US Naval Institute Proceedings – Fear and Loathing in the Post-Naval Era

Since the United States has not fought a real naval battle since World War II, justifying the high cost of a large Fleet of warships and aircraft is a tall order.

Virginian Pilot – Destroyer Stout to back today from Black Sea mission

The guided-missile destroyer Stout is due back today from a deployment that took it to the Black Sea – a region that drew worldwide attention last summer when fighting broke out between Russia and Georgia. This was the ship’s first deployment with the ballistic missile defense system – a technology designed to track and destroy missiles that can travel more than 600 miles, threatening military and civilian targets. The Stout, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is one of two East Coast ships with that capability.

StrategyPage – Reapers Go Searching For High Seas Pirates

The U.S. is going base some Reaper UAVs and P-3 maritime patrol aircraft on the Seychelles islands, to search for Somali pirates operating far from their bases.

Associated Press – Pirates fire on US helicopter

Somali pirates holding a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia fired at a U.S. Navy helicopter as it made a surveillance flight over the vessel, the first such attack by pirates on an American military aircraft.

Virginian Pilot – Four subs examined for troubles with bolts

The US Navy said Friday it is investigating mechanical problems involving bolts in the torpedo rooms of four Virginia-class submarines built at Northrop Grumman’s shipyard.