Month: April 2024

Source: United States Navy

Italian Navy Capt. Roberto Messina assumed command from U.S. Navy Capt. David Coles, who has commanded CTF 153 since November.
This is the third time Italy has assumed command of CMF task force since the 42-nation maritime partnership was established in 2002.

Established on April 17, 2022, CTF 153 is one of five task forces under CMF. It is responsible for maritime security operations in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and western Gulf of Aden in order to deter and impede illicit non-state actors. CTF 153 enhances maritime security and stability, protects the freedom of navigation and builds a strong foundation for multinational cooperation in the region.

Under Coles’ command, CTF 153 led Operation Prosperity Guardian, a 24-nation international presence operation intent on ensuring freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most strategic waterways. He said that mission, among other accomplishments, defined the teamwork CMF strives to achieve every day.

“I am incredibly proud of all the hard work and dedication by CTF 153 staff and units at-sea in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. Their efforts have directly contributed to regional maritime security and freedom of navigation in the CTF 153 area of operations,” Coles said. “It is a true honor to hand over command to an incredibly strong maritime partner like Italy. I know the Task Force is in good hands, and look forward to celebrating CTF 153’s future accomplishments under Capt. Messina’s stewardship.”

Messina now leads a 35-person multinational staff from 10 countries, planning, coordinating and executing maritime security operations. Messina said this teamwork highlights the strong international partnerships required to ensure regional maritime stability.

“It is my honor to serve as commander of CTF 153,” said Capt. Messina. “I look forward to working closely with regional and partner nations to ensure maritime security and stability in this vital economic artery.”

CMF is the world’s largest naval partnership, with 42 countries working together. Other task forces include CTF 150, focused on maritime security in the Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden; CTF 151, which leads regional anti-piracy efforts; CTF 152, dedicated to maritime security in the Arabian Gulf; and CTF 154, enhancing maritime security training throughout the region.

Source: United States Navy

NAWCAD installed a division of four U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor cockpits into the Navy’s premier simulation test and training facility alongside its division of eight F-35 Lightning cockpits in January.

“When America is engaged in conflict, the DOD will bring joint capability to bear from every service across all domains,” said NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. John Dougherty IV. “We’ve replicated this ability in the Joint Simulation Environment, a force multiplier helping aviators deter aggression and—if necessary—prevail in conflict.”

The new addition of fifth-generation fighter simulators brings Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and allied partners into the hyper-realistic digital range that consists of cockpits, domed simulators with 4K projectors, and aircraft software to enable pilots to fly wartime scenarios in a near-exact virtual environment. Tactical groups training in NAWCAD’s JSE fly more sorties over one week than they do over a year on open-air ranges.

“Open-air ranges are extremely constrained with safety limitations that prevent warfighters from training like they’d fight,” said NAWCAD JSE Director Blaine Summers. “The JSE is where fifth-gen fighters train to hone their tactics and fight like their lives depend on it.”

Developed by Navy engineers and industry partners, NAWCAD’s JSE is a powerful training and test facility designed to adapt and grow, utilizing hardware and software from actual DOD aircraft, weapons, and other defense systems. The JSE has all the equipment and experts needed to keep the facility running smoothly from its cockpits, to its software and simulators, to its mission debriefing rooms where pilots get feedback on their performance during training.

In this highly realistic digital range, aviators experience the consequences of their mistakes, including mission failure, loss of systems, and even loss of life. The JSE enables pilots to learn those hard lessons, immediately adjust, fly again, and continue the learning process to become a highly capable tactical aviator.

The JSE was initially designed to support F-35 Lightning’s operational testing as there was no way to safely and adequately represent real-world conflict on an open-air range. Today, the DOD is scaling the Navy’s technology for additional digital range facilities supporting programs like F-35, F-22, and E-2D. In addition, the DOD has made training in the JSE a formal part of the Navy’s Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program—commonly known as TOPGUN.

Over the next year, NAWCAD will incorporate additional test and training cockpits including the F/A-18 Hornet, EA-18 Growler, and E-2 platforms to train fighters for future flight lines. The warfare center will also deploy its second training system onboard a Navy carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division employs more than 17,000 military, civilian and contract personnel. It operates test ranges, laboratories and aircraft in support of test, evaluation, research, development and sustainment of everything flown by the Navy and Marine Corps. Based in Patuxent River, Maryland, the command also has major sites in St. Inigoes, Maryland, Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Orlando, Florida.

Source: United States Navy

Navy Exchange and Marine Corps Exchange patrons showed their generosity when they supported the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society twice in Fall 2023. For the two separate campaigns, NEX patrons donated $646,260 to the organization while MCX patrons gave $158,965.

“Thank you for your dedication to our nation’s greatest asset,” said retired Lt. Gen. Robert R. Ruark, United States Marine Corps, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. “Last year, NMCRS provided over $50 million in financial assistance to Sailors, Marines, and their families. That level of support is impossible without the incredible community of shoppers and support of the Navy Exchange Service Command and the Marine Corps Exchange.”

Both NEX and MCX locations sold NMCRS benefit tickets, in October and then again in December, to interested patrons. By purchasing the $5 benefit tickets, patrons received $5 off and a 5% discount applied to a one time purchase made at a later date.

Through the three benefit ticket sales in 2023, NEX patrons donated $1.1 million and MCX patrons donated $429,690 to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society to support active duty and retired Sailors, Marines and their families in need.

Source: United States Navy

Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) was a key contributor to surpassing the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) F414 Engine Readiness Goal (ERG) of 1,451 ready-for-issue (RFI) engines for the first time since 2018 – eight months ahead of the planned recovery schedule. The achievement was a joint effort between FRCSE, the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265), Naval Supply Systems Command, Defense Logistics Agency, General Electric and other organizations that helped hit the goal.

Source: United States Navy

The lottery is open to the general public. 150 people will be randomly selected to join USS Constitution’s crew as they go underway in Boston Harbor. Each person selected will be allowed to bring one guest.

Passengers will engage with active-duty Sailors to gain an understanding of the Navy’s mission, learn about USS Constitution’s history, and will have a front-row seat as the crew fires a 21-gun salute in honor of Independence Day.

The lottery to enter for a chance to go underway is open until May 2nd, with winners being notified by email May 16th. Lottery entries must be received by midnight, May 1st, and are limited to one per household.

All winners are required to provide their own transportation and lodging accommodations. All passengers must be at least eight years of age and be physically able to travel up and down steep sets of stairs and stand for prolonged periods of time.

Attendees aged 18 and older must bring a government-issued photo ID. Please direct any questions about the lottery to USS Constitution’s Special Events Division at: 617-593-2025 or ussconstitution.events@gmail.com. USS Constitution is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for public visitation.

USS Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and America’s Ship of State. She played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.