[SSK]

Jamaicans train with US Navy
The destroyer USS Carney
(DDG 64) has paid host to a
party from the Jamaican Coast
Guard.
The ship provided a sevenman
team with training in
boarding and seizure during a
one-day visit on March 16. The
destroyer was on a spring patrol
of the Caribbean in support of
US Southern Command.

[SSK]

Sub ‘vanishes’ during exercise
The US Navy submarine service,
which was recently stood down
following two accidents, has had
two reminders of the continued
dangers.
The stand-down to review safety
procedures (Naval Spyglass Vol 3
No was lifted but on March 14
an Atlantic Fleet Los Angeles class
submarine ‘disappeared’ during an
exercise off Florida.
Communication with the USS San
Juan (SSN 751) was lost for
unknown reasons and then a red
flare was seen near her lost
reported position.
The submarine was safe and reestablished
contact at a time when
its crew believed they had been
expected to report. In the
meantime, Rumic UK who
rescued the crew of the Russian
min-submarine AS 28, were placed
on alert and a transport was sent
to Scotland to carry them and a
submersible to Florida.
But in a joint exercise in the
Arctic Ocean on March 21, two
members of the crew of HMS
Tireless were killed when an
oxygen generator exploded. The
submarine was participating in Ice
Exercise 2007 with the USS
Alexandria (SSN 757).

[SSK]

New policy aims to control costs
The entire shipbuilding process wascritcised by US Navy Secretary Dr
Donald C. Winter who pledged to clear the Augean Stables through a
‘tough love’ policy in the next 21 months.
Addressing the Sea Air Space exposition in Washington DC on April 3 he revealed his determination to give the Navy, rather than industry, control of managing programmes. He said: “The Navy owns the fleet, and the Navy is the customer, sometimes, one has the impression that this tiny distinction has been forgotten.”
CONTRACT
He spoke of lifting a ‘stop work’ order on Lockheed Martin’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) after costs on the first-of-class threatened to rise 70% and the Defense Department was now renegotiating the contract.
He is now talking of fixed-price incentive contracts for all except the first-of-class with the Navy acting as systems integrator. He rebuked industry for failing to invest in plant and personnel leaving US yards behind those f
the rest of the world.
ERODED
Yet he offered few ideas about how he would implement his new policy in the 18-months or so left of the Bush Administration. Also the Navy has seen its shipbuilding and systems engineering expertise eroded over the past decade and has only a limited understanding of what drives business.
The Navy has been hoping that commercial solutions would overcome the hurdle of growing costs but the service itself has failed to recognise total
programme costs and is reluctant to rationalise. Its desire to implement the latest technology has meant that the programmes have high technical risks and, inevitably, the costs of programmes such as LCS and the Zumwalt have spiralled.

Toda a gente precisa

[SSK]

Novo LHA para a marinha dos E.U.A.
1800 milhões de Euros para mais um navio de projecção estratégica
02.06.2007


A marinha norte-americana acaba de atribuir uma verba de aproximadamente 1800 milhões de Euros (R$ 4.7 bilhões) à Northrop Grumman para a construção de mais um navio do tipo LHA.

Este tipo de navios, muitas vezes confundidos com porta-aviões fazem parte da frota americana para complementar e apoiar os porta-aviões, mas servem também como navio almirante de esquadra, conforma as missões que lhe estiverem cometidas.

O novo LHA 6, deverá substituir um dos navios mais antigos construídos nos anos 70 e que deverá sair de serviço em 2012.

O LHA-6 terá mais capacidade para operar e utilizar aeronaves, podendo mesmo vir a ser parte integrante do futuro conceito de «Pre positioning force», em que haverá uma força combinada embarcada nestes navios, com capacidade para se projectar sobre terra num curto espaço de tempo.

O navio será alterado à popa com alterações ao nível do “poço” de forma a permitir a construção de um hangar maior para utilização de aeronaves, o que lhe dará uma capacidade para operar um maior numero de aviões, entre as quais se encontrará a futura versão de descolagem vertical do F-35/Lighting-II.

