Mil News USA, Canada & Caribbean Nations Military News & Discussion Thread

[rtomedic]

GAO Report Outlines Plan To Disperse F-35s If Pacific War Breaks Out
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — If war breaks out in the Pacific, U.S. military commanders may disperse F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in small detachments to outmaneuver the enemy, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office.

“The Department of Defense … is increasing focus on the Pacific where potential adversaries including China and North Korea have made provocations,” says the report released Wednesday.

Sixteen F-35Bs that have been flying out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, since January 2017, represent the first overseas stationing of America’s most advanced stealth fighter since its development.

“DOD expects to use the F-35’s air combat capabilities along with a basing strategy known as distributed operations — where for example, aircraft disperse into smaller detachments to outmaneuver the enemy — to counter any regional threats,” the report says.

The Marines’ short-takeoff, vertical-landing variant of the joint strike fighter could be part of such a strategy. Last month, F-35Bs from Iwakuni’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 landed aboard the USS Wasp for the first time during the amphibious assault ship’s inaugural patrol of the Western Pacific. ...MORE

https://inhomelandsecurity.com/gao-...security.comgao-f-35&utm_campaign=20180501IHS


Panel Seeks Study Of New Missile Defenses For Hawaii
A congressional subcommittee wants the Pentagon to look at the feasibility of permanently assigning a Navy warship to defend Hawaii against North Korean and other long-range missile threats, along with moving a missile defense system here known as THAAD.

The steps, a first for Hawaii, come with optimism but also caution over North and South Korea’s declared goal of “complete denuclearization” of the peninsula.

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, systems are already in Guam and South Korea and are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere in their final, or terminal, phase of flight.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard requested similar legislative language for what would amount to extra defenses for Hawaii in addition to ground-based missile interceptors in Alaska and California.

“Given the threat we face from North Korea, it’s critical that we evaluate all available options to provide Hawaii with a multi-layered defense,” Gabbard said.

Fellow Hawaii Democrat U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa noted the proposed legislative language requires congressional briefings only on the feasibility of using THAAD ...MORE

https://inhomelandsecurity.com/pane...-defenses-for-hawaii&utm_campaign=20180501IHS

 

[AAR Galileo]

US Navy 2d fleet to be re-established:

The US Navy has said it will re-establish its Second Fleet, as Russia becomes more assertive.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm John Richardson said the fleet, disbanded in 2011, would oversee forces on the US East Coast and North Atlantic. He said the National Defense Strategy, published earlier this year, made it clear that the era of great power competition had returned. The strategy makes countering Russia and China a priority.
The fleet, which was disbanded for cost-saving and structural reasons, will be based in its previous home - Norfolk, Virginia. "Our National Defense Strategy makes clear that we're back in an era of great power competition as the security environment continues to grow more challenging and complex," Adm Richardson said in an announcement on board the USS George H W Bush at Norfolk.
"That's why today, we're standing up Second Fleet to address these changes, particularly in the north Atlantic."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44014761

 

[Wallensi]

USA

The U.S. National Security Agency collected 534 million records of phone calls and text messages of Americans last year, more than triple gathered in 2016, a U.S. intelligence agency report released on Friday said.
The sharp increase from 151 million occurred during the second full year of a new surveillance system established at the spy agency after U.S. lawmakers passed a law in 2015 that sought to limit its ability to collect such records in bulk.
The spike in collection of call records coincided with an increase reported on Friday across other surveillance methods, raising questions from some privacy advocates who are concerned about potential government overreach and intrusion into the lives of U.S. citizens.
The 2017 call records tally remained far less than an estimated billions of records collected per day under the NSA’s old bulk surveillance system, which was exposed by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013.
The records collected by the NSA include the numbers and time of a call or text message, but not their content.
Overall increases in surveillance hauls were both mystifying and alarming coming years after Snowden’s leaks, privacy advocates said.
“The intelligence community’s transparency has yet to extend to explaining dramatic increases in their collection,” said Robyn Greene, policy counsel at the Washington-based Open Technology Institute that focuses on digital issues.
The government “has not altered the manner in which it uses its authority to obtain call detail records,” Timothy Barrett, a spokesman at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which released the annual report, said in a statement.
The NSA has found that a number of factors may influence the amount of records collected, Barrett said. These included the number of court-approved selection terms, which could be a phone number of someone who is potentially the subject of an investigation, or the amount of historical information retained by phone service providers, Barrett said.
More here=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ne-records-official-report-idUSKBN1I52FR?il=0

