Category: United States Navy

Source: United States Navy

The ASC employees will be trained and certified on various aspects of submarine maintenance to support the AUKUS Pillar 1 program that is supporting Australia’s acquisition of sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
“After months of preparation, we are excited to welcome the Australian maintainers into our shipyard family. The intensive training process they will undergo over the next few years will lay the groundwork for them to ultimately lead and execute their own maintenance operations,” said Capt. Ryan McCrillis, commanding officer of PHNSY & IMF.

In July 2023, PHNSY & IMF was chosen as the Naval Supervising Authority and Lead Maintenance Activity for Submarine Rotational Force – West (SRF-W) at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. SRF-W will host up to four U.S. Virginia-class submarines and one UK Astute-class submarine, starting as early as 2027. Routine intermediate maintenance work, which does not require dry-docking the submarines and takes weeks – rather than months or years – to complete, will be planned and executed by ASC’s trained workforce and certified by PHNSY & IMF personnel.

“Conducting joint training and working side-by-side with our Australian colleagues is critical to building the essential knowledge needed to fully support SRF-W,” McCrillis added. “This training evolution, which focuses on technical maintenance skills, strengthens our own readiness, ensuring warfighters are equipped to carry out their complex mission.”

The first cohort of ASC personnel will receive a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on experience covering radiological controls, nuclear engineering, non-nuclear engineering and quality assurance. The training durations will vary based on the specific trades and disciplines being taught. Once they complete their training, the ASC personnel will return to Australia appropriately qualified and skilled to conduct Virginia-class maintenance, under U.S. supervision, during routine U.S. submarine port visits to HMAS Stirling. Australia and the United States expect more than 100 ASC personnel to start training at PHNSY & IMF over the next twelve months.

“We are ushering in a new era for our submarine maintenance workforce,” said Rear Adm. Matt Buckley, Head of Nuclear Submarine Capability within the Australian Submarine Agency. “By leveraging the U.S. and UK’s decades-long expertise, we are learning from the best to develop our own world-class sovereign nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarine force. The 28 ASC personnel, combined with more than thirty Royal Australian Navy personnel who joined the crew of U.S. submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) this year, represent the cornerstone of our future submarine force maintenance workforce.”

“The AUKUS partners share a commitment stretching back over a century to preserving democracy and maintaining an international rules-based order,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, program manager, AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Office. “Thanks to bipartisan Congressional support last year to pass legislation allowing us to train Australian maintenance personnel in our public shipyards, we continue to make progress toward establishing Australia’s sovereign, conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine force in support of our shared vision of a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific.”

PHNSY & IMF is also hiring additional personnel to support training hundreds of Australian maintainers.

“The shipyard is growing, so we will continue to hire to meet the needs of our fleet while adding additional personnel to support the increased training demand,” said McCrillis. “Our efforts will not only support Australia’s goal to build a sovereign SSN capability, but also provide real benefits to the U.S. Navy mission in the Indo-Pacific.”

PHNSY & IMF is a field activity of NAVSEA and a one-stop regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines. It is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawai’i, with a combined civilian and military workforce of approximately 6,400. It is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East, strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, being about a week’s steaming time closer to potential regional contingencies in the Indo-Pacific.

The AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Program Office is responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to support Australia’s acquisition of sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines at the earliest possible date while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest nonproliferation standard. The AUKUS partnership is a strategic endeavor that will uplift the industrial bases of the three partners and promote a safe, free and open Indo-Pacific, ensuring an international, rules-based order is upheld in the region.
To learn about AUKUS Pillar 1 and the Optimal Pathway, visit —- FACT SHEET: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines | The White House

Source: United States Navy

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Navy hosted a critical summit focused on blast overpressure (BOP) safety, aiming to highlight ongoing efforts to protect service members and civilians, at River’s Edge Community Center onboard Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads-Portsmouth Annex, July 15.

Source: United States Navy

The summit, sponsored by the Secretary of the Navy and organized by the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (N2N6), provides an essential venue for top DOD and Department of the Navy officials to discuss the state of space operations and capabilities within the services, as well as the latest issues and opportunities in the space domain.

Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven, who represented Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro at the summit, reminded attendees of the similarities between the maritime domain and the space domain, as well as their importance to our nation’s history.

“The sea has left an indelible mark on history and character of our nation. For nearly 249 years, our nation has relied on the grit, tenacity, and courage of our Sailors and Marines,” said Raven. “Just as the oceans have shaped the last quarter-millennium of our nation, space will shape our future – for centuries to come.”

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby, himself an NPS graduate, acknowledged NPS’ crucial, longstanding role in space systems education, operations and engineering through the school’s Space Systems Academic Group (SSAG).

“No other venue brings together the fleet and expertise with our SPACECOM joint partners to address warfighting issues in the space domain at the most senior levels of Department of the Navy and DOD,” said Kilby. “Advancing the state of the art in space-based capability is fundamental to advancing our maritime advantage. This also requires a deep bench of talented naval leaders who understand the technologies and can develop new concepts of operations for how we fight – this is happening at NPS.”

