ARLINGTON, Va. — The new Center for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States held its ribbon-cutting opening ceremony on Jan. 31, with the center’s first dean, retired Adm. Jamie Foggo, saying it will provide thought leadership and advocacy for all the sea services and advocate for a strong industrial base to build the needed platforms that support them.

“Ninety percent of the world’s traded goods go via the sea … there are a lot of actors and factors out there that threaten these sea lines of communication,” Foggo said during the ceremony at the Navy League building in Arlington, Virginia.

He noted the last National Defense Strategy called out five adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and violent extremist organizations, all of which remain formidable opponents.

Foggo cited a speech by former Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson about the narrow margin of victory at Midway, which turned the tide in the Pacific in World War II.

“With adversaries surrounding us and our interests, resources tight, and lots of domestic concerns at home, the margins to victory in any future conflict may once again be razor thin,” Foggo said. “It’s our goal in the Center for Maritime Strategy to help the maritime services in collaboration with our leadership in the administration and Capitol Hill, think through this and come up with a winning combination of strategy, force structure, and resources.”

Congressional Viewpoint

Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, a 20-year Navy veteran and vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee, was the keynote speaker at the event.

“We need a real center like this who can think through and justify” the Navy’s needs, including the number of ships required to fulfill its mission, Luria said.

In the days of President Theodore Roosevelt, a former under secretary of the Navy who supported the founding of the Navy league, shipbuilding was robust, Luria said, and “that was part of the American psyche.”

The message about the importance of the sea services needs to “get outside of this room” and be part of the “dialogue with the American people.”

Attendees at the event included active-duty admirals, congressional staffers, retired flag officers, naval attaches from allies and partners from around the world, representatives from prestigious think tanks and leaders from industry.

INDONESIA — The Indonesian navy commissioned its first stealth trimaran fast attack craft, KRI Golok (688), at Surabaya on the island of Java on Jan. 14. The ship was built by PT Lundin at Banyuwangi, on Java’s eastern tip, from composite fiber materials.

The commissioning ceremony took place at the naval base in Surabaya, East Java. Also commissioned at the ceremony was the lead ship in a new class of hospital ships KRI dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo (991),

Speaking at the ceremony, Adm. Yudo Morgono, chief of the Indonesian navy, said, “This type of ship is not only important to support naval operations as part of the task force and the navy fleet, but is a tangible manifestation of the navy’s commitment to modernizing defense equipment in humanitarian operations.”

The term “golok” refers to a cutting took, similar to a machete, which can serve as a tool or weapon.  During the naming ceremony last August, Margono said the composite material offers high strength, light weight, excellent fatigue resistance and is virtually corrosion free. The Indonesian navy sees the trimaran design and material as a prototype development purposes.

“With its high speed and high destructive power, it is hoped that this ship will be able to carry out the hit and run fast missile boat tactic,” Margono said.

The ship has not yet been fitted with weapons, but is able to mount a gun up to 76mm and can carry up to eight antiship missiles, such as the RBS 15, Naval Strike Missile, Harpoon or Exocet.

According to a video prepared by PT Lundin, the ship has greatly reduced radar, infrared, acoustic and magnetic signatures. The weapons and RHIB are concealed inside the structure or discretely shaped to maintain stealth.

PT Lundin said the composite and carbon fiber foam-sandwich material — fabricated with fire-resistant vinyl ester resin — creates a structure that is much lighter than steel or aluminum, resin but has similar fire-resistance and ballistics protection properties and superior protection from blast and underwater explosions.

According to an Indonesian navy statement, the fast attack craft has an overall length of 205 feet (62.53 meters); a 52.5-foot (16 meter) beam; a 61-foot mast height (18.7 meters), and a current displacement of 245 tons. The ship will be heavier after the installation of weapons. The trimaran can achieve speeds up to 30 knots, and can cruise at 16 knots for 2,000 nautical miles. The ship and its 25-person crew will have an endurance of 40 days. Additional personnel, such as special forces or a humanitarian assistance landing party can also be carried.

The wave-piercing trimaran can cut through waves instead of ride over them, maintain higher speeds and heavier sea states.  An enclosed hangar on the stern can carry a 12-meter RHIB.

The trimaran, with four water jets, is well suited for Indonesia’s archipelagic operations. The FAC is extremely maneuverable, has a shallow draft and can literally back up onto a beach — where its radar signature becomes indistinguishable from the land — waiting for targets to engage.

