Defense Archives
Lockheed Martin Manufactures and Delivers 1,000th Decoy Payload for Ship Self-Defense System
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has manufactured and delivered the 1,000th payload for the Nulka decoy program, a joint effort between the U.S. and Royal Australian navies that uses a hovering decoy to lead an incoming missile away from a ship.
Nulka is an integral part of a ship's layered defense system against incoming missile threats. It is installed on several classes of U.S. Navy and Canadian navy ships, as well as on every Australian surface combatant.
"This joint effort has yielded extraordinary benefit and has fostered an exceptional spirit of cooperation between the U.S. and Australian navies," says Ed Settle, the U.S. Navy's program manager for the Joint U.S. / Australia MK 53 (Nulka) decoy program.
Lockheed Martin has worked with BAE Systems Australia, the Nulka decoy prime contractor, since 1994. The payloads are manufactured by Lockheed Martin in Marion, Mass., and the decoys are assembled by BAE Systems in Australia.
"Our commitment to Nulka goes beyond the investments we've made in this program over the years," says Donna Edwards, Lockheed Martin's Nulka program manager. "We know that every payload we manufacture must perform flawlessly to help keep our sailors safe." http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ms2
New Range of Underwater Connectors from Seacon
SEACON (europe) Ltd is pleased to announce the release of a new range of underwater electrical dry-mate connectors to enhance the existing 55 Series. The new 66 Series of reverse gender connectors enable power to be applied to the bulkhead connector yet still be safe to use. Manufactured utilizing tried and tested methods and materials this new range also incorporates shorter locking sleeves to ensure easier mating capability.The 66 Series is currently available in two shell sizes; 16 and 20 with two configurations (8#16*/13#16), however more configurations will be added to the range if required.
www.seacon.com
Hydroid to Provide Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Command (NOMWC) with Three MK 18 Mod 1 Swordfish Variants of REMUS 100.
Hydroid, Inc., a leading manufacturer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), has announced that it has received multiple delivery orders under an existing U.S. Navy contract to provide three additional MK 18 Mod 1 Swordfish variants of the REMUS 100 to the Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Command (NOMWC) headquartered at Stennis Space Center, Miss in partnership with PMS 408 (EOD).
“NOMWC has been using older REMUS vehicles, some original Navy prototypes, for the last couple of years so we are very pleased that they’ve elected to acquire the newest and most capable of the REMUS 100 systems” said Christopher von Alt, president of Hydroid Inc. “REMUS is the only combat proven AUV and was used by Mine Counter Measures (MCM) forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now our understanding is that these systems will be used to help safeguard vital U.S. ports and harbors against maritime terrorist threats.”
NOMWC, located at Stennis Space Center, Miss, operates UUVs in support of the Navy's operational Mine Warfare force. These new systems will provide NOMWC's UUV Platoon an expeditionary capability to measure physical characteristics of the underwater environment and identify submerged objects, primarily in confined harbors and restricted waterways.
Cmdr. Matt Borbash, NOMWC commanding officer comments, "UUVs have proven to be a force multiplier in mine countermeasures operations with the added benefit of environmental data collection, whether in-stride of mine hunting or during baseline oceanographic survey missions. This purchase significantly increases our inventory and capacity to conduct cyclical AUV missions, greatly enhancing our mission capability." Delivery is expected in early 2011.
Hydroid Inc. holds the exclusive license from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the manufacture and further development of the REMUS Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology. In June 2008, Hydroid was acquired by Kongsberg Maritime, and now offers the REMUS and HUGIN family of autonomous vehicles that meet a full range of autonomous needs.
Navy Policy Will Allow Women To Serve Aboard Submarines
The Department of the Navy has announced a policy change that will allow women to serve on submarines. The change was considered by Congress after Secretary of Defense Robert Gates formally presented a letter to congressional leaders Feb. 19, 2010 notifying them of the Department of Navy's desire to reverse current policy of prohibiting submarine service to women.
"There are extremely capable women in the Navy who have the talent and desire to succeed in the submarine force," said the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.
"Enabling them to serve in the submarine community is best for the submarine force and our Navy. We literally could not run the Navy without women today."