Porém, mesmo com capacidade para operar maior numero de aeronaves, o LHA-6 como os seus congéneres não terá nem de longe as mesmas capacidades dos grandes porta-aviões de esquadra da marinha norte-americana.

Mesmo assim, esses navios são enormes para os padrões de qualquer marinha, com 280 metros de comprimento, um deslocamento que deverá atingir as 50.000 toneladas e uma tripulação que supera os 1100 militares, o LHA-6 terá capacidade para transportar uma força de 1800 fuzileiros navais, transportará 20 F-35/Lighting-II e 10 a 20 helicópteros pesados.

Para defesa, o navio estará equipado com lançadores de mísseis Sea-Sparrow e com um sistema de defesa de ponto não determinado, eventualmente do tipo SeaRam.

[Cabecinhas]

Uma simples coisa desta mais tudo o que pode transportar é suficiente para nos dar o verdadeiro arraial de porrada  

[SSK]

Uma simples coisa desta mais tudo o que pode transportar é suficiente para nos dar o verdadeiro arraial de porrada    Com isto e muito mais e mesmo assim somam derrotas em todo o lado onde vão. Viu-se os GOtland...

[Cabecinhas]

"É por isso que eles têm o material e nós os seres humanos. Com isto e muito mais e mesmo assim somam derrotas em todo o lado onde vão. Viu-se os GOtland..."

Não percebi o comentário    Ainda sou um leigo nestas andanças o pouco ou nada que sei foi de ler este fórum e uma outra história que o meu pai conta dos tempos dele do ultra-mar e na marinha

[SSK]

"É por isso que eles têm o material e nós os seres humanos. Com isto e muito mais e mesmo assim somam derrotas em todo o lado onde vão. Viu-se os GOtland..."

Não percebi o comentário    Ainda sou um leigo nestas andanças o pouco ou nada que sei foi de ler este fórum e uma outra história que o meu pai conta dos tempos dele do ultra-mar e na marinha

http://www.forumdefesa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4987&start=48

[SSK]

Spectrum Selected by Harris Corporation to Support the U.S. Navy Multi-Mission Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MMUSV) ]

 
The Government Communications Systems Division of Harris Corporation has selected Spectrum's flexComm SDR-4000 rugged software defined radio (SDR) solution to be deployed in field trials of the United States Navy's Multi-Mission Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MMUSV). Under the agreement, Spectrum will supply the signal processing system onboard the MMUSV that communicates with a processing system aboard a Littoral Combat Ship (LSC). Field trials for the MMUSV are scheduled to begin in early 2007.

The MMUSV, a vessel similar to a rigid inflatable boat, is one of the mission modules that can launch from a LCS. It is designed to operate autonomously and thereby protect boat operators from threats and attacks including extreme environmental conditions and hazardous electromagnetic attack. The MMUSV can be configured to support several different types of missions such as side scanning sonar data collection, weapons missions, anti-submarine warfare or surface ship warfare. Each of these missions will require a different type of data to be collected and communicated to the LCS. Spectrum's SDR-4000 will be used to enable the transmission of these different data types.

For more information on the MMUSV announcement, read the press release, SDR-4000 datasheet (pdf) or contact Spectrum Sales. This is the second contract between Harris Corporation and Spectrum Signal Processing to support future U.S. littoral systems. The first came in 2006 in support of the U.S. Navy's Advanced Deployable System (ADS) program.

[Lancero]

PASCAGOULA, Miss., June 1, 2007 -- The U.S. Navy today awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $2.4 billion fixed-price incentive contract for the detail design and construction of the amphibious assault ship, LHA 6. Work will be performed primarily at the company's shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., and ship delivery is scheduled for 2012.

"This contract award reinforces the U.S. Navy's confidence that we have recovered from the effects of Hurricane Katrina and are capable of meeting the warfighters' needs in a timely and cost effective manner," said Philip Teel, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems sector. "We are proud to have been the sole provider of these ships since USS Tarawa (LHA 1), commissioned in 1976.

