NORFOLK (April 25, 2024) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) departs Naval Station Norfolk, April 25, 2024, for a deployment to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations as part of Southern Seas 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Maxwell Orlosky) By Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor  ARLINGTON, Va. — A major homeport shift involving two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers is underway with the April 25, 2024, departure of USS George Washington (CVN 73) from Norfolk, Virginia, to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. The voyage will take the carrier to NAS ..read more

U.S. Central Command, 26 April, 2024  TAMPA, Fla. – At 9:52 a.m. (Sanaa time) on April 25, one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) was launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.  Separately, between 12:19 p.m. and 4:17 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned surface vessel (USV) and one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.  It was determined that the ASBM, U ..read more

The Defense Department announced it would implement a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability from the Mediterranean Sea to provide logistics access to Gaza. The capability will allow for the distribution of humanitarian supplies in Gaza, including as many as two million meals a day. April 25, 2024 | By Joseph Clark, DOD News   U.S. military personnel have begun construction of a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to deliver critical humanitarian assistance, senior defense and Biden administration officials said today.  Construction of the pier is expected to be completed in ..read more

From U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, 26 April 2024  ARABIAN SEA – The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean while on a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment, April 26.  The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) entered the Eastern Mediterranean after transiting through the Suez Canal, April 26.    CSGs bring to the region additional aviation and surface assets, providing greater flexibility and mari ..read more

From Team Ships Public Affairs, 25 April 2024  SAN DIEGO – The keel for the future USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), a Lewis B. Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base, was laid at GD NASSCO shipyard April 25.  The ship will be named for U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Private Hector A. Cafferata Jr., who served with distinction during the Korean War. Surviving the Battle of Chosin Reservoir among those who would be called, “the Chosin Few,” Cafferata received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for his life-saving heroism during that battle.  The contemporary keel laying ce ..read more

A mine countermeasures unmanned surface vehicle is craned aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30), as a part of the first embarkation of the Mine Countermeasures (MCM) mission package, April 23. (U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Vance Hand) By Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Public Affairs  WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy embarked the first Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) aboard USS Canberra (LCS 30), April 18, service officials announced. With the MCM mission package now onboard LCS 30, the Navy is looking forward to the ..read more

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has delivered Virginia-class fast-attack submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) to the U.S. Navy.  New Jersey is the 11th Virginia-class submarine delivered by NNS, and the 23rd built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.  “It is a proud day for our entire team when we deliver a high-quality submarine like New Jersey to the fleet,” said Jason Ward, NNS vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. “The mission ahead for N ..read more

U.S. Coast Guard 13th District, April 23, 2024  COOS BAY, Ore. – The Coast Guard decommissioned the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Orcas (WPB1327) during a ceremony, Tuesday.  Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, the commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District, presided over the ceremony honoring the 35 years of service Orcas and its crews provided to the nation.  Commissioned on April 14, 1989, Orcas was the twenty-seventh Island-Class cutter to join the fleet.  Orcas has been stationed in Coos Bay, Oregon, since 1989 and is the sixth Coast Guard cutter to be stationed in Coos Bay sinc ..read more

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Public Affairs, April 24,2024  KODIAK, Alaska – The Coast Guard retired the Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter fleet during a ceremony, Tuesday.  Capt. Timothy Williams, commanding officer of Air Station Kodiak, presided over the ceremony honoring the 36 years of service the MH-65 Dolphin airframe and its crews provided to the Arctic region.  Air Station Kodiak currently has a rotary-wing fleet of six MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters. The unit will shift to a rotary-wing ship-and-shore based fleet of nine MH-60 Jayhawks in 2025.  Air Statio ..read more

The SM-2 missile is primarily used by U.S. and allied navies for fleet air defense and ship defense. Updates will allow for continued, rapid deliveries of Standard Missile variants to the U.S. and international fleets  TUCSON, Arizona (April 25, 2024) — Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has been awarded a $344 million contract for the development of two missile variants – the SM-2 Block IIICU and SM-6 Block IU – which will be based on a common guidance section, where the electronics and software that guide a missile to its target are housed.  The updated variants will share a ne ..read more