Category: United States of America

Source: United States Navy

“These exercises give our Security Forces the opportunity to test and build their skills to protect our installations, missions and people,” said Capt. Jonathan Townsend, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP).

The drills will feature realistic, simulated threats such as active shooters, unauthorized base access and improvised explosive devices. Base residents and personnel may notice an increased presence of law enforcement and first responders during CS-SC25. All drills will be closely supervised by members of the installation Training Team, who will wear marked safety vests. Training Areas will also be marked with signage.

Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions to normal base operations. However, the drills will result in temporary delays at gates.

“We’re going to strike a balance where we provide the best training possible, while continuing our support for missions and residents. I ask all personnel to be patient and to be mindful of the importance of this training evolution, as it pertains to our ability to accomplish the mission of safety and security onboard the installations,” said Townsend.

For more information, contact the NSASP Public Affairs Office at NSASPPAO@us.navy.mil or (540) 653-8153.

Source: United States Navy

The summit supported Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s Navigation Plan 2024, which directs the Navy to be more ready for the possibility of sustained high-end conflict with the People’s Republic of China by 2027.

Adm. Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, underscored the critical role of public affairs in his approach at the operational level of war – to deny, defend, and dominate. When speaking to the group of professional communicators, Koehler emphasized that effects within the information environment are considered at the start of the planning cycle.

During the training, reserve Sailors received briefings on honing their communications skills to deliver a key strategic advantage in the Pacific. This effort aligns with Chief of Navy Reserve Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore’s strategic guidance for the Reserve Force – to put more ready players on the field as the Navy Reserve integrates with the Navy Total Force to deter, defend and, if necessary, defeat our adversaries.

According to Vice Adm. Lacore, the global security environment demands our urgent preparations and readiness to respond to the call, when needed, by posturing the Reserve Force for warfighting by accelerating the pace of organizational development and strengthening our warfighters to be ready on day one.

Leaders from COMPACFLT, to include Koehler and Rear Adm. Eric Ruttenberg, Reserve deputy COMPACFLT, as well as those from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, discussed how public affairs missions within the information environment enable strategic and operational success and reinforced the importance of engaging in truthful communication activities to counter adversaries’ increasing use of misinformation.

Rear Adm. John Robinson, Navy Vice Chief of Information, highlighted the importance of the CNO’s “Project 33” initiative, which prioritizes operational readiness including a key target of fighting from maritime operations centers, or MOCs.

Capt. Rebecca Rebarich, USINDOPACOM director of Public Affairs and Outreach, echoed Koehler’s message on integrating information forces into maritime planning. She stressed the vital role USINDOPACOM places on the information domain, ensuring warfighters are prepared to support fleet operations in the event of a high-intensity conflict with a peer competitor.

With increased tensions and escalating threats in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Navy needs to make accurate assessments and share information in real time. For Sailors in public affairs, being warfighting-ready requires a commitment to developing and sustaining world-class public affairs capabilities to support operations across the Indo-Pacific.

“Being able to witness firsthand how reservists contribute to the warfighting effort was certainly a highlight of the training,” said Lt. j.g. Justin Truong, assigned to Navy Public Affairs Support Element West. “It was critical to see how reservists integrate with our active-duty counterparts to provide strategic depth.”

Attendees included many junior public affairs officers and mass communication specialists. The summit gave them a first look at the mobilization training location and requirements.

“Ultimately, our goal was for Sailors to walk away with a renewed confidence that the U.S. Navy, of which they are an integral part of, is capable and ready to address emerging threats in the INDOPACOM region,” said Capt. Christopher Lopez, commanding officer, Reserve COMPACFLT Public Affairs, “and leave with a sense of pride knowing that the reserve public affairs community remains an indispensable part of America’s warfighting Navy.”

Source: United States Navy

The project will include critical repairs to airfield runway and taxiway pavement surfaces, including milling, resurfacing, joint sealing, and full-depth repairs as needed.

“The comprehensive airfield pavement project will restore runways and taxiways used in support of the Chief of Naval Operations’ 2024 Navigation Plan—focusing on readiness for the possibility of war and enhancing the Navy’s long-term advantage by training warfighters,” said Lt. Cmdr. Aaron Buren, public works officer for Public Works Department Key West.

