Current Events in the Americas

China's Next Move: A Naval Base in the South Atlantic? (Real Clear Defense)

From AOL Defense [excerpt]

I don't plan on losing much sleep over this one: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-says-warships-sailing-towards-u-agency-214302042--finance.html

Bunker Hill class Cruise Modernization Program almost a complete failure https://news.usni.org/2024/12/17/gao-navy-wasted-1-84-billion-in-repairs-to-cruisers-cut-from-the-fleet

UK prime minister rebuffs Argentina over Falklands (BBC News)

Army resumes recon helo effort; House says no By Kris Osborn - Staff writer Posted : Monday May 21, 2007 20:53:29 EDT The Army has resumed spending money on the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH-70A) program, led by prime contractor Bell Helicopter Textron. In March, Army officials temporarily halted funding for the program due to cost escalation and production concerns. On May 18, Army acquisitions undersecretary Claude Bolton and a Systems Acquisition Review Council reviewed the effort and lifted the funding ban. “The Army will continue with Bell Helicopter/Textron Inc. as the prime contractor for the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter,” according to a …

US Navy removes first 155mm AGS from USS Zumwalt at Ingalls Shipbuilding (Naval News) A shame, but perhaps an affinity for the concept of naval gun fire support is just nostalgia?

Navy asserts LCS set for summer delivery By Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer Posted : Thursday Apr 17, 2008 9:01:01 EDT The Navy’s first Littoral Combat Ship remains on track for delivery this summer, service and shipbuilder officials said, belying a blogger’s claim that the ship will be a year late. “We’re on track for trials beginning in May. We’re on track for a summer 2008 delivery,” said Diana Massing, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin. “LCS 1 starts builder’s trials next month and is scheduled to deliver in August 2008,” declared Lt. Cmdr. John Schofield, a Navy spokesman. The statements contradict a claim by Internet blogger Tim Colton that …

From Aviation Week [excerpt]

Corps looks to add armor to AAVs By Kris Osborn - Staff writer Posted : Wednesday May 23, 2007 6:18:23 EDT The Marine Corps is considering adding armor upgrades across the entire fleet of Assault Amphibious Vehicles, service officials said Tuesday. Plans for greater armor protection and survivability on the AAV are being evaluated, in part, due to delays with the Corps’ next-generation Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. “We have been putting together possible upgrade packets,†said Brian Prosser, Program Manager, Assault Amphibious Vehicle Systems, Marine Corps Systems Command. Now in its system development and demonstration phase, the EFV fielding date w…

From Armed Forces Journal, July 2008 Think small Adding small combatant ships would beef up the Navy’s capabilities BY MILAN VEGO The Navy has a relatively large number of surface combatants capable of conducting a wide range of missions in a high-intensity conflict. However, the Navy lacks adequate capabilities to operate effectively in the littorals, in particular in enclosed and semi-enclosed seas (popularly called “narrow seas”). A force of the new Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), when they enter service in the next decade, will not significantly increase the Navy’s capabilities in conducting littoral warfare. This bad situation can be changed by building or…

From DefenseNews DDG 1001 Named for MoH Recipient Monsoor By christopher p. cavas and philip ewing Published: 29 Oct 18:06 EDT (22:06 GMT) One of the Navy's largest new surface warships will bear the name of a Navy SEAL who received the nation's highest award for valor. "DDG 1001, the second ship in our newest class of destroyers, will be named after Michael Monsoor," Navy Secretary Donald Winter said remarks prepared for an address to be given Oct. 29 in New York. "Michael Monsoor's name will now be linked with one of our nation's most visible examples of military power - a U.S. Navy warship," Winter said in the address prepared for a Navy SEAL Warrior …

Find document here Continued employment of EA-6b or further development and investment in EA-18G? EA-6B should be able to meet USN SEAD requirements through 2017 and USMC through 2025 provided sufficient ICAP III electronic suites.

From Navy Times Navy: Forrestal to be scrapped or sunk By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer Posted : Friday Jun 26, 2009 12:08:05 EDT The famous aircraft carrier Forrestal will be cut up for scrap or sunk as an artificial reef, the Navy has determined. “Right now, the two disposal options being considered are partial dismantling and recycling or full dismantling and recycling,” said Katie Roberts, a spokeswoman at Naval Sea System Command. A partial dismantling would result in the hulk of the ship sunk as an artificial reef, as the carrier Oriskany was in 2006. Forrestal, named for former Navy Secretary James Forrestal, was the site of a horrific fire Jul…

Excerpt from: Stealth fighters Two years after a fire at sea crippled HMCS Chicoutimi, killing a sailor and triggering a parliamentary probe, the navy is embracing a new plan to prove the worth of its second-hand submarine fleet David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Saturday, November 18, 2006 ABOARD HMCS WINDSOR - It's early morning and a team of Canadian army commandos are swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, making their way towards a submarine periscope just barely visible in the water. Inside the sub, its captain, Lt.-Cmdr. Christopher Ellis is trying to manoeuvre the 70-metre long vessel as close as he can to the men. About a metre of HMCS Winds…

Frigate pretends to be the enemy Fredericton tries to sneak up on other navy ships in exercise By Rachel Boomer The Daily News ABOARD HMCS FREDERICTON - Her motto is "Stalker of the Seas" - and this week, that's exactly what HMCS Fredericton is doing. Sometime between midnight and 7 a.m. today, the Fredericton will sneak up on comrades from the Canadian task group, including HMCS Halifax, HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Preserver. By disguising her lights and speed to make her look like a container ship or a fishing vessel, Fredericton may just get close enough to - theoretically - do some damage. This, of course, is exactly what an enemy might do, given th…

New York Times December 5, 2005 Navy To Expand Fleet With New Enemies In Mind By David S. Cloud WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 - The Navy wants to increase its fleet to 313 ships by 2020, reversing years of decline in naval shipbuilding and adding dozens of warships designed to defeat emerging adversaries, senior Defense Department officials say. The plan by Adm. Michael G. Mullen, who took over as chief of naval operations last summer, envisions a major shipbuilding program that would increase the 281-ship fleet by 32 vessels and cost more than $13 billion a year, $3 billion more than the current shipbuilding budget, the officials said Friday. While increasing …

Congressional Chaos Costs U.S. Navy Millions, Leaves Ships in Limbo (DefenseNews) (Article includes reference to 10 Perry frigates intended for transfer)

From Air Force Times Service may buy more Raptors By Gayle S. Putrich - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Feb 13, 2007 6:31:11 EST MARIETTA, Ga. — As Lockheed Martin officials handed over the ceremonial keys to the Air Force Pacific Command’s first F-22 Raptor, the service’s No. 2 official said the Air Force is looking at funding plans for buying more than the planned 183 stealth fighters. The 2007 budget contains multi-year funding for the last 60 planned Raptors, including construction funds for 2007 and advance procurement money through 2009. The president’s 2008 budget proposal includes $281.9 million for the F-22 program. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff G…

Navy Times DD1000