U. S. Navy

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« Responder #45 em: Fevereiro 04, 2005, 09:33:15 am »
Navy to Christen the Littoral Surface Craft – Experimental (X-Craft) Sea Fighter  
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Feb. 2, 2005)
 
 
 The Navy will christen the experimental X-Craft “Sea Fighter” and designate it as the first Fast Sea Frame, Saturday, Feb. 5, during a noon PST ceremony at Nichols Bros. Boat Builders, Whidbey Island, Wash.  
 
Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, will deliver the principal address. His wife, Lynne Hunter, is the ship’s sponsor. In the time-honored Navy tradition, she will break a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship "Sea Fighter."  
 
The high-speed, experimental vessel will test a variety of technologies that will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral, or near-shore, waters. Sea Fighter will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system efficiency of high-speed vessels, and will also serve as a test bed for developmental mission packages. It will serve as a “risk reduction,” experimental vessel for the Littoral Combat Ship and Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program concept of operation development at sea.  
 
The keel of the aluminum catamaran was laid in June 2003, is 262 feet in length and displaces 950 tons. The ship has a beam of 72 feet and a navigational draft of 11.5 feet. Two gas turbine engines, two propulsion diesels and two waterjets will power Sea Fighter to speeds reaching 50 knots.  
 
The Sea Fighter’s crew will consist of 16 Navy sailors and 10 Coast Guardsmen.  
 
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« Responder #46 em: Fevereiro 04, 2005, 11:48:11 pm »
Boeing EA-18G Moves Up the Development Ladder
 
 
(Source: Boeing Co.; issued Feb. 3, 2005)
 
 
 ST. LOUIS --- Boeing engineers completed all wind tunnel testing for the EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack aircraft on Jan. 27 under the EA-18G System Development and Demonstration (SDD) program.  
 
The program conducted five different wind tunnel tests at several laboratories, beginning in June 2004 and ending in January 2005. Each test gathered critical information for the continued development of the EA-18G. The Boeing team conducted a total of 1,412 hours of wind tunnel testing.  
 
“The wind tunnel testing has validated that the F/A-18F airframe is well suited to perform the electronic attack mission,” said Mike Gibbons, EA-18G chief engineer for Boeing. “We will use these results to complete the detailed design of the EA-18G weapon system and present it to the Navy at the Critical Design Review in April 2005.”  
 
--High speed performance testing was conducted on an eight percent model at the NASA-Ames transonic wind tunnel in Mountain View, Calif.  
 
--Configuration testing and lateral-directional stability and control testing also was conducted with the eight-percent model at NASA-Ames.  
 
--Low-speed lift testing occurred at the Boeing V/STOL wind tunnel in Philadelphia with a fifteen percent model  
 
--Separation and jettison testing for the jamming pods, external fuel tanks and missiles was conducted  
 
--The final test, using a new 16 percent aerodynamic force and moment model, analyzed the high angle of attack for the aircraft. The test gauged the upright and inverted high angle of attack stability and control effects. It was conducted at the Langley Full Scale Tunnel, operated by Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.  
 
“The EA-18G will provide improved capability and readiness, while offering a dramatic reduction in operating and support costs,” says Bob Feldmann, EA-18G program manager for Boeing. “The Electronic Attack system on the EA-18G provides the flexibility to counter the threats of today and to dominate the RF spectrum in the future, especially in the area of communications countermeasures.” The EA-18G was designed by an industry team led by Boeing and Northrop Grumman Beth page for affordability and growth. It will provide near-term capability and the capacity to incorporate receiver advancements, integrated AESA operations, next-generation jammers and other enhancements.  
 
The SDD program, which runs through early FY09, encompasses all laboratory, ground test, and flight tests for the EA-18G. First flight is expected in September 2006. The EA-18G will reach initial operational capability in the U.S. Navy by 2009.  
 
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $27 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world’s largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense and Department of Homeland Security; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.  
 
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« Responder #47 em: Fevereiro 09, 2005, 10:42:07 pm »
Lockheed Martin Team Begins Construction on First Littoral Combat Ship
 
 
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued Feb. 8, 2005)
 
 
 MARINETTE, Wis. --- The Lockheed Martin team cut steel for the nation's first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) early this month, marking the start of fabrication at Marinette Marine in Marinette. The team will deliver the first LCS to the U.S. Navy in late 2006.  
 