"This contract is not only important to our employees, our company and our community but also to the sailors and U.S. Marines who will operate these ships in defending our nation's freedom," Teel continued.

"The workforce on the Gulf Coast has a proud history of success in building amphibious ships for the United States Navy. I am pleased that Mississippi continues to maintain its partnership with the Navy and Northrop Grumman in providing innovative and state-of-the-art vessels for the U.S. Marines defending our country," said U.S. Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi.

"Geared around mobility and the need to quickly project naval power throughout the globe, the LHA program is essential for meeting 21st Century security threats," said U.S. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi. "The program is a big part of our Gulf Coast's ongoing economic recovery as well. Since Hurricane Katrina, we've seen many national and international companies show confidence in our state's skilled workforce, creating hundreds of new jobs. This contract is a reaffirmation of Mississippi's longstanding shipbuilding industry and the professional men and women who continue that tradition. I know the U.S. Navy and the American taxpayer will once again be well served by Northrop Grumman, and I look forward to the day this ship is delivered."

The LHA 6 will replace one of the aging LHA 1 class of amphibious assault ships. Like its predecessors, it will be able to operate as the flagship for an expeditionary strike group. Ships of this type may also play a key role in the Maritime Pre-Positioning Force (Future). Northrop Grumman has built five LHAs as well as seven USS Wasp (LHD 1) class ships. The Pascagoula shipyard is currently building an eighth LHD, Makin Island.

LHA 6 design modifications optimize aviation operations and support activities. Removal of the well deck provides for an extended hangar deck with two wider high bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance. Other enhancements include a reconfigurable command and control complex, a hospital facility, additional aviation fuel capacity, and numerous aviation support spaces.

These changes equip the ship to be an integral part of joint, interagency and multinational maritime forces. It will be configured to support landing force elements as well as various naval amphibious command and control and support organizations.

Fonte

[Lancero]

Submarine backers claim momentum in Congress

By Andrew Miga - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jun 1, 2007 21:44:22 EDT
   
Freshman Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., has dubbed it the holy grail of submarine production.

Convincing the Navy to accelerate plans to double its Virginia-class submarine production to two ships a year as soon as possible has long been a key mission for Connecticut and Rhode Island officials seeking to safeguard jobs at Electric Boat, the submarine-maker with facilities in both states.

This year, supporters of the high-tech attack sub are claiming new momentum as the fight moves to a critical phase, securing funds in the congressional appropriations process.

“There is clearly more momentum than the proposals have had in the past,” Electric Boat spokesman Robert Hamilton said Friday. “There’s certainly more reason for optimism this year than there’s ever been.”

Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard in Connecticut and Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia produce one $2.5 billion submarine a year.

About 7,500 people work at Electric Boat in Groton, while about 2,000 are employed at the company’s Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island.

Not just jobs are at stake, said Courtney.

“The diminishing size of our submarine fleet is a threat to our national security, and I am pleased by the momentum that our combined advocacy for increased production has gained in both chambers of Congress,” Courtney, whose district includes the Electric Boat shipyard and the Submarine Base New London in Groton, said in a statement.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., an Armed Services Committee member, calls the attack subs “a critical component” of the nation’s defense capabilities.

Sub supporters gained ground recently when the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a spending blueprint increasing sub production to two ships per year beginning in 2010, two years ahead of the Navy’s target date. The bill includes $470 million for the advanced procurement of submarine components.

A similar proposal failed in the Senate last year.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., a senior member of the armed services panel who pushed for the increase, hailed the new spending measure as a “turning point.”

But as Lieberman quickly noted, there is a tough road ahead.

The measure that passed the Senate Armed Services Committee was part of the defense authorization bill. The House earlier this year passed a similar authorization measure to boost sub production.

Such bills are rough drafts of next year’s defense budget used by congressional appropriators. The actual funding will be awarded during the appropriations process in Congress later this year. Lieberman and Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., have already reached out to the appropriators.

“We’re working on it,” said Lieberman. “I don’t presume anything at this point.”

The Navy opposes moving up its plans for a second sub before 2012.

