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« Responder #30 em: Dezembro 14, 2004, 10:47:57 pm »
Pentagon Contract Announcement
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Dec. 13, 2004)
 
 
 Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is being awarded a ceiling amount $102,967,505 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of up to 32 AN/APS-137D(V)5 Radar Units for the P-3 Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW) Improvement Program (AIP).  
 
In addition, this contract provides for modification of control indicators for incorporation into the AN/APS-137D(V)5 Radar, and non-recurring engineering to replace obsolete components within the AN/APS-137D(V)5 Radar.  
 
Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (85 percent); Dallas, Texas (13 percent); and St. Petersberg, Fla. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the  
current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured.  
 
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-05-D-0003).  
 
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« Responder #31 em: Dezembro 16, 2004, 11:26:36 pm »
Navy Awards Contract Option for First Littoral Combat Ship  
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Dec. 15, 2004)
 
 
 The Department of Navy today awarded Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., a $188.2 million contract option for detail design and construction of the first Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).  
 
LCS is an innovative combatant designed to counter challenging shallow-water threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, diesel submarines and fast surface craft. A fast, agile, and networked surface combatant, LCS will utilize focused-mission packages that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles to execute a variety of missions.  
 
“Today we take the next step toward delivering this needed capability to the fleet,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition John J. Young Jr. “Just two years after we awarded the first contracts, we’re signing a contract to build the first LCS. This was made possible by great support from Congress and industry, which both teamed with the Navy so we can provide the fleet with greater capability and flexibility to meet mission requirements.”  
 
This detail design and construction contract option award is a critical step in getting the first LCS in the water in 2006. Lockheed Martin’s teammates include Gibbs & Cox, Arlington, Va.; Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wis.; and Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La. Marinette Marine will begin construction early next year after a production readiness review with the Navy.  
 
“LCS takes the operational Navy into a higher tactical speed regime, and is a net-centric focal point,” said Rear Adm. Charlie Hamilton, program executive officer for ships.  
 
“It also will fundamentally alter the ship/mission system integration paradigm, through extensive use of modularity. The acquisition of LCS sets a new standard for rapid procurement in support of the warfighter.” Echoing Hamilton’s comments, Young noted that, “the LCS program has demonstrated fundamental, positive changes to reform and accelerate the acquisition process.”  
 
On May 27, 2004, the Department of Defense awarded both Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, separate contract options for final system design with options for detail design and construction of up to two Flight 0 LCS.  
 
The Navy plans to build a total of four Flight 0 LCS. (ends)  
 
 
 
 Pentagon Contract Announcement
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Dec. 15, 2004)
 
 
 Lockheed Martin Corp. – Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $188,190,866 cost-plus award-fee/incentive-fee option to previously awarded contract N00024-03-C-2311 for detail design and construction of one Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).  
 
The Littoral Combat Ship will be a networked, agile, and high-speed surface combatant with versatile warfighting capabilities optimized for littoral missions.  
 
Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. (38 percent); Marinette, Wis. (57 percent); and Arlington, Va. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  
 
The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (ends)  
 
 
 
 Lockheed Martin Team Approved to Begin Detail Design and Construction on First Littoral Combat Ship
 
 
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued Dec. 15, 2004)
 
 
 WASHINGTON --- The U.S. Navy today awarded a Lockheed Martin-led team $188.2 million to commence detail design and construction of the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a revolutionary new class of naval combatant designed to dominate the world's coastal waters. The option was exercised under the LCS final system design contract, awarded to the Lockheed Martin team in May 2004.  
 
The Lockheed Martin team will begin construction of the lead ship at Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI, in the first quarter of 2005 and deliver it to the U.S. Navy in late 2006. The team is using common tools and proven processes to ensure a seamless transition from design to construction for on-time and on-budget delivery.  
 
"We are honored to partner with the U.S. Navy to build the lead LCS and provide the first ever ship in this transformational new class of surface combatants," said Carol Hulgus, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors' Littoral Ships & Systems line of business. "Our exceptional design for a flexible, maneuverable and high-performance ship is combined with our team's proven experience in delivering ships on schedule and cost."  
 
The Lockheed Martin team design, a proven semi-planing steel monohull, provides outstanding agility and high-speed maneuverability with known seakeeping characteristics to support launch and recovery operations, mission execution and optimum crew comfort. The Lockheed Martin-led team includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox and shipbuilders Marinette Marine, a subsidiary of The Manitowoc Company, Inc., and Bollinger Shipyards and best-of-industry domestic and international teammates to provide a low-risk, affordable LCS solution.  
 