The team was authorized to move to the construction phase after passing a Production Readiness Review on Jan. 14, demonstrating the team's readiness to begin construction, based on design detail, personnel and material. During the review, the team also demonstrated an integrated program management approach to ensure a seamless transition from design to construction for on-time and on-budget delivery.  
 
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, shipbuilders Marinette Marine, a subsidiary of The Manitowoc Company, Inc., and Bollinger Shipyards, as well as best-of-industry domestic and international teammates to provide a low-risk, affordable LCS solution.  
 
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 #48 em: Fevereiro 15, 2005, 01:03:11 am »
Ceradyne, Inc. Receives First Navy Ship Armor Order
 
 
(Source: Ceradyne, Inc.; issued Feb. 11, 2005)
 
 
 COSTA MESA, Calif. --- Ceradyne, Inc. announced it received a $2.8 million order for the Company's lightweight ceramic armor for use on a Navy vessel.  
 
First of its kind for Ceradyne, the order was placed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center for delivery in late 2005. The ships, which will use the Ceradyne system, are of the LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) type.  
 
Marc King, Ceradyne vice president of armor operations, commented: "I am particularly pleased that the Navy chose Ceradyne as the armor supplier for this ship. The use of state-of-the-art ceramic armor offers the lightest weight, most ballistic-efficient solution for ground, air, and sea applications where reduced weight is often the key consideration in decision making."  
 
Ceradyne develops, manufactures and markets advanced technical ceramic products and components for defense, industrial, automotive/diesel and commercial applications.  
 
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« Responder #49 em: Fevereiro 15, 2005, 04:08:04 pm »
USS Florida Reaches Major Conversion Milestone
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Feb. 14, 2005)
 
 
 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- USS Florida (SSGN 728) undocked Feb. 10, achieving a major milestone in the overhaul and conversion process for the guided-missile submarine (SSGN) program.  
 
The milestone was achieved one week ahead of the scheduled date of Feb. 16.  
 
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) are jointly overhauling and converting Florida at NNSY. Florida is the second of four ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) being converted into state-of-the-art, multimission, guided-missile submarines. Florida's conversion is more than 49 percent complete, and the boat is scheduled to return to the fleet April 1, 2006.  
 
"General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is in charge of the conversion, and NNSY have accomplished this important milestone ahead of schedule," said SSGN Program Manager Capt. William Hilarides. "The continued progress on the SSGN Program is the result of a dedicated, professional team from GDEB and NNSY working together to deliver a key capability to the Navy on a compressed schedule."  
 
The SSGNs, when completed, will be flexible warfighting platforms with tremendous capabilities for joint warfighting, including Special Operations Forces (SOF), and large-scale strike capabilities in one clandestine, mobile platform. Each SSGN will carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, and up to 66 Navy SEALs (Sea, Air, Land) or other SOF for extended periods of time.  
 
SSGNs' two forward-most missile tubes will be converted into lock-in/lock-out chambers. Each will be able to host either an Advanced SEAL Delivery System or a Dry-Deck Shelter. The remaining 22 tubes, each having the volume of a tractor-trailer, will carry Multiple All-Up-Round canisters that pack up to seven Tomahawk Cruise Missiles.  
 
In the future, SSGNs' considerable volume could be used to deliver joint payloads, and will provide the space required for experimentation and development of off-hull sensors and vehicles.  
 
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« Responder #50 em: Fevereiro 16, 2005, 09:48:42 pm »
Navy to Commission Attack Submarine Jimmy Carter  
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued Feb. 15, 2005)
 
 
 The Navy will commission the newest nuclear-powered attack submarine Jimmy Carter on Saturday, Feb. 19, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn.  
 
The attack submarine Jimmy Carter honors the 39th president of the United States.  
 
President Carter is the only U.S. president to have qualified in submarines. He has distinguished himself by a lifetime of public service, and has long ties to the Navy and the submarine force. Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served as a commissioned officer aboard submarines, and served as commander-in-chief from 1977 to 1981. Carter's statesmanship, philanthropy and sense of humanity earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.  
 
