Category: Defence

Source: United States Navy

The Tri-Party Staff Talks, established in 2015, bring together key maritime forces to enhance collaboration and ensure interoperability between U.S. and Canadian forces. The discussions center on joint operations, intelligence sharing, and defense strategy, particularly in the North Atlantic and Arctic.

As Second Fleet leads naval operations in the western Atlantic, Perry’s dual role with NATO adds further significance to the talks, underscoring the need for seamless coordination among Allied forces.

“Our mission is clear, to safeguard the Atlantic and Arctic, maintain maritime security, and ensure free and open access to international waters,” said Perry. “These talks enhance our joint capabilities as we confront emerging challenges, including the protection of undersea infrastructure and rising competition in the Arctic.”

This year’s talks will address several pressing issues. A primary focus is the growing importance of Arctic operations as the region has increased activity. The Tri-Party will evaluate strategies for improving Arctic domain awareness, enhancing cold-weather capabilities, and refining joint responses to potential security threats.

The 2024 Tri-Party staff talks also provide an opportunity to review joint exercises held earlier this year. Operation Nanook (OP NANOOK) 2024, conducted from August 15-27, brought together the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Danish Navy for exercise operations in the Arctic waters near Nuuk, Greenland. These exercises included maritime interdiction training, gunnery drills, and search-and-rescue simulations that tested the forces’ ability to operate in harsh Arctic conditions.

“Operation Nanook proved that our joint forces are ready to meet the challenges of the Arctic environment,” said Perry. “It also strengthened our collaboration with Canada and other NATO partners. Second Fleet is a premier fighting force, and we will continue to demonstrate this to the world. We are adaptable, flexible and above all, ready to fight.”

Additionally, Tri-Party members conducted Frontier Sentinel 2024 in June; a tabletop exercise focused on refining operational procedures for defending undersea infrastructure. These exercises highlight the need for enhanced communication and operational alignment among the Tri-Party forces.

Royal Canadian Rear Adm. David Patchell, Vice Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, emphasized the growing strategic importance of the Arctic.

“The arctic environment is dynamic, its maritime terrain changes every day, and it is essential that we prioritize Northern operations,” said Patchell. “The ability for the Tri Party forces to operate together in this environment is essential to maintaining stability in the region. This year’s talks are focused on understanding our shared challenges and optimizing our joint training to ensure we’re ready for future challenges.”

Perry noted the DoD’s 2024 Arctic Strategy has provided a framework for the Tri-Party partnership to further strengthen Arctic defense amongst the everchanging Arctic landscape.

The 2024 Tri-Party staff talks reaffirm the enduring partnership between U.S. and Canadian maritime forces and their commitment to maintaining peace, security, and freedom of navigation in the Atlantic and Arctic. With joint exercises, enhanced interoperability, and shared strategic planning, the Tri-Party partnership remains prepared to protect North American interests and address future security challenges.

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy awarded contracts totaling $9,472,132,620 for procurement of one America-class amphibious assault ship (LHA) and three San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock (LPD) ships, Sept. 24. The award, executed across two separate contracts to Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, utilized a multi-ship procurement approach. By using this strategy, as authorized by Congress, the Navy is projected to achieve more than $901 million in cost avoidance as compared to the use of annual contracts.

The long-term contract agreements align with Secretary of the Navy Del Toro’s maritime statecraft initiatives to make naval shipbuilding more cost effective while promoting shipyard stability and investment. The agreements provide stable shipyard workload well into the early 2030s, providing a consistent demand signal to vendors. 

“The importance of this multiple amphibious ship purchase cannot be overstated with respect to our whole-of-government effort to restore the maritime capabilities of the United States,” said Del Toro. “This purchase sends a steady demand signal to our shipbuilding industrial base that our Navy is actively investing in our shipbuilding infrastructure.”

The awards are consistent with the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ projected force structure requirements and demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to maintaining 31 amphibious ships. 

“The Amphibious Ready Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) is the premier force offering of our Corps,” said Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration. “This multi-ship procurement contract ensures the Marine Corps upholds the obligation to meet combatant commander requirements for continuous MEU presence. ARG/MEUs provide our national leadership with combat credible forces that are persistently forward, assure allies and partners, and contribute to deterrence, campaigning, crisis response, and combat operations.”

The America-class of amphibious assault ships operate as the centerpiece of ARG/MEU operations and Marine Expeditionary Brigade with accommodations for ship’s company, troops, vehicles, and equipment. The San Antonio-class of amphibious transport dock ships are designed to embark, transport, and deploy ground troops and equipment.

“This multi-ship procurement provides the long-term stability our shipbuilders and vendors require, enabling them to deliver product effectively, help support and retain a talented and critical workforce, and invest in the infrastructure required to sustain and grow our shipbuilding capability and capacity,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy Acquisition, Research and Development, Nickolas Guertin.

“This multi-ship procurement will deliver critical amphibious warfare capability to support the Navy and Marine Corps mission,” said Capt. Matthew Tardy, program manager, Amphibious Warfare Program, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The partnership between the Navy and Ingalls Shipbuilding is important. We are proud to be working with their talented workforce to build and deliver highly capable ships and provide needed stability for the shipbuilding industrial base.”

​​​​​​​Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships), one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, manages the design and construction of destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, as well as a wide range of boats and craft for U.S. agencies and foreign military sales. These platforms enable our nation and its allies to project presence in peace, power in wartime, and assured access at all times.

– NAVSEA –

Source: United States Navy

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Vice Adm. Angus Topshee, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy for a formal bilateral engagement during the Inter-American Naval Conference, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, today.

The two leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen their naval partnership and operations in the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific and expressed their shared commitment to continental security, and to working in collaboration with regional and international Allies and partners to uphold the rules-based international order.

During their meeting Franchetti applauded Topshee for the Canadian Navy’s Arctic shipbuilding program and its expanded capabilities in Anti-submarine warfare, and reinforced the importance of multilateral cooperation with Arctic countries.

The leaders also discussed Franchetti’s recently released strategic guidance – the Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy – and how the changing character of war requires maritime officers to think, act, and operate differently. They stressed the need to operationally integrate the use of robotic and autonomous systems for missions such as maritime domain awareness, and the role of Information Warfare domain in command-and-control centers.

The Heads of Navy shared their initiatives to recruit and retain talent and said they look forward to future opportunities for their navies to train, exercise and operate together.

Source: United States Navy

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Commander of the Colombian Navy Vice Adm. Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregón for a formal bilateral engagement during the Inter-American Naval Conference, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 23.

The two leaders discussed ways to continue to strengthen their long-standing naval partnership and expand collaboration to promote regional security and stability to support the rules-based international order.

Franchetti said she was very grateful for the Colombian Navy’s role as a regional leader, demonstrated through their participation in exercises such as UNITAS LXV and partnership during Southern Seas 2024. The Heads of Navy said they look forward to future opportunities to exercise together.

During their meeting they also talked about the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative and how it strengthens their interoperability and their shared commitment to countering illicit maritime operations.

Source: United States Navy

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met Chief of the Chilean Navy Adm. Juan Andrés De La Maza for a formal bilateral engagement during the Inter-American Naval Conference, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, today.

The two leaders discussed opportunities for further collaboration and cooperation as they continue to build maritime capacity in the Pacific, to include increased opportunities for Professional Exchange Program officers.

Franchetti also congratulated De La Maza for the Chilean Navy’s leadership in major bilateral and multinational training events including serving as Deputy Commander of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 as well as host for UNITAS LXV, and the launch of their new icebreaker, “Almirante Viel”.

During their discussion, Franchetti, expressed appreciation for Chile’s regional leadership, for their support of the USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group during Southern Seas 2024, and discussed future opportunities for multilateral exercises in the coming years.

Franchetti regarded that Chile remains one the most strategic allies in Latin America and plays a key role in ensuring a Western Hemisphere that is democratic, prosperous and secure.