LCS provides the Navy with fast, maneuverable, shallow-draft ships aimed at maximizing mission flexibility. Ensuring littoral battlespace access and dominance, the ship's first missions will include mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. LCS will also be a FORCEnet enabler, sharing tactical information with other naval ships, submarines, aircraft, joint units and LCS groups.  
 
Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.  
 
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« Responder #32 em: Dezembro 16, 2004, 11:33:28 pm »
Pentagon Contract Announcement
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Dec. 15, 2004)
 
 
 Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on Dec. 14, 2004, an $180,778,108 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for 15 Navy Knight Hawk Helicopters.  
 
Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct. 4, 2000.  
 
The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH23-02-C-0006).  
 
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« Responder #33 em: Dezembro 23, 2004, 10:55:23 pm »
General Dynamics Delivers Submarine Jimmy Carter to U.S. Navy
 
 
(Source: General Dynamics Electric Boat; issued Dec. 22, 2004)
 
 
 GROTON, Conn. --- General Dynamics Electric Boat today delivered the Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), the nation's newest and most advanced submarine, to the U.S. Navy. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.  
 
The Jimmy Carter honors the 39th President of the United States -- the only submarine-qualified man who went on to become the nation's chief executive. It will join the fleet in a commissioning ceremony to be held Feb. 19 at the Navy submarine base in Groton.  
 
Differentiating the Jimmy Carter from all other submarines is its Multi- Mission Platform (MMP) configuration, which includes a 100-foot, 2,500-ton hull extension. The MMP enhances payload capability, enabling the ship to accommodate advanced technology required to develop and test an entirely new generation of weapons, sensors, and undersea vehicles. At the same time, the submarine retains the operational characteristics of the Seawolf class -- the fastest, quietest, most heavily armed undersea combatants in the world.  
 
Selected by the Navy to serve as a test bed for submarine missions in the 21st century, the Jimmy Carter will support classified research, development, test, and evaluation efforts for naval special-warfare missions, tactical undersea surveillance, and undersea warfare concepts.  
 
"By applying our design/build process to the MMP, the Electric Boat workforce made a seamless and cost-effective transition from conceptual development, to engineering and design, and production," said John P. Casey, president of Electric Boat.  
 
"In fact, the MMP -- equivalent in complexity to a complete SSN-688 class submarine -- has progressed from a notional state to construction and integration into the overall ship in less than five years, essentially cutting the procurement time in half. By any measure, it is a remarkable technological achievement, reflecting Electric Boat's commitment to continued submarine excellence," said Casey.  
 
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 71,600 people worldwide and anticipates 2004 revenue in excess of $19 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation.  
 
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« Responder #34 em: Janeiro 05, 2005, 01:02:47 am »
CNO’s 2005 Guidance Sets Course for Navy
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Jan. 3, 2004)
 
 
 The following is an overview of the CNO Guidance for 2005:  
 
Manpower: "We are winning the battle for people. We are attracting, developing and retaining a talented cadre of professionals who have chosen a lifestyle of service." Efforts in 2005 will focus on developing a Human Capital Strategy, increasing the quality of recruits and their training, expanding diversity and focusing on professional military education for all paygrades under Sea Warrior.  
 
Current Readiness: "We have to get to the fight faster to seize and retain the initiative. That requires increasing the operational availability of our forces by continuing to refine and test the Fleet Response Plan (FRP)." CNO said a key word in the Navy's future is surge, adding that, "if a resource doesn't have surge capability we are not going to own it." The number one priority is taking the fight to the enemy. To accomplish this, the Navy will also improve its maritime security cooperation initiatives with allied navies and also provide homeland security and force protection.  
 
Future Readiness: "Speed, agility and a commitment to joint and coalition interoperability are core attributes of this evolving Navy." The Navy continues to move forward with the Sea Power 21 vision, comprised of Sea Strike, Sea Shield, Sea Basing and FORCEnet, to transform the way the Navy fights. This includes refining the Navy's global war on terrorism capabilities needed to support Homeland Security and Homeland Defense missions.  
 
Quality of Service: "The quality of service of our Sailors, their families and our civilian workforce is a top priority in carrying out our mission. We will foster innovation and support technologies that will enable our people to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively." This year's focus will be to review and recommend ways to more tightly fit educational experiences to job requirements. Other initiatives include eliminating all inadequate bachelor and family quarters by 2007, and achieving Homeport Ashore by 2008.  
 
