Month: July 2023

Source: United States Navy

During the ceremony, leaders and distinguished guests from the U.S. and Australia wished the crew of Canberra fair winds and following seas as they brought the ship to life and began its commissioned service.

Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, delivered the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. The ceremony also featured remarks from His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, AC, DSC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honorable Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Adm. Michael Gilday, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, Royal Australian Chief of Navy, and Mr. Larry Ryder, Vice President of Business Development and Government Affairs, Austal USA. The commissioning caps a weeklong series of events celebrating the ship and its namesake city. During the ceremony, Canberra’s commanding officer Cmdr. Will Ashley, reported the ship ready, and ship sponsor, Honourable Marise Payne, the former Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave the traditional order to “Man our ship and bring her to life!”

“This truly is a special occasion for our fleet and our nation to be here with you in Australia, one of our closest allies, to celebrate the commissioning of our Navy’s newest warship that is destined to serve throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” said Del Toro. “I am confident that wherever USS Canberra is sailing, and whatever challenges her crew may face, they are ready, as reinforced by this warship’s motto — ‘Can Do!'”

Canberra departed its homeport of Naval Base San Diego for the first U.S. Navy ceremonial commissioning in Australia on June 13, visiting American Samoa and the Pacific Island Nation of Fiji prior to its arrival in Sydney for commissioning. Independence-variant littoral combat ships USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Manchester (LCS 14), USS Oakland (LCS 24), and USS Mobile (LCS 26) are also operating in the Indo-Pacific.

“Today marks a proud moment which our Royal Australian Navy is privileged to share alongside our allies and friends in the United States Navy,” said Australian Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. “The connection between our navies, forged in battle during the Second World War, is reflected in the name USS Canberra.”

Earlier in the week, Sailors from USS Canberra engaged in sporting events, shared meals, and exchanged ship tours with the crew of HMAS Canberra. The crew also participated in community relations events like a beach clean-up with the Taronga zoo.

Crewmembers are also honored to visit their namesake city, Canberra, for a Freedom of Entry march on July 23. The U.S. Navy has a strong tradition of developing relationships between a ship and their namesake community or family, establishing these enduring ties at the beginning of Canberra’s service will strengthen bonds between the ship and the people of Canberra. This tradition dates to medieval times and is the highest accolade bestowed by a town or city upon a group or individual as a reflection of trust and confidence held by the citizens. Canberra is recognized as a great innovative, creative, and artistic city and is one of the world’s most livable cities.

Canberra is the second U.S. Navy ship named for Australia’s capital. The first, a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser, was renamed from Pittsburgh to Canberra on October 16, 1942, and was commissioned on October 14, 1943. It was named in honor of the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra, which was lost at the Battle of Savo Island in World War II. The ship was decommissioned on February 2, 1970, and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on July 31, 1978.

Independence-variant littoral combat ships are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS integrate with joint combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/.

Source: United States Navy

“I thank President Biden and Secretary Austin for their steadfast leadership in nominating the Navy’s next senior leaders. 
 
These visionary Admirals possess the expertise and experience required in these important roles at this critical time in our Nation’s history. 
 
Admirals Franchetti, Paparo, Kilby and Koehler have spent decades in service to our country, and I am proud to have them at the helm of the United States Navy. 
 
Additionally, Adm. Franchetti is the first woman nominated as the Chief of Naval Operations, and when confirmed, will be the first woman to serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
 

Source: United States Navy

UNITAS, an annual joint exercise, brought together naval forces from 20 nations in Colombia to enhance interoperability and increase the collective capability to respond to evolving maritime security challenges. The event kicked-off with an opening ceremony where Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro delivered remarks.

“When I assumed office as the 78th Secretary of the Navy in August of 2021, I made enhancing strategic partnerships one of our Department’s top enduring priorities,” said Del Toro. “Trust, proficiency, and interoperability are core tenets of our partnerships as we work together to advance our common interests in the Western Hemisphere, maintaining the stability and security necessary for economic prosperity.”

Naval Special Warfare’s (NSW) involvement in UNITAS demonstrated the United States Navy’s commitment to maritime dominance and showcased the crucial role played by special operations forces in achieving this objective. Training alongside Colombian special operations forces, the SEALs practiced landing and launching combat rubber raiding craft boats onto the Los Angeles-Class attack submarine USS Pasadena’s (SSN 752) stern deck, refining their tactical abilities in the operational domain.

“UNITAS provided a unique opportunity to work with SOCSOUTH aligned special operations forces in the region, to advance our skills and train toward contingency operations,” said the SEAL commander on the ground overseeing the training. “Working alongside our partner nations adds another degree of interoperability, while demonstrating to our allies why we remain the partner of choice in the SOUTHCOM AOR, and sends a message of a united Western Hemisphere.”

During UNITAS, the SEALs engaged in rigorous training exercises alongside Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, Dominican, Ecuadorian, French, Paraguayan, and Peruvian special operations counterparts, exchanging best practices and tactics to strengthen their collective abilities. During CQC, the SEALs honed their skills in operating in confined spaces, a critical aspect of maritime special operations. The VBSS training focused on refining techniques for boarding and searching vessels, ensuring they are ready to protect international law and safeguard all nations’ inherent right to freedom of the seas.

Partnerships lie at the heart of the United States’ national defense strategy, and NSW’s engagement in UNITAS 64 exemplifies this principle. By working alongside partner nations, they fostered strong relationships, deepened mutual understanding, and improved operational effectiveness. This exercise served as a testament to the United States’ commitment to maritime security and operating everywhere international law allows.

UNITAS, which is Latin for unity, united, or oneness, was conceived in 1959 when representatives at the first Inter-American Naval Conference in Panama agreed to conduct an annual maritime exercise with one another. Prior to UNITAS I in 1960, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Arleigh Burke reviewed preparations for the multinational exercise. He commended planners for their progress, especially in building compatible communication systems among navies, and predicted that UNITAS would build strong relationships among sailors of the Western Hemisphere.

The Colombian navy hosted this year’s UNITAS, which featured 26 warships/vessels, three submarines, 25 aircraft (fixed wing/helicopter), and approximately 7,000 people from 20 partner nations. Forces conducted operations off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, and ashore in Covenas and Barranquilla, Colombia.

Naval Special Warfare Group 2 produces, trains, supports, and deploys the world’s premier maritime special operations commandos to conduct full-spectrum operations and integrated deterrence that support national objectives. For more information, visit https://www.nsw.navy.mil/