 

[rtomedic]

Navy Christens LCS USS CincinnatiThe Navy christened its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), during a 10:00 a.m. CDT ceremony Saturday, in Mobile, Alabama

The principal speaker was Cincinnati Councilmember David Mann, also a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio.
Mann presented the ship a key to the city, a history of previous USS Cincinnati vessels, several medallions of sentimental value, and a letter from the mayor.
During what’s commonly called a “mast stepping” ceremony, the items will be included in a small aluminum box that will be welded to the inside of the ship’s mast like a time capsule ...MORE WITH VIDEO

https://americansecuritytoday.com/navy-christens-lcs-uss-cincinnati-learn-lcs-multi-video/


The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract to Raytheon Company for the world’s first all-digital radar warning receiver, the AN/ALR-69A(V).

The contract calls for the rapid procurement of 779 units or more for the USAF fleet of tactical air and large body aircraft.
The AN/ALR-69A(V) enhances aircrew survivability, by providing “sensors forward” situational awareness at lower costs than competing systems through simple software modifications, without the need for any hardware modifications, in order to extend the USAF fleet’s operability well into the future.

The ALR-69A provides USAF pilots the situational awareness required to operate in current and future complex emitter environments,” said Travis Slocumb, vice president, Raytheon Electronic Warfare Systems.

“We will continue to upgrade the receiver and add machine learning-based modules so the system can ...MORE WITH VIDEO

https://americansecuritytoday.com/air-force-selects-raytheons-digital-radar-warning-receiver-video/


CNO Announces Establishment of U.S. 2nd Fleet
NORFOLK (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, announced the establishment of U.S. 2nd Fleet during a change of command ceremony for U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) in Norfolk, May 4.

Second Fleet will exercise operational and administrative authorities over assigned ships, aircraft and landing forces on the East Coast and northern Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, it will plan and conduct maritime, joint and combined operations and will train, certify and provide maritime forces to respond to global contingencies. Commander, 2nd Fleet will report to USFF.

"Our National Defense Strategy makes clear that we're back in an era of great power competition as the security environment continues to grow more challenging and complex," said Richardson. "That's why today, we're standing up Second Fleet to address these changes, particularly in the north Atlantic."

Second Fleet was disestablished in 2011 and many of its personnel, assets and responsibilities were merged into USFF.

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2018/05/mil-180504-nns06.htm?_m=3n.002a.2283.ph0ao0037n.23o1

 

[Wallensi]

Trump abandons 'defective' Iran nuclear deal, to revive sanctions

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran, raising the risk of conflict in the Middle East, upsetting European allies and casting uncertainty over global oil supplies.
Trump said in a televised address from the White House that he would reimpose U.S. economic sanctions on Iran to undermine

“a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made.”

The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. The pact was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

But Trump complains that the accord, the signature foreign policy achievement of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

Iran has extended its political and military influence in the Middle East in recent years, deeply worrying U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Underscoring the tension in the region, the Israeli military went on high alert on Tuesday for a possible flare-up with neighboring Syria, which is allied to Iran.
More here=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear/trump-abandons-defective-iran-nuclear-deal-to-revive-sanctions-idUSKBN1I90D6?il=0

 

[rtomedic]

Air Force directs one-day operational safety review
WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein directed all Air Force wings with flying and maintenance functions to execute a one-day operational safety review by May 21, 2018.

"I am directing this operational safety review to allow our commanders to assess and discuss the safety of our operations and to gather feedback from our Airmen who are doing the mission every day," said Goldfein

After a series of recent aviation mishaps and fatalities, including a WC-130 Hercules crash May 2, the Air Force is taking swift action to ensure the safety of its force. Although safety statistics over the past decade show Air Force Class A and B aviation mishaps trended downward, the Air Force's manned aviation mishap rate increased since the beginning of fiscal year 2018.

During the safety review, commander-led forums will gather feedback from Airmen who execute the Air Force's flying operations and challenge Airmen to identify issues that may cause a future mishap.

"We cannot afford to lose a single Airman or weapons system due to a mishap that could have been prevented," said Goldfein. "Our men and women have volunteered to give their last full measure for America's security. My intent is to have commanders lead focused forums with their Airmen to help identify gaps and seams that exist or are developing, which could lead to future mishaps or unsafe conditions."

https://www.globalsecurity.org/mili...08-afns01.htm?_m=3n.002a.2286.ph0ao0037n.23rm

 

[rtomedic]

Second phase of Light Attack Experiment underway
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Flying began May 7, 2018, for the Air Force's second phase of the Light Attack Experiment at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Pilots are flying the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano and the Textron Aviation AT-6B Wolverine during a three-month, live-fly experiment to gather additional information about aircraft capabilities, as well as partner nation interoperability, prior to a potential light attack purchase.

