Month: March 2024

Source: United States Navy

The PB25 request reflects the nation’s priorities as detailed in U.S. strategic guidance. At the top of this hierarchy is the President’s National Security Strategy followed by the 2022 National Defense Strategy. Our request supports the tenets of our national defense that are integrated deterrence, campaigning, and actions that build enduring advantages. Secretary Del Toro’s strategic guidance solidifies we are One Navy-Marine Corps Team, and remains fully nested within the National Defense Strategy. The Secretary re-emphasizes three enduring priorities: strengthen maritime dominance, build a culture of warfighting excellence, and enhance strategic partnerships with an addition of new maritime statecraft to prevail in this era of intense strategic competition.

Our request prioritizes readiness and people in a constrained topline. The DON strategically allocates resources to our operations and readiness accounts to position the Nation’s Naval Force forward in defense of our interests today. It enables our Naval and Marine forces to respond to contingencies, enhance interoperability with allied navies, and adapt to the emerging threats and opportunities in the maritime domain. Our request continues to show we are developing strong warfighting teams, recruiting/retaining talented people, and ensuring our quality of service meets the highest standards. 

Aligned with Secretary Austin’s three priorities, our request demonstrates the Department’s commitment to providing a ready, modernized, and capable naval force continues to be the nation’s primary instrument of sea control both now and into the future.

 

For ship construction, the Department requests to procure an additional six battle force ships: one Virginia-class submarine, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, one Constellation-class guided-missile frigate, one San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, and one medium landing ship. 

The request continues incremental funding for the third Ford-class carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 80), and fourth Ford-class carrier, USS Doris Miller (CVN 81). The Department continues funding of the second Columbia-class submarine and advanced procurement for ten remaining ships

For aircraft procurement, the PB25 request of $16.2 billion supports the procurement of 75 aircraft, including 26 F-35, 27 Multi-Engine Training System, 19 CH-53K, three MQ-25, as well as modification, spares, and support equipment. This request completes aircraft procurement of 27 Multi-Engine Training System in FY25 and 367 over the FYDP.

 

 

The DON’s FY25 Research and Development budget supports the DON future force by funding efforts and supporting capabilities across the spectrum of conflict. R&D continues investments in developing and deploying tomorrow’s capabilities across the spectrum of conflict including the generational recapitalization of all sea-based portions of the nuclear triad, SSN (X), DDG (X) unmanned vehicles, and Joint Strike Fighter. Science and technology research is vital to provide for future technologies supporting innovative capabilities in shipbuilding, aviation, weapons, and expeditionary equipment. 

The budget request continues the USMC Force Design transformation effort designed to make the Marine Corps lighter, more versatile, and more lethal. This includes the development of Amphibious Combat Vehicle, Marine Air Defense Integrated System, and Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar.

 

The FY25 budget request of $4.6 billion finances 20 military construction baseline projects in support of the Department’s critical goals. Of these, four are for naval shipyards, three are for replacing aging infrastructure, and 13 are for new platform and mission support. Installations and facilities support receive $15.7 billion across the Department. Planning and design is budgeted for future barracks and childcare projects. 

This budget reflects a large investment in the health and supply chain of the industrial base, including the investment of $3.9 billion in FY25, and $11.1 billion across the FYDP for the Submarine Industrial Base, $227million into the weapons industrial base and $407 million in fleet readiness centers infrastructure modernization and optimization. The Department’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program will deliver efficient and modernized shipyards by upgrading existing dry docks and building new ones, reimaging the physical layout of the shipyards, and replacing antiquated capital equipment with modern machines with an investment of $2.8 billion. 

The Department funds ship operations to ensure full Fleet capability with necessary spare parts and supports training and deployment costs, including 58 underway days per quarter for deployed forces and 875,000 flying hours for Navy and Marine Corps. Ship maintenance increases by $600M, funding 58 availabilities and boosting aviation maintenance for mission capable aircraft. Field logistics receives a $112.5M investment for upgrades, while the budget streamlines Marine Littoral Regiment transformation and supports Indo-Pacific exercises with a $29.9M allocation for advanced maintenance techniques and radar integration. PB25 prioritizes the readiness of ships, aircraft, and weapons in support of the warfighter.

