First Littoral Combat Ship to Deploy in March

First Littoral Combat Ship to Deploy in March

In:  http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=72296

US Navy: First Littoral Combat Ship to deploy in March

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Story Number: NNS130222-10Release Date: 2/22/2013 3:03:00 PM

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By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jen Blake, Defense Media Activity - Navy

FORT MEADE, Md. (NNS) -- During a media availability Feb. 21, Navy officials announced the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) is on track to begin its first deployment March 1.

This milestone was announced by the LCS Council, a group established by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert Aug. 22, to oversee continued fleet testing and the introduction of the LCS.

"Addressing challenges identified by these studies, on the timeline we require, necessitates the establishment of an empowered council to drive the action across acquisition, requirements and fleet enterprises of the Navy," said Greenert.

The output of the council is intended to assist in maximizing the expansive potential capabilities of LCS and its associated mission packages in global fleet operations for the joint warfighter.

"I am confident we are on a path of success for LCS," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "This council will continue to unify our efforts to implement operational lessons learned from our research and development ships to further ensure successful fleet integration."

LCS ships are designed to employ mission packages that address capability gaps in the areas of surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. Due to its modular design, each LCS ship can be reconfigured to perform one of those three distinct missions in a short period of time.

Freedom's deployment will demonstrate her operational capabilities, and allow the LCS Council to evaluate crew rotation and maintenance plans.

The ship will operate forward from Singapore and spend eight months in theater conducting maritime security operations, participate in international exhibitions and exercises to highlight U.S. strategic intent in the region, and reassure U.S. partners through bilateral and multilateral interoperability.

La Armada despide al portaaviones Príncipe de Asturias, hito de la construcción naval militar | Infodefensa

La Armada despide al portaaviones Príncipe de Asturias, hito de la construcción naval militar | Infodefensa

España no puede  cotear su modernización!

MEYER WERFT - Pressemitteilung - Tage der Region vom 27. - 29.12.2012 - im Besucherzentrum der Meyer Werft

Pressemitteilung - Tage der Region vom 27. - 29.12.2012 - im Besucherzentrum der Meyer Werft

Presseinformation – der MEYER WERFT

„Tage der Region“ auf der MEYER WERFT

Vergünstigte Preise für Werftführungen vom 27. - 29. Dezember 2012

Papenburg, 07.12.2012 - Zwischen den Jahren lädt die Papenburger MEYER WERFT die Bevölkerung aus der Region und Heimaturlauber zu spontanen Besichtigungen der Werft ein.

Veranstaltet werden die „Tage der Region“ von der Papenburg Tourismus vom 27. bis 29. Dezember 2012. Dabei können interessierte Bürgerinnen und Bürger, Nachbarn, Heimaturlauber und sonstige Gäste die Werft zu vergünstigten Eintrittspreisen besichtigen. Im Mittelpunkt des Interesses dürften in diesem Jahr die neuen Kreuzfahrtschiffe „AIDAstella“, für die deutsche Reederei AIDA Cruises und die „Norwegian Breakaway“ für die amerikanische Reederei Norwegian Cruise Line stehen. Die Ausdockung und Überführung der "AIDAstella" ist Ende Januar bzw. Anfang Februar 2013 geplant. Die „Norwegian Breakaway“ wird ihre Überführungsfahrt auf der Ems Anfang März 2013 antreten.

In einem großen beheizten Zelt, in der Nähe des Besucherturms vor dem „Tor 1“ der Werft, direkt am Werfthafen, können sich die Gäste bei wärmenden Getränken, leckerem Essen sowie Kaffee und Kuchen stärken. Hier findet man auch eine große Auswahl an Souvenirs und die Kasse, an der die reservierten Karten abzuholen sind. Ausgangspunkt aller Führungen auf der Werft, zu denen sich die Gäste telefonisch oder im Internet bei der Papenburg Tourismus GmbH voranmelden sollten, ist das „Tor 1“ bzw. der Besucherturm am Werftgelände. Von hier aus starten – soweit genügend Anmeldungen vorliegen – alle 20 Minuten die Besichtigungstouren. Kostenlose Parkmöglichkeiten an der Werft sind entsprechend ausgeschildert. Es wird empfohlen, Tickets für die Werftführung im Voraus zu reservieren.

