DefenceTalkThe Navy awarded two contracts for the DDG 51 fiscal years (FY) 2013-2017 multiyear procurement (MYP) for DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers June 3. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) is being awarded a $2,843,385,450 fixed-price incentive firm target (FPIF) contract for the design and construction of four DDG 51 class ships, one in FY […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ddg-51-multiyear-procurement-contract-awarded-48030/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Navy completed the first series of developmental and operational testing (DT/OT) of Raytheon Company’s Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2. In at-sea tests conducted from the U.S. Navy’s Self-Defense Test Ship, RAM Block 2 missiles engaged two targets in tactical dual-salvo scenarios designed to demonstrate the advanced missile’s defensive capabilities. The DT/OT tests successfully […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raytheon-us-navy-complete-first-phase-of-ram-block-2-developmental-testing-47989/

DefenceTalkThe Navy’s newest unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform, the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), completed its first flight from Palmdale, Calif. May 22, marking the start of tests which will validate the Northrop Grumman-built system for future fleet operations. During the 80-minute flight in restricted airspace, the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-triton-unmanned-aircraft-system-completes-first-flight-47872/

DefenceTalkThe Department of the Navy announced May 15 that the RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) received Milestone C approval authorizing the start of low rate initial production. With MS C approval, the RQ-21A program, managed by the Navy and Marine Corps STUAS program office (PMA-263) here at NAS Patuxent River, enters the production […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-and-marine-corps-small-tactical-uas-enters-production-phase-47865/

DefenceTalkHMS Ark Royal, formerly Britain’s flagship aircraft carrier, sailed out of its home port on Monday to be scrapped in Turkey. Britain, which has always prided itself on its sea power, will have to do without the ability to launch jets at sea until 2020 as it tries to balance its books and two new […]https://www.defencetalk.com/former-uk-aircraft-carrier-towed-to-turkey-for-scrap-47858/

DefenceTalkUSNS Choctaw County, the Navy’s second Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV 2), satisfactorily completed Acceptance Trials, May 3 in Mobile, Ala. The JHSV is a versatile, non-combatant transport ship built by Austal USA and designed for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment. The ship was presented to the Navy’s independent Board of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navys-jhsv-2-completes-acceptance-trials-47814/

DefenceTalkBy Rear Adm. Richard Breckenridge, Director, Undersea Warfare, OPNAV N97 There has been a good deal of conversation recently debating the size of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine force and need for a nuclear deterrent. Some of the information used in this reporting references SSBN patrol data available to the public that is limited in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-responds-to-debate-over-the-size-of-the-ssbn-force-47810/

DefenceTalkUSS George H.W. Bush (AT SEA): The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) completed its first ever carrier-based catapult launch from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia today. “Today we saw a small, but significant pixel in the future picture of our Navy as we begin integration of unmanned […]https://www.defencetalk.com/x-47b-catapulted-from-us-navy-aircraft-carrier-47791/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin have delivered the second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) spacecraft to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., where it will be prepared for a July liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. MUOS vastly improves current secure mobile satellite communications. It links mobile users for the first […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navy-and-lockheed-deliver-newest-secure-communications-satellite-for-mobile-users-47776/

DefenceTalkCommander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) will forward deploy five patrol coastal (PC) ships to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), Manama, Bahrain, May 14. USS Tempest (PC 2), USS Squall (PC 7) and USS Thunderbolt (PC 12) are scheduled to arrive this summer. Two additional ships are expected to transfer next year. Commander, Patrol […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-forward-deploys-additional-patrol-boats-to-bahrain-47740/