Golok is powered by four 1800 HP MAN V12 diesel engines, each connected to a Marine Jet Power 550 waterjets. In a company video, PT Lundin refers to the trimaran as the “ultimate in high-speed missile boats.”

WASHINGTON — The keel for the future USS Harrisburg (LPD 30), the Navy’s 14th San Antonio class-amphibious transport dock ship and the first Flight II ship, was laid at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding, Jan. 28, Team Ships Public Affairs said in a release. 

A keel laying is the recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. It is the joining together of a ship’s modular components and the authentication or etching of an honoree’s initials into a ceremonial keel plate. The ship’s sponsor, Alexandra Curry, wife of Middletown, Pennsylvania, Mayor Jim Curry, had her initials etched into the keel plate by HII welders. 

“LPD 30 marks the beginning of the LPD Flight II builds and the continuation of the superb capability that the San Antonio Class platform has brought to the Navy–Marine Corps team,” said Cedric McNeal, program manager, Amphibious Warfare Program Office, Program Executive Office Ships. “With its flexibility and adaptability, LPD Flight II ships are essential to projecting power and delivering the combat capability needed to shape the future fleet.” 

The city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and her surrounding region play a central role in our national defense infrastructure, hosting a myriad of defense logistics and naval supply support activities that bring support and sustenance to our Navy’s fleet and our forward deployed Sailors and Marines. This is the second U.S. Navy ship to be named after the city of Harrisburg. The first was a troopship acquired during World War I. 

The LPD Flight II ships will be the functional replacement for the Whidbey Island-class (LSD 41/49) dock landing ships. The San Antonio-class is designed to support embarking, transporting, and landing Marines and their equipment by conventional or air-cushioned landing craft. The ship’s capabilities are further enhanced by its flight deck and hangar, enabling the ship to operate a variety of Marine Corps helicopters and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Because of the ships inherent capabilities, they are able to support a variety of amphibious assault, special operations, expeditionary warfare, or disaster relief missions, operating independently or as part of amphibious ready groups, expeditionary strike groups, or joint task forces. 

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding Division is currently in production of the future USS Richard S. McCool (LPD 29) and the future USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 29). LPD 28 and 29 will serve as transition ships to LPD 30. 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Jan. 27 its board of directors elected Chief Operating Officer Chris Kastner to become HII president and chief executive officer, consistent with the company’s succession plan. The board also elected President and CEO Mike Petters to become executive vice chairman of the board for a transition period. Both changes are effective March 1.

Petters and Kastner, who has acted over the past decade as chief financial officer, head of corporate strategy and divisional financial officer, are credited with nurturing the company’s current $48 billion shipbuilding backlog. The pair also steered its recent technology-oriented acquisitions to strengthen and broaden the capabilities HII delivers to customers.

“We’ve spent the past 11 years building a company for the 21^st century,” said Petters, who took the helm of HII when Northrop Grumman spun off its shipbuilding business in 2011, after leading in various capacities for 24 years within HII’s shipbuilding divisions. “HII is now that company, with a leadership team and portfolio to serve our nation’s critical national security needs. I am proud of the work we have done together and excited to watch the company fulfill its promise. I have complete confidence in Chris and the senior leadership team in this next chapter.”

Starting March 1, Petters will support the leadership transition as executive vice chairman and will remain an HII employee through 2022, during which time he will continue to represent HII. Succeeding Petters as CEO, Kastner brings extensive leadership and program management experience. Kastner was promoted to his current COO position in February 2021, after serving as HII’s executive vice president and chief financial officer since March 2016. Kastner also served as vice president and CFO for HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division based in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Prior to HII’s spin-off from Northrop Grumman in 2011, he held increasingly responsible positions on the B-2, Joint STARS and Global Hawk programs, and served as corporate director of strategic transactions. His selection to succeed Petters is part of HII’s multi-year succession planning process.

“Given HII’s support for national security, the company takes business continuity extremely seriously,” said Kirk Donald, chairman of the board of HII. “We are grateful to Mike for his immeasurable contribution to the nation, and for what is now a supremely responsible leadership hand-off. The entire board joins me in congratulating Chris as he takes the helm of HII. The company’s workforce and customers can be confident that HII’s work will carry on with the same great sense of mission and service to our customers and our country.”

