Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Navy

Carney deployed for 235 days to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Gulf, providing deterrence and defense to U.S. Allies and partners. Carney was the first ship in the area to intercept land-attack cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) launched by Houthi forces toward Israel in October 2023.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro welcomed the ship to Naval Station Mayport.

While independently deployed, Carney served as an air defense unit for strike group forces in the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea and worked closely with Allies and partners during a variety of missions.

“I am incredibly proud of my team for their performance throughout this deployment,” said Cmdr. Jeremy Robertson, Carney’s commanding officer. “No matter the challenge, our crew was ready and demonstrated incredible professionalism, proficiency, and flexibility. Our missions required focus and grit, and the crew leaned on each other and took care of each other, as we will continue to do.”

U.S. President Joe Biden recognized Carney’s actions in the area, and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti welcomed the crew back to the United States, May 10, when the ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia.

“I could not be more proud of what the Carney team has done since September,” said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti aboard Carney. “Called to action on the very first day that you entered the U.S. 5th Fleet, you conducted 51 engagements in 6 months. The last time our Navy directly engaged the enemy to the degree that you have was way back in World War II, and it was the USS Hugh Hadley (DD-774), with her engagement record of 23. You saved lives, ensured the free flow of commerce, and stood up for the rules-based international order and all the values that we hold dear. It has been eye-watering to watch, you are truly America’s Warfighting Navy in action.”

Carney intercepted ballistic missiles and UAVs while operating in the Gulf of Aden, all while conducting defensive strikes into Yemen.

“This deployment has really tested the connectedness and resiliency of the crew. I believe our culture of inclusion created trust that enabled us to lean on one another to get through this historic and arduous deployment,” said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Christopher Dunn. “We were able to fall back on the training we received throughout the training cycle and perform effectively and proficiently when called upon.”

In addition to providing ballistic missile and air defense in the Red Sea, Carney also answered a distress call.

On Jan. 26, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda. The ship issued a distress call and reported damage. Carney provided 600 gallons of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), helping to extinguish a fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks. Carney’s assistance ultimately aided the ship’s survival with no lives lost.

“Looking back, I remember thinking this was just going to be another deployment; I never expected we would set records,” said Fire Controlman (AEGIS) 2nd Class Tyler Robinson. “Without hesitation we did what we were trained to do. It brings me immense pride to see the weapon systems I was trained to operate prevail and make Carney the most lethal ship in the Navy. The invaluable experience gained over the last seven months will be an incredible case study for many generations of future Sailors.”

U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse comprises of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

NAVEUR-NAVAF, headquartered in Naples, Italy, operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (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.

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic to ensure access, deter aggression, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. For any inquiries, contact c2f_pao@us.navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

Good evening, everyone! It is an honor to be with you all here at York County Community College in the beautiful Sanford, Maine, to celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduating class.

Senator Collins, ma’am, thank you for that kind introduction, and for your many years of support and partnership with the Department of the Navy through your work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, especially in your capacity as the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Defense.

Since the founding of our Navy, Maine has played a crucial role in ensuring we are mission-ready.

From  shipbuilding to hosting bases across the state, as well offering up its sons and daughters to serve our Nation in our naval services, our Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families are proud to call Maine home.

I would also like to thank President Daigler, President Fischer, and the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees for providing me with the opportunity to share this special day with you.

Early in my tenure as the 78th Secretary of the Navy, I announced education as one of the cornerstones of our enduring priority to Build a Culture of Warfighting Excellence.

Our nation’s vast network of community colleges is vital to providing those educational opportunities to Americans from all walks of life, meeting them in the communities where they work and reside to deliver world-class instruction across dozens of concentrations that allow them to realize their career goals.

Thank you, gentlemen and trustees, for your leadership of YCCC and the Maine Community College System, as well as your efforts on initiatives such as the Maine Defense Industry Alliance, which is aimed at bolstering this region’s shipbuilding workforce.

I would also like to thank my fellow speakers this evening, Mike and Geoff Howe, for sharing their inspiring story of success, harnessing the American spirit of innovation and ingenuity—a spirit that no doubt lives inside each and every one of the graduates before us today—to create solutions to meet the needs of their customers and benefit communities across our Nation.

To the friends and families of the Class of 2024 who are here this evening to support their graduates as they celebrate this incredible career and life milestone, thank you. 

Thank you for your presence, as well as the sacrifices you’ve made to get them to this point. 

You are the community and network they rely on to realize their success, and this day is as much about you as it is about them.