Retired Navy Adm. Stansfield Turner, a classmate of the president who served in the Carter administration as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Rosalynn Carter is the sponsor for the ship named for her husband, with daughter Amy serving as matron of honor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, Rosalynn Carter will give the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"  
 
The Jimmy Carter is the third and final submarine of the Seawolf class. As the most advanced submarine in the class, the Jimmy Carter will have built-in flexibility and an array of new warfighting features that will enable it to prevail in any scenario, against any threat – from beneath Artic ice to shallow water. Differentiating the Jimmy Carter from all other undersea vessels is its multi-mission platform (MMP), which includes a 100-foot hull extension to enhance payload capability. The MMP will enable the Jimmy Carter to accommodate the advanced technology required to develop and test new generation of weapons, sensors and undersea vehicles for naval special warfare, tactical surveillance and mine-warfare operations.  
 
Capt. Robert D. Kelso, a native of Fayetteville, Tenn., will serve as the Jimmy Carter’s first commanding officer, leading a crew of approximately 130 officers and sailors. Built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., the 12,130-ton Jimmy Carter is 453 feet in length, has a beam of 40 feet, and can operate at speeds exceeding 25 knots when submerged.  
 
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Navy Plans To Mothball Carrier JFK
« Responder #51 em: Fevereiro 18, 2005, 07:01:07 pm »
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Navy Plans To Mothball Carrier JFK, Not Scrap It
Virginian-Pilot - Free Registration Required (WASHINGTON FEB. 18)

The Navy expects to mothball the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy after retiring it later this year, preserving vital systems so that the ship could return to the fleet if needed, Navy Secretary Gordon R. England said Thursday. The Kennedy "is not gone. It is still there. It is still available," he told members of the House Armed Services Committee. But while they will not scrap the 37 year old Kennedy, England and Adm. Vern Clark, the chief of naval operations, again defended their decision to pull the trouble prone ship from service and cut the fleet of active carriers to 11, the lowest level in decades.
 

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« Responder #52 em: Março 05, 2005, 06:45:01 pm »
Navy to Commission New Guided Missile Destroyer Nitze  
 
 
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued March 3, 2005)
 
 
 The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Nitze, during a 1 p.m. EST ceremony Saturday at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.  
 
John F. Lehman, former secretary of the Navy, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Elisabeth Scott “Leezee” Porter, the widow of Paul H. Nitze, is the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, Porter will give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"  
 
The destroyer honors Paul H. Nitze, secretary of the Navy from 1963 to 1967.  
 
Nitze is the 44th 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. Nitze 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.  
 
Cdr. Michael Hegarty of Oklahoma is the Nitze’s first commanding officer, leading a crew of about 32 officers and 348 sailors. Built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, the 9,200-ton Nitze is 511 feet in length, has an overall beam of 66 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 #53 em: Março 08, 2005, 03:58:39 pm »
USS Lake Erie Makes Naval History
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued March 4, 2005)
 
 
 PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii --- The guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) returned to Pearl Harbor on Feb. 25 after participating in the latest Missile Defense Agency (MDA) test of the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program and the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3).  
 
The latest program test was designed to evaluate the operationally configurated SM-3 and its ability to intercept and destroy short- to medium-range ballistic missiles.  
 
The target missile was shot from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. At 11:03 a.m., one minute later, Lake Erie launched the SM-3 from its patrol area located more than 100 miles from Kauai. The intercept was achieved about two minutes after the SM-3 was launched.  
 
“We knew the missile was going to be launched,” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Wingeart, combat systems officer, USS Lake Erie. “We just didn’t know when. When we detected the missile, we tracked it, then launched the interceptor and were successful,” said Wingeart.  
 
Chief Fire Controlman Technician (SW) Richard Thompson of USS Lake Erie believes this missile defense program is a milestone for the entire Navy.  
 
“Fortunately, we have been designated as the MDA test ship,” said Thompson. “But this intercept is not only important to the Lake Erie, but to the entire United States Navy. Lake Erie is on the cutting edge. We get to test all the systems and help develop the tactics that the entire Navy is going to use once this becomes an operational system. It feels great to be a part of something that will not only help defend the citizens of the United States, but our allies as well,” Thompson said.  
 
Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Dennis Nystrom of USS Lake Erie was the first crew member to spot the ballistic missile on the ships SPY-1B radar.  
 