Alignment: "Our objective is to unify the entire Navy and deepen the cultural change in our institution so that our organizations, processes, communication and actions align with our institutional beliefs, values and priorities." A major focus for alignment is establishing a national Global Maritime Intelligence Center, integrating DoD, Department of Homeland Security and allied intelligence resources to support global maritime surveillance, global Maritime Interception Operations and Maritime Homeland Protection.  
 
Clark, in summing up his 2005 Guidance, said that "The evidence is clear. We are moving in a positive direction on all of the major issues of the day. You have set a standard of excellence, from success in recruiting and retention, and the unparalleled availability of our forces, to the new and more capable ships, aircraft and shore infrastructure we are fielding to fight the global war on terror."  
 
CNO also said that the Navy's mission remains bringing the fight to our enemies. "Your effort and your accomplishments have set in motion forces of change, beginning the journey I believe we must undertake if we are to maintain the greatness that our 229 years of naval history has bestowed upon us," he said.  
 
To accelerate positive change within the Navy, "our behavior must also reflect our organizational values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Leadership must drive this alignment of values and behavior; the Sailors who serve our great nation deserve nothing less," he said. Specifically, CNO said we must be more diligent in looking after the health of our entire Navy family. "In particular, we must deepen our commitment to prevent alcohol abuse, violent crime, spouse and child abuse, and blue-on-blue incidents. To do this, we must adhere to the highest standards of ethical and personal conduct."  
 
"Remember, our people remain at the heart of all that is good in our Navy. Our expectations for 2005 are high, and we will continue to provide new opportunities for growth and development of our Sailors," he continued. "Positive change is the bridge to our future. The business of the Navy will always be combat, and victory is both our mission and our heritage. Therefore, my guidance to you this year is to bridge to the future, taking us from today's fight to tomorrow's victories."  
 
 
To read CNO Guidance 2005 in full, go to www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/cno/clark-guidance2005.pdf.  
 
-ends-
 

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« Responder #35 em: Janeiro 05, 2005, 01:03:50 am »
Department of Navy, DoD, Industry Create Miniaturized Disaster Relief Device
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Jan. 3, 2005)
 
 
 PANAMA CITY --- The year 2004 closed with historical records of natural disasters ranging from earthquakes and hurricanes to tsunamis, and also terrorist activity, but Navy researchers and industry have provided innovative relief for 2005 with the advent of concentrated water-purification in miniature form.  
 
Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City (PC), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Department of Defense’s Office of Technology Transition and commercial industry have joined U.S. elite forces to produce and field a miniaturized water-purification system that destroys biological and chemical warfare agents. These agents include anthrax, plague, smallpox and common waterborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, including E. Coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.  
 
“The purpose for developing the water disinfection technology was to provide the warfighter a portable water purification device during tactical missions - a key lesson learned in a number of previous conflicts,” said DARPA’s Special Assistant Operational Liaison Air Force Col. Jose Negron.  
 
DARPA contracted with MIOX Corporation and Cascade to refine and commercialize the MIOX Purifier and miniaturize the MIOX technology down to the approximate size of a felt-tipped pen – small enough for the individual soldier.  
 
Military Affairs Manager for Cascade Designs Kevin Gallagher said the 3.5-ounce MIOX Purifier uses the power from two camera batteries to convert saltwater into a mixed oxidant solution – basically a chlorine-based liquid disinfectant. The pen produces about two milliliters of mixed oxidant within about 30 seconds, which is then added to the water gathered by the soldier before he drinks it.  
 
“Almost any type of salt will work,” said Gallagher. “You can use regular table salt, rock salt or water-softener salt.” The user can treat anywhere from a half liter of water up to four liters of water at a time, including the standard two-liter volume carried within a CamelBak hydration bag.  
 
According to Gallagher, unlike with use of iodine or chlorine tablets, the water tastes very good, as long as the purifier is properly dosed. Purity of the water can be verified with a safety indicator strip. No pumping is required to treat the water, and the generation of the mixed-oxidant disinfectant solution is almost instantaneous.  
 
Gallagher said the pen supplies enough energy to purify up to 50 gallons of water, which takes about 30 minutes for the process to produce safe drinking water.  
 
Warren’s strategy paid off, rendering early and effective prototypes that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Guide Standard and Protocol for Microbiological Purifiers” in independent laboratory studies of 2002. The project reached completion during the summer of 2004, according to NSWC PC’s Coastal Maritime Security Research and Development Senior Scientist Frank Downs.  
 
