light amphibious warship

Amphibious Warship ‘Strategic Pause’ Ongoing Despite Small Business Solicitation

Amphibious warship Richard M. McCool, Jr., (LPD-29) on Aug. 4, 2022. USNI News Photo

Construction of new U.S. amphibious warships is still on pause despite a small business solicitation indicating the Navy was preparing to enter a multi-year deal for San Antonio-class ships, USNI News has learned.

Last week, contract portal SAM.gov posted a long lead contract that indicated the Navy was moving ahead with a multi-year contract with HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding to build three Flight II San Antonios.

“T...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/07/amphibious-warship-strategic-pause-ongoing-despite-small-business-solicitation

Navy Raises Battle Force Goal to 381 Ships in Classified Report to Congress

Guided-missile destroyer Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG-124) in dry dock at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in June 2023. BIW Photo

The Navy is now more than 80 ships short of the latest estimate of what the sea service thinks it needs to fulfill the Biden administration’s national security strategy.

The Battle Force Ship Assessment and Requirement, a congressionally-mandated report, requires 381 ships, up from 373 in the 2022 report, the first year it was released. As of Monday, the Navy’s battle...

https://news.usni.org/2023/07/18/navy-raises-battle-force-goal-to-381-ships-in-classified-report-to-congress

CMC Berger to Senate: ‘There’s No Plan’ to Meet Amphib Warship Requirements

Amphibious warship Richard M. McCool, Jr., (LPD-29) on Aug. 4, 2022. USNI News Photo

The Marine Corps’ top officer told a Senate panel that he put a $1.75 billion warship on the top of his unfunded priorities list to show there’s no path to expand the U.S. amphibious ship inventory.

Speaking before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee on Tuesday, Commandant Gen. David Berger said he saw a net reduction in the amphibious ship force because of the retirement of three older landing ship...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/28/cmc-berger-to-senate-theres-no-plan-to-meet-amphib-warship-requirements

Navy: OSD Directed Amphib Procurement Pause, Joint Staff Says Current Amphib Force ‘Sufficient’

A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Rein.), flies over the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD-24) on May 3, 2022. US Navy Photo

THE PENTAGON – A new study directed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense led to the halt in amphibious ship procurement so the Navy can evaluate requirements and cost efficiencies, a Navy official said Monday.

“We received direction from OSD, but this will be an integrated team...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/13/navy-osd-directed-amphib-procurement-pause-dod-says-current-amphib-force-sufficient

Marines to Test Prototype Landing Ship to Support New Force Design

US Marine Corps Photo

After making a series of modifications to an offshore support vessel, the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab is ready to start experimenting with a prototype for a landing ship the Marines say is key to the service’s island-hopping future in the Western Pacific.

Through Military Sealift Command, the Marine Corps has contracted Hornbeck Offshore Services to alter the offshore support vessel for the types of missions it envisions Marines taking on in future conflict. The service...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/27/marines-to-test-prototype-landing-ship-to-support-new-force-design

SECNAV Del Toro ‘Excited’ About New Landing Ship Mediums

ARLINGTON, Va. – Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the Navy and Marines have “got to get the right concept … and design” to move forward with the new Landing Ship Mediums – the vessels projected to augment larger amphibious vessels.

Investing in the new ships did not mean the Navy was pulling back its commitment to larger amphibious warships, Del Toro said Wednesday, speaking at the National Defense Industrial Association Expeditionary Warfare Conference.

There will “probably be more LPDs...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/22/secnav-del-toro-excited-about-new-landing-ship-mediums

Marine Corps Requirements Call for 9 Light Amphibious Ships per Regiment

SAN DIEGO – The Marine Corps’ latest requirements call for nine smaller amphibious ships per regiment to shuttle Marines and equipment between islands and shorelines, service officials said today.

The service has said for months that it needs 35 Landing Ship Mediums – previously known as the Light Amphibious Warship – for the type of operations it envisions in the Indo-Pacific region. The idea is that the three Marine Littoral Regiments operating in the Indo-Pacific would each have nine LSMs,...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/14/marine-corps-requirements-call-for-9-light-amphibious-ships-per-regiment

Marine Commandant Will Have More Say in Crafting Navy’s Amphibious Force as Part of New Defense Bill

Marines attached to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) wave to spectators as they arrive in Morehead City, N.C., aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD-24) on Oct. 10, 2022. US Navy Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The commandant of the Marine Corps will have a direct say in both the requirements for the Navy’s amphibious ships and the force structure, according to provisions in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
One provision in the...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/07/marine-commandant-will-have-more-say-in-crafting-navys-amphibious-force-as-part-of-new-defense-bill

Senators Call on SECNAV to Deliver Amphibious Ship Requirements Study to Congress

Amphibious warship Richard M. McCool, Jr., (LPD-29) on Aug. 4, 2022. USNI News Photo

Two lawmakers overseeing the Navy are calling on the service’s secretary to deliver an overdue study about its amphibious fleet.

In a letter sent on Monday to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) asked for an update on the amphibious ship requirements study.

“During your annual force posture hearing in May, we asked about the status of a study you commissioned to...

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/15/senators-call-on-secnav-to-deliver-amphibious-ship-requirements-study-to-congress

Eastern Shipbuilding Withdraws Coast Guard OPC GAO Protest, Will Pursue ‘Different Legal Pathway’

USCGC Argus (WMSM-915). Eastern Shipbuilding Group Photo

Eastern Shipbuilding Group withdrew a protest to a June Coast Guard contract award for the second phase of the service’s Offshore Patrol Cutter program on Tuesday in preparation for a different challenge in federal court, USNI News has learned.

On Tuesday, Eastern withdrew its protest to the Government Accountability Office for the Coast Guard’s $208.26 million award to Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., for the second phase of the Heritage-class...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/05/eastern-shipbuilding-withdraws-coast-guard-opc-gao-protest-will-pursue-different-legal-pathway

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