SNA 2019

First SEWIP Block 3 Electronic Attack System Set for Land Testing Later This Year

AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block 3 array in 2019. Northrop Grumman Photo

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. – With limited and costly ways for a surface warship to physically take out an incoming anti-ship missile, the Navy has been pursuing more ways a warship could use the power of electronic spectrum to splash threats.
To that end, the first array of a massive update of the Navy’s surface electronic warfare systems is preparing for its ground tests later this year. The...

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/17/first-sewip-block-3-electronic-attack-system-set-for-land-testing-later-this-year

Decades-Old Harpoon Missile Could See Growth in Sub, Coastal Defense Missions

Harpoon fired from USS Olympia on July 12, 2018. US Navy Photo

After pulling out of a competition to outfit the Navy’s small surface combatants with anti-ship missiles, Boeing is seeing a warmer embrace of its 40-year-old Harpoon missile from the U.S. Navy’s aviation and surface fleets and from foreign military sales.

The Harpoon missile, despite its age, is having a small renaissance, as some of the more than two-dozen countries that already own the missile look to upgrade to a new Block II and...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/06/harpoon-missile-could-see-growth-in-sub-coastal-defense-missions-despite-antipathy-from-surface-force

Navy Pursuing ‘Surface Development Squadron’ to Experiment with Zumwalt DDGs, Unmanned Ships

USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) steams in formation with USS Independence (LCS-2) on Dec. 8, 2016. US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. – Naval Surface Forces is continuing its push for an experimental squadron that would help figure out how to best leverage new platforms such as the Zumwalt-class destroyers and unmanned surface ships.

Vice Adm. Rich Brown, commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force Pacific, said earlier this month that he wanted to see “aggressive experimentation” in the surface...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/28/navy-still-pursuing-surface-development-squadron-experiment-zumwalt-ddgs-unmanned-ships

Marines’ 2020 Budget Will Prioritize Near-Term Readiness, Upgrades for High-End Fight

Lance Cpl. Nicholas Zachary (left) and Lance Cpl. Luis Saldana both assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 214, conduct routine maintenance on an AV-8B Harrier on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) on May 8, 2017. US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marine Corps wants to spend nearly a third of its Fiscal Year 2020 money on modernizing its equipment and nearly another third on rebuilding readiness, a top officer said.

Lt. Gen. Brian Beaudreault, deputy commandant...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/24/marines-fy-2020-budget-will-prioritize-near-term-readiness-upgrades-for-high-end-fight

N95 Coffman Says Accelerate Big Deck Amphib Construction, Cut LSD Modernization Program

The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group steams in formation on Dec. 24, 2018. Navy photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – In an attempt to address a “capacity problem” in the amphibious ship fleet, the head of expeditionary warfare wants to accelerate the construction of new amphibious assault ships and stop a lengthy upgrade program for the aging LSDs to return them to fleet operations.

The aging Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships (LSD-41/49) will be replaced on a one-for-one basis with the much more...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/22/n95-coffman-says-accelerate-big-deck-amphib-construction-cut-lsd-modernization-program

Marines’ Next High-End Fight Could Call for Larger Formations, Tougher Amphibs

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jose Nieves, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division tests Step In Visor and Low Profile Mandible during Urban Advanced Naval Technology Exercise 2018 (ANTX-18) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 21, 2018. US Marine Corps photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marine Corps is preparing for a high-end distributed fight inside island chains in the Pacific, and the service is pushing the Navy to invest in additional weapons...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/23/marines-next-high-end-fight-call-larger-formations-tougher-amphibs

SECNAV: Adversaries Remain but Expect Defense Budget Increases to Disappear

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer speaks to sailors at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. on Dec. 18, 2018. US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. – With increasing threats abroad and anticipated tighter defense budgets ahead, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer will spend 2019 instilling a sense of urgency into how the Navy and Marine Corps operate.

Since taking office, Spencer has focused on training, capabilities and the way the Navy and Marine Corps invest resources.

Now, a year and a half on...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/16/40441

As Navy Moves Beyond Relearning the Basics to Focusing on Lethality, So Too Do Navy Trainers

Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) participate in visual information training as part of virtual reality ship handling training at the Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling Trainer (NSST), on board Naval Base San Diego. US Navy photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – In 2018, the Navy stressed the basics of training, crew qualifications and readiness following two fatal ship collisions the year before. 2019 will be all about moving beyond the fundamentals and focusing...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/15/navy-moves-beyond-relearning-basics-focusing-lethality-navy-trainers

Rep. Courtney Frustrated With Pace of Frigate Program

Contenders for Navy frigate program. USNI News Image

ARLINGTON, Va. – There’s a growing sense of impatience among Capitol Hill legislators over the Navy’s pace for selecting a future frigate (FFG(X)) program design, the new chairman of the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee said on Wednesday.

The Navy is considering five possible frigate designs, and Congress is eagerly awaiting a decision, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), said while speaking at the 2019 Surface Navy...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/16/congress-impatient-for-navy-to-select-frigate-design

VCNO Moran: Navy Must Do More to Harness Data to Help Win Future Fights

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran delivers the keynote address at the Surface Naval Association’s 31st National Symposium. US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. — If the Navy’s going to leverage revolutionary technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to help make decisions in combat it needs to improve how it handles its data, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Surface Navy Association National Symposium, Moran made a plea to...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/16/vcno-moran-navy-must-harness-data-better-help-win-future-fights

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