, Intra-theater Operational/Littoral Maneuver and Sustainment and Seabasing. EPFs enable the rapid projection, agile maneuver and sustainment of modular, tailored forces in response to a wide range of military and civilian contingencies such as Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. 
 
Secretary Del Toro made the announcement alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Mayor Andy Schor of Lansing, Michigan, July 22, in addition to announcing the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M-3) initiative. 
 
Austal USA, located in Mobile, Alabama, was realized in 1999 for the purpose of reaching the ever increasing commercial and defense aluminum vessel market in the United States. Our shipbuilding facility occupies 164 acres on the eastern shore of the Mobile River and is strategically positioned at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico. 

MOBILE, Ala. – Austal USA launched USNS Point Loma (EPF 15) at the company’s state-of-the-art ship building facility in Mobile, Ala. today. The U.S. Navy’s 15th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), christened in the beginning of August, is now docked pier side for final outfitting and system activation in preparation for sea trials later this year. 

During the launch process, self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) lifted the ship almost three feet and moved it approximately 400 feet onto a deck barge moored adjacent to the final assembly bay. The barge moved the ship downriver to Austal USA’s West Campus repair yard where the ship was placed in a floating dry dock. The EPF was submerged in the dry dock enabling it to float for the first time, and it was returned back upriver to Austal USA’s new construction facility.  

“The continued success of this launch process is a testament to the value of teamwork and applying lessons-learned to everything we do,” stated Austal USA Vice President of New Construction Programs, Dave Growden. “Our test and activation, crane and rigging, and safety teams work methodically alongside our Navy partners and key vendors such as Berard Transportation and E.N. Bisso & Son tug services. These partnerships allow us to continually examine our process, identify opportunities for improvement, and more effectively achieve these major ship milestones.” 

Production efforts on EPF 15 will shift to final outfitting and system activation to support USNS Point Loma getting underway for sea trials. 

By Team Ships Public Affairs, Aug.30, 2024 

The U.S. Navy celebrated the keel plate signing for one of the Navy’s future Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers at an event hosted at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) on Aug. 30. 

The ceremony was held in honor of Capt. Thomas G. Kelley, a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroism during the Vietnam War and the namesake of the future USS Thomas G. Kelley (DDG 140). 

During the ceremony, Marc Cote, a senior welder from General Dynamics BIW, welded Capt. Kelley’s signature onto the keel plate which will be used in the future during the keel laying ceremony. 

“What an honor! I am truly grateful and humbled that Secretary Del Toro chose me to be the namesake of DDG 140. To have the ship built in my backyard makes it more special and is a testament to the work skills of New England men and women.  I am so proud of the capability this destroyer will eventually bring to the fleet” 

Flight III destroyers feature the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporate upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. 

PEO Ships, one of the Department of Defense’s largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships. 

By Team Ships Strategic Operations, Aug. 29, 2024 

Bath, Maine – The keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG 130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was laid during a ceremony on Aug. 29 at General Dynamic Bath Iron Works (BIW). 

The ship is named in honor of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, a veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts during the Korean War, while assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,1st Marine Division in Panmunjom Corridor (DMZ), Korea. 

Rear Adm. Darin K. Via, Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), presided over the ceremony on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. 

“All of us in Navy Medicine are immensely proud to have a warship named after one of our own.  We understand that it is one of the greatest honors you can receive in the Navy. The future USS William Charette will not only be a symbol of American strength but also a testament to the courage and dedication of Navy corpsmen,” said Rear Adm. Darin Via. “To have a ship named after a Navy corpsman is to hold to the maxim of ‘Corpsman Up!’ and embodies the ethos of courage, fidelity, and service before self.” 

A keel laying ceremony represents the joining together of the ship’s modular components at the land level. During the ceremony, the keel is authenticated when the welder etches the initials of the keel honorees into the keel plate. The authentication was confirmed by Via, on behalf of the namesake’s children, Margaret Ann Charette Henderson, Kati Charette Donovan, Laura Charette Bennett, Michael R. Charette, and the late William A. Charette. The namesake’s daughters are the ship’s co-sponsors. BUMED Force Master Chief PatrickPaul (PaP) Mangaran, director of the Hospital Corps and leader of the Navy Medicine’s enlisted force, also read a statement on behalf of the Charette family. 