NAS Key West is a vital hub for military aviation, supporting 79,000 flight hours for 1,220 aircraft in fiscal year 2024. It enables both readiness and advanced training for U.S. and coalition forces. The planned repairs will significantly extend the airfield’s operational life, ensuring its capability to support mission readiness, training, and national security operations for years to come.

The scope of work includes milling and resurfacing of runways 4-22, 08-26, and 14-32, including overruns, blast pavements, and shoulders. Repairs to Taxiways A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and M will address milling, resurfacing, shoulder corrections, and pavement slope drop-offs where required.

The contract includes two unexercised options which, if awarded, would increase the total contract value to $96.9 million.

The contract was competitively procured using the Best Value Trade-Off Source Selection method, which evaluates technical factors alongside price to determine the best overall value to the government. Three offers were received, with Head/Diaz 2022 selected based on superior technical capability and competitive pricing.

Work will be performed at NAS Key West, Florida, with an expected completion date of January 2027.

NAVFAC Southeast, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, provides planning, design, construction, contracting, environmental services, public works, real estate, and facility maintenance for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and other federal agencies across the Southeast. Its area of responsibility covers installations from Charleston, South Carolina, to Corpus Christi, Texas, and extends south to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Source: United States Navy

NAS JRB Fort Worth is supporting the deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force to the Rio Grande Valley. On Jan. 27, 2025, 400 troops from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Houston were mobilized using Ch-47 Chinook helicopters and C-130J aircrafts of the 136th Airlift Wing, a unit of the Texas Air National Guard stationed at the base. This deployment aims to bolster border security and support U.S. Border Patrol agents.

According to a press release from Gov. Abbott’s office, the deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force is an integral component of Abbott’s border security initiative, Operation Lone Star.

Deputy operations officer Lt. Cmdr. William Husky detailed the operation from NAS JRB Fort Worth.

“Our base facilitated the transport of 200 Texas National Guard personnel using four Chinooks and two C-130Js to the southern border in compliance with Gov. Abbott’s directive,” Husky stated.

The deployment reinforces ongoing efforts to address the border situation and collaborate with federal authorities to safeguard American communities.

NAS JRB Fort Worth is the first and finest joint reserve base, known for training and equipping air crews and aviation ground support personnel, while supporting missions such as airlift, aerial refueling, and global mobility, making it an integral part of national defense infrastructure.

Source: United States Navy

MAYPORT, Fla.  –  U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is advancing the Navy’s Hybrid Fleet Campaign through Operation Southern Spear, which will start later this month in U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR) and at U.S. 4th Fleet Headquarters at Naval Station Mayport.
 
“Southern Spear will operationalize a heterogeneous mix of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while learning lessons for other theaters,” said Cmdr. Foster Edwards, 4th Fleet’s Hybrid Fleet Director. “Southern Spear will continue our (4th Fleet’s) move away from short-duration experimentation into long-duration operations that will help develop critical techniques and procedures in integrating RAS into the maritime environment.”
 
Specifically, Operation Southern Spear will deploy long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels to the USSOUTHCOM AOR. 4th Fleet will operationalize these unmanned systems through integration with U.S. Coast Guard cutters at sea and operations centers at 4th Fleet and Joint Interagency Task Force South. Southern Spear’s results will help determine combinations of unmanned vehicles and manned forces needed to provide coordinated maritime domain awareness and conduct counternarcotics operations.
 
U.S. 4th Fleet is conducting Operation Southern Spear in support of our Navy’s Project 33 targets to operationalize RAS. Using RAS to increase presence in, and awareness of, strategically and economically important maritime regions will help decision-making, strengthen sovereignty, and facilitate regional cooperation.
 
“Operation Southern Spear is the next step in our Hybrid Fleet Campaign,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. “We look forward to the results of Southern Spear. Hybrid Fleet operations increase our collaboration with partners in the region while furthering the Navy’s tactics, techniques, procedures, and processes.”
 
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability.