Posted on 01/16/2019 7:52:30 AM PST by SleeperCatcher
The U.S. Navy’s top surface warfare officer has issued a call to action — or a warning — to his crews: They need to develop a “sense of urgency” regarding the Russian and Chinese navies.
In an address to the Surface Navy Association in Washington, D.C., this week, Vice Adm. Richard Brown said that U.S. warship crews, for the first time since the Cold War, must make ready for aggressive actions by adversaries with peer or near-peer capabilities at sea, such as when a Chinese navy destroy came within yards of ‘scraping paint’ off a U.S. destroyer last fall in the South China Sea.
Also, for the first time since World War II, junior officers and enlisted personnel may have to step in for senior leaders if they are cut off our killed outright during a surprise attack using sophisticated new weapons, Breaking Defense reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at greatpowerwar.com ...
Who “gained”?
Judging from what we know about the USS Fitzgerald incident the US warship may have blundered into the path of the Chicom. The US Navy and DOD had best work on improving professionalism, getting rid of deadwood in the service and spending serious money on both eliminating maintenance backlogs and enlisting enough quality personnel to have warships fully crewed. Besides expansion and modernization of the fleet a ruthless program to institutionalize professionalism and technical competence is required and this will have to start at the top. Unfortunately that is difficult as there are far to many McRavens in the USN officer corps.
Also my first thought
USS California (SSN 781) is a Virginia-class attack submarine.
The Virginia-class, also known as the VA-class or 774-class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class attack submarines, designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines, 20 of which have already been decommissioned.
The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding (then called Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.) in Newport News, Virginia, on 14 August 2003. Construction began in December 2006.[4] California's keel was laid down on 1 May 2009. She was christened on 6 November 2010, sponsored by Donna Willard, wife of Admiral Robert F. Willard.[5] She was launched eight days later, on 14 November 2010.[6]
California is the first Virginia-class submarine built with the advanced electromagnetic signature reduction system; although it will be retrofitted into older submarines of the class.[7]
California was delivered to the Navy on 7 August 2011, eight and a half months ahead of schedule.
The $2.3 billion ship was commissioned on 29 October 2011 in Norfolk, Virginia, with Dana Nelson in command and a crew of 134.[9]
Story Number: NNS180925-02Release Date: 9/25/2018 8:59:00 AM A A A
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Monique Meeks, Naval Submarine Support Center, New London, Public Affairs
GROTON, Conn (NNS) — USS California (SSN 781) returned from a regularly-scheduled, six-month deployment to a pier full of loved ones who had come out on a picturesque first day of fall to welcome the boat and her crew home, Friday, Sept. 21.
The 8th ship in the Virginia Class of nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarines, under the command of Cmdr. Dave Payne, California returned to its homeport of Naval Submarine Base, New London following a deployment to the European Command Area of Responsibility where they executed the Chief of Naval Operations Maritime Strategy in supporting national security interests and Maritime Security Operations.
“The entire California family performed admirably throughout our deployment to U.S. Sixth Fleet,” said Payne, commanding officer, USS California (SSN 781). “These Sailors, supported by exceptional families, demonstrated the awesome flexibility and power of our nation’s finest warship.”
In accordance with long standing U.S. Navy tradition, Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) First Class Adam Pike shared the first kiss with his wife Stephanie; while Chief Yeoman Scott Thomaszewski shared the first hug with his wife, Kristy, and their children, Marian (age 5), Marcus (age 9), and Madilyn (age 12).
“We are really excited to see my husband and I feel extremely lucky to be the first one able to kiss my spouse,” said Stephanie Pike, who was watching the lines be tossed across to California’s crew as she prepared to be moored, happy tears in her eyes as she held her eight-month-old daughter, Scarlett, who had only seen her father once during a port call since he left while she was just one month old.
During the deployment, California steamed approximately 42,000 nautical miles and served as ambassadors for the United States, the Navy and the submarine force during port visits to Faslane, Scotland and Haakonsvern, Norway.
One of the notable parts of the homecoming was that there were no “new fathers,” those who had yet to meet their new babies who had been born during the deployment. This was in part due to manning flexibility which allowed those who were expecting babies in the early days of deployment to be temporarily assigned locally until their child was born and others to depart the submarine during a port visit to make it home to either be there for their child’s birth or shortly thereafter to meet their newest bundle of joy.