Nach der Führung auf der MEYER WERFT lädt der „Papenburger Zeitspeicher“ ein: Mit dem Stadtgründer „Dietrich von Velen“ geht es virtuell auf eine Zeitreise durch die Entstehungsgeschichte der Stadt. Außerdem erhalten die Besucher im Zeitspeicher spannende Einblicke in Testaktivitäten auf dem hiesigen Automobilprüfgeländes der Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP).

Weitere Informationen und Ticketbestellungen unter 04961 83960 und www.papenburg-tourismus.de und unter www.meyerwerft.de

Bildnachweis: MEYER WERFT
Gäste und Besucher dürfen sich während der "Tage der Region" neben der "AIDAstella" (Bild) auf die "Norwegian Breakaway" freuen.

______________________________________________________________________

MEYER WERFT GmbH
Firmensitz: 26871 Papenburg
Registergericht: Amtsgericht Osnabrück HRB 12 14 51
Geschäftsführer: Bernard Meyer, Lambert Kruse, Dr. Jan Meyer

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Training and Adventure | HMS Illustrious visits Malta

In:  http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/TrainingAndAdventure/HmsIllustriousVisitsMalta.htm

Defence

News Article

HMS Illustrious visits Malta

A Training and Adventure news article

22 Nov 12

HMS Illustrious has arrived at the Mediterranean island of Malta for a five-day visit.

Tugs help to guide HMS Illustrious into the port of Valletta
[Picture: Petty Officer (Photographer) Ray Jones, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

More than 1,500 sailors and marines lined the deck of the Portsmouth-based helicopter carrier as she entered the port of Valletta.
As well as an onboard reception for the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the ship will be holding an affiliation event for representatives from the Maltese cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and L'Isla.
The helicopter carrier is twinned with the three cities due to a previous HMS Illustrious which was bombed during the Second World War and underwent extensive repair at the Grand Harbour in Malta.
Captain Martin Connell, Commanding Officer of HMS Illustrious, said it was a proud moment for him to be sailing HMS Illustrious into Valletta:

Sailors line the deck of HMS Illustrious as she enters the port of Valletta
[Picture: Petty Officer (Photographer) Ray Jones, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

"We are very much aware of not just the history of this ship but also the previous Illustrious and what the people of Malta did to help save her in 1941," he added.

The Maltese Government also allowed the Grand Harbour in Valletta to be used for berthing by HMS Cumberland and HMS York following their evacuation of British nationals from Libya in 2011.
This time in Grand Harbour, sailors and marines from HMS Illustrious will be helping out with a variety of worthy causes including a clean-up of outdoor spaces in collaboration with the Nature Trust.
Later in the week HMS Illustrious will be joined by the Royal Navy fleet flagship, HMS Bulwark, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay.
HMS Illustrious is part of the Cougar 12 deployment - a three-month work-up of the Royal Navy's Response Force Task Group (RFTG).

HMS Illustrious enters Malta's Grand Harbour
[Picture: Petty Officer (Photographer) Ray Jones, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

The deployment is a test of the RFTG's capability should it be called into action at short notice.
The force is designed to respond to rapidly unfolding world events - the last time being Libya in 2011.
As part of Cougar 12, the ships have been working with Royal Marines commando units and the Fleet Air Arm to put their amphibious capability to the test - the power to transfer marines from ships onto the beaches of hostile nations.
As well as exercising the 3,000 British sailors, marines and airmen, the task force has worked alongside French and Albanian forces to ensure the nations could co-operate on a military level in the future.

The US Navy -- Fact File: Aircraft Carriers - CVN

The US Navy -- Fact File: Aircraft Carriers - CVN

Great suumary of the USN:
In: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=200&ct=4
 

Aircraft Carriers - CVN

Description Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America�s Naval forces. On any given day, aircraft carriers exercise the Navy core capabilities of power projection, forward presence, humanitarian assistance, deterrence, sea control and maritime security.

