News & Analysis

Navy Removes Ford Carrier Program Manager, Citing Performance Over Time

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) Transits the Atlantic Ocean on June 4, 2020. US Navy Photo

The Navy removed its program manager for the first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), as Navy acquisition chief James Geurts looks to boost performance in the new carrier program.

Capt. Ron Rutan has been moved from the program office to the Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) staff, and Capt. Brian Metcalf has taken over the program office. Metcalf previously served as the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock...

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/02/navy-removes-ford-carrier-program-manager-citing-performance-over-time

Destroyers Continue to Prowl 4th Fleet As Coast Guard, Navy Rack Up $1B in Drug Seizures

USS Pinckney (DDG-91), with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team, conducts enhanced counter-narcotics operations on May 14, 2020. US Coast Guard

The Navy has had more warships operating in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in the last three months than it has in the last five years, pushing the results of a U.S. effort to seize drugs at sea to all-time highs.

Since the start of April, an average of six warships with embarked Coast Guard law enforcement...

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/02/destroyers-continue-to-prowl-4th-fleet-as-coast-guard-navy-rack-up-1b-in-drug-seizures

House Armed Services Committee Adds Money for EPF, Footstomps Need for Second Virginia SSN

Moon over U.S. Capitol on Nov. 13, 2016. NASA Photo

The House Armed Services Committee reiterated its support for Navy shipbuilding today in an all-day markup of its annual defense bill, voting to include money for an additional Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) and issuing an opening argument to the Senate for an additional Virginia-class attack submarine.

A key difference in the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act is the Virginia SSN program....

USS Montgomery Deployment Proves Out Changes Made in LCS Program Overhaul

The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) returns to homeport at Naval Base San Diego following the successful completion of a 12-month rotational deployment. Montgomery operated in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force. US Navy photo.

USS Montgomery (LCS-8) recently wrapped up its maiden deployment – and the ship class’s first since a restructure of the Littoral Combat Ship program – and the...

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/01/uss-montgomery-deployment-proves-out-changes-made-in-lcs-program-overhaul

VADM Black Takes Command at U.S. 6th Fleet; Franchetti Headed to OPNAV N7

Outgoing commander of U.S. 6th Fleet Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti speaks during the 6th Fleet change of command ceremony in the hanger at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, July 1, 2020. US Navy photo.

In a ceremony in Naples, Italy, that had guests and side boys spaced six feet apart in their dress whites, Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti today turned over command of U.S. 6th Fleet, ending a historic posting as the first woman to lead a numbered fleet.

Taking command of 6th Fleet is Vice Adm. Gene...

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/01/vadm-black-takes-command-at-u-s-6th-fleet-franchetti-headed-to-opnav-n7

Panel: NATO Needs to Take Russian Offensive, Defensive Advances in Arctic Seriously

Russia’s Baltic Fleet. Russian Ministry of Defense photo.

Russia’s massive 70-warship Ocean Shield exercise in the Baltic Sea last year signaled the Kremlin’s intention to be the dominating Arctic power militarily and economically, two international security experts said Tuesday.

“The complexity of exercises has expanded significantly over the last twelve years” as Moscow has pushed conventional and nuclear military modernization programs forward to assert its dominance regionally, Katarzyna...

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/01/panel-nato-needs-to-take-russian-offensive-defensive-advances-in-arctic-seriously

NATO Anti-Submarine Exercise Dynamic Mongoose Kicks Off With U.S. Destroyer, SSN

USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) and Spanish frigate ESPS Reina Sofia came together for a formation and photo exercise, as Roosevelt transited from its homeport in Rota, Spain, to Iceland for NATO Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020. US Navy photo via Facebook.

An advanced U.S. attack submarine and guided-missile destroyer are among the forces participating in the NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020, which kicked off this week off Iceland.

Virginia-class attack submarine USS Indiana...

https://news.usni.org/2020/06/30/nato-anti-submarine-exercise-dynamic-mongoose-kicks-off-with-u-s-destroyer-ssn

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