News & Analysis

SECDEF Esper Preparing For Future Defense Spending Cuts

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper speaks to the media during in the Pentagon Briefing Room on April 14, 2020. DoD Photo

When the bill comes due for Congress to pay off nearly $3 trillion in spending bills passed to spur economic activity during the COVID-19 shutdown, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper worries future Pentagon budgets will take a hit.

For the Department of Defense to continue increasing its readiness and modernize its forces, the Pentagon needs its topline budget to grow between 3...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/04/secdef-esper-preparing-for-future-defense-spending-cuts

U.S., U.K. Surface Warships Patrol Barents Sea For First Time Since the 1980s

The Duke-class frigate HMS Kent (F78) takes part in a replenishment-at-sea with Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) whilst on exercise with the U.S. Navy in the Arctic Circle. The exercises have been taking place in the Arctic Circle where, with added wind chill, the temperatures plummeted to a jarring minus 10 degrees centigrade. UK Royal Navy photo.

The U.S. Navy surface force is operating in the Barents Sea for the first time since the Cold War, further expanding its...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/04/u-s-u-k-surface-warships-patrol-barents-sea-for-first-time-since-the-1980s

Defense Industry Weathering COVID-19 Economic Slowdown

PALMDALE, Calif. – June 29, 2018 – A Northrop Grumman quality team performs final inspection of an F-35 center fuselage produced by the company at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. Northrop Grumman photo

The defense sector appears more insulated from the worst financial effects caused by the COVID-19-related economic slowdown when compared to other industries.

During the past week, as the largest defense contractors started reporting first-quarter financial results, a clear...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/01/defense-industry-weathering-covid-19-economic-slowdown

Navy Continues Advanced Surface Training, Deemed Mission-Essential, During COVID Restrictions

Lt. Caleb Bekemeier (standing), an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) assigned to Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), discusses surface warfighting tactics with Chief Electronics Technician Christopher Schmidt, assigned to USS Stethem, during a training opportunity conducted at Combined IAMD and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Trainer (CIAT) San Diego. Bekemeier returned to SMWDC last week after mentoring the crew of USS Freedom...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/01/navy-continues-advanced-surface-training-deemed-mission-essential-during-covid-restrictions

Hospital Ship Comfort Set to Arrive in Norfolk on Saturday After New York Mission

USNS Comfort departs New York Harbor after treating patients in New York and New Jersey on April 30, 2020. US Navy Photo

With an escort of water-spraying boats, hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) pulled from a cruise ship terminal pier midday Thursday and departed New York Harbor for a return to its Virginia homeport on Saturday.

It’s unclear yet whether Comfort, with its 1,100-member military treatment facility aboard, will be reassigned to another location to support local authorities in...

https://news.usni.org/2020/05/01/hospital-ship-comfort-set-to-arrive-in-norfolk-on-saturday-after-new-york-mission

Foggo: Military Needs GERMEX To Prepare For Next Pandemic

Adm. James Foggo, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (CNE-CNA), speaks to sailors during an all-hands call at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain. US Navy Photo

The U.S. military is must capture its COVID-19 infection data now for use when prepping for the next pandemic, the head of U.S. naval forces in Europe and Africa said Thursday.

The current COVID-19 pandemic represents a new warfare domain where the fight is against germs, an unseen enemy proving to be just as lethal as any...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/foggo-military-needs-germex-to-prepare-for-next-pandemic

Fincantieri Wins $795M Contract for Navy Frigate Program

Fincantieri FFG(X) Design based on the FREMM. Fincantieri Image

This post has been updated to include additional information from the Navy.

The Navy awarded a $795-million contract to Fincantieri to begin building a new class of guided-missile frigates, in the first new major shipbuilding program the service has started in more than a decade, the Navy announced today.

Fincantieri beat out what was originally four other competitors, who were asked by the Navy to take a mature parent design and...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/fincantieri-wins-795m-contract-for-navy-frigate-program

Civilian Mariners File Grievance Over Military Sealift Command COVID-19 Restrictions

The Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning ship USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012) is moored off the coast of Latvia for the Saber Strike 17 Maritime Prepositioning Force offload operations on May, 25, 2017. US Navy photo.

Civilian mariners are frustrated with stay-on-ship measures put in place to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and their unions have filed a formal grievance with Military Sealift Command, even as MSC has been touting the extreme care it’s taken to avoid getting its...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/civilian-mariners-file-grievance-over-military-sealift-command-covid-19-restrictions

VCNO Burke to Oversee Expanded Theodore Roosevelt Outbreak Investigation

Capt. Brett Crozier, then-commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt addresses the crew during an all-hands call in the ship’s hangar bay on March 3, 2020. US Navy Photo

The Navy’s number two will take the helm of an expanded investigation into the circumstances surrounding the March COVID-19 outbreak on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), the service announced on Thursday.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Robert Burke will lead a month-long command investigation into the...

https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/vcno-burke-to-oversee-expanded-theodore-roosevelt-outbreak-investigation

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