Month: December 2023

Source: United States Navy

Capt. Tate Robinson will assume the duties as commodore of Amphibious Squadron 5. Capt. Harney will be administratively reassigned to Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Navy leaders are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct, both on and off duty. They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.

For additional questions, please contract Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, Naval Surface Force Public Affairs Officer, at arlo.k.abrahamson.mil@us.navy.mil

Source: United States Navy

Under Secretary of the Navy Eric Raven will deliver the christening ceremony’s principal address. Remarks will also be provided by Vice Adm. Del Crandall Jr., Judge Advocate General of the Navy, Maj. Gen. James H. Adams III and Mrs. Kari Wilkinson, Executive Vice President of HII and President of Ingalls Shipbuilding. The ship’s sponsor is Mrs. Ellyn Dunford, wife of Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., USMC (Ret.), 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Bougainville is the third ship of the America-class of amphibious assault ships built to facilitate forward presence and power projection. LHA 8 is the first Flight I ship of the America-class with a reincorporated well deck to increase operational flexibility while maximizing the aviation capability inherent on the Flight 0 ships, USS America (LHA 6) and USS Tripoli (LHA 7). 

Designed to support the Marine Corps tenets of Operational Maneuver from the Sea and Ship to Objective Maneuver, America class ships are capable of rapid combat power buildup ashore. The America class also accommodates the Marine Corps’ Air Combat Element including F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey, essential to maintaining power projection, air superiority and theater logistics.  

LHA 8 is the second Navy ship to be named Bougainville. The name honors and commemorates the site of a major World War II campaign during which Navy and Marine Corps forces captured the Island of Bougainville, isolating Japan’s Rabaul air base and assisting in providing an advantage to the Allied forces. 

The ceremony will be live streamed at: https://youtube.com/live/H-NPeY_NZ_I?feature=share and https://fb.me/e/3QC53JWbD. The links becomes active approximately 30 minutes prior to the event at 9:50 a.m. CST.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the amphibious assault ship program can be found at: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169814/amphibious-assault-ships-lhdlhar/

Source: United States Navy

During their extended deployment, USS Paul Ignatius Sailors participated in various critical missions aimed at deterrence, safeguarding national security interests, and promoting global stability. The ship participated in various port visits, exercises, bilateral and multinational operations throughout the European and African theaters, contributing to maritime security and defense cooperation. Most recently, the ship integrated into the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group currently deployed to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Under the leadership of commanding officer Cmdr. Corry Lougee, Paul Ignatius’ crew displayed professionalism, expertise, and unwavering commitment to their mission, country, and allies and partners throughout their deployment.

“From conducting maritime exercises and missions in the Baltic Sea to extended operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and providing a strong deterrence, this crew gave 117% effort and finished our patrol strong,” said Lougee. “Getting extended on deployment can be tough for the crew and our families, but our time under the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group brought us closer together as a team, and our mission and sense of purpose was clear.”

Paul Ignatius completed a demanding and unpredictable deployment, exemplifying the U.S. Navy’s steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety and security interests of our nation, our allies, and our partners.

Family and friends warmly greeted the ship’s arrival and its Sailors. The reunion was a joyous occasion, celebrating not only the safe return home Paul Ignatius but also the significant and historic contributions the crew made.

Four U.S. Navy destroyers, including Paul Ignatius, are based in Rota, Spain and are assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These FDNF-E ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.

For more than 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with our Allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

The U.S. Navy and its Italian counterparts routinely meet to discuss interoperability, exercises, and best practices while operating in the same battle space.

After meeting with Sailors, and a demonstration of Scirè’s capabilities at sea, both U.S. and Italian staffs met at U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) headquarters in Naples, where Rear Adm. Mack expressed his appreciation for the cooperation and partnership between both navies.

“It was a pleasure to visit and go to sea with Rear Adm. Lacerenza aboard Scirè while the submarine visited Napoli,” said Rear Adm. Stephen Mack. “It underscores the long-standing relationship between our forces and a visible demonstration of how critical the U.S.-Italy partnership is to this theater, on, above, and below the sea.”

Undersea warfare seeks to integrate platforms from various navies to deliver effects against enemy forces and involves submarines, surface units, air platforms and sensors. The ability for these two navies to work together and build each other’s strengths is a core reason these engagements exsist.

“Today’s visit underscored the strong cooperation between the Italian and U.S. Navy, which is especially important in this dynamic environment,” said Rear Adm. Vito Lacerenza. “The relationship between our two navies is critical to safeguarding our nations and visits like these demonstrate the strength of that relationship.”

In August, the Ohio-class guided missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728), hosted members of the Italian Navy as a visible demonstration of the strength of the U.S.-Italy partnership.

For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. 6th Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

The U.S. 6th Fleet Blue Ridge-class command-and-control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Larnaca, the Republic of Cyprus for a scheduled port visit, November 30, 2023.

The USS Mount Whitney is conducting U.S. operations in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, where the ship’s crew and embarked staff will work alongside allies and partners in support of maritime operations, which encompass naval diplomacy and national efforts to build comprehensive maritime power. The USS Mount Whitney, forward deployed from Gaeta, Italy operates with a combined crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners in the U.S. Sixth Fleet. The fleet operates in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners including NATO allies and partner nation naval assets.

The Republic of Cyprus is an important regional partner. Port visits aim to strengthen security and stability and build enduring relationships. Liberty for the ship’s crew and embarked personnel is an opportunity to demonstrate a common commitment to ensure goodwill.

U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. Also Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility.

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability for over 80 years.