"This second phase of experimentation is about informing the rapid procurement process as we move closer to investing in light attack," said Lt. Gen. Arnie Bunch, military deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. "If we can get light attack aircraft operating in permissive combat environments, we can alleviate the demand on our 4th and 5th generation aircraft, so they can be training for the high-end fight they were made for."

The Air Force is also assessing interoperability and networking capabilities, to one day carry out light attack operations side-by-side with coalition partners. According to the 2018 Air Force Posture Statement, "Retaining irregular warfare as a core competency at a lower cost, and strengthening our alliances are key elements of our National Defense Strategy." ...MORE

https://www.militaryimages.net/threads/us-canada-military-news-discussion-thread.7265/page-5

 

[rtomedic]

National Defense Strategy to Restore Competitive Edge, Mattis Tells Senate

WASHINGTON -- In the 15 months since Defense Secretary James N. Mattis assumed office, the Defense Department has made steady progress, he told the Senate Appropriations committee panel on defense on Capitol Hill today.

The secretary was joined by Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a hearing on DoD's portion of President Donald J. Trump's budget request for fiscal year 2019.

Mattis noted that yesterday the president said the White House will withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action -- also known as the Iran nuclear deal -- terminating U.S. participation and re-imposing sanctions on the Iranian regime. "We will continue to work alongside our allies and partners to ensure that Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon and will work with others to address the range of Iran's malign influence," he said.

The secretary also emphasized the recently published 2018 National Defense Strategy, which he said "provides clear direction of America's military to restore its competitive edge in an era of re-emerging long-term great power competition. ...MORE

https://www.globalsecurity.org/mili...09-afps01.htm?_m=3n.002a.2287.ph0ao0037n.23ti

 

[BravoZulu]

Navy SEAL to Receive Medal of Honor for Heroism in Afghanistan

A Navy SEAL who led a risky assault on a mountain peak to rescue a stranded teammate in Afghanistan in 2002 will receive the Medal of Honorlater this month, according to a White House announcement.

Retired Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt K. Slabinski will receive the military's highest honor May 24, according to the announcement.


According to the White House release, Slabinski is credited with leading a team back to rescue another SEAL, Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, after he was ejected from an MH-47 Chinook crippled by enemy rocket-propelled grenade fire March 4, 2002 in eastern Afghanistan.

The operation would ultimately be known as "The Battle of Roberts Ridge" in honor of Roberts. The team had originally begun the mission the day before, tasked with establishing an outpost on the top of Takur Ghar mountain as part of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley.

"Then-Senior Chief Slabinski boldly rallied his remaining team and organized supporting assets for a daring assault back to the mountain peak in an attempt to rescue their stranded teammate," the White House announcement reads. "Later, after a second enemy-opposed insertion, then-Senior Chief Slabinski led his six-man joint team up a snow-covered hill, in a frontal assault against two bunkers under withering enemy fire from three directions."

Slabinski "repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire" as he took on al-Qaida forces in the rescue attempt, according to the release.

"Proximity made air support impossible, and after several teammates became casualties, the situation became untenable," the release said.

Moving his team into a safer position, Slabinski directed air strikes through the night and, as daylight approached, led "an arduous trek" through waist-deep snow while still under fire from the enemy. He treated casualties and continued to call in fire on the enemy for 14 hours until an extract finally came.

Slabinski previously received the Navy Cross for leading the rescue and directing continued fire on the enemy throughout the lengthy and brutal fight.

More:https://www.military.com/daily-news...-heroism-afghanistan.html?ESRC=navy_180508.nl

 

[BravoZulu]

US:
US shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries has officially started fabrication of the first “Flight III” Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125).

The ceremony took place May 7 after shipbuilders at Ingalls Industries cut the first 100 tons of steel.

“The start of fabrication on a new destroyer is always exciting,” Ingalls’ DDG 51 program manager George Nungesser said.

“DDG 125 is no exception. Our shipbuilders have delivered 30 of these ships to the US Navy and back-to-back building has allowed them to gain experience and talent that is unmatched in our industry. They are eager to use their skillset to incorporate the Navy’s Flight III modifications into DDG 125 and provide the Navy with yet another state-of-the-art ship.”