“Once the device met the needs of the EPA protocol, we had a commercial-off-the-shelf product,” Downs said. “This eliminated the need to meet DoD Mil-Spec requirements, yielding further reductions in time and costs.”  
 
The Water Purification System/Water Pen Unit was funded as a Technology Transition Initiative (TTI) project in FY 2003 and FY 2004 to bridge the gap between DARPA’s development funding and scheduled procurement in FY 2005. The TTI program facilitates the rapid transition of new/mature technologies from DoD science and technology programs into acquisition programs for production. TTI funding allows successful demonstration of these technologies and accelerates their introduction to the armed forces. The TTI program funded the purchase of 6500 Water Pens, accelerating their introduction and use throughout the Services and Special Operations Command by an estimated 18-24 months.  
 
Negron commended DARPA predecessors Bill Warren and the late Mike Gardos for their management strategy. “DARPA helped accelerate the miniaturization of the disinfection pen thus reducing the logistic tail requirements for the services,” said Negron.  
 
Negron added the MIOX Purifier could be used for disaster relief after a hurricane or when a humanitarian need exists to disinfect water sources already contaminated.  
 
Describing his original intentions for the purification concept, MIOX Vice President of Engineering, Research and Development, Rodney Herrington, said his idea was to create “an effective device in the hands of anyone in the world that would need it – something that just used regular salt and some batteries to save lives.”  
 
The purifier is available through the Government Services Administration (GSA) web site (GSA #GS-07F-5451R) or through the Department of Defense’s National Stock Number catalog (NSN #4610-01-513-8498).  
 
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Desarmamento do Kennedy
« Responder #36 em: Janeiro 07, 2005, 11:55:28 pm »
Citar
Battle Begins Over Carrier Kennedy
WASHINGTON JAN. 06

Key members of Virginia's congressional delegation, including the powerful chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lined up Wednesday to thwart Pentagon plans to retire one of the Navy's 12 aircraft carriers. Shortly after Florida lawmakers announced plans for a bill that would require the Navy to keep a minimum of 12 flattops, Sen. John W. Warner, R Va., hailed the idea as "very clever" and all but promised his backing. "I've always supported carriers. I'd like to have 24," Warner told reporters. As Armed Services Committee chairman, Warner is considered Congress' most influential voice on defense issues. He typically acts as point man for the Bush administration on such matters, but his remarks Wednesday seemed to signal that he'll break with the White House if the president insists on cutting the carrier fleet. Defense officials indicated last week that they're prepared to retire the 37 year old carrier John F. Kennedy, based in Mayport, Fla., as part of a series of budget cuts aimed at reducing the mushrooming federal budget deficit.
 

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« Responder #37 em: Janeiro 11, 2005, 02:31:31 am »
USS San Francisco Runs Aground off Guam
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Jan 8, 2005)
 
 
 PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii --- The Los Angeles-class submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711) ran aground while conducting submerged operations approximately 350 miles south of the island of Guam today.  
 
The incident occurred at approximately 4 p.m., Jan. 7, Hawaii Standard Time (12 noon, Jan. 8, Guam Time).  
 
The extent of the injuries and damage aboard San Francisco is still being assessed, but includes one critical injury and several other lesser injuries. The submarine is on the surface and is making best speed back to their homeport in Guam.  
 
There were no reports of damage to the reactor plant which is operating normally. Military and Coast Guard aircraft are enroute to monitor and assist in the situation.  
 
Further releases and announcements will be made as information becomes available. (ends)  
 
 
 
 US Nuclear-Powered Submarine Runs Aground  
 
 
(Source: Voice of America news; issued 8 Jan 2005)
 
 
 An accident has occurred on one of the U.S. Navy's nuclear powered attack submarines in the Pacific Ocean. The Navy says the sub, for reasons not yet known, hit bottom in one of the deepest parts of the Pacific.  
 
The U.S. Navy says the USS San Francisco was on its way to a port visit in Australia when the accident happened in the Pacific Ocean, about 560 kilometers south of Guam.  
 
Petty Officer Alyssa Batarla, a spokeswoman for the Navy's Pacific Fleet in Honolulu, says the nuclear-powered submarine appeared to have hit the ocean floor in the middle of the East Marianas Basin, causing injuries to some of the 137 crew members.  
 