“I spotted the missile on our radar and called away the track number,” said Nystrom. “That started everything in motion. We were all really anxious just before the captain gave us permission to launch the SM-3. When we hit the ballistic missile, it was a great feeling. We were all jumping for joy. You know when you put two or three months of work into a project whose end result is over in just a matter of seconds, it’s an adrenaline rush,” Nystrom said.  
 
While the AEGIS weapons system, the foundation of the ballistic missile defense, is currently installed on 68 Navy ships, Lake Erie is the only Navy ship that has intercepted a ballistic missile.  
 
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« Responder #54 em: Março 12, 2005, 09:50:15 am »
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Carrier Speeding To Retirement
Virginian-Pilot - Free Registration Required (WASHINGTON MAR. 11)

The Navy on Thursday disclosed plans to essentially deactivate the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy by June, and a key lawmaker complained that the fast track schedule may pre empt congressional efforts to save the 37 year old ship and preserve a 12 carrier fleet. John J. Young Jr., the service's top weapons buyer, said officials will spend the summer evaluating bids for mothballing the Kennedy and expect to start that work by September. The process involves cleaning and lubricating equipment and sealing openings that could expose moving parts to corrosive salt water. In the interim, the Kennedy will remain at its pier in Mayport, Fla., unavailable for deployment overseas but with a crew that could move the ship to safety should a hurricane threaten the area, a Navy official said. The loss of the Kennedy would leave the Navy with its smallest carrier force in decades. And Vice Adm. Joseph A. Sestak Jr., the service's top warfare requirements officer, acknowledged that the fleet may decline temporarily to 10 carriers in 2014, with the scheduled retirement of the Enterprise, the Navy's oldest nuclear powered flattop.
 

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Vão afundar o America!
« Responder #55 em: Março 12, 2005, 02:53:44 pm »
Vão afundar o USS America para testar a sobrevivência dos grande porta-aviões!!! :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

NAVY SINKS 'AMERICA'
"No one has been able to land a [big] punch on an American [aircraft] carrier for over half a century," StrategyPage notes. "There is no practical knowledge about exactly how sturdy, or not, these big ships are."

So the Navy is going to sink the USS America, decommissioned since 1996, to find out what happens when the 1060-foot long carrier gets hit, hard.

In $22 million worth of "experiments that will last from four to six weeks," the AP reports, "the Navy will batter the America with explosives, both underwater and above the surface, watching from afar and through monitoring devices placed on the vessel."


These explosions would presumably simulate attacks by torpedoes, cruise missiles and perhaps a small boat suicide attack like the one that damaged the destroyer USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.

At the end, explosive scuttling charges placed to flood the ship will be detonated, and the America will begin its descent to the sea floor, more than 6,000 feet below...

Certain aspects of the tests are classified, and neither America's former crew nor the news media will be allowed to view them in person, Dolan said. The Navy does not want to give away too much information on how a carrier could be sunk, Pat Dolan, a spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command, said.

Why the America? No other retired supercarriers were available on the East Coast when the test was planned, Dolan said. The others - the Forrestal and the Saratoga - were designated as potential museums, she said.
Ai de ti Lusitânia, que dominarás em todas as nações...
 

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« Responder #56 em: Março 17, 2005, 08:34:29 pm »
Kennedy Should Be Retired, Navy Leader Says
Virginian-Pilot - Free Registration Required (WASHINGTON MAR. 17)

The aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy has only "marginal capability" and will soak up about $300 million a year the Navy should invest in new and better ships, Navy Secretary Gordon R. England said Wednesday. "We do not need this carrier," England asserted. In an appearance before the Senate's Defense Appropriations subcommittee, England and Adm. Vern Clark, the chief of naval operations, sharpened their rhetoric in defense of a decision to mothball the 37 year old Kennedy and cut the Navy's fleet of flattops to 11, the smallest force in decades. "We are moving to a new Navy, and this is the pivotal year to do that," England said. "That is causing some angst and some stress, in Washington and around the country."
 

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« Responder #57 em: Março 31, 2005, 12:45:28 am »
CNO Says Future Navy is Right Navy
 
 
(Source: US Navy; issued March 25, 2005)
 
 
 WASHINGTON --- Today’s Navy is creating the right Navy for the future and the country, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark told military and industry leaders at the annual Navy League of the United States Sea-Air-Space Exposition luncheon held March 24 at the Washington D.C. Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.  
 