DDG 125 will be the first “Flight III” ship in the Arleigh Burke- class of destroyers. Flight III will incorporate a new Advanced Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) that will replace the existing SPY-1 radar installed on the previous DDG 51 ships.

This is the first ship named to honor Capt. Jack H. Lucas, who, at the age of 14, forged his mother’s signature to join the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves during World War II. Lucas, then a private first class in the Marine Corps, turned 17 just five days before the U.S. invasion of Iwo Jima and stowed away on USS Deuel (APA 160) to fight in the campaign. During a close firefight with Japanese forces, Lucas saved the lives of three fellow Marines when, after two enemy hand-grenades were thrown into a U.S. trench, he placed himself on one grenade while simultaneously pulling the other under his body. One of the grenades did not explode; the other exploded but only injured Lucas.

Lucas is the youngest Marine and the youngest service member in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor.

Jack H. Lucas is the fifth of five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers HII was awarded in June 2013. The five-ship contract, part of a multi-year procurement in the DDG 51 program, allows Ingalls to build ships more efficiently by buying bulk material and moving the workforce from ship to ship.

https://navaltoday.com/2018/05/08/c...t-iii-arleigh-burke-class-destroyer/?uid=5430

 

[BravoZulu]

US:

A little bit of fear is a strong deterrent
When the commander of the US Army in the Pacific met senior Chinese military chiefs, he came away noting that ‘while they still respect us, they no longer fear us’.

In a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra last night, General Robert B. Brown said that last year he made one of his many trips to China and met the chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army and two senior combat commanders.

‘Something was different and it took me a while to figure out what exactly was different on this visit,’ General Brown said. ‘I realised that China used to fear us and respect us,’ General Brown said.

They don’t fear us anymore. They respect us still, but they don’t fear us.

‘A little bit of fear is a good thing,’ General Brown said. ‘You have to have that little bit of fear for deterrence to be effective.’

So as we go forward, the ability to be less predictable, to present multiple dilemmas, the best thing we can do is get that churn factor back up there so we don’t have to fight a war because they wouldn’t be stupid enough to do that.

General Brown said the US was emerging from years of what Secretary of Defense James Mattis called ‘strategic atrophy’.

We are outgunned and outranged by peers and near-peers and we are determined to turn that around by prioritising systems that the war fighter needs and fielding those systems now.

We are at an inflection point where the character of warfare is changing, but no matter how it changes, our success will hinge on having trusted teams of professionals that can thrive in ambiguity and chaos.

General Brown said the pace of change was such that even a country as powerful as the US couldn’t assume that if it took the lead, it would stay there. ‘Even if we did achieve an advantage through technology, it would be irresponsible of us to think we would retain dominance for very long.’

General Brown said US military philosophy was evolving from the predictable and linear air/land battle concept. Potential enemies had watched over the past 15 years and set up anti-access, area denial capabilities to prevent that working.

More:https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a...rm=A little bit of fear is a strong deterrent

 

[rtomedic]

Joint Statement from Ellen M. Lord and Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty on Recapitalization of Plutonium Pit Production
WASHINGTON - An evolving and uncertain geopolitical landscape calls for the United States to recapitalize its defense plutonium capabilities. The Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) has certified that the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) recommended alternative for recapitalization of these capabilities is acceptable and represents a resilient and responsive option to meet Department of Defense (DoD) requirements.

To achieve DoD's 80 pits per year requirement by 2030, NNSA's recommended alternative repurposes the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina to produce plutonium pits while also maximizing pit production activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This two-prong approach - with at least 50 pits per year produced at Savannah River and at least 30 pits per year at Los Alamos - is the best way to manage the cost, schedule, and risk of such a vital undertaking. Furthermore, by maintaining Los Alamos as the Nation's Plutonium Center of Excellence for Research and Development, the recommended alternative improves the resiliency, flexibility, and redundancy of our Nuclear Security Enterprise by not relying on a single production site.
NNSA conducted an analysis of alternatives, an engineering assessment, and a workforce analysis by both internal and external experts to develop the recommended alternative.

The approved plan is the result of effective interagency collaboration between DoD and the Department of Energy's NNSA. We share a deep commitment to recapitalizing the capabilities the United States needs to deter its adversaries and assure our allies and ...MORE

https://www.militaryimages.net/thre...news-discussion-thread.7265/page-5#post-33479

 

[AAR Galileo]

US Navy:

The Navy’s costliest vessel ever just got pricer, breaching a $12.9 billion cap set by Congress by $120 million, the service told lawmakers this week.

