Top Stories 2018

Top Stories 2018: Navy Acquisition

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of USNI News year-end series.

F-35C Joint Strike Fighter

An F-35C Lightning II assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 sits chained on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on Dec. 9, 2018. US Navy Photo

The Navy’s F-35C had an important year, with the fighter seeing its...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/01/40013

2018 Navy, Marine Corps On-Duty Deaths

The following names are those of Marines and sailors who died in 2018 while at sea, in combat or during training accidents, according to USNI News records and Navy and Marine Corps reports.

Cpl. Alejandro Romero, USMC
Bravo Company, 3rd RECON, 3rd MARDIV, III MEF
Jan. 22

Marine Corps Cpl. Alejandro Romero.

Romero, 22, was training at the Multi-Mission Parachute Course in Arizona when his main canopy failed to fully deploy on his the exit from the aircraft.

He was unable to completely cut away the...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/28/2018-navy-marine-corps-on-duty-deaths

Top Stories 2018: Major Navy Legal Cases

Several high profile legal actions for the Navy occurred in 2018 from the ongoing Fat Leonard investigation to several special operations cases and the ongoing accountability actions for the Western Pacific destroyer collisions that killed 17 sailors.

Western Pacific Collisions

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is pulled towards a pier after departing from a dry dock at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Nov. 27, 2018. US Navy Photo

Navy leadership issued criminal charges to sailors involved in the 2017 fatal...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/28/top-stories-2018-major-navy-legal-cases

Top Stories 2018: Navy Operations

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) as the ship transits the Strait of Gibraltar on Dec. 4, 2018. US Navy Photo

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018.

If 2018 made anything clear, it’s that the U.S. Navy noticed the increased Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic and won’t let it go unaddressed.

Much of the U.S. Navy’s major activities this year were focused on the Atlantic Ocean, on NATO allies...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/26/top-stories-2018-navy-operations

Top Stories 2018: Marine Corps Operations

An F-35B Lightning II assigned to the “Avengers” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 sits on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) on March 7, 2018. US Navy Photo

The Marine Corps spent 2018 preparing the force for a new era of warfare, modernizing how it conducts its business in ways large and small.

Arguably the biggest headline for the service this year was the first deployment of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter on a routine Amphibious Ready...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/25/top-stories-2018-marine-corps-operations

Top Stories 2018: U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Shannon Eubanks (left) instructs Petty Officer 2nd Class Ed Traver (right) on ice rescue techniques on Oct. 3, 2018, about 715 miles north of Barrow, Alaska, in the Arctic. US Coast Guard Photo

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of a series; please check back later in the week for additional Top Stories 2018 posts.

For the U.S....

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/24/39825