Features The aircraft carrier continues to be the centerpiece of the forces necessary for forward presence. In times of crisis, the first question leaders ask in a crisis is: �Where are the carriers?� Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against U.S. interests. Aircraft Carriers support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea; and engage in sustained power projection operations in support U.S. and coalition ground forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The aircraft carrier and its strike group also engage in maritime security operations to interdict threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of the seas as a highway for terrorist traffic. Aircraft also provide unique capabilities for disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The embarked carrier air wing provides helicopters for direct support and C4I assets to support them and ensure aid is routed quickly and safely. The 10 Nimitz class aircraft carriers are the largest warships in the world, each designed for an approximately 50 year service life with one mid-life refueling. USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) have all completed their Refueling Complex Overhauls (RCOH) at Newport News, Va., with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) scheduled to return to the Fleet in 2013. The next generation of aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford class (CVN 78) was ordered in 2008 and is slated to be delivered in 2015 to replace USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Gerald R. Ford class The Gerald R. Ford class is the future aircraft carrier replacement class for USS Enterprise and CVN 68, or Nimitz class aircraft carriers. Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was ordered from Newport News Shipbuilding on Sept. 10, 2008, and is scheduled to be delivered in 2015. The Gerald R. Ford class will be the premier forward asset for crisis response and early decisive striking power in a major combat operation. Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups will provide the core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security and humanitarian assistance. The class brings improved warfighting capability, quality of life improvements for our Sailors and reduced acquisition and life cycle costs. Each ship in the new class will save $4 billion in total ownership costs during its 50-year service life, compared to the Nimitz-class. For comparison, the total ownership cost for a Nimitz-class ship is $39.2 billion in FY 12 constant year dollars, and the total ownership cost for CVN 78 is expected to be $35.6 billion. Half of the total ownership cost for an aircraft carrier is allocated to the direct and indirect costs of manpower for operations and maintenance of the ship. The CVN 78 is being designed to operate effectively with nearly 800 fewer crew members than a CVN 68-class ship. Improvements in the ship design will allow the embarked air wing to operate with 663 fewer personnel. Technologies and ship design initiatives that replace maintenance-intensive systems with low maintenance systems are expected to reduce watch standing and maintenance workload for the crew. Gerald R. Ford is the first aircraft carrier designed with all electric utilities, eliminating steam service lines from the ship, reducing maintenance requirements and improving corrosion control efforts. The new A1B reactor, Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and Dual Band Radar (DBR) all offer enhanced capability with reduced manning requirements. The Gerald R. Ford class is designed to maximize the striking power of the embarked carrier air wing. The ship�s systems and configuration are optimized to maximize the sortie generation rate (SGR) of attached strike aircraft, resulting in a 25 percent increase in SGR over the Nimitz class. The ship�s configuration and electrical generating plant are designed to accommodate any foreseeable requirements during its 50- year service life. The Gerald R. Ford class builds upon the Navy�s legacy of aircraft carrier innovation stretching back to the first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV 1) and continuing to the present day. The introduction of jet aircraft, angled decks and nuclear power were all innovations that kept the fleet relevant for Cold War needs. Gerald R. Ford continues the aircraft carrier history of innovation and adapatability that will enable her to serve our country for decades to come.

Point Of Contact Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications Washington, D.C. 20376

General Characteristics, Nimitz class

Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.

Date Deployed: May 3, 1975 (USS Nimitz).

Unit Cost: About $8.5 billion in constant year FY 12 dollars.

Propulsion: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts.

Length: 1,092 feet (332.8 meters).

Beam: 134 feet (40.8 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters).

Displacement: Approximately 97,000 tons (98,560 long tons) full load.

Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).

Crew: Ship's Company: 3,000-3,200, air wing: 1,500, other: 500.

Armament: Multiple NATO Sea Sparrow, Phalanx CIWS, and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) mounts.

Aircraft: Approximately 60+.

Ships:

USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Everett, WA.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Norfolk, VA.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), San Diego, Calif.

