Saturday, December 7, 2024
Key Issues MQ-25 Stingray USSF pLEO spending cap JLTV funding
NORFOLK, VA -- On a blustery December day at Naval Station Norfolk, sailors from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia were busy preparing a small fleet of robotic and unmanned undersea systems for two weeks of offshore experimentation intended to expand subsea and seabed warfare capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II.
The Navy's Science and Technology Board will meet on Dec. 3 to discuss two completed studies of electronic warfare for terminal defense and ship maintenance, according to a Wednesday Federal Register notice.
The White House Office of Management and Budget is asking Congress for an additional $7.3 billion to fund production of the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine programs with two separate 'anomaly' requests delivered to lawmakers Monday, an administration official told Inside Defense.
The Navy’s next-generation Ship-to-Shore connector capability, which will be critical for landing Marines and other military personal in the event of an Indo-Pacific conflict, is facing fresh delays driven by technical problems that continue to postpone initial operational capability despite the delivery of multiple craft.
The transfers of munitions and missiles to Israel and Ukraine is beginning to deplete the United States' own supply of high-end capabilities that will be needed if conflict breaks out with China, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said today.
The Navy has posted a new request for information seeking shipbuilders capable of design and construction work for the Constellation-class frigate program, which continues to face significant schedule delays driven by labor and subcontractor management problems.
The Navy expects to begin testing the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missile system aboard the guided missile destroyer Zumwalt (DDG-1000) in 2027 or 2028 following fielding delays driven by issues in the ongoing land-based testing of the weapon.
The Navy plans to build an eighth block of its Virginia-class submarine program before transitioning to the next-generation SSN(X) vessel in the early 2040s, according to Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Director Adm. William Houston.
The Navy expects to complete an initial review of all the suspected faulty welds on aircraft carriers and submarines by the end of December, according to service officials, who said they have already inspected over 90% of these suspicious welds.
The Navy is "finishing up contract negotiations" for Block V Virginia-class submarines Baltimore (SSN-812) and Atlanta (SSN-813), service officials said today, despite Congress' refusal to provide an additional $1.95 billion to cover cost growth in the program.
The Navy has awarded Norwegian contractor Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace a five-year, $960 million contract for the Naval Strike Missile after Congress provided multiyear authority and funding in its fiscal year 2024 defense legislation.
Norwegian contractor Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace has received a $329 million award to build 175 medium-caliber cannon remote turret systems for the Marine Corps' Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm cannon variant, according to a Nov. 4 announcement.
The Navy is in the early stages of a novel plan to funnel private money into the submarine industrial base. For the private equity group tapped as the service’s partner in this effort, tax incentives, enduring demand for submarines and a tenant-focused business model make this foray into shipbuilding a low-risk venture with promising returns.
The Navy will extend the service lives of three Ticonderoga-class cruisers, adding a cumulative 10 years of ship use from fiscal year 2026 to 2029, according to a Monday announcement.
The Navy will extend its operational use of 12 Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyers by up to five years beyond their intended 35-year service lives, according to a Thursday announcement from service secretary Carlos Del Toro.
The Navy is in the early stages of a novel plan to funnel private money into the submarine industrial base. For the private equity group tapped as the service’s partner in this effort, tax incentives, enduring demand for submarines and a tenant-focused business model make this foray into shipbuilding a low-risk venture with promising returns.
A bipartisan group of senators has issued a cautious endorsement of an as-of-yet undetailed Navy proposal aiming to combat submarine delays and cost overruns by restructuring how the vessels are paid for, urging the Pentagon to closely examine the plan while requesting greater transparency from the Navy.
The United States, United Kingdom and Australia are wrapping up three weeks of maritime experimentation using uncrewed systems and a variety of other emerging technologies, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, describing the event as an important step toward collaboratively developing and operating capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II. (UPDATED)
The submarine supply chain is not improving fast enough, according to General Dynamics executives, who today said the company is slowing construction work to match the sluggish pace of component deliveries.
Naval Sea Systems Command has selected General Dynamics to design and build an unmanned maritime minelaying system, awarding the company a contract worth up to $58 million, according to a Monday notice.