"There is one critical injury and number of minor injuries," she said. "Approximately 20 personnel [were] injured to the point that they are unable to stand watch. The submarine is currently on the surface and making its best speed back toward its home port in Guam."  
 
The Navy says the submarine's hull is intact and the vessel's nuclear reactor has not been damaged.  
Military aircraft, a naval submarine tender and a Coast Guard cutter have been dispatched from Guam to escort the crippled submarine back to its home port. Officials say an attempt will be made to airlift the  
critically injured sailor from the submarine.  
 
The San Francisco, commissioned in 1981, is a fast-attack submarine which is capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is also designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships.  
 
The last significant accident involving a U.S. naval attack submarine took place in 2001 when the nuclear-powered USS Greeneville surfaced off Hawaii, colliding with a high school's fishing boat from Japan, killing nine Japanese.  
 
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« Responder #38 em: Janeiro 12, 2005, 12:16:25 am »
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Navy Says Sub Hit Mountain That Was Not On Its Charts
New York Times - JAN. 11

A nuclear attack submarine that ran aground Saturday in the South Pacific, killing one sailor and injuring 23 others, appears to have smashed into an undersea mountain that was not on its charts, Navy officials said yesterday. The submarine, the San Francisco, was cruising at high speed, about 30 knots, and was more than 400 feet below the surface when the accident forced it to blow air into its emergency ballast tanks to surface. Some of the tanks were damaged by the impact. One officer said the effort to keep the submarine afloat was initially "very touch and go." The accident occurred 350 miles south of Guam, and the vessel returned to its base there under its own power yesterday. The Navy is investigating how the crash occurred.
 

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« Responder #39 em: Janeiro 18, 2005, 09:13:46 pm »
Northrop Grumman-built Mesa Verde (LPD 19) Called `Most Advanced Expeditionary Ship Ever'
 
 
(Source: Northrop Grumman; issued Jan. 17, 2005)
 
 
 PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- In a traditional naval ceremony blended with Native American traditions and symbolism, the amphibious transport dock ship LPD 19 was christened Mesa Verde here today in front of more than 1,000 guests. LPD 19 is the third San Antonio (LPD 17)-class ship being built by Northrop Grumman Corporation for the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps team.  
 
“Christening this ship symbolizes our hopes and our dreams for the capabilities of our Navy's future,” said Dionel Aviles, undersecretary of the Navy, the ceremony's principal speaker. “To the Northrop Grumman team -- you are building the most advanced expeditionary assault ships ever to sail the seas. There is a deep-rooted passion for shipbuilding in this region, and the skilled hands and the patriotic hearts of generations of ship-crafters in this area have been making our Navy the best in the world since 1938.  
 
The name Mesa Verde honors Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. Ship's sponsor Linda Campbell, wife of U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Ret.) of Colorado, followed the blessing by officially christening the ship Mesa Verde, exclaiming, “Bless this ship and all who sail in her.”  
 
“This ship will in fact bring sea basing to reality,” said Lt. Gen. Pete Osman, Marine Corps deputy commandant, “and allow us to project power ashore like we've not seen before -- a powerful punch deep into the heart of an enemy. This ship will become an integral part of our expeditionary strike groups ... but most importantly, this ship allows us to project ashore the most important weapon we have -- the 800 marines that it is able to embark.”  
 
Navy Cmdr. Shawn Lobree, a native of Miami, is Mesa Verde's prospective commanding officer. The ship is scheduled for commissioning in 2006 and will be homeported in Norfolk, Va.  
 
“These ships will be an integral component of Sea Power 21 -- the concepts and doctrine that describe how the Navy-Marine Corps team will operate as an integrated force,” said Philip A. Dur, president, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. “A major tenet in Sea Power 21, sea basing, calls for uniting joint forces with the ability to project and sustain power while maintaining a forcible entry capability from the sea. And when Mesa Verde takes to the seas alongside her sister ships, it is for one purpose, and one purpose only -- to preserve American freedom, be it in peace or war, or times of great destruction and fear.”  
 
Displacing nearly 25,000 tons, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships will be the second-largest ships in the Navy's 21st-Century Expeditionary Strike Groups. Mesa Verde will have a crew of 360 sailors and 3 Marines and can carry up to 699 troops with a surge capability of up to 800.  
 
These ships are 684 feet (208.5 meters) long and 105 feet (31.9 meters) wide and will replace the functions of four classes of older amphibious ships. This new class of ship affords the Navy's Expeditionary Strike Group with the technology and flexibility to launch and recover amphibious landing craft such as the Landing Craft, Air Cushion, operate an array of rotary-wing aircraft, as well as the ability to carry and launch the Marine Corp's Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.  
 
