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VIDEO: Thomas Takes Command of U.S. 7th Fleet, Merz Heading to Pentagon

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas relieves Vice Adm. Bill Merz of command during the 7th Fleet change of command ceremony at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, on July 8, 2021. US NAvy Photo

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas has taken command of the Navy’s Japan-based U.S. 7th Fleet.

In a change of command ceremony held on Thursday morning local time in Yokosuka, Japan, Vice Adm. Bill Merz turned over his command to Thomas.

“It’s great to return to Japan and lead our forward-leaning sailors and task forces to integrate...

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/08/video-thomas-takes-command-of-u-s-7th-fleet-merz-heading-to-pentagon

Report to Congress on Command and Control

The following is the April 8, 2021 Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Defense Primer: What Is Command and Control?

From the report

The Department of Defense (DOD) defines command and control (C2) as “[t]he exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned forces in the accomplishment of the mission.” At its most fundamental level, C2 represents how DOD makes operational decisions. One can view C2 through the context of five variables: who, what,...

https://news.usni.org/2021/04/13/report-to-congress-on-command-and-control

Lawmakers Question Who Will Shepherd Navy’s Future Unmanned Fleet

Maintainers from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VX-1) analyze diagnostics from the MQ-8C Fire Scout on the flight deck of the Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) on June 21, 2018. US Navy photo.

When the Navy moved from a conventionally powered fleet to a nuclear one, Adm. Hyman Rickover oversaw the transitions for decades, remaining in uniform until the age of 82 as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” to ensure the sea service adopted the new technology in a precise...

Navy, Marines Unveil How They Will Buy and Operate Future Pilotless Aircraft and Crewless Ships

Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class Samantha Stluka, left, and Aviation Electrician 2nd Class Wyatt Cutchen, both assigned to the “Wildcards” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, perform maintenance on a MQ-8B unmanned helicopter on the flight deck of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), May 14, 2020. US Navy photo.

The sea services see themselves moving toward a future where they are just as likely to perform a mission with an unmanned platform as...

Navy to Field Early ‘Project Overmatch’ Battle Network on Theodore Roosevelt CSG in 2023

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) transits the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 18, 2020. US Navy Photo

The Navy envisions a future fleet with manned and unmanned ships, submarines and aircraft operating in a dispersed manner and collecting a ton of data to fill in a common operating picture – which operational commanders could then use to, if ever needed, have the best sensor platform send targeting data to the best shooter to attack an enemy. That entire vision, though, would require a robust network that...

Report to Congress on Joint All-Domain Command and Control

The following is the Oct. 23, 2020 Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

From the report

What Is JADC2?

Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) is the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) concept to connect sensors from all of the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force—into a single network. Traditionally, each of the military services developed its own tactical network that was incompatible with those of...

https://news.usni.org/2020/10/27/report-to-congress-on-joint-all-domain-command-and-control

Report to Congress on Pentagon’s Joint All Domain Command and Control Plan

The following is the Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

From the report

What Is JADC2?

Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) is the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) concept to connect sensors from all of the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force—into a single network. Traditionally, each of the military services developed its own tactical network that was incompatible with those of other services...

https://news.usni.org/2020/08/26/report-to-congress-on-pentagons-joint-all-domain-command-and-control-plan

Naval Integration Drive Shaping Acquisition of Marine Unmanned MUX Drone

The Bell V-247 tiltrotor is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) that will combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft, and would provide long-endurance persistent expeditionary and surveillance and fires capabilities. Bell Image

As the Navy and Marines continue to highlight close naval integration, the interconnectedness of the two services has moved beyond concepts and doctrine and is spilling into acquisition decisions being...

https://news.usni.org/2019/12/16/naval-integration-drive-shaping-acquisition-of-marine-unmanned-mux-drone

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