Marines may deploy with LCS

QUANTICO, Va. - The Navy's newest frigate version of Littoral Combat Ship could carry contingents of Marines, according to a new Marine Corps operating concept. The new Marine Corps Operating Concept continues the tradition of deploying Marines in non-traditional vessels and sea-basing platforms, but opens the door for future operations on a broader role in maritime security, counter-piracy operations, and sea control aboard smaller surface ships, LCS, future frigates, T-AKE dry dock cargo ships, and Arleigh Burke destroyers. A survivability upgrade will soon transform the LCS program into future frigates with more weaponry and retrofits for existing LCS. The process of building and fielding the future frigate is expected to begin after 2018. (Source: Military.com 09/29/16) Gulf Coast Note: One of the two variants of current LCS (Independence class) is built by Austal USA shipyard of Mobile, Ala.

5-year GoM strategic plan

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) has released a new five-year Strategic Plan designed to provide a roadmap for developing ocean tools, technologies and applications to improve GoM forecasts, as well as the ability to protect the environment and support human safety and Gulf economy. GCOOS is one of 11 regional systems nationwide under the banner of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System. (Source: GCOOSA-RA 09/29/16)

ROV: 1st for GoM

Independent subsea remotely operated vehicle (ROV) service provider ROVOP has expanded its fleet of ROVs. The Houston-based company has taken delivery of a new Seaeye Leopard electric work class ROV which will be the first of its kind for the Gulf of Mexico, in direct response to market conditions, and set to help operators reduce costs. The ROV offers work class capability in a small footprint. The system is suited to work tasks such as drill support, pipeline survey, exploration, salvage, cleaning and IRM. (Source: Marine Link 09/29/16)

‘Doughnut Hole’ talks over GoM

Officials from the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba met Sept. 29 for another round of discussions on the limits of the Western Polygon, an oil-rich area in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, according to sources. The discussion is over who owns what in the overlapping so-called "Doughnut Hole". International law gives nations the right to resources found in seas within 200 nautical miles of their territory. But when areas overlap, countries have to craft agreements. The talks aimed at defining the coordinates may conclude Sept. 30. A Mexican government spokesman confirmed that officials from the three nations met on the issue, and results may be announced publically on Sept. 30. (Source: Marine Link 09/30/16)

Louisiana firm's pact for $28M

Hornbeck Offshore Operators LLC of Covington, La., was awarded a $28,056,820 modification under a previously awarded contract to exercise a one-year option for the operation and maintenance of four blocking vessels. Work will be performed at sea worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2017. (Source: DOD 09/29/16)

Feds push GoM protection

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced Sept. 28 the availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) recommending strong measures to protect marine mammals and coastal environments in the Gulf of Mexico from potential impacts of geological and geophysical (G&G) surveys for oil, gas and minerals in federal and adjacent state waters. Completion of the draft PEIS was a condition of a federal court settlement between BOEM and the National Resource Defense Council and other co-plaintiffs. Among the mitigations BOEM has recommended as a preferred alternative are: Requiring protected species observers on each boat, mandatory vessel avoidance of marine mammals and start up and shut down rules that apply if or when marine mammals are observed in the area. (Source: Marine Link 09/28/16)

‘RFI’ for military use of UUVs

In September, the Navy solicited a “Request For Information” from contractors asking for proposals on how existing unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) could be adapted for military use. Under the “extra large unmanned undersea vehicle” project, Naval Sea Systems Command wants to conduct experiments to develop tactics and concept of operations. Contractors like Battelle, General Dynamics and Boeing Phantom Works have made big bets on commercial robots they believe are suitable and cheaper than what the Pentagon could invent. Undersea Solutions Group (USG), which was acquired by Huntington Ingalls Industries, built its UUV craft called Proteus in 2012 at its Panama City, Fla., facility in partnership with Battelle and Bluefin Robotics, who developed its navigational and software systems. Proteus has undergone more than 100 test missions and 400 logged hours underwater. (Source: National Defense 09/27/16)

CG medevacs cruise passenger

NEW ORLEANS - A Coast Guard boat crew medevaced a 60-year-old female from a cruise ship about seven miles offshore from Venice, La., on Sept. 26. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received the assistance request from the cruise ship Carnival Triumph after the passenger sustained an injury. CG launched a 45-foot response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Venice and transported the patient to emergency medical services in Venice. EMS transported the duo to Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner. The woman was reported in stable condition. (Source: Coast Guard 09/27/16)

UNITAS visit to Spearhead

GULF OF PANAMA - High ranking civilian and military officials paid visit to the USNS Spearhead on Sept. 27 during UNITAS 2016, an annual maritime military exercise involving 11 countries from the Americas. This year's exercise, hosted by Panama, is a multinational maritime exercise in its 57th year with the goal of increasing interoperability between navies and public security forces. (Source: U.S. 4th Fleet 09/27/16) Gulf Coast Note: USNS Spearhead was built at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala.)

SECNAV Mabus nearing finale

Former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus, who is now the longest serving Navy Secretary since WWI, is nearing the end of a nomadic career in public service. In October, SECNAV will turn 68. The coming change to the presidency in January will mean Mabus’ exit. He grew up in Ackerman, graduated from Ole Miss, earned a master's from Johns Hopkins and left Harvard Law with a degree as magna cum laude. It was all because he grew up in a family that valued knowledge and education. All though much of his past has been in politics, Mabus said he doesn't think any of his future will be in any elected or appointed post. As SECNAV, he has logged 1.3 million miles, but plans to spend more time with his family. Perhaps, he said, they will no longer require him to wear a name tag at family events. (Source: Commercial Dispatch 09/26/16) His position as SECNAV is administrative - no uniforms, ribbons, or salutes. But what he described as a "cool" perk is authority to name ships. Sometimes "memos" come from Congress with "suggestions" for ship names, but otherwise, from the days of George Washington, secretaries have named ships.

New LCS training facility

SAN DIEGO - The Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 22 for the Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility (LTF) at Naval Base San Diego. The LTF will be home to three Independence variant Integrated Tactical Trainers (ITTs) completed with a full mission bridge, bridge wing trainer, and functional combat system and mission package (3) trainers. Each trainer can be operated independently to focus on team training to those specific teams. They can also be linked to train all three mission package teams. Naval Surface Forces, Littoral Combat Program Executive Office and the Naval Education and Training Command among other organizations have come together to deliver a gold-standard LCS training facility to the fleet, said Capt. Bill McKinley, CSCS commanding officer. The mission of CSCS is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems and specialized training for officers and enlisted sailors required to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems. (Source: Center for Surface Combat Systems 09/26/16) Gulf Coast Note: Independence variant LCS is built at Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala. The headquarters of the Naval Education and Training Command is based aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.

Contract: BAE, $16M

BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards Alabama LLC, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $16,045,915 firm-fixed-price contract for a102-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2). Work will include underwater hull inspection and propeller polishing, osprey hangar door modifications, conversion of ballast tank to greywater holding tank, oily water tank conversation and machinery upgrades, low-temperature fresh water coolers cleaning and gasket material change out, high-temperature fresh water coolers cleaning and gasket material change out, air conditioning plant overhaul, air handling unit heaters replacement sliding block drive hoist chain replacement and propeller shaft and stern tub inspection. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $17,235,922. Work will be performed in Mobile and is expected to be completed by Feb. 9, 2017. The Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N32205-16-C-4311). (Source: DoD, 09/23/16)

Austal-built LCS 6 arrives in SD

SAN DIEGO – The third Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, USS Jackson (LCS 6) was to have arrived at its new home port in San Diego on Sept. 22. The warship was built at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. The ship and crew conducted training and equipment testing in Mayport, Fla., before beginning its voyage to San Diego. On the way through the Panama Canal, Jackson visited Manzanillo, Mexico, and Balboa, Panama. Jackson’s arrival two months ahead of schedule is a “testament to the true sustainability and capability of this amazing warship," said Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Troy Fendrick. (Source: San Diego City News Service 09/22/16) Five LCS have suffered from a series of engineering failures over the past year.

GoM-Campeche exploration

Petronas Overseas Ventures signed an agreement to license some 50,000 square miles of the WesternGeco Campeche deep water seismic survey in the southern Gulf of Mexico. This “will help unravel the hydrocarbon potential in the complex and under explored Mexican deep water basins,” said Emeliana Rice-Oxley, VP of exploration at Petronas. The WesternGeco Campeche deep water multi-client seismic survey is available for oil and gas companies participating in exploration in Mexico. The project follows the Mexican government's opening of licensing rounds to non-government companies for the first time. (Source: Marine Link 09/22/16)

CNO confident in LCS program

Despite five Littoral Combat Ships having had breakdowns in the last 12 months, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson has confidence in the dual-variant program and gave a reminder that other ship classes have experienced early struggles. CNO praised the LCS, and said the program remained on track, as ideal platforms for international engagement. His remarks Sept. 21 came one week after the Independence-class USS Montgomery (LCS-8) suffered two engineering casualties three days after its commissioning at Mobile, Ala., forcing the crew to set course for Mayport, Fla., repairs. Since December, three Freedom-class LCS - Milwaukee, Fort Worth and Freedom – have sustained engineering issues requiring repairs. The Independence-class Coronado was sidelined in August with a seawater leak. Only two active LCS - Independence and Jackson, both built at Austal USA in Mobile – have not sustained engineering problems since commissioning. CNO compared the problems in the early days of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and Perry-class frigate programs. On Sept. 5, the Navy announced it had completed an engineering stand-down of all LCS, and would undergo an extensive engineering review and retraining for crews. The Navy continues to rollout of 26 planned LCS. An eighth, Detroit, is to be commissioned Oct. 22. (Source: Military.com 09/21/16)

Mine-hunting sonar kits to Navy PC

Northrop Grumman has delivered the first of three lots of mine-hunting sonar upgrade kits to Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla. The end-users will be the HM-12, 14 and 15 Mine Countermeasures squadrons. Production contracts from the Navy’s PMS-495 are for upgrading 27 AQS-24A mine-hunting systems into the more advanced AQS-24B system. Work is being conducted in three production lots. The first production lot has been delivered. Lot 2 is to be delivered in the fall; and Lot 3 in Spring 2017. The AQS-24B will be operated from MH-53E helicopters and the Mine Hunting Unmanned Surface Vessels currently deployed in the Arabian Gulf. (Source: Maritime Link 09/21/16)

Maritime job fair in Mobile

A need has surfaced in the Mobile, Ala., area for jobs on the waterfront. Shipbuilders are looking to fill job vacancies. The Alabama Department of Labor is working with community colleges and local governments to encourage job seekers to take advantage of free training. The training is needed to land open positions as welders, pipe-fitters, electricians, and carpenters. A job fair is being planned for the Mobile maritime industry Oct. 4 at Bishop State Community College, but the state wants people to sign-up in advance. (Source: WKRG 08/13/16)

Fla. firm to share $10M pact

Moca Systems Inc. of Niceville, Fla.; Crawford Consulting Services of Pittsburgh; and Project Time & Cost of Atlanta will share in the award of a $10,000,000 small business contract for architect and engineering, and cost engineering services to support the Mobile (Ala.) District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 19, 2021. Army Corps of Engineers of Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DOD 09/20/16)

La. firm gets ship channel pact

Weeks Marine Inc. of Covington, La., was awarded a $26,571,750 firm-fixed-price contract for the Houston (Texas) ship channel in Chambers County, for deferred environmental restoration. Work will be performed in Houston with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2017. The Army Corps of Engineers of Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. (DOD 09/20/16)

Deploying UUV gliders in GoM

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Naval Oceanographic Office deployed two deep-water gliders, and the University of Southern Mississippi deployed one shallow-water glider, in the Gulf of Mexico on Sept. 14 to provide real-time data in support of ocean content models that aid in hurricane intensity forecasting. The deeper the warm water, the more a storm can extract energy from the ocean, explained NAVOCEANO chief scientist Carl Szczechowski. Gliders are autonomous underwater vehicles used to measure temperature, conductivity, optical beam attenuation and pressure. Civilian pilots command and control gliders 24/7 at Stennis Space Center. (Source: National Oceanographic Office 09/19/16)