Finally, to the graduates, congratulations! Today marks the culmination of years of study, defined by classroom work, long nights in the library, group projects, hands-on training, and balancing time between work, families, and education.

But today is not the end of your journey—it is the beginning.

From preparing for positions in healthcare to computer science, from business, accounting, and finance to criminal justice, you are now equipped with the degrees and certificates to take the next step in building the careers that will support you and your families for decades to come.

As you contemplate what the future holds for you—both personally and professionally—I would ask that you consider a life of public service in support of our nation, whether in or out of uniform.

As I mentioned earlier, Mainers have a proud and storied tradition of service, from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to present day.  You have fought and sacrificed for the ideals we hold sacred—life, liberty, freedom of choice, and the pursuit of happiness.

You have done so to preserve peace and advance prosperity around the globe.  At this time, I would ask that our Veterans in the audience to stand and be recognized for their service.

These Veterans are your classmates, your teachers, your friends. They are a part of your community—a community they committed themselves to defending.

For me personally, I chose to serve for 26 years in uniform as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy because this nation took my family in when we had nowhere else to go as we fled Castro’s dictatorship in Cuba.

And I answered the call of our country again in 2021 when I assumed office as the Secretary of the Navy, and with it the responsibility for leading the nearly one million Sailors, Marines, and civilian employees of the Department of the Navy stationed around the globe, supported by a budget in excess of $255 billion.

The opportunities I have been afforded throughout my life, from undergraduate and graduate education to positions of increasing leadership, were all made possible because of my decision to serve our Nation, both as an officer and as a civilian.

And those same opportunities are available to all of you in this room.

Now, how you choose to serve is up to you, and there are no shortages of careers supporting our Navy and Marine Corps here in Maine.

To the south of where we are gathered here this evening is Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, where we have a need for civilian employees across skilled trades, engineering, security, health and safety, environmental protection, radiological monitoring, and child and youth programs.

To the north of us is Bath Ironworks, where General Dynamics builds the warships of our fleet, carrying on a proud tradition of New England shipbuilding.

And if you are looking for a change of scenery, we are proud to offer dozens of occupational specialties as a uniformed Sailor or Marine, providing you with the opportunity to serve in uniform as part of the world’s greatest Navy-Marine Corps team.

Service to our nation is more than just a job, it is an honorable and noble profession—one where you are a part of something greater than yourself, contributing to the advancement of our Nation, and indeed the world.

It is incumbent upon all of us that we consider how we can best lend our talents and, in the case of the graduates before us, their newly-developed skills, to build up our great nation for all Americans, and defend them against the threats and challenges of today.

To quote Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who was a native Mainer, a professor at Bowdoin College, and a hero of Gettysburg during the Civil War, “The inspiration of a noble cause enables men and women to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before.”

YCCC graduates of the Class of 2024, I invite you all to join us in a noble cause, whether it be in uniform, as a Department of the Navy civilian, or working for a defense firm in the private sector that supports our Sailors, Marines, and their families.

You have the skills, the talents, and the leadership qualities we need to ensure our Navy and Marine Corps remain ready to defend our Nation, and we hope that you will join us when you feel called to do so.

Again, it is an honor to with you and your families tonight to mark this incredible achievement.

Congratulations again, and may God Bless you, your families, this school, and our Nation. Thank you.

Source: United States Navy

Secretary Del Toro also delivered keynote remarks at YCCC’s commencement ceremony, emphasizing the importance of education as a cornerstone of the Department of the Navy’s enduring priority to Build a Culture of Warfighting Excellence.

“Our nation’s vast network of community colleges is vital to providing educational opportunities to Americans from all walks of life, meeting them in the communities where they work and reside to deliver world-class instruction across dozens of concentrations that allow them to realize their career goals,” said Secretary Del Toro, who released the Naval Education Strategy, June 2023, which provides guidance to modernize naval education to meet our Nation’s security needs.

The CEMT at YCCC is an example of successful partnership between all levels of government, industry, and academia. YCCC leaders work closely with industry and government leaders to improve processes, develop curricula, and break down barriers for entry into the trades for graduates of their programs. YCCC partners with PNSY to conduct accelerated training programs for new and current employees to develop the skills necessary to improve professionally and personally.

In March, industry, academic, and government leaders announced the Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) on the campus of YCCC, a collaborative effort to address workforce needs of Maine’s defense industry. As part of MDIA, the Navy awarded a $3.5 million grant to expand the CEMT as  part of efforts to reinvigorate the Submarine Industrial Base. The increased capacity will support 1,500 qualified individuals to meet the needs of Maine’s defense industry in welding, machining, additive, and electrical programs.

During his address, Secretary Del Toro thanked leadership at YCCC and the Maine Community College System for their efforts to bolster the region’s shipbuilding workforce. Bath Iron Works, Pratt and Whitney, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard anticipate needing to fill 7,500 positions and upgrade the skills of almost 10,000 incumbent workers over the next five years to ensure their ability to support the nation’s defense. MDIA will bridge the gap between the public and private sectors, providing a streamlined talent development process tailored for Maine’s defense sector. 

Secretary Del Toro also reiterated the importance of Maine to the Department of the Navy.

“Since the founding of our Navy, Maine has played a crucial role in ensuring we are mission-ready. From shipbuilding to hosting bases across the state, as well offering up its sons and daughters to serve our Nation in our naval services, our Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families are proud to call Maine home,” said Secretary Del Toro.

He also encouraged graduates to consider answering the National Call to Maritime Service “in support of our nation, whether in or out of uniform.”

“Service to our nation is more than just a job, it is an honorable and noble profession – one where you are part of something greater than yourself, contributing to the advancement of our Nation, and indeed the world,” Secretary Del Toro said. “It is incumbent upon all of us to consider how we can best lend our talents, and, in the case of the graduates, their newly-developed skills, to build up our great Nation for all Americans, and defend against the threats and challenges of today.”

Launched during the inaugural Fleet Week Miami, May 6, the National Call to Maritime Service is an effort to recruit talented individuals to be part of a legacy of honor, courage, and commitment to the Nation.

Source: United States Navy

The christening ceremony’s principal address will be delivered by Vice Admiral Francis Morley, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. Remarks will also be provided by the Honorable John Thune, U.S. Senator, South Dakota; the Honorable Steve Harding, Mayor of Pierre, South Dakota; Rear Admiral Thomas Anderson, Program Executive Officer, Ships; Ms. Michelle Kruger, President, Austal USA; and Mr. Stan Kordana, Vice President of Program Execution, General Dynamics Mission Systems. The ship’s sponsor is Larissa Thune Hargens.

Pierre is the 19th Independence-variant LCS and is the second ship named after Pierre, South Dakota.

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two separate industry teams. The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA (for the even-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 2).

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the littoral combat ship program can be found at: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2171607/littoral-combat-ship-class-lcs

Source: United States Navy

Leyte Gulf departed Norfolk, Jan. 28, 2024, to conduct maritime interdiction and theater security operations in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations.

“The crew of Leyte Gulf is a model for maritime teamwork,” said Vice Adm. Doug Perry, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “They partnered with Navy air assets and Coast Guard interdiction teams, showcasing 2nd Fleet’s ability to extend our presence and maintain homeland defense in other fleets. This is a profound final chapter for one of the Navy’s finest ships, and their crew should be proud of all they accomplished.”

During their final deployment, Leyte Gulf embarked the “Valkyries” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 and partnered with U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 404.

The Leyte Gulf team performed maritime interdiction operations and disrupted 4,100 kilograms of cocaine. They detected and seized a self-propelled semi-submersible containing 2,370 kilograms of illicit drugs, which was later destroyed during a sinking exercise. The LEDET boarded and took positive control of three vessels during interdiction operations and removed 15 narcotics traffickers from the narcotics trade.

“I admire the resiliency of the crew aboard Leyte Gulf,” said Perry. “Their commitment to the mission in the South Atlantic enhances maritime security through sustained naval presence.”

Leyte Gulf operated with regional partners in the 4th Fleet area and conducted theater security cooperation visits. These combined efforts aimed to strengthen maritime partnerships, enhance U.S. maritime posture, and deter threats of illicit drug trafficking.

Named after one of World War II’s largest naval battles, “The Battle of Leyte Gulf” was fought in 1944 in the Philippine Sea. It was a decisive battle that pushed back Japanese naval forces. The ship, which would be forever known as Leyte Gulf, was constructed in 1985 and commissioned in 1987.

“This ship is full of history. Each period brings its own far-off journeys, along with generations of Sailors who have manned the helm,” said Capt. Nathan Diaz, the commanding officer of Leyte Gulf. “Our last deployment was full of Sailors who made their own mark on the story of this great warship. Though our namesake comes from a battle long ago, the U.S. is still performing with a level of combat expertise and professionalism that we’ve always had as we protect the homeland.”

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.