The first Naval Space Summit in 2023 was convened by Del Toro at NPS with the goal of assessing the needs, challenges and opportunities of future maritime operations in the space domain.

For this year’s event, Raven and other senior leaders not only expanded on those themes, but also centered their discussions around strengthening U.S. warfighting capabilities in the space domain. Dialogue focused on the development of space capabilities as force multipliers, as well as the increasing demand for military and commercial space capabilities to support naval operations.

As with the inaugural event, the 2024 Naval Space Summit featured classified briefs and discussions involving DOD’s top space stakeholders, with the intent of giving attendees the opportunity to share information, make connections and continue the dialogue begun the previous year.

“Our goal this year is to build on last year’s discussions (of current military space capabilities and operations and NPS space-based research) and continue on the path to align our efforts on how we plan to fight in this critical domain,” said Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare and Director of Naval Intelligence, during his opening address on July 9.

In addition to Raven, Kilby and Thomas, senior Navy and Marine Corps leaders who came to NPS included Vice Adm. Craig Clapperton, commander of Fleet Cyber Command, Navy Space Command and U.S. Tenth Fleet; Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh, commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and Marine Forces Command; and Vice Adm. Blake Converse, deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Among the senior DOD and U.S. government officials attending were U.S. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM); Space Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space; U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Steve Butow, military deputy and director of the space portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU); and Mr. Bale Dalton, NASA Chief of Staff.

Raven, Whiting, Schiess, Butow and Dalton presented keynote addresses during the course of the summit, while Schiess, Cavanaugh and Converse participated in a flag and general officer panel – moderated by Thomas – to discuss dependencies of warfighting on the space domain.

The majority of the other briefs during the Naval Space Summit’s agenda were presented by senior DOD and DON representatives, as well as subject matter experts from other U.S. government agencies.

As the host of the Naval Space Summit, NPS – and in particular SSAG – provided substantial contributions to the summit’s agenda, ranging from student research presentations during the opening session in King Hall Auditorium to student showcase events later in the week.

“Bringing the Naval Space Summit back to NPS reinforces the importance of our institution as a center of space education, research and innovation for the Navy and Marine Corps,” said retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau, President of NPS.

Rondeau, NPS Acting Provost Dr. Jim Newman and SSAG Acting Chair Dr. Wenschel Lan all spoke during the opening session, which saw presentations by three NPS students – Marine Corps Maj. Dillon Pierce and Navy Lt. Chuck Bibbs and Lt. Conor Murtha.

“The underlying message of the Naval Space Summit aligns closely with the lessons from NPS’ space policy and space strategy courses,” said Bibbs, who graduated from NPS in December 2023 with dual master’s degrees before returning to support the school’s Space Systems research efforts. “Both emphasize the need for military and commercial partners to develop solutions proactively to address imminent space challenges posed by adversaries.

“NPS serves as the perfect venue for these crucial conversations, offering junior and mid-level officers the opportunity to listen to general and flag officers and familiarize themselves with these challenges early in their careers, and for them to hear our ideas. I was grateful for the opportunity to share my story and research with these senior leaders.”

Among the NPS students attending sessions throughout the week were Navy and Marine Corps officers who had been designated as Maritime Space Officers – individuals with space expertise who will directly support Navy and Marine Corps activities in key space-oriented billets.

Students from SSAG also had the opportunity to provide updates on their own space-based research during a showcase event and poster session, and a separate Emerging Tech Showcase gave summit participants a chance to learn more from industry partners who have signed Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with NPS to support relevant research efforts.

“Having the Naval Space Summit at NPS was a great opportunity for our students,” Lan said. “Not only were they able to hear from our naval and joint space leaders and engage with them firsthand, the meaningful discussions have already enhanced course lectures and spurred future thesis research ideas.”

The participation of non-Navy agencies in the Naval Space Summit, including NASA and the Space Force, served as a reminder that space operations are truly a joint effort – something which Lan believes is also reflected in NPS and its mission.

“Our student population doesn’t just include naval officers – we have officers from the other armed forces as well as our foreign partner nations, which we recognize as an incredible value as the space domain evolves,” she added. “Through the interdisciplinary nature of the Space Systems curricula at NPS, we strive to educate our students so that they can contribute towards solving real-world operational problems.”

According to Thomas, the Naval Space Summit resulted in greater information sharing and an increase in dialogue between the services – and considerable enthusiasm to continue that dialogue again next year.

“This was a busy three days of open and frank discussions on current and future issues of critical importance to the naval space mission and the future fight,” Thomas said. “Additionally, many new working relationships were established and connections made – these relationships will ensure this important work and focus continues.”

– Learn more about the Space Summit agenda and advanced space education at NPS: https://nps.edu/web/ssag

Source: United States Navy

Newport, R.I. — Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti hosted the CNO Futures Game at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, July 16-17.

Franchetti emphasized the need for leaders across the Joint Force to think, act, and operate differently, and seek ways to integrate conventional capability with hybrid, unmanned, and disruptive technologies, because tomorrow’s battlefield will be incredibly challenging and complex. 