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Norfolk, VA.

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Norfolk, VA.

USS George Washington (CVN 73), Yokosuka, Japan

USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Bremerton, WA.

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, VA.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), San Diego, CA.

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, VA.

General Characteristics, Enterprise class

Builder: Huntington INgalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.

Date Deployed: November 25, 1961 (USS Enterprise).

Propulsion: Eight nuclear reactors, four shafts.

Length: 1,101 feet 2 inches (335.64 meters).

Beam: 133 feet (39.9 meters); 252 feet (75.6 meters).

Displacement: 89,600 tons (91,040 long tons) full load.

Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).

Crew: Ship's Company: 3,350 - Air Wing 2,480.

Armament: Multiple NATO Sea Sparrow, Phalanx CIWS, and rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) mounts.

Aircraft: Approximately 60+.

Ships:

USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Norfolk, VA

General Characteristics, Gerald R. Ford class

Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va.

Propulsion: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts.

Length: 1,092 feet

Beam: 134 feet, Flight Deck Width: 256 feet.

Displacement: approximately 100,000 long tons full load.

Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour)

Crew: 4,539 (ship, air wing and staff).

Armament: Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, Rolling Airframe Missile, CIWS.

Aircraft: 75+.

Ships:

PCU Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)

PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)

Last Update: 23 October 2012

F-14 Tomcat fighter, The US Navy -- Fact File

The US Navy -- Fact File: F-14 Tomcat fighter

In:  http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1100&ct=1

Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter

Description The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place strike fighter manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Corporation. The multiple tasks of navigation, target acquisition, electronic counter measures (ECM), and weapons employment are divided between the pilot and the radar intercept officer (RIO). Primary missions include precision strike against ground targets, air superiority, and fleet air defense.

Features As a Strike Fighter, the Tomcat is capable of deploying an assortment of air-to-ground ordnance (MK-80 series GP bombs, LGBs and JDAM) in various configurations, while simultaneously carrying the AIM-7, AIM-9 and AIM-54 air-to-air missiles. The F-14 also has the LANTIRN targeting system that allows delivery of various laser-guided bombs for precision strikes in air-to-ground combat missions and for battle damage assessment. With its Fast Tactical Imagery (FTI) system the F-14 can transmit and receive targeting/reconnaissance imagery in-flight to provide time sensitive strike capability. A number of F-14s also carry the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) providing in-theater tactical reconnaissance.

Background The F-14 has completed its decommissioning from the U.S. Navy. It was slated to remain in service through at least 2008, but all F-14A and F-14B airframes have already been retired, and the last two squadrons, the VF-31 Tomcatters and the VF-213 Black Lions, both flying the "D" models, arrived for their last fly-in at Naval Air Station Oceana on March 10, 2006. The F-14 Tomcat was officially retired on September 22, 2006 at Naval Air Station Oceana.

Point Of Contact Naval Air Systems Command PEO-T Public Affairs Officer 47123 Buse Road, Bldg 2272, Rm 454 Patuxent River, MD 20670-1547  (301) 481-6263

General Characteristics

Contractor: Northrop Grumman.

Date Deployed: First flight: December 1970.

Propulsion: F-14A: (2) TF30-414A Afterburning Turbofans with over 40,000 lb Total Thrust F-14B/D: (2) F110-GE400 Afterburning Turbofans with over 54,000 lb Total Thrust.

Length: 62 feet 9 inches (18.9 meters).

Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters).

Wingspan: 64 feet (19 meters) unswept; 38 feet (11.4 meters) swept.

Weight: 43,600 lb (19,777 kg) (F-14B).

Airspeed: Mach 2+.

Ceiling: 50,000+ feet.

Range: 1600 nautical miles.

Crew: Two (pilot and radar intercept officer).

Last Update: 17 February 2009

P-3 Team Protects the Fleet, One flight at a Time, US Navy Videos

US Navy Videos
 

P-3 Team Protects the Fleet, One flight at a Time

November 14, 2012

P-3 Team Protects the Fleet, One flight at a Time