Month: February 2024

Source: United States Navy

Naval installations in the National Capital Region, including Naval Support Activity (NSA) Washington, NSA Bethesda, NSA Annapolis, NSA South Potomac, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, will participate in the yearly, two-part anti-terrorism and force protection exercise designed to test the effectiveness of the installations readiness and training programs.

“CS-SC24 is an enterprise-wide exercise meant to test all installations’ capacity to predict, respond to, mitigate, and recover from acts of homegrown and foreign terror,” said Phil Romeo, region program director of force protection for Naval District Washington. “It will involve traditional installations and off-installation activities such as recruiting and reserve centers. Our joint partners at Joint Task Force-National Capital Region will have some involvement in the exercise.”

During the first week of February 5 – 9, emergency responders on Navy installations will engage in Citadel Shield. During the first week, the field training will focus on the installation level with various scenarios such as active shooter, unauthorized base access, suspicious package, and unmanned aerial surveillance.

“The primary focus of the exercise is to test our responses as well as educate instillation tenants on how an act of terrorism may impact day-to-day operations at the local and regional level,” said Romeo.

The second week of February (the 12th through the 16th) is the Solid Curtain portion of the exercise, which will focus on various national-level scenarios. During this week, base force protection conditions or FPCON levels will change daily with training evolutions. Some scenarios may cause irregular traffic patterns or gate hours on the installations.

“During the exercise, Installation and region staff will assess exercise threat information and recommend how we should respond to these exercise injects. This may mean that some gates may be closed temporarily, ID checks may increase, roads may be closed or detoured, and some unforeseen impacts due to the exercise may occur,” said Romeo. “All persons (military, civilian, contractor, resident) should prepare for some changes during the exercise, and we ask that they remain flexible and understand that local sentries are responding to directions from their Chain of Command.”
Personnel must also pay attention to essential notifications during CS/SC24 by registering for the Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN). NDW personnel should also familiarize themselves with their command or tenant command anti-terrorism plan to know what to expect during the exercise.
Register for the WAAN at
https://ndw.cnic.navy.mil/waan/

To keep up with all things NDW, follow our socials at https://www.facebook.com/NavDistWash, https://www.instagram.com/navdistwash/

Source: United States Navy

FRCE visited Grover C. Fields Middle School in New Bern Jan. 17 with two goals: providing engaging educational resources to sixth through eighth grade students in the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program, and assisting teachers in developing technology-based lessons.

According to FRCE Innovation Lead Randall Lewis, the hope is that providing these resources will inspire students to consider careers in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field.

“By giving students this exposure, we are able to enhance their education and open their minds to new possibilities,” said Lewis. “Not only is STEM-based education an important part of their curriculum, but it could also play an important factor in their future. FRC East has a large and growing workforce, many of which are STEM professionals, so having outreach events is very important.”

The FABLAB, a mobile makerspace, makes these hands-on lessons possible. The self-contained unit is a 32-foot-long, 8-foot-wide enclosed trailer equipped with devices used in the STEM field, but not commonly found in most classrooms. The equipment includes 3D printers, a laser engraver, laptops and circuit boards. The unique features of the FABLAB provide students with learning opportunities different than the lessons they might receive in a traditional classroom environment. The FABLAB primarily serves students within a 100-mile radius of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and is often seen at schools and local events.

David Rackley, an AIG program teacher for Grover C. Fields Middle School, said he finds the FABLAB to be a beneficial tool for students. He said he enjoys using STEM lessons in the classroom as it can open the students’ minds to new career paths and ideas.

“I love these events. I enjoy seeing the students do things they don’t normally do because it helps them learn and grow,” said Rackley. “I bring the FABLAB in so the students get those experiences with things they normally would not have in the classroom.”

Rackley said not only do the students enjoy these outreach events, but it also encourages them to pursue careers in the STEM field.

“They love it. When they hear FABLAB, they are more interested in the FABLAB than they are in coming to my class,” said Rackley. “And in middle school, they don’t really know what they want to do career-wise. That’s one of the reasons we do this kind of thing, so we can give them that experience.”

During the event, FABLAB Lead Engineer Christopher Rivera and electrical engineer Zach Shuler introduced the students to the fundamentals of fixed wing flight with foam gliders. The students assembled the foam gliders and performed a series of tests on the center of gravity to find optimal flight stability. Rivera said seemingly simple activities like this can spur a lifelong interest in a student.

“My favorite part about this job – primarily in terms of outreach – is introducing something new to a student,
especially when it’s not something they would have ever encountered in their life, or didn’t think they’d be interested in,” said Rivera. “Seeing the students enjoy something they’ve never encountered before, or didn’t know existed, has been incredibly rewarding.” 

FRCE K-12 Educational Outreach Coordinator Michelle Smith serves an important role within the depot’s outreach initiatives. Prior to her FRCE career, Smith taught STEM classes to middle school students. Now, she coordinates with teachers to ensure the FABLAB activities correlate with the students’ curriculums.

“It’s important for the FABLAB activities to support the curriculum the teachers are already following,” said Smith. “Our outreach team does an outstanding job creating informative and enjoyable STEM-based activities for the students. We hope they encourage the students to pursue further STEM-based education, and eventually a STEM-based career.”

