Category: Defence

Source: United States Navy

MOBILE, Ala. (Sept. 6, 2024) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro attended the keel laying ceremony for USNS Lansing (EPF 16) alongside ship sponsor Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Mobile, Alabama, Sept. 6, 2024.

The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) shipbuilding program provides high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army.

“Our EPFs are force multipliers for our combat logistics fleet,” said Secretary Del Toro. “They allow for quicker responses to crises, strengthen our ability to conduct humanitarian and disaster relief operations, and provide logistical support for special forces missions.”

Lansing will be manned by dedicated crews, comprised of both civilian mariners from the Military Sealift Command and embarked military personnel, whose expertise and teamwork will ensure the ship operates at peak efficiency, delivering critical resources and services exactly when and where they’re needed.

The keel laying represents the success and importance of our Maritime Statecraft initiative, which encompasses a national, whole-of-government effort to restore the comprehensive maritime power of our nation.

“Michigan has a world-class skilled workforce and is a leader in developing the techno-industrial workforce we need to build and assemble the ships, munitions, parts, and pieces our Navy, Marine Corps, and indeed our nation need to promote peace around the world,” said Del Toro. “Austal, building this ship, represents another key line of effort under our new, national approach to Maritime Statecraft—a foreign shipbuilder establishing a U.S. subsidiary, investing in America, and partnering with us to build American ships.”

USNS Lansing is the first ship named in honor of Michigan’s capital city, Lansing. A previous USS Lansing (DE 388) was named for Aviation Machinist Mate First Class William Henry Lansing and decommissioned in 1965.

Bridging the gap between low-speed sealift and high-speed airlift, EPFs transport personnel, equipment and supplies over operational distances with access to littoral offload points including austere, minor and degraded ports in support of the Global War on Terrorism/Theater Security Cooperation Program, Intra-theater Operational/Littoral Maneuver and Sustainment and Seabasing. EPFs enable the rapid projection, agile maneuver and sustainment of modular, tailored forces in response to a wide range of military and civilian contingencies such as Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

Secretary Del Toro made the announcement alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Mayor Andy Schor of Lansing, Michigan, July 22, in addition to announcing the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M-3) initiative.

Austal USA, located in Mobile, Alabama, was realized in 1999 for the purpose of reaching the ever increasing commercial and defense aluminum vessel market in the United States. Our shipbuilding facility occupies 164 acres on the eastern shore of the Mobile River and is strategically positioned at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico.

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Source: United States Navy

BUSAN, South Korea — Military Sealift Command (MSC) reserve-component Sailors traveled to Pier 8, Busan, South Korea, and participated in exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 2024, Aug. 19-29.

Exercise UFS 24 is a combined exercise between the U.S. and Republic of Korea with participation from United Nations Command Member State militaries as well as U.S. and ROK governmental agencies to fortify the combined defense posture and enhance response capabilities. The annual exercise was focused to ensure a constant state of readiness and is defensive in nature.

The 11-person team of MSC Sailors were from Reserve unit MSC Far East Det. 101 out of St. Louis.

Despite their small exercise footprint, the scope of the training was both diverse and complex, managing a large number of simulated U.S. government and commercially contracted dry cargo ships and fuel tankers to and from the Korean area of operations.

According to Navy Reserve Capt. Jonathan B. Bass, chief staff officer, MSCFE Det. 101, MSC-related scenarios included adverse weather, unscheduled maintenance, fueling of vessels, bunkering, and working with host nation port authorities.

During UFS 24, the MSCFE team monitored and directed all simulated MSC shipping traffic throughout the western Pacific.

“We’re that liaison between the ship and port operations,” said Bass. “Having the knowledge and familiarity with our ships and their [ROK] ports are important. We can help spot issues and recommend courses of action if our ships need to be diverted to another port. We can advise if a port is capable of receiving a ship of a particular size or draft.”

At Pier 8, the Sailors from MSCFE Det. 101 augmented permanent MSC Office Korea (MSCO-K) staff. They helped man a 24/7 crisis action team, and the Combined Seaport Command Center, which is a centralized command and control center that can manages cargo ships at ports throughout South Korea.

MSCFE Sailors worked closely with MSCO-K, the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, and ROK army and Navy personnel.

“The Naval Reserve augments we receive from the MSC Far East Reserve unit are critical to MSCO-K’s successful participation in UFS and our support to U.S. and ROK Alliance,” said Cmdr. Patrick J. Moore, commanding officer, MSCO-K. “Being able to have a number of Sailors participating in this exercise for the first time also ensures we continue to expand the training audience and build depth on the bench. The team performed extremely well and integrated seamlessly with the MSCO-K team.”

Despite yearly participation, this exercise provides a continuous challenge for the MSC reserve unit. Every year, the majority of reserve unit members are new to the Korean peninsula and to UFS. Some members had to travel far to their U.S. drill site in St. Louis, prior to ramping up for the exercise.