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems is the ship systems integrator for the LPD 17 ship class, with prime responsibility for the design and integration of the innovative shipboard wide area network, the backbone of the LPD capability. Raytheon draws upon its experience and proven expertise to integrate all government and contractor furnished equipment, providing exceptional capabilities to the joint expeditionary forces who will serve onboard.  
 
Northrop Grumman Ship Systems includes primary operations in Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss.; and in New Orleans and Tallulah, La., as well as in a network of fleet support offices in the U.S. and Japan. Ship Systems is one of the nation's leading full-service systems companies for the design, engineering, construction and life-cycle support of major surface ships for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and international navies.  
 
-ends-
 

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« Responder #40 em: Janeiro 19, 2005, 04:55:59 pm »
Deepwater's Second Maritime Security Cutter Under Contract and First Vessel Ahead of Schedule
 
 
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued Jan. 18, 2005)
 
 
 ROSSLYN, Va. --- As part of its sweeping modernization program, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS) a contract to begin production and delivery of the second Maritime Security Cutter, Large (WMSL, formerly called the National Security Cutter).  
 
The Deepwater program is the U.S. Coast Guard’s modernization program that will replace aging equipment with advanced technology and increased capability. Progress on this latest program award is well underway as long lead material has already been ordered to facilitate start of fabrication.  
 
“Since program inception, the ICGS team has continuously raised the bar in design excellence, supply chain management, and quality and process improvements. The team is poised, as has been proven with each accelerated milestone achievement, to build this new fleet at a rapid pace with a commitment to first time quality standards unprecedented in a new class of warships,” said Philip A. Dur, president, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. “The employees at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, who are providing the ship under contract to ICGS, are proud of their heritage of shipbuilding and understand the criticality of the Coast Guard’s needs.”  
 
"Our Integrated Coast Guard Systems team is honored to support the Coast Guard as it recapitalizes to meet its critical homeland defense and security missions. These cutters provide a platform that is highly flexible to accommodate the technology and capabilities needed to address potential threats as the Coast Guard carries out its important work of guarding our coastlines and protecting our maritime interests,” said Jamie Anton, executive vice president of ICGS. "The first ship in this class is well ahead of schedule and the ICGS team will strive to deliver it and this second cutter to the Coast Guard early.”  
 
The production contract for the first cutter of the class, WMSL 750, was awarded in June 2004, with ship construction getting underway in September 2004. At construction contract award for the first cutter, 75 percent of the design drawings were issued, which is far more than is common for first-in-class ship design and construction. Additionally, 94 percent of major equipment purchases were awarded prior to start of fabrication. By the end of the first 12 weeks of production, the ICGS Deepwater team was able to achieve the most accurate and error-free work ever accomplished in a first-of-class ship in production today.  
 
“The Deepwater team is reporting First Time Quality results that surpass any previous ship class, demonstrating a commitment of best-in-breed craftsmen and production management to ensure a ship for the Coast Guard that surpasses any first-in-class ship that is in production today,” commented Anton.  
 
The team is working toward an April keel laying for WMSL 750, the first cutter, weeks earlier than called for under the contract. This schedule achievement is possible because of the team’s accomplishments to date. Fifteen out of a total of 45 subassemblies are in production (ahead of schedule by a full two units) and the shipyard has 96 percent of its major equipment suppliers under contract, (35 percent ahead of schedule). These milestones were achieved just 90 days after start of fabrication last September.  
 
All eight of the proposed WMSL cutters will be manufactured at the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Miss., as a major partner in ICGS, a joint venture of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Under this partnership, Lockheed Martin will develop and integrate the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities for the vessel.  
 
The WMSL will be a 421-foot vessel with a 4,112-ton displacement at full load when delivered. It is powered by a twin screw combined diesel and gas turbine power propulsion plant that delivers a maximum speed of 28 knots. The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats, a flight deck to accommodate a variety of rotary wing manned and unmanned aircraft and state-of-the-art command and control electronics.  
 
ICGS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. ICGS was awarded the Deepwater contract in June, 2002. Headquartered in Rosslyn, VA, core leadership teams are co-located in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Washington, DC.  
 
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2003 sales of $31.8 billion.  
 