Helis halts La. oil ops

Helis Oil & Gas Co. abandoned its drilling operation in St. Tammany Parish, northeast of Mandeville, on Sept. 20 after a lengthy review of geologic and engineering data from an exploratory well. The decision halts Phase II that would have involved hydraulic fracturing. Helis intends to abandon the well and secure the site in accordance with regulatory requirements and its leases, according to a company statement. Tuesday's decision brought an abrupt end to 30 month controversy over the project, including numerous court hearings and passionate public meetings that many residents opposed on the grounds of environmental concerns and the unwanted industrialization of the parish. (Source: Times-Picayune 09/20/16)

Oxford firm awarded $13M pact

Orocon-Carothers JV3 of Oxford, Miss., was awarded a $13,303,500 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the Bluegrass Army Depot consolidated shipping center project. Work will be performed in Richmond, Ky., with an estimated completion date of March 23, 2018. (Source: DOD 09/19/16)

Va. shipbuilders miffed

The Virginia Ship Repair Association has expressed its disappointed in the Navy’s decision to award Huntington Ingalls at Pascagoula, Miss., with a $14 million contract for repair and maintenance work on the Norfolk-based USS Ramage. “It’s very disheartening,” said Bill Crow, president of the VSRA, which has 250 member companies. After hundreds of layoffs across Virginia shipyards in 2015, the expectation had been the USS Ramage (DDG 61) contract would go to a Hampton Roads facility. “This is not just a one-off anomaly,” Crow added. “The work, projected to be completed in August 2017, could be worth up to nearly $21.5 million. HII Pascagoula built Rampage. Navy contracting rules require that if work on a vessel is projected to last more than six months, the contract has to be competed regionally, according to Naval Sea Systems Command. HII Pascagoula’s primary business is building vessels, not repairing them, Crow said. HII Pascagoula’s last major destroyer repair work was 15 years ago on USS Cole. (Virginian-Pilot 09/16/16)

LCS 8 suffers engine issues

On Sept. 13, the Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8), only 24 hours from transiting from Mobile, Ala., to its new home port in San Diego, experienced two unrelated engineering issues. The ship conducted a fueling stop at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and will sail to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., this coming week under its own power, for warranty repairs to a seawater leak in the hydraulic cooling system, and gas turbine engines. (Source: USNI News 09/16/16) It was the fifth LCS of both variants to have onboard issues. Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence variant.

PC shipyard wins CG pact

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., on Sept. 15 for production of the lead Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and up to eight follow-on cutters. The total contract award was valued at $110.29 million. It has a potential value of $2.38 billion with options to produce nine cutters. Eastern won the three-way contract battle against Bollinger (La.) Marine and Bath (Maine) Iron Works. (Source: Coast Guard 09/15/16)

GC-built NY remembers 9/11

MAYPORT, Fla. - More than 400 people gathered on the pier at Naval Station Mayport on Sept. 11 - next to the bow of amphibious transport dock USS New York (LPD 21) – for a remembrance ceremony to the tragic events of 9/11. The ceremony included the presentation of a firefighter’s jacket from a survivor of 9/11 and a wreath-laying. "Fifteen years ago to the day and the hour, our nation came to a standstill," said LPD-21 chaplain Lt. Dirk Caldwell. USS New York was constructed at the former Avondale, La., shipyard with seven-and-a-half tons of steel from the World Trade Center forged into her bow. New York was christened March 1, 2008, at Avondale, and delivered to the Navy on Aug. 21, 2009, at New Orleans. (Source: USS New York 09/15/16)

