Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center

Carrier USS Nimitz Underway for Final Rounds of Training Ahead of Deployment

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) passes Mount Rainier while transiting Puget Sound on Feb. 22, 2020. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) departed Bremerton, Wash., on Monday for its final pre-deployment training event, in what is the Navy’s first real test of its plan to prevent COVID-19 from spreading among deploying crews.

Nimitz will likely remain at sea after completing its Composite Training UnitExercise (COMPTUEX) off the coast of San Diego and not return to port ahead of its deployment...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/27/carrier-uss-nimitz-underway-for-final-rounds-of-training-ahead-of-deployment

Navy Secures Enough COVID-19 Tests for Nimitz Strike Group Ahead of Deployment; Makin Island Completes Drills During Pandemic

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Christian Smania cleans a cover plate for a wire supporter on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) on April 14, 2020. US Navy Photo

The Navy has secured enough COVID-19 testing kits to evaluate the almost 8,000 sailors set to deploy on the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group later this year, USNI News has learned.

“All sailors assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 staffs and units are being tested for COVID-19 prior to follow-on...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/21/navy-secures-enough-covid-19-tests-for-nimitz-strike-group-ahead-of-deployment-makin-island-completes-drills-during-pandemic

NATO Evaluation Tool Points Out Training Mistakes in Almost Real-Time

Naval Aircrewman (Operator) 3rd Class Ethan Mehring, assigned to the “Skinny Dragons” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 4, conducts flight operations aboard a squadron P-8A Poseidon aircraft during an during an anti-submarine warfare mission over the Mediterranean Sea, Feb. 19, 2020. VP-4 is currently forward deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations and is assigned to Commander, Task Force 67, responsible for tactical control of deployed maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadrons throughout...

https://news.usni.org/2020/03/05/nato-evaluation-tool-points-out-training-mistakes-in-almost-real-time

Navy Rethinking Fundamental Training for SWO Skills, Crafting More Complex Pre-Deployment Exercises

Chief Master-at-Arms Michael Thom, assigned to the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), works with Sailors on the bridge to locate surface contacts during a basic surface warfare exercise while participating in a surface warfare advanced tactical training (SWATT) in the Atlantic Ocean onJuly 28, 2019. SWATT is designed to increase war fighting proficiency, lethality and interoperability of participating units. US Navy photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Navy’s surface...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/27/navy-rethinking-fundamental-training-for-swo-skills-crafting-more-complex-pre-deployment-exercises

Naval Surface Forces Looking Closely at Warfare Training for Individuals, Watch Teams

Ens. Micah Burge, from Branson, Mo., views a monitor in the bridge of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG-54) in 2019. US Navy Photo

The surface navy is taking a serious look at how it trains individuals and watch teams in maritime warfighting skills, taking a similar approach to the recent effort to bolster navigation, shiphandling and seamanship skills, the head of the surface force told USNI News.

Following a string of collisions in the Western Pacific in 2017, the...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/13/naval-surface-forces-looking-closely-at-warfare-training-for-individuals-watch-teams

U.S. Naval Offensive Mining Updates Will Focus on Sub Community Tactics, Smart Mines

A Mark-63 Quickstrike Mine is mounted on a P-3 Orion aircraft in the foreground while Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Cooper Peterson, assigned to the ordnance division of Patrol Squadron (VP) 40, communicates with aircrew during preflight. US Navy photo.

The U.S. Navy is taking offensive mining more seriously under the National Defense Strategy and is working to bring new technologies and tactics to the fleet to modernize mine warfare for a high-end fight.

Though mine warfare has previously...

https://news.usni.org/2019/11/05/u-s-naval-offensive-mining-updates-will-focus-on-sub-community-tactics-smart-mines

Navy Wants to Bolster Advanced Schoolhouse Training to Prep SWOs for Higher-Level Fight

Ensigns Jeffrey Wong, Micheal Marner, Jesse Himes, and David Garza stand watch aboard a simulated bridge during the inaugural Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD) course at Naval Base San Diego. The four-week course, a new addition to the revised Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) career path, includes training in a broad range of integrated bridge fundamentals. With this course, newly commissioned ensigns now attend both the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC) and JOOD to prepare them to drive ships...

https://news.usni.org/2019/08/29/navy-wants-to-bolster-advanced-schoolhouse-training-to-prep-swos-for-higher-level-fight

BALTOPS 19: Navy Tests New Mine Hunting Kit With European Allies

A Mk 18 Mod 2 is submerged from the stern of FSG Kronsort during experimental Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations. Their experimentation objectives include collecting performance measurements in an operationally relevant environment for future improvements to systems. US Navy photo.

ABOARD USS MOUNT WHITNEY, IN THE BALTIC SEA – As the U.S. Navy undergoes a major transition in how it conducts mine warfare, it had the chance to test out its newest tools during BALTOPS 2019 alongside European...

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/25/baltops-19-navy-tests-new-mine-hunting-kit-with-european-allies

Navy Stands Up Surface Development Squadron for DDG-1000, Unmanned Experimentation

The Pre-Commissioning Unit Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) pulls along pierside in Naval Base San Diego, Dec. 7, 2018. The future USS Michael Monsoor is the second ship in the Zumwalt-class of guided-missile destroyers and will undergo a combat availability and test period. US Navy photo.

The Navy is standing up an organization today that will be dedicated to experimenting with new unmanned vessels, weapons and other gear to propel the surface force forward.

The service will take the Zumwalt Squadron...

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/22/navy-stands-up-surface-development-squadron-for-ddg-1000-unmanned-experimentation

Navy Conducts First LCS Advanced Training with Pair of Ships; Larger Event Planned this Summer

Lt. Ryan Griffith acts as the tactical action officer as Cmdr. Edward Rosso, commanding officer of the Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8), observes operations during a surface warfare scenario aboard the ship. Montgomery is underway in the eastern Pacific conducting the first-ever LCS surface warfare advanced tactical training (SWATT) event hosted by the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC). US Navy photo.

The Navy conducted its first...

https://news.usni.org/2019/05/06/navy-conducts-first-lcs-advanced-training-with-pair-of-ships-larger-event-planned-this-summer

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