Contract: T. Carroll, $6.6M

T. Carroll Associates Inc. Silver Spring, Md., is being awarded a $6,573,962 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of engineering services for vulnerability, recoverability, and hardening studies of ship structures, shipboard equipment, submarines, combatant craft, and Marine Corps vehicles. Work will be performed in West Bethesda, Md. (93 percent); Newport News, Va. (3 percent); Washington, D.C. (1 percent); Quantico, Va. (1 percent); Aberdeen, Md. (1 percent); and Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. (1 percent). Fiscal 2014 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $128,574 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center - Carderock Division, West Bethesda, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00167-15-D-0004). (Source: DoD, 04/30/15)

DDG 113 to be christened

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- The Navy will christen the newest guided missile destroyer, the future USS John Finn (DDG 113), May 2 during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. It's the 63rd Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The new destroyer honors Lt. John Finn, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the first attack by Japanese airplanes at Pearl Harbor. Finn manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp. Wounded multiple times, he had to be convinced to leave his post. After receiving first aid, he returned to the squadron area to supervise the rearming of returning planes. (Source: DoD, 04/30/15)

Contract: multiple, $35M

Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., (N61331-15-D-0013); EDO Corp., Panama City, Fla. (N61331-15-D-0014); and Piping Systems International Inc., Bay Minette, Ala. (N61331-15-D-0015), are each being awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award supply contracts for the provision of hardware, materials and supplies to support the littoral and mine systems and science and technology programs. Examples of programs being supported include the Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasure Systems, Remote Minehunting Systems, unmanned maritime systems, mine warfare programs, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission module integration, LCS fleet introduction and sustainment, seaframe construction, MH-60 integration, acoustics, magnetics, electro-optics, signal processing, automatic target recognition and senor and data fusion. The maximum dollar value, including the base period and four option years, for all three contracts combined is $35,000,000 and the companies will compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be conducted in various Navy ship homeports and is expected to complete in April 2020. At time of award, Atlantic Diving Supply is being awarded a delivery order for $15,028, EDO Corp. is being awarded a delivery order for $82,221, and Piping Systems International Inc. is being awarded a delivery order for $220,012. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $317,261 will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/23/15)

Baker joins NOLA port board

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal appointed New Orleans businessman Arnold Baker to the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners. Baker, sworn in April 16 during the board's monthly meeting, will serve a five-year term. He succeeds Daniel Packer as one of four Orleans Parish representatives on the seven-member board that oversees port operations in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes. Baker is the owner and founder of Baker Ready Mix and Building Materials. (Source: NOLA.com 04/17/15)

Contract: Austal, $11M

Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded an $11,038,412 cost-plus-award-fee order against the previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-15-G-2304) to provide engineering and management services for advance planning and design in support of the post shakedown availability for the littoral combat ship Pre-Commissioning Unit Jackson (LCS-6). Austal will provide design, planning, and material support services for the vessel. Efforts will include program management, advance planning, engineering, design, material kitting, liaison, and scheduling. Work will be performed in Mobile (77 percent); and Fairfax, Va. (23 percent), and is expected to be completed by September 2016. Fiscal 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,363,723 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of this fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair-Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/16/15)

Frigate will leverage LCS testing

The Navy’s new frigate design will go through the requirements-generation and testing process as an upgrade rather than a new-start program to save money and funds by focusing on changes from an upgraded Littoral Combat Ship program, says frigate program manager Capt. Dan Brintzinghoffer. The frigate is working its way through the Joint Requirements Oversight Council process to support the first two ships being bought in FY 2019. A Request For Proposal with detailed technical data is likely to go out in FY-17 to allow industry to prepare bids and giving the Navy about 18 months to finalize its design – with common combat systems, over-the-horizon radars and over-the-horizon missiles. (Source: USNI News 04/15/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds one of two LCS variants - the Independence class. Both variants have different combat systems.

