Naval Air Forces

White House Nominates New N7, Air Boss, NAVSEA Commander

(l to r) Vice Adm. Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, Rear Adm. Daniel Cheever, Rear Adm. James Downey. USNI News graphic

The White House has nominated the next admiral to oversee shipbuilding and repair, the next Air Boss and the next admiral in charge of naval education, the Department of Defense announced this week.

Rear Adm. Daniel Cheever was nominated for a third star and to command Naval Air Forces, as well as to lead Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. If confirmed by the Senate, Cheever is set to...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/23/white-house-nominates-new-n7-air-boss-navsea-commander

Navy Holds Aviation Safety Pause Following Two Crashes Last Week

An MH-60S Knight Hawk, attached to the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12, prepares to land on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) May 8, 2022. US Navy Photo

The Navy is holding an aviation safety standdown today following two crashes in California last week, including one that killed five Marines.
The standdown is so the service can “review risk-management practices and conduct training on threat and...

https://news.usni.org/2022/06/13/navy-holds-aviation-safety-pause-following-two-crashes-last-week

Navy Helicopter Crashes in California, Crew Members Safely Rescued

Two MH-60S Knight Hawk attached to the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 conduct flight operations from the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Carrier Strike Group Exercise 2022 in the Philippine Sea on June 2, 2022. U.S. Navy Photo

The Navy has rescued the four crew members of a helicopter that crashed in California on Thursday, according to the service. During flight training in El Centro, Calif., an MH-60S from the...

https://news.usni.org/2022/06/10/navy-helicopter-crashes-in-california-crew-members-safely-rescued

Crew Blameless for 2021 MH-60S Crash Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, New Investigation Finds

Sailors who died after an Aug. 31, 2021, MH-60S Knighthawk crash off the coast of California. USNI News Photo Illustration

A failure in the system that keeps a helicopter rotor system stable was responsible for a fatal August 2021 fatal helicopter crash in which five sailors were killed, according to the results of an investigation released this week.

The Navy released the command investigation into the August 31 MH-60S crash that occurred just after the helicopter touched down on the flight deck...

https://news.usni.org/2022/05/04/crew-blameless-for-2021-mh-60s-crash-aboard-uss-abraham-lincoln-new-investigation-finds

Navy Loses 17th Sailor to COVID-19

A sailor plays ‘Taps.’ US Navy Photo

A Naval reservist died from COVID-19-related complications, the Navy announced Tuesday.

Lt. Ivey Quintana-Martinez, 35, is the 17th sailor the Navy has lost to COVID-19, according to a USNI News tally of COVID-19 deaths. Quintana-Martinez, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., died at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 18.

She was admitted on Nov. 10. Her vaccination status is unclear. While active-duty sailors needed to be fully vaccinated by Nov....

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/21/navy-loses-17th-sailor-to-covid-19

USS Nimitz Back In Port After Finding Propulsion Plant’s ‘Minor Material Deficiency’

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits through Puget Sound. Nimitz is currently underway conducting sea trials after completing a six-month planned incremental availability. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is back in port after its propulsion plant experienced “a minor material deficiency,” according to the Navy.
“On Nov. 7, 2021, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) identified a minor material deficiency in the propulsion plant during normal operations while transiting in international waters off the...

https://news.usni.org/2021/11/10/uss-nimitz-back-in-port-after-finding-propulsion-plants-minor-material-deficiency

Navy Loses 15th Sailor to COVID-19, Second Death in October

Master-at-Arms Senior Chief Michael Haberstumpf died Oct. 10 from COVID-19-related complications. US NAVY PHOTO

A sailor stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., died from complications related to COVID-19 earlier this month, the Navy announced Wednesday.

Master-at-Arms Senior Chief Michael Haberstumpf, 42, died from complications of COVID-19 on Oct. 10 at University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill, according to a Navy press release. Haberstumpf is the 15th sailor to die from the disease...

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/20/navy-loses-15th-sailor-to-covid-19-second-death-in-october

Navy Recovers Helicopter, 5 Sailors Killed in Crash that Prompted Pause in Flight Operations

Sailors who are presumed dead after an Aug. 31, 2021 MH-60S Knighthawk crash off the coast of California. USNI News Photo Illustration

A search-and-salvage team has located and recovered – from a depth of 5,300 feet – the five crewmembers and MH-60S helicopter that crashed while operating on the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on Aug. 31, the Navy announced Tuesday.
The Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 was training with Lincoln at sea about...

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/12/navy-recovers-helicopter-5-sailors-killed-in-crash-that-prompted-pause-in-flight-operations

Navy loses 14th Sailor to COVID-19

Aviation Electrician’s Mates (AE) (Mechanical) 1st Class Cory Weber died of COVID-19 complications Oct. 3. US Navy Photo

A sailor assigned to Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Command died of complications from COVID-19 Sunday, the service announced on Wednesday.

Aviation Electrician’s Mates (Mechanical) 1st Class Cory Weber, 51, is the 14th sailor to die of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in December 2020, according to a USNI News tally of active-duty deaths. He died at Sunrise hospital...

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/06/navy-loses-14th-sailor-to-covid-19

Pentagon Audit of U.S. Navy Destroyer Readiness

The following is the Jan. 31, 2020 Department of Defense Inspector General report, Audit of Readiness of Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers. The public report was released on Feb. 4.

From the report

The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Navy identified and addressed readiness challenges of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Although we assessed all five readiness areas (personnel, equipment, supply, training, and ordnance), we focused this report on whether the Navy identified and...

https://news.usni.org/2020/02/04/pentagon-audit-of-u-s-navy-destroyer-readiness

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