Virginian Pilot – Congress is battleground over carrier move

Now that the Department of Defense has made clear its intent to move a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla., the battle between Florida and Virginia shifts to Congress.

Virginian Pilot – Hampton Roads could host futuristic speed boats

A Hampton Roads Army or Navy base could be a homeport for the next generation of rapid transport ship being developed jointly by the services.

Virginian Pilot – Quadrennial review says Navy ‘will’ base carrier in Florida

Defense officials made clear Monday they’re backing the Navy’s desire to relocate a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla. Whether the Navy is successful may come down to a nasty fight in Congress, say some Virginia legislators, who argue the military hasn’t provided any solid research to justify the relocation.

New York Times – U.S. Speeding Up Missile Defenses in Persian Gulf

General Petraeus said that the acceleration of defensive anti-missile systems in the Persian Guolf — which began when President George W. Bush was in office — included “eight Patriot missile batteries, two in each of four countries.” Patriot missiles are capable of shooting down short-range offensive missiles. He also described a first line of defense: He said the United States was now keeping Aegis cruisers on patrol in the Persian Gulf at all times.

Defense Technology International – The Tenth Fleet

The U.S. Navy will stand up its cyber operations unit, the so-called Tenth Fleet, this week.

Virginian Pilot – Navy sued to halt training near endangered whales

Environmental groups sued the Navy on Thursday to halt plans for an offshore training range that they fear would threaten endangered right whales, which migrate to nearby waters off Georgia and Florida each winter.

Air Force – A Specter Haunts the Carrier

The growing threat posed by China, not to mention political woes, has shaken up the US Navy.

Defense Technology International – JSF – Navy Ready To Abandon Ship?

For the service of “loose lips sink ships”, the Navy leaked the blandly titled “Joint Programs TOC Affordability” document through more holes than IJN Yamato off Okinawa. This was no baby-seals-type accident. It’s a deliberate hit at the highest level.

Virginian Pilot – Trend surfaces: Islamist Web sites soliciting info on ships

A group that monitors Islamist Web sites has noted a disturbing trend – Internet posts from prominent contributors discussing attacks on U.S. warships.

Defense Technology International – Pentagon’s Think Tank Delivers Bold New Proposal For the U.S. Navy

A new report released yesterday by the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment—the DoD’s in-house think tank run by Nixon-appointee and Beltway survivor Andrew Marshall—says the U.S. Navy has to get bigger, and diversify.

Virginian Pilot – Carrier Eisenhower detours to assist Coast Guard with rescue

The aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower left Norfolk early Saturday morning for a six-month deployment, but shortly after sunset, the Eisenhower was sent to assist with a Coast Guard rescue off the coast of Cape Hatteras.

Sea Power – 2010 Almanac Highlights – Status of the Navy

The state of the US Navy as of January 1, 2010.

US Naval Institute Proceedings – It Takes A Carrier: Naval Aviation and the Hybrid Fight

Carriers still provide capability unmatched by any other weapon system in the U.S. arsenal.

The Atlantic – Wipeout

Guam’s surfers fret about the impact of a $15 billion defense buildup on their island.

Daily Telegraph – US use sea lions in terrorism fight

Sea lions are being trained to locate mines and detain suspicious divers in the fight against terrorism.

Defense Technology International – Hot Hot Hot

US Navy amphibious ships operating MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors will need major structural repairs after less than half their planned service lives, according to a newly released Navy document, unless a new Deck Thermal Management System (DTMS) can be developed to protect the decks from exhaust heat. The only other alternative identified so far is a heavy structural modification to the deck. The JSF is considered likely to cause similar problems.

BBC – Drones scour the sea for pirates

Sleek and sinister-looking, the latest weapon against piracy could have flown directly out of a science fiction film.

Honolulu Advertiser – USS Texas pays icy visit to Arctic

After a dearth of news since it left its base on the East Coast bound for Pearl Harbor, the submarine USS Texas finally resurfaced — near the North Pole. The 7,800-ton attack submarine, with a crew of about 134, last month completed a historic exercise in the Arctic when it became the first of the new Virginia-class submarines not only to operate in the region, but also to surface through the ice.

BBC – US launches ‘Twin Towers’ warship

A warship built with steel salvaged from the World Trade Center has been put into service in New York.

Defense Tech – DDG 1000: On Target

Norman Polmar writes that amidst the Navy’s leadership attempt to explain — some would say rationalize — the massive cost increases and delays in several major shipbuilding programs, the Zumwalt (DDG 1000) program appears to be on cost and on schedule.

Defense Tech – LCS Near Selection

Norman Polmar writes that in an attempt to bring order to the Navy’s problem-plagued littoral combat ship (LCS) program, the Navy has announced that it will “down select” a winner from the two LCS designs. The selection, in fiscal year 2010, will determine which design and hence which firms will be responsible for the construction of a planned 51 additional frigate-size warships.

Associated Press – U.S. UAVs protecting ships from Somali pirates

For the first time, sophisticated U.S. military surveillance drones capable of carrying missiles have begun patrolling waters off Somalia in hopes of stemming rising piracy.

StrategyPage – Naval Hawks Over Arabian Seas

One of the U.S. Navy’s two RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs recently returned from the Middle East, after a field test of its capabilities. The aircraft made over 60 flights and spent over 1,000 hours in the air. The flights were over land and sea areas, even though the UAV sensors are designed mainly to perform maritime reconnaissance. U.S. Air Force Global Hawk maintenance personnel assisted the navy in tending to the navy RQ-4 while it was on the ground, and for landings and takeoffs. The UAV was operated by navy personnel back in the United States at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The aircraft was officially called the BAMS-D (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator).

Associated Press – Navy’s newest warships top out at more than 50 mph

The Navy’s need for speed is being answered by a pair of warships that have reached freeway speeds during testing at sea.

Defense Technology International – Underwater AIM-9X

In the open ocean, a submarine can be stealthy – by using depth and maneuverability – to avoid air attack. But tactical options have become more limited in littoral operations that require operating in shallow water where evasion is difficult. The new AIM-9X is an air-to-air missile, but with a special underwater shroud (in a combination called the Littoral Warfare Weapon), it can be carried in an unmodified configuration and fired from a submarine’s vertical launch tube.