In addition to overseeing HII’s growth during his leadership tenure, Petters has also become a leading voice in the business community on matters of ethics, pre-K education and workforce development. Petters will also continue to serve as chairman of the board of governors of the Aerospace Industry Association, an advocacy organization on behalf of aerospace and defense companies.

MOBILE, Ala. — Austal USA celebrated the Jan. 26 keel laying of the future USNS Cody (EPF 14) at its ship manufacturing facility in in Mobile, Alabama, the company said in a release. 

Cody is a Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF), one of 15 the Navy has contracted Austal to build. The ship is the first U.S. Navy ship named for the city of Cody in Wyoming. 

A keel laying ceremony is the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. At Austal USA, the keel laying symbolically recognizes module erection in final assembly and the ceremonial beginning of a ship. 

The ship’s sponsor is Averil Spencer, founder and executive director of Launch gURLs, a nonprofit that aims to close the gender gap in economic opportunities through entrepreneurship programming for adolescent girls globally. In honor of the U.S. Navy ship keel laying tradition, Spencer welded her initials onto a metal plate that will be installed in the ship. She was assisted by Austal USA A-class welder Amy Cunningham. 

T-EPFs 14 and 15 will be built as Flight II variants. The Flight II Variant is an adaptive, modular package that can better host an embarked unit or be set up as a Role 2E medical facility, capable of performing primary surgery, resuscitative trauma surgery, critical care, oxygen generation, blood operations, laboratory functions, and associated ancillary services. The Flight II variant also incorporates an 11-meter workboat for mission use.  

MEDITERRANEAN SEA — NATO is continuing its Operation Sea Guardian with its first focused patrol for 2022.

Turkish frigate TCG Barbaros is currently deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and is serving as flagship for NATO’s current OSG focused patrol.

According to a statement from NATO Allied Maritime Command, Barbaros’s three-week deployment is the first of six Operation Sea Guardina-focused operations scheduled this year and will run until Feb. 12, 2022.

“This focused patrol incorporates maritime patrol aircraft from Greece, Poland and Turkey in addition to submarines from Greece and Turkey in support of the flagship,” the statement said. “Simultaneously, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 comprised of the flagship ITS Margottini,  ESPS Blas de Lezo and TCG Goksu will be deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, contributing NATO’s maritime situational awareness efforts.” 

According to MARCOM, Operation Sea Guardian is a non-Article 5, “collaborative, year-round maritime security operation designed to maintain maritime situational awareness, deter and counter terrorism activity and build capacity and interoperability among NATO Allies and partners.”

Aimed at working with Mediterranean stakeholders and partners, the operation has been conducting focused patrols at specific areas of interest in the Mediterranean Sea. Operation patrols commenced in 2016 to “maintain an accurate picture of the maritime environment and contribute to the safety and security in the region.”

NATO’s website states that “Operation Sea Guardian is a flexible operation that can potentially cover the full range of NATO’s maritime security operation tasks. At present, it is operating in the Mediterranean and is conducting three MSO tasks: maritime security capacity building and support to maritime situational awareness and to maritime counter-terrorism.”

As needed, Operation Sea Guardian can also be directed to uphold freedom of navigation, conduct maritime interdiction, fight the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and protect critical infrastructure.

“I cannot think of a better example that speaks to the relevance of inter-agency cooperation than Operation Sea Guardian,” said Allied MARCOM’s commander, Royal Navy Vice Adm. Keith Blount, speaking at the NATO Maritime Security Conference last year at Souda Bay, Crete. “Our obligation to ensure maritime security in the Mediterranean requires a multitude of actions, in collaboration with our allies and partners, and represents the full spectrum of capabilities that we possess.”

OTTAWA, Ontario — Kongsberg Geospatial has successfully conducted sea trials of the Shield AI V-BAT unmanned aerial system on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, operating from a small cargo vessel far offshore in international waters, Kongsberg announced Jan. 25. 
 
The Canadian Coast Guard is conducting trials of the long-endurance, vertical takeoff and landing UAS surveillance system for possible deployment on Canadian Coast Guard Vessels under a project funded by Defence Research and Development Canada. The Shield AI V-BAT aircraft was selected due to its unique ability to combine VTOL from the small confines aboard ship with the long endurance of a fixed-wing aircraft while carrying multiple sensors. 
 
