Monday, December 4, 2023
For several of the Navy’s key ship classes, steaming hours are falling while maintenance problems and costs are growing, according to government auditors, who say the Navy has not fully implemented many prior recommendations to improve ship sustainment.
The hiring and retention of a skilled industrial workforce is a top strategic challenge across both the public and private sectors in the delivery and fielding of submarines and surface ships, according to Navy officials who discussed efforts to fortify the industrial base.
The Marine Corps reactivated a base on the island of Guam Thursday in an effort to establish an increased forward presence in the Indo-Pacific and strengthen ties with Japan and other allies in the region.
General Dynamics executives recorded a "good year in a difficult environment," with record growth in the company's Marine Systems sector, but said labor and supply chain problems remain a significant challenge for submarine production.
The Navy will take steps to improve its schedule risk oversight of the Columbia-class submarine program and the resulting risks to the nuclear shipbuilding enterprise, in line with advice from government auditors who warn that no risk analysis has been performed on the lead submarine's construction schedule.
The Navy League of the United States is encouraging increased investment in shipbuilding, marking the procurement of Columbia-class submarines and Light Amphibious Warships top priorities for the Navy and Marine Corps.
The Navy will hold an industry day next month to explore the use of unmanned aircraft systems that are contractor owned and operated for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle is operationally effective as a stationary command post, but not as a mobile one, according to an annual report from the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester.
The first-in-class aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford(CVN-78) continues to struggle with the reliability of its flight operations systems, according to an annual report from the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester.
The Navy successfully tested a prototype electronic attack system intended to provide anti-ship missile defense capabilities to small ships, according to a release from Northrop Grumman, the contractor.
The Navy is exploring new ways to use its fleet of Littoral Combat Ships, according to service officials who discussed plans for LCSs to be outfitted with the Naval Strike Missile and take on mine countermeasure missions in 5th Fleet.
The Marine Corps' largest capability gap is the absence of the Light Amphibious Warship, according to a senior service official, who said closing this gap depends upon industry's ability to expediently deliver a "sufficient quantity" of the vessels.
Reducing shipyard delays is a top priority for the Navy, according to the commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, who expressed deep dissatisfaction today with the performance of the defense industrial base.
Working to improve surface force readiness, the Navy has set a goal of keeping 75 ships designated as "mission capable" or "full mission capable" -- a north star target that will underpin all future surface force efforts, according to service leaders.
After completing an environmental impact statement, the Navy intends to continue conducting periodic training exercises in the Gulf of Alaska, according to a record of decision published Wednesday.
House and Senate appropriators are supporting the Navy's decision to fully divest from its large unmanned undersea vehicle program and are directing the service to pivot to commercially available UUV technology.
The CH-53K King Stallion has been cleared to enter full-rate production, according to a Friday announcement from the Navy.
The Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $5.1 billion contract modification for advance procurement and construction of the Columbia-class submarine fleet.
General Dynamics Land Systems will deliver its prototype Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle to the Marine Corps for evaluation on Friday, according to a company announcement.
The Defense Department will conduct an integrated acquisition portfolio review of its fixed-wing aircraft within the next one to two fiscal years, in line with advice from government auditors who caution that current practices fail to supply adequate information to departmental and congressional decision makers.