Rivera said tying the FABLAB activities to the teacher’s lesson plan also allows for customization.

“When we partner with local school systems, we can bring in a premade lesson where we introduce the students to an engineering concept, whether that be computer-aided design or additive manufacturing,” said Rivera. “We can also find a lesson that the teacher is already doing with their students. For example, say they are working on a clean energy project where the students have mocked up windmills or solar farms. We can come into that class and teach the students how to actually design them. And then, for demonstration’s sake, we can 3D print them in the FABLAB so they can use them as aids in their presentations.”

Lewis has been with the outreach program since the introduction of the FABLAB. He said he is proud of all that the STEM Outreach Team has accomplished.  

“Our outreach program has come quite a long way, especially since the introduction of the FABLAB, and we are constantly brainstorming new ways to improve,” said Lewis. “I am looking forward to the program’s future initiatives.”

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

Source: United States Navy

“This event celebrates the opening of the NIEF Atlantic Lab of the Future – a Navy asset aligned to our Navy priorities: ‘Warfighting, Warfighters, and the Foundation that supports them,’” said Capt. Catherine Boehme, Program Manager Tactical Networks Program Office (PMW 160), Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I).

The NIEF Atlantic Lab of the Future is the newest addition to NIWC Atlantic’s Tactical Networks (TACNET) Deployment Integrated Product Team (IPT) labs, which primarily supports NIEF Atlantic and provides direct access and support for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) and Training, the Atlantic CANES TACNET Capability-Based In-Service Engineering Activity (CB-ISEA) team and CANES engineering teams.

“The capacity of this space, the connectivity that is planned, the collaboration that is enabled, will all contribute to the unprecedented speed of delivery of this critical [CANES] shipset with the greatest pedigree we have been able to achieve. This world-class team in these world-class facilities will expand the delivery of world-class warfighting capability,” said Boehme.

CANES is the Program of Record (POR) system fielded on U.S. Navy ships, submarines and shore sites and gives warfighters a single system with multiple critical secure and nonsecure enclaves in a scalable network system capable of intra-ship and off-ship internet protocol-based capability. That capability includes network services such as email and web browsing, as well as hosting multiple unclassified and classified administrative, supply and warfighting capabilities, applications and connected systems.

“This lab will ensure we are better positioned to provide access to CANES systems that are pre-loaded for training and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) documentation, validation and updates to technical manuals, maintenance requirements, and engineering development and sustainment,” said Nigro.

NIEF Atlantic was established in March 2018 and transitioned CANES and Operation Rolling Tide (ORT) Pre-installation, Testing and Check-Out (PITCO) activities from a leased commercial facility to its current location on Naval Station Norfolk. To meet the fiscal year 2018 – 2021 projected workload, NIEF Atlantic was allocated three labs, along with the software sustainment activity. that could support pre-loading CANES at the NIEF.

“This location will foster more rapid exchanges with the fleet by increasing overall exposure to technologies, experimentation and concepts of employment prototyping, and testing,” said Nigro. 

Originally, additional secure space and power upgrades were completed in these labs to support increasing CANES installations, yet the supplemental space was required to perform efficient, streamlined PITCO operations. To meet that need, another lab was assigned to accommodate storage, de-militarization of de-installed TACNET systems, and serve as a technical refresh component and kitting area.

Successful CANES installations increased demand, as did the addition of a number of Ship Conversion, Navy (SCN) New Construction ship classes, such as destroyers (DDG), landing platform dock (LPD), landing helicopter assault (LHA) and nuclear aircraft carriers (CVN). Subsequently, a design for the new lab, which was to become the NIEF Lab of the Future, was developed and funded by NIWC Atlantic, then engineered, constructed and completed by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) at the end of fiscal year 2023.

“I view this capability as a lab, plain and simple, that is connected to the rest of the NIWC Atlantic and Naval R&D [research and development] establishment technical and lab infrastructure, so that we, as a greater team, can advance innovative solutions for our warfighters,” said Nigro. 

The completion of the new NIEF lab is timely. Since the effort started, CANES has added five new ship classes and platforms to the POR, with seven more expected to be added soon.” The new lab will support the additional capacity and provide efficiencies to preparing systems for increasingly challenging shipyard schedules.

“As we look forward, this team, through this facility, will contribute to delivering warfighting capability, delivering decisive combat power to the fleet,” said Boehme.

NIEF Atlantic now consists of six laboratories, with the newest lab significantly improving CANES integration and engineering capability in a secure space. These labs increase capacity for initial system builds and technical refreshes, full system testing and configurations, application integration, and Sailor and stakeholder hands-on familiarization.

“For the warfighter, our teams research, develop, integrate and sustain the latest C4ISR [command, control, communications, computers (C4) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)] technologies on every U.S. Navy ship, submarine and shore site. The NIWC Atlantic NIEF Lab of the Future is the newest addition to the command tools and resources for our Tactical Networks Deployment IPT and will provide this team with the functional flexibility to facilitate their day-to-day operations in support of the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services program including logistics, training, ISEA and engineering,” said Christopher Purdy, NIWC Atlantic Navy Afloat Network and C2 Apps Division Head.

