Category: United States Navy

Source: United States Navy

Aviators across USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) carrier air wing now train as a joint fighting force while deployed at sea in advanced simulators thanks to aviation pros across the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) enterprise. 

The new training capability was made possible through extensive partnership between Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD) Joint Simulation Environment (JSE); NAWCAD’s Webster Outlying Field (WOLF); the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD); and the Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges Program Office, with support from industry partners Boeing, Collins Aerospace and General Dynamics Information Technology. 

The system—called Simulators at Sea—increases readiness for aviators flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and E-2D Hawkeyes attached to Abraham Lincoln’s Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9. It is the first integrated training capability for an air wing to deploy on a Navy carrier. 

The training system features a suite of connected virtual desktop trainers that enables CVW-9 aviators to rehearse missions—including wartime scenarios—together while at sea, an exercise not possible before this program. Historically, joint mission training on this scale is limited significantly, because practicing wartime scenarios can be risky, flight operations can be expensive, and real-life rehearsal puts Navy tactics on display for adversaries. 

After the team learned squadrons were deploying on Navy carriers with a limited ability to train together consistently, they started with the outcome: ensure Navy fighting forces maintain proficiency while deployed at sea. 

“Naval aviators train extensively working up to deployment, but those skills begin to atrophy when they pull out of port,” said NAWCAD JSE Director Blaine Summers, whose team delivered the Simulators at Sea capability. “This was a capability gap we had to plug with a fully integrated carrier air wing solution—one we’re ready to scale across the Navy’s fleet of carriers.” 

With no formal requirement or funding, the team made it happen. Their success was thanks to an abundance mindset by the joint team, who recognized our NAVAIR enterprise has the talent and technology to make Simulators, at Sea possible, all it took was bringing it together. After mapping out a plan, the joint team brought the new trainers to CVN 72 in less than 12 months. 

“Coordinating the engineering, logistics and ship modifications for these classified programs was daunting—these were things we never really tried,” said Mark Mckinnis, IPT lead for Virtual Integrated Training. “Getting this moving quickly sometimes required elevating things to senior leaders, including U.S. Pacific Fleet, the Naval Aviation Enterprise, and ship and air wing commanders.” 

The Simulators at Sea effort was complex, requiring multiple technical disciplines from across the enterprise to put their expertise onto the same project. When the team hit challenges—cyber and security, for example—they elevated issues quickly to leaders who could remove barriers to stay on timeline. 

“The challenges we were up against included tight timelines, the scope of the ship modification, and the unknowns along the way—our relationships were key to navigating all three of these areas,” said A.J. Lawrence, NAWCAD’s Ship Alteration Installation manager at WOLF. 

CVW-9 has trained in its new simulators daily since its July 2024 deployment. The team plans to expand Simulators at Sea to other aircraft carriers through partnerships with OPNAV and the Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges Program Office. 

“The best part of this project was hearing an E-2 aviator describe the new training to Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Stephen Koehler,” Mckinnis said. “He called it ‘better than the training they get ashore’ because in Sims at Sea, they can train for things they can’t anywhere else—that was an exciting breakthrough.” 

From the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.  

Source: United States Navy

Lt. Cmdr. Adam Sandifer was relieved of his duties as NRC Shreveport’s commanding officer by Rear Adm. Michael Steffen, the commander of Navy Reserve Forces Command.

The Navy maintains the highest standards for commanding officers and holds them accountable when those standards are not met.

Lt. Cmdr. John Perez has been temporarily assigned as NRC Shreveport’s commanding officer. Sandifer has been temporarily reassigned to Navy Personnel Command. He assumed command of NRC Shreveport in March 2024.

For questions related to this release, contact Cmdr. Robert Myers, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Public Affairs at CNRF_PAO@us.navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

After 15 locks, four Great Lakes, three port visits, and over 2,500 nautical miles traveled, USS Beloit (LCS 29) and her mighty crew at last arrived in the Atlantic Ocean, continuing her transit to its future homeport, Naval Station Mayport, Florida. 

The road to make it to the Atlantic Ocean included months of preparation from the crew. In less than two months after moving onboard in August, the crew certified in several mission areas required to safely operate and get underway including: Search and Rescue, Navigation, Damage Control, Communications and Engineering.

“The Beloit Badger crew are some of the best Sailors I have served with. They are resilient, strong, flexible and dedicated, and I am blessed to be their Commanding Officer. Almost everything we have done in the past five months has been ‘high risk’ and ‘first time’, but that’s what makes us so unique,” said Cmdr. LeAndra Kissinger, Beloit’s commanding officer. We work hard, pray hard, and lean on each other as a team. We truly are a family, and when a family wants to accomplish a mission, it’s hard to stop them.”

Each evolution, although involving different departments on the ship, required careful coordination and support from each division and Sailor onboard and was necessary for the crew to be able to set sail from Marinette, Wisconsin, towards the site of its commissioning ceremony in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

On November 23, the crew took the order to “man the ship and bring her to life.” Amongst thousands of onlookers, the ship made its much anticipated transition from pre-commissioned unit to United States Ship and began her sail around home. 

Her commissioning festivities included a crew visit to their namesake town of Beloit, a Chairman’s dinner hosted by the Commandant, and a commissioning ceremony who’s audience was filled with veterans from many significant battles. Along the way, she stopped in Cleveland, Ohio, Quebec City, Quebec and Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Norfolk for refueling, stores replenishment and liberty for the crew.  