"Ensuring Global Access," the theme for this year's Sea-Air-Space Exposition, is the key to the effectiveness of the Navy's sea basing efforts for projecting power ashore from the maritime domain. "In it's simplest terms, anything that floats on, under or is in the air operated from our area is the sea base, and the sea base is all about our ability to exploit our advantage of maneuver space," Clark explained.  
 
Comparing notes with his speech at the same event four years earlier, Clark told the audience the Navy is heading in the right direction. Reviewing his 2001 address, he had said then, “I’ve never been involved in a joint operation where access was not an issue. Anyone contending with the United States in the future has to think about anti-access. It’s a serious challenge for the United States military, but the Navy has some things going for it.”  
 
Clark said the Navy has learned a great deal in the past four years from the lessons of USS Cole (DDG 67), 9-11, Operation Enduring Freedom and ongoing Operation Iraqi Freedom. "What we've come to believe about this access issue is that exploiting our strengths, our advantages in the maritime domain is more important than ever before."  
 
"Four years ago we hadn't conceived of a Fleet Response Plan... we didn't talk about the ability to surge," Clark said. Mentioning programs like LCS, DD(X), MPF(F) and LHA(R) he said, “This Navy, the Navy that we are building today, is being built from the keel up to provide this nation with assured access. I believe that the future Navy, the Navy that we are creating today, is the right Navy for the United States of America."  
 
A key topic throughout the three-day event was the Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan recently submitted to Congress. "What we do needs to be good for the Sailor and for the taxpayer," he said. "We have learned in the past four years that there is a way to create much more operational availability and capability for the investment that the taxpayers have already made to their Navy."  
 
Clark explained why the Navy no longer needs 375 ships, and what will determine fleet size within the 260 to 325-ship future Navy. "Sea Swap and the Fleet Response Plan have changed our Navy,” he said. “We have literally bought much more operational availability with these concepts, so we can provide the same kind of combat capability for less than 375 (ships)," he said.  
 
A smaller, more advanced Navy will be committed to the growth and development of Sailors and civilians who put the Navy's high-tech capabilities to work for the nation through a 21st century Human Capital Strategy. Speaking to industry leaders in the audience, he said that though they create the most "incredible technology" ever, "...it won't be of any value if we don't have the young men and women, active and reserve, government civilians and the contracting structure who make it possible for us to have the Navy we dream about."  
 
"When I came here five years ago we were recruiting 57,000 people. This year the number is 37,000,” CNO said. “Something remarkable has happened in our Navy. What has happened is the environment has changed in our Navy. Our young people understand that we made a commitment to them, that we are going to commit ourselves and this institution to their growth and development and give them a chance to make a difference for America. And they are responding to it."  
 
Speaking at the exposition for the fifth time during his tenure as CNO, Clark thanked the Navy League and national president Sheila M. McNeill for their continuing support. "Our Sailors, and for that matter our Marines, Airman, Soldiers and Coast Guard are watching the way Americans are responding to their labors representing this country in the far corners of this earth," he said. "Your message is unequivocal. Your message has sent them a clear indication that you support and believe in the sons and daughters of America."  
 
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« Responder #58 em: Março 31, 2005, 12:48:15 am »
Northrop Grumman Redelivers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) after Successful Refueling and Complex Overhaul
 
 
(Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.; issued March 25, 2005)
 
 
 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has redelivered to the Navy the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) after completing its one and only refueling and complex overhaul in a 50-year life span.  
 
The work was performed by the company's Newport News sector and the ship was redelivered after four days of successful sea trials, an aggressive series of operational tests to demonstrate that Eisenhower's two nuclear propulsion plants are fully mission capable.  
 
“The effort and complexity of this job was a mammoth undertaking,” said Bob Gunter, senior vice president for the aircraft carrier program at Northrop Grumman Newport News. “We've worked on every inch of this ship, installing the latest advancements in technology to make the 28-year-old ‘Ike’ better than new.”  
 
The Eisenhower is the second ship of the Nimitz class to undergo this major life-cycle milestone. The work took more than three years to complete and included the refueling of both of the ship's reactors as well as extensive modernization work to more than 2,300 compartments, to include the ship's mess decks, medical and dental spaces, and laundry and berthing spaces. Maintenance and repair work was performed below the ship's waterline and included the application of new paint. In addition, nearly 3,000 valves were replaced and another 600 were overhauled in various ship systems.  
 