“It is our duty to plan for the future and ensure our Fleet is always ready to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war,” said Franchetti. “The Navy is never going to fight alone. We will work hand-in-hand with our Joint teammates and Allies and partners. To that end, I challenge you to have an open mind and think about the capabilities, people, and broader warfighting ecosystem across the Joint Force that we’re going to need to effectively carry out our missions.”

Futures Game is organized by the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development Vice Adm. Dan Dwyer.

“The Navy uses events like the CNO Futures Game as part of our ongoing analytic efforts to shape and inform naval strategy, analysis, operational concepts, and warfighting requirements,” said Dwyer. “By examining potential future states, we can characterize the operational problems the Navy will face today and tomorrow as well as what roles the Navy may be asked to perform in support of our national security. Events like the CNO Futures Game support this process and allow us to better characterize future challenges.”

Robust wargaming and analysis underpin Navy efforts by providing analytic rigor and a comprehensive examination of strategic and operational concepts to support CNO decision making on the most consequential issues facing the Navy.

“We know our enduring functions: sea control, power projection, deterrence, maritime security, and sealift, but it is our ability to test alternative concepts, reinvigorate analysis, and explore future force structure options that will enable us to field a force capable of responding to all threats–anywhere and anytime,” said Franchetti.

As a critical component of the Navy’s Analytic Master Plan (AMP), the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) is designated by the CNO as the Navy’s pillar lead for wargaming. NWC spearheads efforts to integrate all research activities within the naval wargaming enterprise and facilitates the promulgation and integration of research findings across the naval analytic community.

Wargaming has been integral to NWC since 1887. While the tools and technology used in simulations have evolved over the past century, the value of wargaming in maritime leadership development remains strong. Today, NWC conducts more than 50 gaming events per year, ranging in variety from complex, multi-sided computer-assisted games to simple, single-sided seminar games.
This was Franchetti’s first time hosting the Futures Game as CNO. She hosted the Futures Game in 2023 as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. 

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Source: United States Navy

Carderock’s outgoing commanding officer, Tardy, and Rear Adm. Todd Evans, Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center/Naval Undersea Warfare Center, welcomed Matassa into the new position at Carderock’s Raye Montague Center for Maritime Technology.

“In spite of the turmoil created by these unprecedented times, our Navy’s mission continues uninterrupted,” Evans said. “We have been very fortunate to have had leaders like Matt at the helm. Throughout his command tour here, he has displayed exemplary leadership and superb foresight as he has seized several opportunities to steer a high visibility organization of thousands of employees through significant and dynamic changes while fulfilling our Navy’s mission.”

Before passing the baton to Matassa, Tardy reflected on his time in West Bethesda and thanked the Division’s personnel for their dedication to the Carderock mission.

“We’ve accomplished so much, but there is always more to do,” Tardy said. “The world is unpredictable, and we’re doing the right things here at Carderock to support our fleets. Thank you for your dedication and service. The team is getting an amazing leader in Chris. Stay focused, stay positive and keep on executing.”

Tardy assumed command at Carderock on May 12, 2023. One of his first experiences as commanding officer included the International Human-Powered Submarine Races (ISR), a biennial Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) event held at the Division’s David Taylor Model Basin. The 2023 ISR was the first in-person event to occur at West Bethesda since the COVID pandemic. Since then, Tardy has been a loud advocate for the Division’s STEM and Outreach Program.

In his closing remarks, Tardy said he takes pride in all of the accomplishments the workforce achieved during his tenure.

“I’m proud of our advancements in warfighting readiness, establishing a crisis response center and a watch bill,” he said “To do this, you must have great people leading the way. What really made these programs function were the selfless volunteers who stepped up to make this work.”

Tardy was awarded the Legion of Merit for his superior accomplishments, and departed Carderock to replace former Carderock commanding officer Capt. Cedric McNeal at the Navy’s Amphibious Warfare Program Office (PMS 377).
Matassa joins the Division as a decorated naval officer. For the past several years, he has served at the Pentagon, working in the Chief of Naval Operations Surface Warfare Division (OPNAV N96) as a Future Ships Requirement Officer.

“I’m grateful and humbled by this opportunity.” Matassa said. “I keep thinking to myself ‘Wow! This place is so cool.’ The facilities and technologies here are so unique, truly unlike anything in the world. I am excited to take command at Carderock, and I cannot wait to advance American sea models at a critical time for our national security.”
Matassa most recently served as the Chief of Staff for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Ship Programs before assuming command as Carderock’s 41st Commanding Officer.

Carderock is one of the Navy’s pre-eminent research and development facilities that specializes in critical ship design components headquartered in West Bethesda, Maryland. The Carderock Division supports small-scale model testing and evaluation of next-generation surface ships and underwater vessels. The three foci components of Carderock are: Platform Integrity, Signatures and Naval Architecture and Engineering. Carderock, a Naval Surface Warfare Center and a major component and field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command, is “Where the Fleet Beings,” and is comprised of state-of-art, world-class facilities found nowhere else on earth, including the David Taylor Model Basin and the Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin, as well as support research detachments in Bayview, Idaho, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Ketchikan, Alaska, Memphis, Tennessee, Norfolk, Virginia, Titusville, Florida, and Silverdale, Washington.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/CarderockDivision or https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Carderock/.