Contract: Austal, $248.9M

Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $248,898,142 fixed-price, incentive firm target modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2217 to definitize the long lead time material of the undefinitized contract action, and to award the procurement of the detail design and construction of the 11th and 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels (formerly Joint High Speed Vessel). The EPF vessels will provide high-speed, shallow-draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies, and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army. Work will be performed in Mobile (59 percent); Novi, Mich. (8 percent); Fairfax, Va. (7 percent); Houston, Texas (3 percent); Warminster, Pa. (3 percent); Chesapeake, Va. (2 percent); Gulfport, Miss. (2 percent); Milwaukee, Wisc. (2 percent); overseas (4 percent); and various places below one percent (10 percent), and is expected to complete by March 2020. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/15/16)

NOLA Trans-Atlantic service

APL, one of the world’s leading ocean carriers, announced Sept. 16 the launch of its Atlantic Gulf Express (AGX) Service – a direct Trans-Atlantic service which connects key markets of North Europe, the U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Connecting directly from the Port of Le Havre and Miami, the new AGX service will serve as a Trans-Atlantic service enabling shipments across the East Coast, North Europe and Mexico markets. It is designed to provide fast transit time between Europe and major South Atlantic ports, and fast connections between the South Atlantic, U.S. Gulf and Mexico markets. The new AGX service will call the ports of Le Havre, New Orleans, Houston, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Charleston, Savannah, Miami, Veracruz, and Altamira. The first sailing commences from Le Havre on Oct 2. (Source: APL 09/16/16) APL is one of the world’s leading ocean carriers that offer more than 90 weekly services and call ports in over 50 countries worldwide and Americas’ offices in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Deepwater Horizon film

Accuracy was the top priority for filmmakers of a new movie about the 2010 BP ‘Deepwater Horizon’ oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 offshore workers, according to the director and lead actor. The film, entitled "Deepwater Horizon", had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept 13. The film focuses on the hours before and after the rig explosion on April 20, 2010, that led to the worst offshore oil disaster in American history. (Source: Marine Link 09/14/16)

GoM lease sale March ’17

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ‘s (BOEM) director announced Sept. 15 that it will offer about 47 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico off the shores of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi for oil and gas exploration and development in the Central Planning Area. Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 247 is scheduled to take place in New Orleans in March 2017, which will be the 12th offshore sale under the Obama administration's Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program from 2012-17. This 11 other sales have netted more than $3 billion, and support of the White House’s goal of continuing to increase domestic oil and gas production. (Source: Marine Link 09/15/16) 

Contract: Ingalls, $19.1M

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $19,140,000 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-2410 for LX(R) Amphibious Ship Replacement Program design acceleration. Work will be performed in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed by September 2017. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/14/16)

Ingalls earns $14M Ramage pact

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $14 million base contract to perform an extended selected restricted availability on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61). With all options exercised, the total contract value would be $21.4 million. USS Ramage was originally built at Ingalls and delivered to the Navy in 1995. The overhaul includes ship alterations, repairs, testing and procurement of materials. Work is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2017. Ingalls has built and delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the Navy. The shipyard currently has five more under construction. (Source: Ingalls Shipbuilding 09/14/16)

LCS 8 commissioned

MOBILE, Ala. - A crowd of about 3,000 gathered Sept. 10 on the Mobile (Ala.) River for the commissioning of the newest Littoral Combat Ship, USS Montgomery (LCS 8). The commissioning pennant was let fly; and 35 crew members in their Navy white uniforms jogged onto the ship’s deck. On Sept. 12, USS Montgomery was to leave Mobile Bay heading for its new San Diego homeport via the Panama Canal. Lt. Anamarie Gonzalez, the first officer of the deck, will be the first person charged with putting the 104-foot-wide ship through the 105-foot-wide canal. Austal USA’s shipyard builds all of the Independence variant LCS. (Source: Montgomery Advertiser 09/10/16)