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« Responder #41 em: Janeiro 20, 2005, 07:16:38 pm »
Navy to Christen New Guided-Missile Destroyer Kidd (edited for content)
 
 
(Source: US Department of defense; issued Jan. 19, 2005)
 
 
 The Navy will christen the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer Kidd, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2005, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems – Ingalls Operations in Pascagoula, Miss.  
 
The ship will honor Medal of Honor recipient Rear Adm. Isaac Campbell Kidd. Vice Adm. Phillip Balisle, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, will deliver the principal address. Regina Kidd Wolbarsht and Mary Corrinne Kidd Plumer will serve as sponsors of the ship named for their grandfather. In the time-honored Navy tradition, they will break a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship “Kidd.”  
 
Kidd is the 50th ship in the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers. This highly capable, multi-mission ship can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, in support of the National Military Strategy. Kidd will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.  
 
Cmdr. Richard E. Thomas of Westwood, N.J., will command Kidd and lead her crew of 380 officers and sailors. The 9,200-ton Kidd has an overall length of 511 feet, a waterline beam of 59 feet and a navigational draft of 33 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.  
 
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« Responder #42 em: Janeiro 25, 2005, 12:34:38 am »
Navy Funds Contract Option for Construction of Destroyer  
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Jan. 21, 2005)
 
 
 The Department of Defense announced today that Bath Iron Works, a unit of General Dynamics, received a $562.1 million modification to its FY02-05 DDG 51 Class multi-year contract to build the final ship of the Arleigh Burke Class. As the 34th DDG 51 Class Destroyer built by Bath Iron Works, DDG 112 represents the culmination of new construction for the U.S. Navy’s AEGIS shipbuilding program and marks the beginning of a major transition for the Navy as it moves from the DDG 51 to the next generation of destroyer, the DD(X).  
 
The Honorable John J. Young Jr., assistant secretary of the navy for research, development and acquisition, described today’s action as another “landmark on the highway” of AEGIS shipbuilding.  
 
“This is the last of 62 DDG 51 Class ships, the final act of a play that will be reviewed as one of the most successful defense acquisition programs in history,” said Young. “Bath Iron Works continues to produce excellent AEGIS destroyers that will serve this nation’s vital interests for decades to come. The funding of DDG 112 also continues the Navy’s commitment to a multi-year procurement contract and, combined with the purchase of LPD 25, satisfies the DDG-LPD workload swap agreement which saved the taxpayers over $500 million in shipbuilding costs.”  
 
“This extremely capable class of combatants continues to serve our nation and our Navy with distinction, and DDG 112 will carry on that proud legacy for decades to come as these ships serve as the foundation of our combatant force,” said Rear Adm. Charlie Hamilton, the program executive officer for ships. “The Navy has utilized a number of acquisition tools on the AEGIS shipbuilding program, including spiral development, flight upgrades and technology insertion. Those innovative methods have produced a great product and will continue have a lasting impact on how we develop and acquire the best surface combatants in the world.”  
 
Like its other Arleigh-Burke class ships, DDG 112 will be a 9,200-ton multi-mission guided missile destroyer capable of conducting a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, in support of the National Military Strategy. DDG 112 will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.  
 
The ship will be built in Bath, Maine, and the Navy expects delivery in December 2010. DDG 112 will benefit from the considerable technological advancements and engineering upgrades that have been developed, tested and installed in the class since the commissioning of DDG 51 July 1991. (ends)
 

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« Responder #43 em: Janeiro 28, 2005, 07:50:58 pm »
U.S., French Navies Conduct First EOD Exercise in South Texas
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Jan. 27, 2005)
 
 
 INGLESIDE, Texas --- The U.S. Navy is conducting its first bilateral Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise with the French Navy in South Texas on Padre Island in the designated Mine Warfare Training areas, Jan. 24-28.  
 
Sixteen Sailors from EOD Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6, Dets. 2 and 4, based in Ingleside, will work alongside nine French Sailors from Clearance Diving Team (CDT) Atlantic, based out of Brest, Brittany, France.  
 
“This is a terrific learning opportunity for the U.S. Navy EOD and French CDT,” said Lt. Cmdr. A. K. Williams of Commander, Mine Warfare Command, one of the exercise coordinators. “The teams are mine countermeasures (MCM) specialists, and this will allow us to exchange underwater MCM procedures as we work together.”  
 
During the exercise, EOD operations will follow standard phases - Location, Neutralization, Verification, Raise-Tow-Beach and Exploitation. First, the mine shapes are located. Next, they are neutralized, or prevented from working as they are intended to. Then the Sailors ensure the neutralization measures are effective and the shapes are safe to bring to the beach. They attach a lift balloon on the line and slowly tow the shape to the beach. The final step, exploitation, is intelligence gathering, identifying the mine and how it works, and then disassembling it or disposing of it.  
 
“We worked with Mobile Unit 6 in 2002 in Bahrain,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ronan Masseron, commanding officer of CDT Atlantic. “We are looking forward to working together again and enhancing the level of interoperability. It gives us a chance to learn from each other.”  
 
CDT Atlantic is one of three French Navy EOD teams and is located on the western tip of France.  
 
EOD divers are bomb disposal experts for all underwater ordnance and any explosive or ordnance that ends up in the water. They ensure shipping lanes are free of terrorist harbor mining, and fight terrorist threats worldwide.  
 
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« Responder #44 em: Fevereiro 03, 2005, 02:58:02 am »
US Helps West African Navies  
 
 
(Source: Voice of America news; issued Feb. 1, 2005)
 
 
 ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast --- A large U.S Navy ship has deployed in the Gulf of Guinea to help West African navies become more effective in providing security in the oil-rich waters. But some African analysts warn American-led cooperation could be counter-productive.  
 
The mission's commander, Marine Colonel Barry Cronin, spoke to VOA as the USS Emory S. Land  entered West African waters, after departing from Spain last week.  
 
"This visit by the Land  is part of a phased approach to work with our African allies, in their effort to establish this regional maritime security on their own," he said.  
 
About 20 West African navy officers are on board, as well as 1,400 sailors and Marines. Over the next six weeks, the ship is scheduled to make stops in Ghana, Cameroon and Gabon.  
 
The deputy commander of American forces in West Africa, Air Force General Charles Wald, has said the American military does not intend to have ships stationed in the region permanently and that West African countries should defend their waters, themselves.  
 
To help this process, Colonel Cronin says training will take place aboard the large American vessel, as it travels south. "This ship is a logistics and support vessel," he said. "Someone described it as, and I hope the ship takes no umbrage, as a giant floating truck stop. It's capable of all kinds of repair type activities. We're looking into that. One of the other areas we think we might be able to help is with leadership development, something we take great pride in, the United States military, and something in which they are also interested in."  
 
Gulf of Guinea countries lack effective deep-sea navies and some - especially Nigeria - are dealing with rising banditry and violence in connection with oil production. General Wald has said the countries in the region need to improve shipping security and to protect pipelines and offshore rigs to prevent attacks.  
 
In a separate endeavor, the United States is furnishing Nigeria's navy with 15 patrol boats, to the delight of Nigerian Navy spokesman Captain Sinebi Hungiapuko.  
 
"We think the boats can solve our problems. And also they are ready to give us assistance, especially on piracy and these smuggling activities," he said.  
 
He went on to say the new patrol boats will be used to crack down on theft of crude oil in deep sea waters and in creeks of the Niger Delta.  
 
But a London-based African security and oil analyst, Olly Owen, says the United States should be careful in helping Nigeria's navy, because institutions in Nigeria remain very corrupt. Three senior naval officials were recently court-martialed for alleged involvement in the disappearance of an oil tanker impounded for smuggling 11,000 barrels of crude oil.  
 
"The Navy being the institution that's given over to cutting off this lucrative criminal economy, inevitably some people will be compromised and fall subject to temptation," he said. "Is that then a reason not to assist them at all? Perhaps, that's not a sufficient reason. Perhaps if the U.S. can be convinced that their aid isn't going to waste by being poured into a leaky vessel, then there's some value to it."  
 
General Wald has said the aim of the cooperation is also to protect oil installations against possible terrorist attacks.  
 
A Nigerian university professor, who studies relations between the United States and Africa, Layi Abegurin, says to do this, more focus should be given to diplomacy and development. He says a situation of a strong military with continued poverty in oil-rich areas can incite terrorism.  
 
"They are creating more enemies," he said. "They should work through the economic means, through diplomacy, not through force. You have to work collaboratively, through diplomatic means, and give economic incentives to people. If there is economic incentive, if they have where they can get their daily bread, where they can get money to feed their families, many of them will not resort to terrorism."  
 
West Africa already accounts for 14 percent of American oil imports, a share which could soon rise with the exploitation of new oil fields in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Chad and possibly the tiny islands of Sao Tome and Principe.  
 
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