For FY25 Military Personnel, the budget request funds an active duty end strength of 332,300 Navy and 172,300 Marine Corps Personnel while also funding 57,700 Navy reserve personnel and a Marine Corps Selected Reserve end strength of 34,500. Basic pay increases by 4.5% and the income eligibility threshold for Basic Needs Allowance rises from 150% to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Recruitment and retention efforts are intensified with funding for enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses increasing by $84M or 8.5%. Quality of Life initiatives focus on improving unaccompanied housing and food options for Sailors assigned to ships undergoing maintenance, alongside significant investments in childcare centers and professional development opportunities. Funding is also allocated to expand the Naval Community College and fully fund Tuition Assistance programs, ensuring the wholeness of Naval University Systems. Sailor safety is prioritized with increased funding for Mental Health & Suicide Prevention services and continued commitment to Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Independent Review Commission.

The Department’s FY25 budget request was a collaborative, strategy-driven approach maximizing the resources available. This request represents the best mix of readiness for today, modernization for tomorrow, and investment in the future – while prioritizing our Sailors, Marines, civilians and families, and strengthening relationships with our allies and partners. The DON is committed to strengthening maritime dominance, building a culture of warfighting excellence and enhancing strategic partnership-all priorities outlined in this budget. 

Source: United States Navy

A Medal of Honor recipient will present the awards at the American Legion’s National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. The nominee must be available to attend in person at the national convention in New Orleans. The convention will run from Aug. 23rd-29th.

Service members will be nominated by their commanding officer based primarily on the level of volunteerism they perform off-duty in a local community. Commanding officers may nominate only one sailor from their command.

To be eligible, service members must have served as an E-5 or below between Jan. 1- Dec. 31, 2023, completed their volunteer service during this period and have a recommended award citation from their command. ​​Nominees may be active or Reserve, but must be outstanding military professionals.

Service members will need to provide the following items in their packages:

• A nominee biography that includes quantitative data such as hours, days, or months spent on off-duty volunteer community service and the organization name where community service was provided, as well as the activity. Command-sponsored activities, either on-duty or off-duty, will not be counted. This description should be provided in bullet format. Example:
  • Provided 38 hours at the community center, as a soccer coach
  • Spent 10 hours at the library reading to children
• A service record brief
• An 8×10 glossy .jpg photograph or the nominee’s high-resolution digital head and shoulder photograph
  • This should be an official photo taken by their respective unit in a full-service uniform.
• A high-resolution JPEG full-body photograph in service uniform (dress blues or service uniform)

Packages must be endorsed and submitted by the command and previous winners are not eligible to submit packages.

The American Legion will provide travel and lodging expenses for the individual winner only. The winner is responsible for travel expenses for family members or guests.

If chosen as the award recipient, the nominee’s submitted JPEG photos will be used in printed and online material to publicize and document the award ceremony. The photo should be similar to those commonly associated with Navy leader biographies and official portrait photos.

If chosen as the award recipient, the biography will be used in the Legion’s magazine and convention program. The biography should include hometown information, as well as professional highlights and qualifications.

A written and signed statement of consent by the sailor, authorizing the release of information contained in the nomination, is required per the Privacy Act of 1974. The following statement is a sample of written consent: “I, (rate/rank/full name), do hereby authorize the release of all information enclosed in this nomination package to those persons involved in the selection process.”

Nomination packages should be emailed to kristine.a.garland.civ@us.navy.mil by April 20, 2024. The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) will consolidate all nominations, organize a ranking board, and recommend the top candidates to the American Legion, which will make the selection. NAVCO will inform the winner and also notify those not selected.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States.

For further information, please contact Kristine Garland at kristine.a.garland.civ@us.navy.mil

To view a sample package of a previous winner, visit:

https://www.outreach.navy.mil/Portals/4/DOCS/Spirit_of_Service_Submission_Example.pdf?ver=2017-07-06-153220-940

For the most recent NAVADMIN, go here: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2024/NAV24042.txt?ver=gYcUBuzXGpQ6V6jEjTMXjg%3d%3d

Source: United States Navy

Engineers at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) are enhancing flight line readiness with the development of updated engine wash procedures and training in support of the Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter.

Jordon Barnes, a senior engineer on the H-53 Fleet Support Team (FST), said the engine wash procedures are aimed at enhancing time on wing and increasing the lifespan of the T64 engine.

“Engine washes are the biggest bang for our buck in trying to improve time on wing,” said Barnes. “Tight clearances allow for the most effective and efficient performance of the T64 engine. Sand or dirt build up can cause wear and open up these clearances. When that happens, the engine makes less than optimal power. Proper engine washes prevent that.”

In addition to a newly written publication which updates and standardizes cleaning procedures of the CH-53E’s T64 engine, squadrons throughout the Marine Corps will receive new engine cleaning equipment and a video training aid.