“We have a good mix of people from various parts of the U.S. that are participating this year,” said Lt. Cmdr. Steven D. Pascal, watch stander with MSCFE Det. 101. “They are also a wide range of rates.”

The Reserve team was made up of information systems technicians, administrators, quartermasters, gunner’s mate, interior communications technicians, information system technicians, logistics specialists, and officers.

“When they show up, they’re well prepared and ready to go from day one,” said Pascal. “Only four of the 11 have been to Korea before. We’re constantly training the next wave of folks; it’s an ongoing process.”

Pascal, from Lenexa, Kan., was on his third consecutive year supporting the exercise in South Korea. His main focus this year was to provide the necessary training and guidance he’s garnered from those years of experience to those who are here for the first time.

“This is such a unique exercise, you really don’t understand what’s going on until you sit in that watch-stander seat and see firsthand what is going on,” said Pascal. “There are so many components involved.”

Prior to the exercise at the Navy Reserve Center, the team discussed expectations, command structure, and understanding the Korean culture.

“All our preparation at home paid off,” said Pascal. “These folks have been training hard. We have a lot of new people but they’re doing well, and between the mixes of people that have done this a couple of times, we have the right skills, and we have the right people.”

MSCO Korea provides operations, logistics, maintenance, and administrative support for all MSC operated, controlled, and interest vessels in support of the Type Commander and/or as directed by the Area Commander in support of the Fleet Commander.

MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore.

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.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.

Source: United States Navy

General Mechanical Corporation (GMC) from Daytona Beach, Florida, has embarked on an ambitious $10.6 million construction contract to restore the storm-battered dunes at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport. Awarded by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast in September 2023, the contract sets a new course for the restoration of coastal defenses that were ravaged by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, as well as ongoing tidal erosion.

By early July, sand mining operations were underway. The first major task was to extract and prepare the large quantity of sand needed for the project. The goal is to restore the dunes to a height of 12-14 feet, which is crucial for shielding the base from future storm surges.

“A key element to this project is to ensure the habitat protection of native animals that live or nest in the dunes,” said Benjamin Yang, construction manager assigned to Public Works Department at NAVSTA Mayport. “The team has maintained a vigilant watch over a Loggerhead turtle nest, waiting for the hatchlings to make their way to the sea before proceeding with work in that area.”

Orange barriers were erected to mark and protect any vulnerable nests that could be affected by the ongoing dune project.

The project also includes replacing the fencing between the base and the adjoining civilian park and beach at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park (Hanna Park), establishing a much-needed security buffer. Additionally, storm-damaged facilities, such as boardwalks, will be repaired.

By mid-August, GMC had already made significant progress. Of the 64,000 cubic yards of sand needed, nearly 40,000 cubic yards had been mined, with 8,000 cubic yards screened and 9,000 cubic yards transported and placed on the dunes.

Sand was extracted from a designated dredge material management area within NAVSTA Mayport. A Powerscreen sorts raw ground materials and reduces them to usable aggregate sizes, which are then used to build up the dunes.

“We’re screening between 1,000 and 1,200 cubic yards of sand and transporting around 100 truckloads — about 1,400 cubic yards — a day to the beach,” said Dillon Moyer, superintendent, Continental Heavy Civil Corporation (CHC). “The initial completion target is March 2025, but with our current pace, we’re aiming to wrap up by December 29, weather and equipment permitting.”

Just south of NAVSTA Mayport, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working to restore dunes at Hanna Park and moving northward toward the base. Their efforts complement GMC’s work, with plans to transition seamlessly to NAVSTA Mayport’s beach upon completing the Hanna Park project. Once the transition to NAVSTA Mayport begins, USACE will operate around the clock for about a month to achieve their milestones at the base.

The synchronized efforts of GMC, CHC, and USACE are a testament to the collaborative spirit needed to restore and fortify the dunes and security at NAVSTA Mayport. With each passing day, the sandy beaches are being reshaped, not just as a defense against future storms but as a promise to protect and preserve the natural habitat for generations to come.

NAVFAC Southeast oversees the planning, designing, and construction of facility projects, and provides essential services in contracting, leasing, environmental management, maintenance, and contingency support. These services are vital for meeting the needs of the Navy and the Department of Defense within the Southeast region. Operating from its Jacksonville office, NAVFAC Southeast manages operations across Navy installations from Charleston, South Carolina, to Corpus Christi, Texas, and extends to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. NAVFAC professionals also handle the acquisition and disposition of real estate, facility management, and maintenance on all Navy bases in the Southeast region, while overseeing public-private venture (PPV) housing for military families.

Source: United States Navy

During July 2024, Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command (NMLPDC) held the annual 4-week in-person Military Tropical Medicine (MTM) didactic course for 43 students at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. The didactic phase of the course was immediately followed by a 2-week hands-on field experience for 92 students throughout eight tropical infectious disease endemic locations around the globe during August 2024.

The MTM course, offered as in-person and online, provides tri-service military medical providers with didactic content and hands-on field experiences to diagnose, treat and prevent infectious diseases to protect the Joint Force against tropical endemic health threats and provide healthcare to partner nations during global health engagement missions.

“We often don’t receive this content in medical school or graduate medical education programs,” said Capt. Todd Gleason, MC, USN, MTM course director. “Our student body is [tri-service] nurses, physicians, lab technicians, pathology residents and aerospace medicine residents and we are able to discuss the power that we bring to the team.”

Select students who completed the MTM course (in-person or online) had a follow-on opportunity to engage with host nation military medical ships, hospitals, laboratories, and various healthcare professionals during 2-week field experiences in Brazil, Thailand, Liberia, Peru, Ghana, India, Honduras, and Tanzania to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to work on the ground in austere tropical environments.

Capt. Katie Shobe, MSC, USN, NMLPDC Commanding Officer, had an opportunity to visit one of the field training sites. “I participated in the mission to Peru, where we conducted several exercises in Lima and Tumbes, including cultural familiarization, visiting the Lima Peruvian Naval Hospital (Centro Medico Naval, or CEMENA) and their patients, Naval Medical Research Unit-SOUTH to learn about their mission and projects in the AOR, learning to conduct surveillance with mosquitoes, cysticercosis in pigs, small mammal trapping and baiting, and rodent necropsy. “

In addition to the classroom and field experiences, Capt. Gleeson and his fellow MTM course team members, LCDR Tupur Husain, MSC, USN, HM1 Danielle Spivey, USN, HM1 Michael Boateng, and HM1 Jayden Ryan, USN administered an online asynchronous MTM course from August 2023 to June 2024 for 287 students, which greatly expanded course access to military medical providers who cannot attend the in-person option.

“I came away with profound gratitude and appreciation for what our NMLPDC MTM team does, including coordinating with our partner organizations in the 8 OCONUS locations,” said Shobe. “An immense amount of work goes into the 4 weeks of coursework and labs. Bravo Zulu to the MTM Team!”

Continuing on the momentum of the highly successful in-person, virtual, and field exercises this year, the MTM staff will hold the following upcoming course options over the next year for tri-service medical providers: Online-Asynchronous course (September 2024 to June 2025), in-person course (July 7 to August 1, 2025 in Bethesda, MD), and field missions (1 August to 17 August, 2025) in Ghana, Brazil, India, Peru, Liberia, Honduras, Tanzania, and Thailand.

Interested tri-service medical providers can visit the CAC enabled NMLPDC course site for additional MTM course information at:

https://obiwan2.health.mil/sites/nmfsc/apps/ACR/SitePages/courseInfo.aspx or via email:

usn.bethesda.navmedleadprodevcmd.list.nmlpdc-mtm@health.mil

Naval Medical Leader and Professional Development Command (NMLPDC) is the cornerstone of Navy Medicine’s leader and professional development supporting Force Generation and Development of the Naval and Joint Forces. NMLPDC is a tenant command located at Naval Support Activity, Bethesda, MD.

Source: United States Navy

NEWPORT, R.I. – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro delivered remarks at the Forum at Newport, a conference about national security and climate change co-hosted by the Naval War College and the Pell Center at Salve Regina University, Sept. 5.

Secretary Del Toro talked about Department of the Navy efforts to counter the impacts of extreme weather and climate change on warfighting readiness. He outlined two goals of the Department’s new Climate Action 2030 strategy to ensure a climate-ready force – building climate resilience and reducing climate threats.

He noted that while many initiatives are already underway or complete, such as the Farragut Seawall project at U.S. Naval Academy, innovative partnerships with government, academia and industry must continue.

“Climate resilience is force resilience,” said Secretary Del Toro. “We must look beyond normal operations and approach solutions to climate change through the lens of innovation.”

Following his remarks, Secretary Del Toro met with Stephen Mariano, provost of NWC, and Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, president of NWC. They discussed the linkage between climate change and national security as a seminar topic in NWC’s new course, Perspectives on Modern War. The yearlong course combines theoretical analysis of war with development of practical solutions for current and future global security challenges.

Secretary Del Toro praised Perspectives on Modern War as an example of the Navy’s academic institutions adapting to modern security challenges, like climate change, and the value of these institutions to develop future strategic leaders.

“When I meet with senior officers I often tell them I expect them to be brilliant at naval warfare,” said Secretary Del Toro. “I really need them to think critically and strategically about solutions to the dynamic challenges our Navy and Marine Corps face — a course like this will help grow future leaders with those critical skills.”

PMW is now one of five core course offerings provided by NWC’s College of Naval Command and Staff, College of Naval Warfare, Naval Command College and Naval Staff College. NWC’s curriculum provides a framework for military and civilian leaders to gain an understanding of strategy and operations and the ability to think critically, deal with uncertainty and surprise, be proficient in joint matters, and comprehend both the security environment and all elements of national power.

Established in 1884, NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. The college delivers excellence in education, research, and outreach, informing today’s decision makers, educating tomorrow’s leaders, and engaging partners and allies on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war.