Kongsberg Geospatial teamed with Shield AI to deploy the V-BAT VTOL UAS for a three-day sea trial in international waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The trials tested the capability of the aircraft to provide rapid launch and recovery, long endurance, and confined space takeoff and landing from a moving vessel in a variety of weather conditions, during the day and night. In addition to tracking and identifying other ships at long ranges, the flights conducted a variety of simulated missions designed to emulate real-world situations where the Canadian Coast Guard would use the drones. These included locating and tracking dye patches that simulated wreckage or oil spills and locating life preservers in choppy seas and in a variety of weather conditions. 
 
The V-BAT operators used Kongsberg Geospatial’s IRIS UxS software to safely pilot the aircraft at long ranges from the launch vessel. The IRIS software provides a comprehensive situational awareness picture of the operational airspace, data from a variety of sensors and data feeds and shows the location of other aircraft and surface ships, as well as the launch vessel and the “ownship,” or drone being operated. 
 
Sensor data feeds from the cameras and sensors carried by the UAS were ingested, at real-time, into the Kongsberg Geospatial Modular ISR Data Analysis and Storage system. The MIDAS system records video and other data from the UAS, and serves as a “mission intelligence coordinator” to view current and historical sensor feeds of the UAS within a temporal and geospatial context to increase sensor utilization effectiveness. 
 
“While the sea conditions were perhaps a little rougher than expected, they were ideal for testing the launch and recovery capabilities of the V-BAT from a small ship under the kind of conditions you might expect during real operations,” said Rex Hayes, a retired U.S. Navy and Coast Guard officer and the director of Unmanned Systems at Kongsberg Geospatial. “We were also very pleased with the performance of IRIS and the MIDAS system when handling integrated sensor data feeds from extended missions.” 
 
Trials like these are important to the continued health of the industry, according to Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s cofounder and former U.S. Navy SEAL. “We love supporting our allies. It will take strong partnerships — technological, military, and economic — to maintain stability during challenging times. Sharing tech like the V-BAT strengthens strategic relationships and contributes to global stability. Our recent engagement with the Canadian Coast Guard and Kongsberg exemplifies our commitment to ensuring our allies have the cutting-edge technology and products they need.” 
 
This series of endurance trials is the second set of flight trials of the Shield AI V-BAT conducted by the Canadian Coast Guard. The first series of flight trials were conducted at a UAS test range in Oklahoma last year to establish flight characteristics of the aircraft. The V-BAT was developed by Martin UAV, which was acquired by Shield AI last year. Kongsberg Geospatial is a subsidiary of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — A senior Navy shipbuilding executive said some weaknesses in the ship construction and repair enterprise is hampered nationally by a shrinking supplier base and a lack of skilled workers.  

“Material availability is a challenge,” said Matt Sermon, executive director of the Program Executive Office – Strategic Submarines, speaking Jan. 13 at the Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium in Arlington. 

A former nuclear-trained surface warfare officer, Sermon said for new construction of ships, schedule and quality of material is an issue, calling material among the top issues driving schedules affecting ship repair availabilities and new construction progress.  

Sermon said the end of the Cold War and the resulting so-called “peace dividend” in the early 1990s through the current era meant the number of suppliers for the submarine industrial base declined from 17,000 to 5,000, with submarine construction at a rate of less than one per year. He noted an analogous decline for surface ship construction, with the slow rate of destroyer construction and the completion of cruiser and frigate construction programs.  

Globalization of industrial production also reduced the capacity of the U.S. industrial base, he said. Unlike two build-ups in response to large demand in the past, the current great power competition with the rise of China and Russia is trying to respond in the face of significant loss of commercial industrial base available to turn to defense production. 

Regarding the strategic competition, Sermon said, “we weren’t on the front end of it and we’re dealing with that now.” 

His list of fragile market sectors includes castings, forgings, fittings, valves, mechanical and electrical equipment. 

Sermon also said, “we’re a little slow to adapt on technology when it comes to manufacturing,” including additive manufacturing, robotics and automation and non-destructive testing technology. 

He also said some requirements need “some updating and some rethinking, and some innovation,” but the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence is helping address delays and shortages 

Sermon stressed the United States no longer has the “high-skilled technical-trade workforce underlying foundation,” a condition he attributed to the service economy and the emphasis on a college education for young people.  

Throughout the shipbuilding and repair sectors there is a pressing need for more workers with the right skills, including welders, fitters, machinists, and electricians, he said, although industry partnering with technical training schools to train new workers is helping the situation. 

The UK Royal Navy has taken command of the NATO Response Force (Maritime) task force, with a transfer-of-command ceremony held onboard the U.K. aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales at HM Naval Base Portsmouth, U.K. on Jan. 11.

NRF-M command rotates annually and the U.K. has handed over from the French navy. Under Rear Adm. Michael Utley, commander, U.K. Strike Force and NATO high-readiness maritime force commander, the U.K. will have the helm for 2022, with Prince of Wales as flagship in the role of afloat command platform.

In the ceremony onboard the carrier, the ship’s commanding officer, Capt. Steve Higham said as Prince of Wales begins its service life, it was “entirely fitting that we start that journey as a NATO aircraft carrier.” During 2022, Prince of Wales will lead maritime task groups across the Euro-Atlantic theatre, including in the Arctic and the Mediterranean. The carrier will also remain at very high readiness to respond as required to contingency operations.

Sister carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth deployed to the Indo-Pacific during its own inaugural deployment, between May and December 2021.

“If [that] deployment was a manifestation of our Prime Minister’s ‘Global Britain’ vision, then Prince of Wales’ year as a NATO command platform is a clear statement of intent by our government of the U.K.’s equally important and steadfast commitment to NATO,” Higham said. The U.K. is resolute and enduring in its commitment to security, stability, and peace in the Euro-Atlantic theater, he added.

Integrating U.K. carrier strike capability with NATO, the carrier and its multinational battle staff will work with ships, aircraft, submarines and drones from allies and partners, the CO said.

In a media briefing onboard Prince of Wales prior to the ceremony, Higham said, in the context of challenges posed by potential adversaries, “the great advantage for us is that we will be working with partners and allies from across the NATO alliance, and that strength in depth is what gives us the real edge.”

The carrier will embark airwing and other capabilities as required for specific operations.

“My job as the CO of Prince of Wales, as the flag captain, is to make sure this deck is ready to receive helicopters, aircraft and drones from across the NATO alliance, and be ready to work alongside ships and submarines from our partners and allies,” he said. The job of a command platform is to be flexible and ready to respond, he added.

Higham noted that the ship had received an uplift in command-and-control capability to enable interoperability with NATO partners.

The 65,000-ton carrier was commissioned in December 2019, was declared fully operational on Sept. 30, 2021, and spent much of 2021 in operational generation for the very-high-readiness role as Naval Response Force -Maritime flagship.

LOCKPORT, La. — Bollinger Shipyards LLC will construct a new pontoon launcher for General Dynamics Electric Boat to support the construction and launching of the United States’ Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs), which will replace the aging Ohio-class of SSBNs and is a top strategic defense priority for the United States. 

“Bollinger Shipyards is excited to expand our ongoing relationship with Electric Boat and to continue to support the capitalization and infrastructure improvements that Electric Boat has undertaken in reshaping and modernizing its Groton shipyard,” said Bollinger Shipyards President and CEO Ben Bordelon. “We’re honored to have been selected to build this pontoon launcher with the quality craftsmanship of the hardworking men and women of Bollinger Shipyard and we continue to be laser-focused and committed to being a leader in pushing our industry forward and ensuring that the U.S. Industrial Base is fully self-sufficient.” 

“Electric Boat continues to expand and upgrade its infrastructure to support construction of the Columbia class, the nation’s top strategic defense priority,” said Joe Drake, vice president, Real Estate and Facilities, General Dynamics Electric Boat. “Our partnership with Bollinger is an important part of that strategy.” 

The concept and contract design for the 496-foot-by-95 foot pontoon launcher was performed by the Bristol Harbor Group in Rhode Island. The detail design engineering will be performed at the Bollinger facility in Lockport, Louisiana. The launcher is scheduled to be delivered to Electric Boat’s Groton, Connecticut, shipyard in 2024.  

Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the design and build of the of the Columbia-class SSBN. 

This is Bollinger Shipyards’ third contract awarded with Electric Boat. In late 2019, Bollinger Shipyards was selected to construct the ocean transport barge for Electric Boat, which was delivered in 2021 and in late 2020, Bollinger was selected to construct a floating dry dock, all of which support the construction and maintenance of the Columbia-class SSBN.