The addition of the new lab also allows NIEF Atlantic to conduct multiple simultaneous CANES shipset pre-installation tasks. The new lab’s flexible design supports hardware post-production modifications with workspace software pre-load, application integration, and the current power requirement for all current CANES hardware levels. The lab also features a sound-proof room for technicians and Sailors to configure CANES and collaborate, and includes technical benches for ILS, hardware, software and associated troubleshooting repair and replacement. Directly across the hall from the new lab is an administrative space designed for hardware and software government and contractor collaboration and team building.

“This effort took many key players and teammates to accomplish the work, and in the planning and execution, touched many aspects of our organization to make possible,” said Mr. Peter Reddy, NIWC Atlantic Executive Director. “We’re grateful for the outcome, because we know this end result is further enabling critical naval integration and support to the warfighter.” 

NIEF Atlantic is now better positioned to provide access to CANES systems that are pre-loaded for training and ILS documentation, validation and updates to technical manuals, maintenance requirements, and engineering development and sustainment. Additionally, access for external stakeholders such as Regional Maintenance Centers (RMC), Fleet Support Engineering Technicians (FSET), CB-ISEA, hosted and connected applications, cyber teams, Navy Type Commands (TYCOMs) and fleet Sailors is expanded with the additional lab space.

“The operations of this NIEF further support our Navy’s foundation, through fielding and maintaining tactical network capability and capacity, and underpinning the warfighting readiness of the world’s most powerful Navy,” said Boehme.

About NIWC Atlantic
As a part of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.

Source: United States Navy

Sea Dragon is a multinational exercise designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics in response to shared traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Sea Dragon 2024 brought Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) communities together from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Indian Navy (IN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and the United States Navy.

The two-week exercise, which began Jan. 9, demonstrated successful integration and deepening interoperability between allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Exercise Sea Dragon is a significant airborne ASW training opportunity, focused on enhancing interoperability and sharing tactical innovation amongst our partners and allies in the region,” Capt. Zachary Stang, CTF-72 Commodore said. “These training exercises help us grow as a dynamic team and deter those who would challenge our goal of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72 sent one P-8A Poseidon aircraft from the “Fighting Tigers” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 8. Upon exercise completion, squadrons completed seven missions with approximately 37 flight hours logged between all participants.

JMSDF won this year’s Sea Dragon Championship Belt, highlighting high scores in simulated torpedo deployment speed and accuracy. The IN, JMSDF, and RAAF were awarded additional prizes for other notable ASW performances during the competition.

“The Kawasaki P-1 is a good aircraft at low speed and low altitude,” said Lt. j.g. Ikeda Hayato, assigned to JMSDF Air Patrol Squadron 3. “We are very happy to participate in exercise Sea Dragon.”

Allied and partner aircraft participating in this exercise included the RAAF P-8A Poseidon, JMSDF Kawasaki P-1, ROKN P-3 Orion, and IN P-8I Neptune.

“These missions allowed us to test our skills and work closely with those partners, preparing the Air Force to integrate into a maritime environment and provide effective deterrence for Australia’s security,” said Squadron Leader Jacqueline Killian, RAAF exercise Sea Dragon Detachment Commander. “Crews engaged in identifying, tracking, and targeting both simulated and live submarine targets, culminating in a 24-hour continuous monitoring activity. The final event required significant coordination between all participating nations, building on the lessons from the previous week, and allowed us to work together efficiently and safely to successfully achieve the task.”

During the exercise, aircrews also coordinated ASW evolutions against simulated and practice targets, demonstrating their information sharing and interoperability.

The “Fighting Tigers” of VP-8, part of CTF-72, are stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, and are currently deployed to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. Throughout the deployment, the squadron has conducted maritime patrol and reconnaissance, and theater outreach operations within the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

Description
The Constellation-Class Guided-Missile Frigate (FFG 62) represents the Navy’s next generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multi-mission warship, capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea. 

Features
FFG 62 will be fielded with multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electromagnetic maneuver warfare. These capabilities include an Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR), Baseline Ten (BL10) Aegis Combat System, an Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, communications systems, countermeasures and added capability in the electronic warfare/information operations area with design flexibility for future growth.

Background
On April 30, 2020, the Navy awarded the Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) contract for 10 ships (one base-year ship and nine option ships) and obligated funding for FFG 62 to Marinette Marine Corporation (also known as Fincantieri Marinette Marine) in Marinette, Wisconsin. The contract was awarded through a full and open competition with multiple offers received.

The Future USS Constellation (FFG 62), the lead ship of the class, began construction in September 2022. The program continues to conduct Early Integration Testing of the combat system, primary propulsion equipment and associated networks.

General Characteristics
Builder: Marinette Marine Corporation
Length: 496.1 feet
Beam: 64.6 feet
Displacement: 7,291 WT(lt)
Draft: 18 feet

Ships:
Constellation (FFG 62) under construction

Congress (FFG 63) under contract

Chesapeake (FFG 64) under contract
Lafayette (FFG 65) under contract