Guided-missile cruiser USS Hué City (CG-66) was inducted into the Cruiser Modernization program on Oct. 3, 2019. US Navy Photo
The Navy’s push to retire seven guided-missile cruisers stems from management and planning in its original modernization program that caused exorbitant cost growth, according to service officials.
Navy officials have repeatedly cited cost as a reason for the proposed decommissionings, arguing that the service could put the money toward other modernization priorities...
USS Makin Island (LHD-8), back, and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) transit the South China Sea on April 9, 2021. US Navy Photo
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), the seapower panel’s ranking member, also voiced concerns over decommissioning the cruisers because of a potential capability gap. Each cruiser has 120 missile cells, meaning the seven ships have a total of 910 cells. Kilby confirmed to Wittman that a “large percentage” of the Navy’s surface fires comes from...
USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) steam in formation during a Strait of Hormuz transit, Sept. 18 on Sept. 18, 2020. US Navy Photo
Rather than focusing on the “arbitrary” 355-ship fleet total, the service should concentrate more effort on developing autonomous vehicles, the top lawmaker on the Senate Armed Services Committee said today.
Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Institute, SASC Chairman Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) emphasized the importance of capability...
The launch of the Type 75 big-deck amphib in Shanghai on. PLAN Photo
The Pentagon’s complicated and time-consuming acquisition process impedes the United States’ ability to innovate and keep up with China’s technology development, several experts said last week.
In contrast to the Department of Defense, China “effectively copied” Silicon Valley’s quick-decision investment strategies with start-ups in its technology race with the United States, according to the director of the Pentagon’s...
Two U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, stand chained to the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8). US Navy Photo
“We’ve got to seriously scrub” programs like the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter in Congress instead of rewarding “people for failure, not results” in developing new weapons systems, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Friday.
Sp...
https://news.usni.org/2021/03/05/hasc-chairman-calls-on-congress-to-scrub-f-35-program
An unarmed Trident II D5 missile launches from the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) off the coast of California. US Navy Photo
The United States should conduct a new broad strategic review to evaluate global threats and determine its strategy, the head of U.S. Strategic Command said Tuesday.
During a virtual roundtable hosted by the Defense Writer’s Group, Adm. Charles Richard said he supports reassessing the nuclear posture review, but argued for a holistic approach...
https://news.usni.org/2021/01/05/stratcom-u-s-needs-broader-based-strategic-review-to-assess-threats
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee, is briefed on the capabilities of the F-35A Lightning II during his visit at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Oct. 10, 2019. The congressman learned about several aspects of the 56th Fighter Wing F-35 pilot training and how the wing works to enhance lethality and readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jensen Stidham)
House lawmakers will return to Washington, D.C. for an override vote should President Donald Trump veto the...
Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet. US Navy Photo
The head of the Navy’s forces in the Pacific has been tapped to lead U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, according to a Thursday Pentagon announcement.
Adm. John Aquilino, the current commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, has been nominated to lead the joint combatant command based in Hawaii.
On Monday, USNI News reported Aquilino had become the White House’s leading candidate to take over the command from current commander Adm. Phil...
https://news.usni.org/2020/12/03/pacflt-commander-aquilino-formally-nominated-to-lead-indo-pacom
Adm. John Aquilino, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, speaks with 13 other heads of navies or their representatives from allied and partner nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region during a virtual key leader engagement to discuss outlooks and perspectives in this COVID-19 environment on Sept. 23, 2020. US Navy Photo
U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. John Aquilino is slated to be nominated to serve as the next chief of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, USNI News has learned.
A U.S. official confirmed to...
Sailors aboard USS Delaware (SSN-791) on Nov. 5, 2019. US Navy Photo
Senate appropriators are proposing $21.35 billion for Navy shipbuilding that would fund nine battleforce ships, according to the text of the legislation that was released on Tuesday.
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s funding allocation for a total of nine battleforce ships in its draft of the Fiscal Year 2021 defense spending bill is an increase from the eight the Navy sought in its request earlier this year.
The legislation...