Navy to test railrun in GoM

The first at-sea test firing of the Navy’s electromagnetic railgun is tentatively scheduled for late summer of 2016 in the waters of Eglin Air Force Base’s Maritime Test Range in the Gulf of Mexico. The high-powered electromagnetic pulsed rail gun can deliver its projectile at more than seven times the speed of sound. It will be mounted on the deck of the Joint High Speed Vessel USNS Trenton to fire over-the-horizon projectile at a target anchored in the Gulf, said Capt. Mike Ziv, program manager for Directed Energy and Electric Weapons Systems. The railgun, in development since 2005, can fire a hypervelocity projectile at three times the velocity of a typical 5-inch gun’s shell. Trenton was selected for its large flight deck, and large bay area, to accommodate the railgun. (Source: Seapower Magazine 04/14/15) Austal USA shipyard christened USNS Trenton (JHSV 5) in early January 2015. It was the fifth JHSV produced by the Mobile, Ala., facility.

Panama City-built mini-sub a hit

The floor of the annual Navy League Sea-Air-Space exposition is always packed with displays, but it’s somewhat unusual to have lines forming around one both. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ booth displayed a new celebrity - a coal-black undersea vessel on display for the first time. The new “celeb” is Proteus, a submersible undersea vehicle created by what is now HII's Undersea Solution Group (USG), Battelle and Bluefin Robotics. The craft came under HII's purview in January with the purchase of the CG's Engineering Solutions Group, an outfit with long experience building swimmer delivery vehicles for the Navy. Proteus is a unique design to function as an autonomous, unmanned underwater vehicle. The craft was built in 2012 at the group's facility in Panama City, Fla. Since becoming operational, Proteus has undergone evaluation by a numerous Navy entities, including the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City. HII is offering Proteus as a leased test platform asset for the Navy. (Source: Defense News 04/14/15)

Ingalls idea spurs Va. shipyard

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Newport News (Va.) shipbuilding plans to turn a failed economic development project into something that could pay off in future dividends. In July 2009, the shipyard broke ground on a 300,000-square-foot nuclear component manufacturing facility – in a joint venture with the French company Areva – to create 540 jobs and result in a $363 million capital investment. But the project fizzled in 2012. Now, the shipyard is looking to ramp up production of its second Ford-class aircraft carrier – with pressure to reduce costs – to fill those empty spaces. In a matter of weeks, the Navy could award a detailed design and construction contract to the shipyard's parent, Huntington Ingalls Industries, for the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy. If it happens, the shipyard plans to transform those old spaces into a building to increase efficiency – including heavy indoor manufacturing that can be protected from the weather. (Source: Newport News (Va.) Daily Press 04/14/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Note: The Virginia shipyard has taken cues from its sister-facility at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., which uses mobile shelters to shield work from the weather. Newport News plans to employ fabric shelters that resemble Quonset huts that can be moved as needed.

F-35B hot-downwash solved

After lots of work on the USS America (LHA 6), the Navy has finally figured out what kind of modifications it needs to make to its new large-deck amphibious landing ships to be able to handle the hot downwash from MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor and the vertical-lift F-35B Joint Strike Fighters. The ships are designed for MV-22s and the F-35B, but the Navy “didn’t know what all this heat was going to do to the ship,” said Capt. Chris Mercer, amphibious warfare manager. At issue is that some type aircraft produce powerfully-hot downwash directly onto the flight decks, which could cause decks to warp. The amphib program has since conducted numerous engineering and developmental tests to find out how to handle the downwash. The Navy will make environmental effect modification retrofits to get America up to code to host F-35Bs and Ospreys sometime this fall. For USS Tripoli (LHA 7), the Navy will be able to work some of those changes into baseline specifications because the ship is undergoing construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. LHA 8 will work changes even earlier into construction. It is in the design phase. (Source: Seapower Magazine 094/13/15)

NSC has successful trials

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the successful completion of builder's sea trials for the company's fifth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter, James (WMSL 754). The ship, built at HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding, spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico testing all of the ship's systems. Ingalls' test and trials team led the sea trials and conducted extensive testing of the propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor handling, small boat operations and combat systems. This culminated in the successful completion of a four-hour, full-power propulsion run on James. Ingalls has delivered four NSCs and has three more, including James, under construction. A construction contract was just awarded for an eighth NSC last week. (Source: HII via Globe Newswire, 04/07/15)