“This initiative is a great example of the support the FST provides to the warfighter,” said FST Site Lead Russell Padgett. “The procedures and training developed by our engineers boost the readiness of the Marine Corps CH-53E squadrons by increasing engine efficiency and reducing maintenance time. The FST worked closely with the customer and came up with an innovative and efficient solution to meet their needs.”

The CH-53E is the heavy-lift helicopter used by Marines around the world. It is capable of rapidly transporting troops and equipment from ship-to-shore. The helicopter’s T64 engine provides the power that makes these capabilities possible.

To ensure these engines are meeting squadron needs, the H-53 FST regularly sends a team of engineers specializing in the T64 engine to units flying the Super Stallion.

“The FST conducts maintenance awareness visits, where we go to each squadron and meet with the Fleet,” said Ronald Bittiker, a mechanical engineer with the H-53 FST. “We ask them what we can do to make their job a little easier. During these visits, the topic of engine washes frequently came up. We began to look at the procedures and the equipment used in the squadrons with a focus on standardizing the process and making it more efficient.”

Barnes said a maintenance awareness visit to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego during the summer of 2023 allowed the team to work with Marine Corps CH-53E crews and see firsthand how the washes were conducted in the Fleet.

“After several days of trying to wash aircraft with the Marines, we really felt their pain,” said Barnes. “We needed to figure out a way to make this easier on them and give them the tools required to more efficiently accomplish their jobs.”

According to Barnes, the team set out to standardize both the cleaning process and the equipment used. He said the goal was to find the Marines simple, compact cleaning tools that could withstand the rigors of life in the Fleet.

“We started passing ideas back and forth,” said Barnes. “We came up with what is essentially a foamer that hooks up to a hose which has a canister where you put the cleaner. It’s inexpensive, lightweight and easy to use. There are no moving parts.”

After extensive research, the team developed procedures for using the gear and then set out to validate the effectiveness of the process. This involved an intensive, data-driven test plan measuring increases in power after cleaning the airfoils of the T64 engine.

“Cleaning the airfoils increases the efficiency of the engine,” said Barnes. “It increases the fuel efficiency as well as the power output. To measure this, we’d take the dirty engine and run it up and grab a performance point. Then we we’d cool it off, wash the engine effectively and bring it back up to take the power points again.

“We gained 90 horsepower on the very first engine we ever did, which wasn’t even that dirty,” Barnes continued. “After many trials in the test cell, our next step was testing on wing. Here, we could pull numbers off of the aircraft which actually collects this data when the pilot initiates a check.”

In addition to validating the effectiveness of the procedures, Barnes said testing on squadron helicopters also allowed the engineers to gather feedback from the Marines who work with the CH-53E daily.

“The reaction so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Barnes. “They like the simplicity of the equipment. They like the idea of throwing this and their cleaner in the back of the aircraft. If they stop somewhere, they can clean the engine quickly and effectively with equipment that has a minimal footprint.”

After validation and testing was completed, the engineers wrote a new publication detailing and standardizing engine wash procedures for the T64 engine. Bittiker said the team worked closely with the CH-53E community throughout the process.

“There was a lot of collaboration involved,” said Bittiker. “A lot of it was just going down to the Fleet or talking to artisans and engineers at the depot – people that know this aircraft inside and out – and getting their input and ideas. All this experience put together resulted in something that will certainly benefit the Fleet.”

The team also developed a video training aid to guide Marines through the updated procedures and the use of the new equipment.

In addition to the video training aid, Barnes said the team looks forward to visiting the squadrons to provide training support. He explained they’re also eager to see the new engine wash procedures in action.

“There’s no better feeling than the satisfaction of assisting our Marines and Sailors and supporting the Fleet,” said Barnes. “As part of the FST at FRC East, we have a very unique opportunity to do this. We see all aspects of H-53 maintenance and operations. We get to see these engines come off the aircraft and go through major repairs at the depot. Through our site visits, we also get to see each aspect of Marine Corps maintenance at both the intermediate and organizational levels. Seeing these products go full circle back and forth is very informative and fulfilling. It makes us more effective in our job.”

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.

Learn more at www.navair.navy.mil/frce or https://www.facebook.com/FleetReadinessCenterEast.

Source: United States Navy

The exercise kicked off following opening ceremonies in Djibouti and the Seychelles, Feb. 25 and 26, respectively. It involved hundreds of Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, civilian and contractor personnel across Africa’s East Coast, from Djibouti to Tanzania to Mozambique, and into the Western Indian Ocean, with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles all hosting individual scenarios, alongside multiple East African coastal nations. Partner nations from outside East Africa, including Georgia, India, Senegal, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, also took part.

In addition to Djibouti and the Seychelles, Kenya also served as a host nation and primary exercise hub, with numerous events and exercise serials occurring alongside the Kenyan Coast Guard Service in Mombasa.

“Cutlass Express continues to provide a platform for Kenya Coast Guard Service personnel to exploit learning opportunities fostering continuous improvement in maritime law enforcement,” said Director General of the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Mr. Bruno I. Shioso, EBS, OGW. “CE 24 played a key role in enhancing our overall operational posture and readiness aimed at enhancing maritime security in the WIO region whilst strengthening partnerships and collaborations among participating nations. Leveraging on these partnerships for a broader Maritime Collective Approach underpins development within the region.”

The exercise started off with a focus on training and academics, where partners shared processes, experiences, and procedures on a wide range of topics, including SeaVision and maritime domain awareness, maritime collaboration across the region, and fundamentals of maritime interdiction, from information collection to target prosecution. The international team of participants also trained on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) evolutions, and diving fundamentals, among others. The academic setting set the stage for this week’s final training exercise, or FTX, where those involved put their skills and knowledge to the test.

The FTX portion of the exercise provided the perfect venue for partners to relay their training into realistic exercise scenarios, identifying suspect vessels and personnel, sharing information about targets, capabilities, and available assets, and dispatching multinational teams to address shared threats. Whether vessels suspected of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF), personnel believed to be smuggling illicit material or involved in human trafficking, or other threats to regional maritime security, each exercise scenario inject presented a unique challenge and opportunity to combine efforts and neutralize threats.

These scenarios occurred against a backdrop of leveraging new and existing technologies, too. Working with the SeaVision program to collect and share data and incorporating collaboration across maritime operations centers (MOC), the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC) in Madagascar and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in the Seychelles underscored the value Cutlass Express provides to the region. Participants bolstered their regional collaboration, enhanced their understanding and application of legal principles and the Djibouti Code of Conduct, and strengthened skills in the maritime domain.

“One of the incredible benefits of the Express series of exercises is what we learn from our partners, those who operate here year-round and have intimate knowledge of regional challenges and opportunities for collaboration,” said Capt. Geoffrey Townsend, Commodore of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68 and overall Officer in Tactical Control of the exercise. “We continue to push the envelope of our collective capabilities across the full spectrum of maritime operations and I’m very excited about the continued evolution of this exercise.”

Cutlass Express 2024, conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, increases the readiness of U.S. forces; enhances maritime domain awareness and collaboration among participating nations; and strengthens the capability of partner nations to combat piracy and counter illicit trafficking and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (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 USEUCOM and 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.

For more information on Cutlass Express, visit https://www.c6f.navy.mil/, https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/cutlassexpress2024, & https://twitter.com/usnavyEurope/.

Source: United States Navy

Franchetti, a trailblazer herself as the first woman to serve as CNO and the first woman to be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided a perspective that resonated with the audience. She shared her personal journey, the challenging assignments she completed, and the fulfillment of leading teams as she rose through the ranks of the U.S. Navy. Her message was centered on work-life balance, integration and the warfighting effectiveness in great leaders, great people and great teams.

“We are the ‘they.’ It really doesn’t matter what level you’re at. You’re part of the ‘they’ in your own organization. So, own the culture, create places where people can bring their best to the table every single day and contribute,” said Franchetti. “We’ve got to keep that accelerator down because the adversaries are going after our strength. And our strength is our people. And that’s what we need to focus on.”

On the panel were Naval District Washington Commandant, Rear Adm. Nancy Lacore; Assistant Deputy CNO, Plans, and Strategy, Rear Adm. Heidi Berg; Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy, Management, E. Anne Sandel; and Navy Installations Command Executive Director, Timothy Bridges.

“We have important work to do throughout the enterprise to improve readiness generation and, that includes investing in our people,” said Vice Adm. James Downey, commander, NAVSEA. “This will be a primary focus for us on this larger Navy team here as we align to meet the Secretary and the CNO strategic priorities to maintain maritime dominance and deliver Americans warfighting capabilities.” 

As the event concluded, Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, commander of NAVFAC, issued a powerful challenge to the participants. He urged them to harness the energy and inspiration from the shared stories to propel the Navy, and ultimately the nation, toward a brighter and more inclusive future. “In the words of our CNO, we need all the players on the field, and it’s crucial to recognize that a significant number of our most talented and valuable players are women,” VanderLey emphasized.

International Women’s Day beckons a rallying cry that resounds through the ages. The United Nations’ theme to “Invest in women: Accelerate progress,” is an anthem of cause that summons the need to unite, in unwavering solidarity, for women today.