Major upgrades were made to the flight deck, catapults, combat systems and the island house. The top two levels of the island house were removed and replaced to install a new antenna mast which provides better radar capabilities. Northrop Grumman Newport News also installed a new radar tower aboard the ship.  
 
The Eisenhower was built by Northrop Grumman Newport News and christened on October 11, 1975 by Mrs. Mamie Doud Eisenhower, wife of the ship's namesake, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ship was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1977 and began its first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in January 1979. After 22 years of service, the Eisenhower arrived at the Newport News shipyard in 2001 for its mid-life refueling and complex overhaul.  
 
Northrop Grumman Newport News, headquartered in Newport News, Va., is the nation's sole designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. Newport News also provides after-market services for a wide array of naval and commercial vessels. The Newport News sector employs about 19,000 people.  
 
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« Responder #59 em: Março 31, 2005, 12:53:06 am »
Northrop Grumman Lays Keel for First U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (WMSL 750)
 
 
(Source: Northrop Grumman; issued March 29, 2005)
 
 
 PASCAGOULA, Miss. --- In a ceremony today at Northrop Grumman Corporation's Pascagoula shipyard, members of the U.S. Coast Guard and industry gathered to participate in a traditional keel laying ceremony for the Coast Guard's new National Security Cutter (WMSL 750).  
 
The National Security Cutter is the largest cutter and the crown jewel in the Coast Guard's sweeping "Deepwater" modernization program. This ceremony marks an important milestone in what will be the most technologically advanced, multi-mission cutter in the Coast Guard fleet.  
 
The principal speaker at the event was the honorable Michael Chertoff, secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Secretary Chertoff's wife, Meryl Chertoff, is the sponsor of the first-of-the-class ship that will lead the Coast Guard's future fleet under the Deepwater acquisition program.  
 
"This National Security Cutter, the keel of which we lay today, is a visible symbol of the new generation of equipment that we are going to provide to the men and women of the Coast Guard," said Secretary Chertoff . "Importantly, this cutter is not just a ship, but it is an integrated system-a system that is designed to perform in the defense of this country. In a way, that's emblematic of the Deepwater program itself, which is not simply a collection of individual assets, cutters, ships and aircraft, but is part of a capability...part of a performance-based effort designed to deliver a result, a successful mission of protecting these United States."  
 
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said, "This shipyard is 'America's shipyard' because it is the most productive in America with the greatest workforce in America that produces the best product in the shipbuilding industry. This shipyard has been the crown jewel of our state's economy, because the people that work here do their jobs so well; and because Northrop Grumman and our state have insured that the capital investments have been here."  
 
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), in speaking about the great partnership between industry and the state said, "I am very proud indeed, that this ship is being built in Mississippi. I congratulate the management and the employees of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin for forming this successful joint venture. [The shipyard] is a vital component in the partnership, and it is highly valued as the economic engine of the Mississippi Gulf Coast."  
 
Echoing those sentiments, U.S. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) remarked, "I am delighted that this National Security Cutter is being built in my hometown. I know the men and women of this shipyard. They have a long and proud tradition of doing the job within the budget, ahead of schedule and of producing quality ships."  
 
As host of the event, Philip A. Dur, president, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems remarked, "Today's keel laying ceremony marks the beginning and a culmination. The beginnings of the first Coast Guard cutter built here in Pascagoula, and the culmination of countless hours of research planning and commitment to making the National Security Cutter a formidable asset in America's homeland security effort. We are proud to be part of this program, the largest recapitalization effort in the Coast Guard's history. We are committed to making this ship the best first-of-the-class ship ever built by Northrop Grumman or its antecedents."  
 
At the conclusion of the program, Mrs. Chertoff and Adm. Thomas H. Collins, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, were summoned to the podium, where they both signed a ceremonial plate, which was then permanently welded and will remain a part of this ship throughout its service life. At that time, Mrs. Chertoff, as ship's sponsor, recognized the ship's keel to be "truly and fairly laid."  
 
The National Security Cutter will be 418 feet long, sustain speeds of 28 knots, be capable of 29 knots sprint speeds and will have an endurance of up to 60 days.  
 
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, Coast Guard and international navies.  
 
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