“The future USS William Charette will be a welcomed addition to the fleet and another player on the field to provide the Navy with the most advanced warfighting capability” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 Class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “This ship honors the legacy of the late William Charette and his heroism during the Korean War. We are honored to have his daughters as sponsors and for the entire family to celebrate this significant milestone.” 

A DDG 51 Flight III destroyer features the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. The future destroyers Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), and Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136) are also under construction at BIW. 

PEO Ships, one of the Department of Defense’s largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships. 

From SECNAV Public Affairs, Sept. 4, 2024 

PERTH, Australia – Acting Under Secretary of the Navy Tom Mancinelli traveled to Perth, Australia, Sept. 1-3, to meet with partner navies, government officials, and military leaders to discuss their shared commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

Mancinelli observed the Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) and engaged with Royal Australian and U.S. Navy Sailors supporting this Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) milestone. 

“AUKUS is a partnership to defend a free and open Indo-Pacific and defend our shared interests,” the acting Under Secretary said.  “The United States is committed to its success as we take on the challenges of the 21st century together.” 

Throughout the trip, he discussed the trilateral AUKUS partnership and held several engagements to communicate the Department of the Navy’s commitment to advancing interoperability, innovation, and maritime security. 

The acting Under Secretary of the Navy met with senior defense leaders, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) leaders, and government leaders during his travel to Western Australia, to include Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence Richard Marles, Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Development Pat Conroy, Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook, Western Australia Minister for Defence Paul Papalia, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King, British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell, RAN Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, and Director General Australian Submarine Agency Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead. 

Leaders exchanged views on the importance of maritime security and spoke about AUKUS Optimal Pathway accomplishments, the significance of maintaining strong navies, as well as their shared commitment to ensure a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, complementing the existing regional security architecture. 

“There is no substitute for presence.  We are supporting this generational opportunity that will increase our maritime capabilities and interoperability, while also helping Australia develop and operate its own sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines,” Mancinelli emphasized. 

“The Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period, a hallmark of AUKUS Pillar I for 2024, is a proud step forward in our shared journey,” said Mancinelli.  “It represents one of the tangible ways in which our navies are sharing our talents and resources.” 

At HMAS Stirling, the future home to Submarine Rotational Force – West, which is helping to shape Australia’s future fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, he visited commands and thanked personnel. 

The acting Under Secretary toured the USS Hawaii (SSN 776) alongside Albanese and Marles. On board he spoke with Australian and U.S. Navy Sailors working together and conducting maintenance on the submarine. 

Separately, Mancinelli met with Fleet Support Unit Sailors and visited the submarine tender ship USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) to talk with Sailors and meet defense and RAN leaders.  

USS Emory S. Land Sailors are supporting maintenance activities aboard the Hawaii.  This is the first time Australians have participated in a U.S. submarine maintenance period in Australia. Additionally, more than 30 Australian personnel who participated in a knowledge exchange period that began in January 2024 aboard Emory S. Land are executing the majority of planned maintenance work with U.S. support and oversight. 

“I am excited to see progress firsthand, and I look forward to seeing an even closer partnership with the Australian Navy and British Navy in the future as we work together to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.” 

Mancinelli then toured the Henderson Shipyard and Hoffman Engineering, an Australian firm that supplies parts for Australia’s Collins class submarines. 

 “We’re making historic investments in our own defense industrial base capabilities and standing shoulder to shoulder with two countries that share our values and our commitment to peace and security,” he noted.  

Lastly, he visited a Perth-based think tank and engaged in dialogue with defense and national security experts about AUKUS.  He also discussed the strategic importance of the enduring Alliance between Australia and the U.S. and the ways in which our navies are working together to uphold the rules-based order.  

The U.S. and Australian navies share a mutual interest in maintaining freedom of navigation and open sea lanes for trade and commerce. They conduct frequent cooperative deployments, and regularly operate together during flagship theater exercises such as Pacific Partnership, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), and the Australian-led Kakadu. 

This trip marked Mancinelli’s first international trip as the acting Under Secretary of the Navy and his first visit to Perth, Australia.