Contract: CACI, $11.8M

CACI Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded an $11,807,528 modification under previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6307 for professional support services in support of Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships. CACI Technologies will provide: (1) program analysis, development, control, and monitoring support; (2) administration, communication and human resources; (3) business, finance, and cost estimating; (4) technical and engineering support; (5) information technology; and (6) life cycle support. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C. (90 percent); Norfolk, Va. (4 percent); San Diego, Calif. (2 percent); Panama City, Fla. (2 percent); Newport, R.I. (1 percent); and Monterey, Calif. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by June 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation, fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Navy), and fiscal 2015 other procurement (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $11,807,528 will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $10,686,573 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/03/15)

Contract: HII, $12.3M

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $12,299,265 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-2410 for additional LX(R) Amphibious Ship Replacement Program early industry involvement for preliminary design efforts. The LX(R) Amphibious Ship Replacement Program awarded early industry involvement contracts to two U.S. shipyards (Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, and General Dynamics NASSCO) that have the facilities and resources to build a large amphibious ship without major re-capitalization. The contractor(s) will be required to continue to perform design efforts, special studies, analyses, and reviews in support of the LX(R) Amphibious Ship Replacement Program. The tasking may include efforts related to systems engineering, marine engineering, naval architecture, cost estimating and computer modeling. The early industry involvement contracts will enable the shipyards to investigate ship designs and production cost reduction opportunities and to participate in the preliminary design evolution and reviews. Input from the shipyards will help the government refine its analysis and produce sound design products and cost estimation relationships. The participation of these two shipbuilders in the early design and preliminary design phases captures total ownership cost reduction opportunities upfront, when larger savings may be achieved, prior to ship detail design and construction. Work will be performed in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed by October 2016. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation contract funds in the amount of $7,200,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/03/15)

CNO, Palazzo tour Ingalls

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi toured Huntington Ingalls Inc.’s Ingalls Shipyard April 2 to see progress on a new class of Aegis destroyers and amphibious assault vehicles. Ingalls is working on three major projects: Aegis destroyer John Finn, amphibious assault ship Tripoli and the amphibious transport dock John P. Murtha. "We're impressed with the quality (and) dedication of the workers," Greenert said. Workers “put their heart and soul into what they produce, and we can see it when it's out there in the fleet." The destroyer project is part of a new generation of naval warfare that will provide fleets with much-improved radar and long-range targeting. Greenert called the destroyer the "Swiss Army knife for combat at sea." Palazzo said Ingalls has nine ships under construction in Pascagoula. (Source: Biloxi Sun Herald 04/02/15)

Contract: Seemann Composites, $50M

Seemann Composites Inc., Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $49,944,504 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with one cost-plus-fixed-fee line item for the design, fabrication and testing of various structural components for naval surface and sub-surface vessels using a proprietary Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP). This contract will use an advanced composite fabrication technique to design and fabricate prototype components, support installation, perform material testing, and provide test support to the government for various marine components and structures using the SCRIMP fabrication process to support the fleet. The company will provide complete and tested prototypes and end items as deliverables via individual completion type delivery orders. Work will be performed in Gulfport and is expected to complete by April 2020. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured as it is a follow-on to a Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Ship System Engineering Station, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-15-D-0015). (Source: DoD, 04/02/15)

CNO praises versatility of LCS

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., stressed the versatility of the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) at a press conference at Naval Air Station Pensacola. After touring the USS Independence (LCS 2) with the congressman, the CNO highlighted the value of the LCS's ability to be repackaged for multiple missions. "The thing that is of value about the LCS is that she has great volume, high speed, and is modular," said Greenert. "What that means is you can change out packages to perform different missions." The ship has been testing its new anti-mine warfare technology in the Gulf of Mexico since Feb. 20, and will be docking between sorties at NAS Pensacola throughout its training operation. (Source: NNS, 04/01/15) Two variants of the LCS are being built. The Independence class is built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.

GC-built Peleliu decommissioned

The Navy decommissioned the “Iron Nickel” amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA-5) March 31 in San Diego. There were more than 100 former crew members and 10 COs at the ceremony. The Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship was built by the Gulf Coast’s Ingalls Shipbuilding, now Huntington Ingalls Inc., in Pascagoula, Miss. The LHA served for more than 34 years and carried the first Marines into Afghanistan following 9/11. Peleliu will be moved to Pearl Harbor to join America’s inactive reserve fleet, but although to be in “mothballs,” the ship could be recalled to active service. Peleliu was commissioned in May 1980 and was the last of five in the Tarawa class of general-purpose amphibs. (Source: San Diego Union-Tribune 04/01/15)