The extra money for the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. is needed to replace faulty propulsion components damaged in a January failure, extend the vessel’s post-delivery repair phase to 12 months from the original eight months and correct deficiencies with the “Advanced Weapons Elevators” used to move munitions from deep in the ship to the deck.
.....
http://fortune.com/2018/05/12/navy-uss-gerald-r-ford/

Almost 13B$ for a ship! that more than the 2018 military spending of Spain.

 

[AAR Galileo]

Pakistan bars U.S. defense and air attache from leaving the country after fatal road accident

The video is clear, they pass through the red light and the driver was intoxicated.

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A security official of US Defence and Air Attache Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall was arrested on Tuesday on the orders of AIG Islamabad.
The security official, Taimur, has been arrested for obstructing a police official from performing his duty, a source said.
Colonel Joseph’s security official was arrested during inquiry on the orders of AIG Islamabad, the source added.
Arrest orders have also been given for all other officials involved in helping Colonel Joseph flee from the police station, the source further said.
The vehicle of Colonel Joseph, a defence attaché at the US embassy in Islamabad, ran a red light and rammed into a motorcycle in the federal capital on April 7, killing one man, Ateeq Baig, on the spot and injuring another. The diplomat was let go by police after registration of a case.
On April 20, the government decided to not place the name of Colonel Joseph on the Exit Control List.
The father of the deceased youth had moved the IHC to order placement of Colonel Joseph's name on the ECL. He had taken the stance that Colonel Joseph, while intoxicated, hit his son and he died on the spot.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/194548-se...-motorist-in-islamabad-arrested?5af16a51738b9


Then:

United Airforce C130 airplane at Nur Khan Airbase Rawalpindi on Saturday to carry Military Attache Col Joseph Emanuel Hall returned without the diplomat as the Interior Ministry refused to issue him NOC, sources informed Geo News. On April 7, Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall ran a red light and rammed into a motorcycle killing a Pakistani civilian.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/195170-us...-diplomat-involved-in-death-of-two-pakistanis

 

[BravoZulu]

^^ Yep, that's seems legit

 

[rtomedic]

Air Force transitions to a single combat uniform
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AFNS) -- Air Force leaders announced the service will move to a single combat utility uniform, adopting the Operational Camouflage Pattern, or OCP, already in use by the Army and Airmen in combat zones and in certain jobs across the Air Force.

Starting Oct. 1, 2018, Airmen who have serviceable OCPs may wear the uniform, and Airmen can purchase OCPs at Army and Air Force Exchange Services at the following locations: Aviano Air Base, Italy; Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina; Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; and MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. These initial locations will allow uniform manufacturers to produce additional stocks for other locations, eventually outfitting the total force in the coming months.
The service will fully transition to OCPs by April 1, 2021.

Air Force leaders decided to transition to the OCP following feedback from Airmen that it is the best, battle-tested utility uniform available. It will also eliminate the need to maintain two separate uniforms – one for in-garrison and one for deployments – and it is a visible reminder of the service's identity as a joint warfighting force, Air Force officials said.

"We looked at all utility uniforms currently in our inventory to find the best-of-breed," said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein. "We spoke to and ...MORE

https://www.globalsecurity.org/mili...14-afns01.htm?_m=3n.002a.2291.ph0ao0037n.23y5

 

[BravoZulu]

Keel laid for second US submarine named after nuclear navy pioneer
The US Navy laid the keel for future Virginia-class submarine Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) in a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut, on May 11.

The initials of the submarine’s sponsor, Darleen Greenert, were welded onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the submarine. She is the wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert (retired).

The submarine began construction on Sept. 30, 2015, and is on track to be delivered within budget and ready for tasking by the fleet, according to the navy.

This will be the second submarine to be named after Adm. Hyman G. Rickover to honor the pioneer of the nuclear Navy. The first submarine named for the admiral was the Los Angeles-Class submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709), which served from 1984 to 2006.

Adm. Frank Caldwell, Jr., director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, stated, “Adm. Rickover’s gift to our Nation’s defense – safe, reliable and militarily superior naval nuclear propulsion – is as vital to our warfighting edge today as it was at the beginning of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program 70 years ago. The US Navy and our nation are proud to honor his achievements and legacy with this submarine.”

Adm. Rickover served for 63 years on active duty service, making him the longest serving member of the US armed forces in history. In the late 1940s, Adm. Rickover was made director of the Naval Reactors Branch of the Bureau of Ships and he subsequently led the efforts to develop what would become the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. Adm. Rickover also established and enforced strict safety standards, leading to the US Navy’s safety record of over 162,000,000 miles safely steamed on nuclear power.

Other Virginia-class milestones this year include the commissioning of the USS Indiana (SSN 789) and the combined keel laying and christening of USS Vermont (SSN 792), both currently projected to occur in the fall.

https://navaltoday.com/2018/05/14/k...ne-named-after-nuclear-navy-pioneer/?uid=5430

 

[BravoZulu]

John C. Stennis carrier strike group completes group sail
US Navy ships from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3 have completed a group sail maneuver, working together for the first time in over two years.

Led by aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the CSG included Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) and ships from Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21.

DESRON 21 includes USS Stockdale (DDG 106), USS Spruance (USS 111), and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93).

During the group sail, the ships conducted counter piracy and maritime interdiction training, formation maneuvering, replenishments at sea, strait transits, anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-air exercises, as well as strike mission training exercising the full range of strike group capabilities.

“The carrier strike group is in high demand to meet national requirements as we provide an incredibly powerful diplomatic and power projection tool for our nation,” said Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer, commander, CSG 3. “Group sail is a major step in preparing and training this force. Over the past two weeks we were able to closely coordinate planning and activities to demonstrate our capabilities and, most importantly, learn to operate safely and effectively together.”

Group sail was the first opportunity for the different warfare commanders to execute command and control over the full range of capabilities inherent to the strike group.

“During group sail we began to increase the tempo and complexity of our operations, both as the Strike Warfare Commander, projecting naval power ashore, and in support of the other warfare areas,” said Capt. Steven Hejmanowski, commander, CVW 9.

With five ships, more than 50 aircraft and more than 6,000 sailors, carrier strike groups can carry out simultaneous missions across multiple mission areas.

“Before we came together for group sail, all of our units had conducted training with some of the others, but never all together,” said Capt. Henry Adams, commodore, DESRON 21. “But it isn’t until we came together again that we could really exercise our full capabilities and begin to regain the honed edge of expertise across the wide range of missions uniquely brought by the combination of an aircraft carrier, destroyer squadron, carrier air wing and guided missile cruiser.”

https://navaltoday.com/2018/05/14/john-c-stennis-carrier-strike-group-completes-group-sail/?uid=5430

 

[AAR Galileo]

^^ Yep, that's seems legit

Well the guy took an airplane yesterday to his home in the USA.

 

[DMsquadron]

The U.S. Army Is Inspecting Its Entire Fleet of Apache Helicopters for a Critical Flaw
The service has detected a number of defective nuts that keep the main rotors attached to the helicopter. The issue has already caused at least one recent accident, which resulted in the death of two pilots.

According to Task & Purpose, the part in question is the strap pack nut, which is “the component that keeps the rotor blades from separating from the airframe.” If you think that sounds extremely important to keeping a helicopter in the air, you’d be right. In December 2016, a strap pack nut on a Texas National Guard AH-64D Apache helicopter failed catastrophically, leading to rotor blade separation. Both aviators onboard died.

The AH-64 Apache helicopter has been the U.S. Army’s main attack chopper for going on four decades now. The Apache has evolved from a dedicated tank killer to a versatile and lethal opponent, providing close air support in Iraq, Libya, and elsewhere. The latest version, the AH-64E Apache Guardian, fields improvements including more powerful General Electric T700 engines, an upgraded transmission, new composite rotor blades, and the Longbow fire control radar.

The problematic nut that's under investigation apparently suffers excessive levels of corrosion and wear from stress, leading to cracks. The problem was thought to be restricted to “severe coastal areas,” presumably areas where salt and water might corrode metal parts. Helicopters were inspected and rinsed down with distilled water to wash away salt. However, the new guidelines for inspecting Apaches includes the entire fleet, regardless of location.

According to an Apache pilot interviewed by Task & Purpose, more than a dozen strap pack nuts on Apaches have been found cracked and dozens more replaced because of unacceptable levels of corrosion or poor condition.

In April, the U.S. Army stopped accepting the latest version of the Apache, the AH-64E, from manufacturer Boeing over concerns about the strap pack nut issue. At the time, Boeing claimed it was testing an improved version of the nut that would eventually go out to the entire Apache fleet, coastal areas first.