On July 28, 1994, Congress was notified of policy changes to expand the number of assignments available to women in the Navy. At that time, opening assignments aboard submarines to women was deemed cost prohibitive and assignments on submarines remained closed.
Currently, women make up 15 percent of the active duty Navy – 52,446 of 330,700. Integrating women into the submarine force increases the talent pool for officer accessions and subsequently the force's overall readiness, ensuring that the U.S. Submarine Force will remain the world's most capable for ensuing decades.
"The young women that have come up to me since we announced our intention to change the policy have such great enthusiasm," said Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations. "Knowing the great young women we have serving in the Navy, as a former commanding officer of a ship that had a mixed gender crew, to me it would be foolish to not take the great talent, the great confidence and intellect of the young women who serve in our Navy today and bring that into our submarine force."
"Today, women earn about half of all science and engineering bachelor's degrees," said Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, Commander, Naval Submarine Forces. "There are capable women who have the interest, talent, and desire to succeed in the submarine force. Maintaining the best submarine force in the world requires us to recruit from the largest possible talent pool."
Implementing the policy change will begin by assigning three female officers in eight different crews of guided-missile attack (SSGNs) and ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
The assignments involve two submarines on the East Coast and two on the West Coast, each of which is supported by a Blue and Gold crew. More living space is available aboard these platforms which will require no modification, permitting the Navy to move quickly on integrating female officers in submarines.
"We need to open up the aperture for submarine officer selection to maintain our current selectivity," said Rear Adm. Barry L. Bruner, Commander, Submarine Group Ten and leader of the Women in Submarines Task Force. "The key to making this significant change happen successfully will be correctly carrying out the plan and also ensuring that we educate the force and their families."
SSGNs provide the Navy with an unprecedented combination of strike and special operation mission capability within a stealthy, clandestine platform, while SSBNs are specifically designed for extended strategic deterrent patrols. There are currently 14 SSBNs and four SSGNs in the Navy's inventory, each with two crews assigned.
The female officers would be assigned after completing the 15-month submarine officer training pipeline, which consists of nuclear power school, prototype training, and the Submarine Officer Basic Course. The SSBNs are billeted for 15 officers and 140 enlisted, while the SSGNs have a crew allotment of 15 officers and 144 enlisted.
"We have created a well-thought-out plan to phase in the female officers to the selected SSGN and SSBN submarine crews," added Donnelly. "Enabling these bright and talented female officers to serve will be a great asset to our submarine force, our Navy, and the strength of our military."
For more news from Commander Submarine Force visit www.navy.mil/local/sublant.
FarSounder Awarded Navy SBIR for Safe High Speed Boat Operation
FarSounder is pleased to announce the award of an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) for Forward Bathymetry Sensing for Safe High Speed Boat Operation.
This Phase I SBIR was awarded by the US Department of Defense in order to improve the safety and efficiency of naval high speed small boat operations. FarSounder proposed a 3-dimensional, forward looking sonar solution capable of simultaneous bathymetry sensing and obstacle detection out to significant ranges. The system will be capable of very high speed operation and suitable for installation on high speed 11-meter RHIBs. Additionally, the system will be designed to include a simple to use and understand human interface.
According to Cheryl M. Zimmerman, Chief Executive Officer, “The US Navy will benefit significantly from the development of this new high speed sensor system as it will allow manned high-speed small boats to operate at the intended speeds for which the vessels were designed, while offering safe passage by avoiding obstacles and groundings.”
The results of this project will provide other government agencies such as police, fire, port security and emergency departments with high speed craft, increased situational awareness for their missions. It will also allow safer transiting through open waterways for post disaster operations in debris filled waters and safer and shorter routes for high speed, jet powered short sea and transatlantic shipping vessels.
“We expect to see future benefits to our commercial interests”, continues Zimmerman, “as this would allow for safer navigation for high speed crew boats and ferries, which must balance passenger safety with speed as well as environmental impact, and also for high speed mega and super yachts with planing hulls.”
FarSounder is a US based high technology marine electronics manufacturer specializing in underwater acoustics. With unique patented technology, the Company has a global customer base of commercial, government and private sector users served by over 40 sales and service partners around the world.