“The Navy leadership is actively discouraging this move, arguing that it will unravel the other parts of their shipbuilding plan,” said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with the Lexington Institute.

But if Congress approves money for a second sub, the Navy will have to change course, Lieberman said.

Sub backers have a powerful ally, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a 35-year House veteran who chairs the appropriations subcommittee on military spending.

“Congressman Murtha has come out very strongly in favor of this,” said Hamilton. “That certainly is going to help.”

Electric Boat says doubling annual sub production would help to reduce the cost for each sub, something the Navy has been pushing for. The increase would also make it cheaper to buy materials while making it easier to keep workers and equipment in place, they say.

On the grassroots level, a Groton-based group called Submarine Capital of the World hopes to boost support for building two subs per year.

“We want to reinforce the momentum,” said the groups Bud Fay. “This whole effort is based on broadening support.”

Fay said the economic benefits stretch well beyond Connecticut and Rhode Island. The group’s Web site includes a graphic showing that the submarine industrial base includes more than 4,000 companies in 47 states.

In the long term, Connecticut and Rhode Island officials are concerned the Navy seems determined to pull back from submarines in favor of other weaponry.

Such a trend, the officials say, could imperil national security as the U.S. fleet shrinks and foreign nations such as China press ahead with sub production.

From a public relations standpoint, the sub program suffers because there is so much secrecy surrounding the military and intelligence missions that subs perform, said Thompson.

“Since none of that gets reported, people don’t realize the role they are playing,” he said.

Fonte

[SSK]

Northrop Grumman to Build an Unmanned Combat Aircraft for the US Navy

Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) won a $635 million US Navy contract to build a Carrier-based (CV) Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration vehicle (UCAS-D). The program will mature critical carrier suitability technologies for future low observable unmanned combat platforms. Once proving these capabilities, the Navy is expected to launch a full scale development of a future UCAV, which could be fielded by 2018.



As a stealth aircraft, UCAS-D will complement the carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C), it will be operated by the US Navy, UCAS will become the carrier task force's "first day of the war" asset, similar to way B-2 and F-117 are used by the US Air Force. As a refuellable unmanned platform it will provide the Navy with persistent capability over selected, high value targets in the future battlespace, providing real-time targeting data for weapons launched from other platforms, or direct attack by weapons carried on board. The unmanned combat aircraft will have the capability to acquire targets at high precision, designate fixed or moving targets, strike them with precision guided weapons and collect and disseminate post strike information.

The US Navy UCAS program was born from the former Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program sponsored by DARPA. For this program Boeing developed the X-45 while Northrop Grumman developed the X-47 UCAV demonstrators. The Navy's UCAS is focusing on a strike-fighter sized unmanned air vehicle which will demonstrate carrier flight operations. Testing is scheduled to begin in late 2009 and culminate with carrier flight operations in 2013. The tests will involve shipboard operation, including catapult takeoffs, arrested landings and flight in the immediate vicinity of an aircraft carrier. The air vehicle will not carry weapons.

“This specific contract is for technology development and demonstration and will not be an operational system” explained Navy Capt. Rich Brasel, program manager for NAVAIR’s technology demonstration effort here. “But through it, we will develop knowledge, skills and technologies specific to operating an autonomous low-observable unmanned air vehicle in an aircraft carrier environment. This is a critical step in efforts to develop future Naval Aviation combat capabilities.”

Subsequently, following the successful conclusion of these trials, a full-scale development program will be launched, with a targeted service entry date in 2018.

The X-47B will be capable of operating at altitudes from sea level up to over 40,000 ft, at a combat radius of 1,500 nm (on ISR missions) flying at high subsonic cruise speed. It will be able to carry up to 4,500 lbs of payload (2,045 internally). The UCAS-D will be equipped with various sensors including electro-optical infrared (EO/IR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with ground moving target indication (GMI) capability, electronic support measures (ESM), and others. Unmanned combat aircraft are expected to be used for intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions, long range precision strikes, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), close air support, electronic attack, and information operations.

[JLRC]

Um texto extenso mas muito interessante sobre o futuro CG(X) :

http://lexingtoninstitute.org/docs/795.pdf

[SSK]

Navy Takes Delivery of New Submarine
Navy News | February 22, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Navy took delivery of its newest attack submarine, Pre-commissioning unit North Carolina (SSN 777), from Northrop Grumman Newport News (NGNN) Feb. 21. North Carolina is the fourth Virginia-class submarine and the second delivered by NGNN.

According to Virginia-class program manager, Capt. Dave Johnson, the delivery of North Carolina was a 10-month improvement compared to NGNN's first Virginia-class submarine, USS Texas (SSN 775).

"The Navy's shipbuilding partners have brought the learning curve down and performance continues to improve," he said.

The Virginia-class is the Navy's first major combatant designed and delivered specifically for the post-Cold War security environment. The class provides the ability to dominate across a wide range of missions including strike; special operations; anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; battle group support; and Mmne. warfare in both shallow and deep-water environments.

"North Carolina's delivery marks a major milestone for the program," said Program Executive Officer for Submarines Rear Adm. William Hilarides. "It completed the last ship of the Block I contract and with Electric Boat's and Newport News' continued improvement and innovation we will reach our goal of 2 for 4 in 12 [buying two Virginia Class submarines for $4 billion as measured in Fiscal Year 2005 dollars, in fiscal year 2012]."

North Carolina will be commissioned May 3, 2008, in Wilmington, N.C. Mrs. Linda Bowman, wife of retired Adm. Frank Bowman, the former Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, is the ship's sponsor.

[nelson38899]

First Littoral Combat Ship Gets Underway

The U.S. Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship, the Freedom (LCS 1), left its pier for the first time Monday and moved into Lake Michigan to begin a series of underway builder's trials.
The first Littoral Combat Ship, the Freedom (LCS 1), left its pier for the first time Monday and will spend the next two weeks conducting trials in Lake Michigan, said Lockheed Martin spokesman Chip Eschenfelder. (LOCKHEED MARTIN)


   

The 378-foot long ship will spend the next two weeks conducting the trials, said Lockheed spokesman Chip Eschenfelder. During that time, engineers from Lockheed Martin, its shipbuilder, Marinette Marine, and other subcontractors will check out the ship's propulsion, communications, navigation and mission systems, as well as other ship systems, Eschenfelder said. The ship will not remain underway for the entire period, but will return to harbor or anchor for most nights.

If the builder's trials are successful, the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey will then conduct acceptance trials to determine if the ship's systems meet standards. If all goes well, the ship should leave the Great Lakes later this year to head for its homeport in San Diego.

Marinette Marine and Lockheed have been working hard to prepare for the trials, which the shipbuilders had hoped to carry out last spring.

The LCS program, which originally envisioned a two-year construction period for the ships, has experienced multiple design and production difficulties, and Freedom is more than a year behind schedule. The ship's keel-laying was held in June 2005, and it was launched in September 2006.

Costs for the first-of-its-kind ship have risen dramatically. Projected in 2004 at $220 million, the price tag has more than doubled. Navy and Lockheed officials won't reveal current numbers, but sources have said the price for the first ship is at least $500 million.

Delays and cost growth have also affected Lockheed's competitor in the LCS program, the General Dynamics Independence (LCS 2), which is under construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.

Cost growth and a desire to renegotiate the construction contracts caused the Navy last year to cancel construction of each company's second ship, and for now, the Freedom and Independence are the only LCS ships under construction. Three more have been approved or requested, but contracts have yet to be awarded.

Navy officials have been loathe to show off the new ships publicly, and shipyard visits by the media and independent analysts have been severely limited or not allowed at all.

At 2,862 tons full load, the Freedom represents the first of what the Navy hopes will become a total of 55 ships. The LCS is intended to fight in waters near shore and carry out a variety of missions, including fighting off surface ships, hunting submarines and clearing out mines.

Once the ships are completed, the Navy will carry out competitive trials of the Freedom and Independence and decide whether to build more of each design or concentrate on just one.

www.defensenews.com