Many changes had taken place at home while the crew was deployed. Alysia Ings, fiancé of Machinist’s Mate (Auxiliary) First Class David Faulks, noted that their nine-month-old daughter, Arabella, “has been saying dada all morning. It’s so weird because she never says that. I think she knows that today is the day.” To put that into perspective, her father has never heard her say “dada” before because she was just two months old when he deployed.
“I’m the happiest I could be because he gets to see his daughter for the first time in almost seven months and I get to fall in love with him all over again,” said Ings.
The crew put their time underway to good use. During the deployment, the crew of California had many accomplishments including 29 promotions, one officer earning their gold dolphins (submarine service warfare device), 25 crew members earning their silver dolphins, 19 watch qualifications, and three reenlistments while traveling the equivalent of approximately two complete trips around Earth at its equator.
“Together, they safely sailed over 42,000 nautical miles and conducted the full spectrum of peacetime operations,” said Payne. “They represent the finest character of American citizens. I am proud to have sailed with each of them, and overjoyed to see them reunited with their families.”
Fast-attack submarines like California are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities - sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. The submarine is designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare; anti-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare – from open ocean anti-submarine warfare to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to projecting power ashore with Special Operation Forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.
Commissioned on October 29, 2011, California is the eighth U.S. Navy vessel to carry the name California. It is 377 feet long with a beam of 34 feet. Virginia-class fast attack submarines have a crew of approximately 132 made up of 15 officers and 117 enlisted Sailors. The California’s motto is Silentium Est Aureum (“Silence is Golden”), which pays tribute to both the submarine force’s motto, The Silent Service, and California’s state motto, The Golden State.
Get more information about the Navy from US Navy Facebook or Twitter.
For more news from Naval Submarine Support Center, New London , visit www.navy.mil/local/nsscnlon/.
China yes, Russia no.
Russia could be our greatest asset in fighting radical Muslim.
China only wants our $$$ and they see it slipping away.
We are in a World battle for the last remaining $$$$.
Do we still have MAD ?
You will have to scroll over extra for that.
Why are we spending so much money on the military if they are not ready to fight and, until perhaps recently, not used to defend the border?
What issues?
There are no issues.
Mixed male/female crews and combat units are effective and fair.
There are no problems. Ever. None. Really.
Because being "fair" trumps all other considerations.
Honestly, the SJWs who are running the Defense Dept. would gladly lose a war before admitting mixing male and female crews and combat units is a mistake. As far as they're concerned, a lost war and many dead is a small price to pay for fuzzy feelings and "equality."
Is this the same “U.S. warship crews” that keep bumping into other ships?
“... a recommendation by a pretrial hearing officer that Lt. Natalie Combs instead be sent before a board of inquiry to determine whether she should be discharged from the Navy,”
“One expert witness during the Article 32 testified that Combs had just 13 actions involving monitoring or tracking other ships on her console that night – none in the last hour and 13 minutes, leading up to the collision, when there were many ships in the vicinity that night.”
There was one report (which I’ve been unable to locate) that the Officer of the Deck and the Combat Information Center officer (both female) “were not speaking to each other”.
[and, yes, men do make stupid decisions, too, but probably not because “they were not speaking to each other”.]
Good-bye Admiral.
Ok that do be Quantico...
I can see a boost to complete an exercise but carry your own gear.
Either you are a MARINE or not.
Guess on the battlefield the Males will get to carry the BAMs gear
I can think of a good use for those swords ...
So, with our troops scattered all over the world, fighting various useless wars, what we need now is an active fight with China and Russia. Right....
I am referring to the economic advances and modernization China has made in the last 30ish years.
The Russian economy's about the size of Italy's too...
BUT Russia does give the EU and the Pentagon massive excuses for NATO to continue existing and for 'full employment' taxpayer supported social activism experiments...
(Going trans-gender? The military will still 'chip in' over a hundred thousand for operations, doctors and hospitals... AND trans-genders don't have to serve overseas because they need to be 'close' to their doctors.
Why should I care that my enemy is making economic advances?
It would seem that the military should ALWAYS be ready to fight. Isn’t that their assignment?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.