“This crew has shown tremendous resilience in overcoming the last 4 months. Completing difficult consecutive certifications while learning a new ship and being away from family. This team made it look easy and brought a whole new meaning to the term “Beloit Proud,” said Senior Chief David Chisholm, Beloit’s Senior Enlisted Leader. “Watching them perform under pressure and overcoming every obstacle with grace shows just how awesome our team is and their readiness to face the challenges ahead after some much needed and well-deserved family time. It is an honor to be sailing with them and representing the city of Beloit.”

Capt. James Lawrence said it best, “Don’t give up the ship.” And that’s exactly what this crew did to get us home on time!” said Operation Specialist first class petty officer Ernesto Sanchez, USS Beloit’s Sailor of the Year!

With the last port fading in the rear only a few hundred nautical miles remain before Jacksonville is within view, the crew is eagerly awaiting returning to their families and friends, and ready to take on the next mission that will come their way as the Navy’s newest warship join the fleet!  

LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats and is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. 

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two, visit https://www.surflant.usff.navy.mil/lcsron2/ or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/comlcsron2/

Source: United States Navy

Aircraft with PRGBs that currently meets or exceeds a predetermined flight-hour threshold will resume flights in accordance with controls instituted in the March 2024 interim flight clearance (IFC).

A new IFC, containing additional risk mitigation controls, has been issued to address aircraft with PRGBs below the flight-hour threshold. These controls will remain in place until the aircraft’s PRGBs are upgraded, or the predetermined threshold is exceeded.

NAVAIR collaborated with the Navy, Air Force Special Operations Command and the Marine Corps to implement the bulletin and IFC.

Due to operational security concerns, the specifics of the V-22 flight-hour threshold, number of aircraft affected and additional flight controls will not be released.

NAVAIR remains committed to transparency and safety regarding all V-22 operations. The V-22 plays an integral role in supporting our nation’s defense. Returning these vital assets to flight is critical to supporting our nation’s interests.

NAVAIR continuously monitors data and trends from all aircraft platforms to provide service members the safest, most reliable aircraft possible.

Source: United States Navy

Spruance departed San Diego with the ABECSG and deployed to the 7th and 5th fleet area of operations, July 17, 2024.

“The Spruance crew continues to impress – there is no other team that I would rather be a part of. I am immensely proud of all that the team has accomplished and will continue to accomplish. This deployment was a test of our readiness, and our Sailors exceeded every expectation,” said Cmdr. Thomas “Matt” Adams, commanding officer, Spruance. “Facing advanced missile threats and attack drones in a high-stakes environment, they demonstrated exceptional tactical precision and a war fighter mindset. From identifying incoming threats to controlling aircraft to executing flawless missile engagements, our crew neutralized every danger with unwavering focus and discipline.”

ABECSG initially deployed to the Indo-Pacific region to support regional security and stability, and to reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment, highlighted by the first-ever U.S.-Italy multi-large deck event (MLDE) with the Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour Carrier Strike Group held in the Indo-Pacific on Aug. 9, 2024.

The strike group was ordered to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to bolster U.S. military force posture in the Middle East, deter regional escalation, degrade Houthi capabilities, defend U.S. forces, and again sailed alongside our Italian allies and other partners to promote security, stability and prosperity. Assigned destroyers of the ABECSG, to include Spruance, were essential to providing a layer of defense to U.S. forces and ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels and partner nations transiting in international waterways like the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

The destroyers worked alongside U.S. Central Command forces in successfully repelling multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks during transits of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. During the transits, the destroyers were attacked by one-way attack uncrewed Aerial systems, anti-ship ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles which were successfully engaged and defeated. The vessels were not damaged and no personnel were hurt. The ships were well prepared, supported, and the well-trained Sailors successfully defended the ship.

“I am so proud of our team. Our Sailors met every challenge on this deployment with professional excellence. Sailors displayed the highest levels of teamwork, adaptability, and courage—qualities that make our Navy the finest in the world,” said Cmdr. Leigh R. Tate, executive officer, Spruance. “There is no other group of Sailors who have more grit and tenacity for mission success, and they proved it.”

Throughout deployment, Spruance traveled 37,200 nautical miles, conducted 12 replenishments-at-sea, 28 sea and anchor details, Anti-Submarine Tactical Air Controller (ASTAC) controlled over 800 hours of rotary air wing control and the Air Intercept Controllers (AIC) controlled 50 live runs with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 and U.S. Air Force assets. Spruance also achieved 36 re-enlistments, 37 advancements and seven officer promotions. Spruance Sailors were awarded the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Expeditionary Medal and Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) for their actions in the Bab el-Mandeb.

Spruance was led by their commanding officer, Cmdr. Thomas “Matt” Adams, executive officer, Cmdr. Leigh R. Tate, and Command Master Chief Kurtiss Vervynckt.

The ABECSG is the most capable CSG comprised of the air wing of the future, the most advance Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Peterson Jr. (DDG 121) as Integrated Air and Missile Defense Commander, and the Arleigh Burke destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, representing more than 6,000 Sailors, deployed from their homeports of San Diego and Pearl Harbor since July 2024.

Deploying units of the strike group include the flagship USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), DESRON 21, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, and Frank E. Petersen Jr. While the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, assigned to DESRON 21, USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) returned to its homeport, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS O’Kane (DDG 77) and USS Stockdale (DDG 106) remain deployed in the 5th Fleet area of operations supporting global maritime security operations.

As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat missions to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.