LCS review departs from original plan

A recently completed review of how the Navy intends to equip, man and operate its two Littoral Combat Ships variants is a departure from the original decade-old vision. The emphasis on modular systems and crew rotations are a distant memory. The Navy plans to divide 24 LCS into six divisions of four ships each - three divisions of Freedom-class at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.; and three Independence-class at Naval Station San Diego. Each division will be tasked, crewed and equipped with a specific LCS mission – mine countermeasures, surface warfare or anti-submarine warfare. Each ship will be manned by two crews, not three. Additionally, the first two ships in each class will become training ships, and manned with “senior experienced” sailors. Those four are Freedom, Independence, Fort Worth and Coronado. The remaining LCS will cycle to forward-deployed locations with two crews swapping roles every four to five months. While the review is complete, details on other issues is still being worked out. Also not part of the review is how to deploy, man and equip 11 future frigates that are to be up-gunned versions of either Freedom or Independence. (Source: U.S. Naval Institute News 09/08/16) Gulf Coast note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence variant of LCS. The first two ships out of Austal was Independence (LCS-2) and Coronado (LCS-4).

Mabus’ legacy & shipbuilding

The tenure of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is coming to a close with the Obama Administration in January. Mabus, a former Democratic governor of Mississippi, began his SECNAV duties in 2009, and has been navigating his way through Republican waters on Capitol Hill ever since. In an interview with Politico about his legacy, Mabus firmly believes he will leave the sea service in better shape. Yet, he's still fighting to fend off attempts to intervene in Navy shipbuilding programs, including Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s order to cut back on long-term buys of the Littoral Combat Ship. (Source: Politico 09/09/16) Gulf Coast note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence class of two variants of LCS; Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., builds multiple ships for the Navy and Coast Guard.

Joint effort to contain La. oil spill

NEW ORLEANS – In a joint effort, the Coast Guard, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office and ECM Maritime Services continue to respond Sept. 8 to an oil discharge near Bay Long, La., in the southern sector of Barataria Bay near Chenier Ronquille Island. An estimated 5,300 gallons of crude oil was discharged Sept. 5 from a Harvest Pipeline Co. pipeline after a subcontractor for Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. tracked over it with a marsh excavator while performing restoration activities. More than 4,400 gallons of oily-water mixture have been recovered. About 200 birds have been observed as oiled. Crews are working to safely capture the birds for rehabilitation. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality is conducting shoreline impact assessments. (Source: US Coast Guard 09/08/16) The cut occurred on a pipeline during a restoration project for the island. The $36 million barrier island reconstruction is being overseen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Monies for the project came from BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.

HII’s new comms director

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced Sept. 8 that Kimberly Nastasi has been named director of communications. Prior to joining Ingalls, Nastasi served as the chief executive officer of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce; and an adjunct professor at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and a master’s in communications from the University of Southern Mississippi. HII is America’s largest military shipbuilding company. (Source: HII 09/08/16)

Land-based LCS trainer

The Pentagon’s chief weapon’s tester is throwing his weight behind a Senate recommendation for the Navy to build a land-based test version of the engineering plants for the Freedom and Independence variants of Littoral Combat Ships. After four engineering failures - in both variants - within the last year, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, J. Michael Gilmore, supports a Senate “recommendation to establish a land-based testing facility for LCS propulsion sets.” That recommendation was attached to a committee’s version of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. The Navy has propulsion test sites at Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia, for other ships, including the Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt destroyers. A 2015 Navy white paper estimated it would cost $221M to build an LCS test site in Philadelphia. The latest LCS review may call for additional changes to its operations, manning and equipment. That review may be briefed to Congress as early as next week. (Source: US Naval Institute News 09/06/16)

Dual engines may be LCS’ problem

After a few years of breakdowns in both variants of the Littoral Combat Ship, primarily the Freedom Class, there are signs that a reliability problem may part of the overall design, according to a former aide to the Chief of Naval Operations. Also, the combination of small crews operating the complex combination of gas turbines and diesel engine propulsion systems implies a reason behind the current LCS stand-down to retrain engineers – only part of the problem. A complete cure may require redesigning the engines. That’s not likely to happen until the Navy comes up with its upgraded “frigate” model for LCS; but that retrofit want working on existing LCS. For the frigate design, “(T)he Navy may want to … come up with ways to simplify the propulsion architecture,” said Bryan Clark of the Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments, a former top aide to CNO. “It’s not really fundamentally flawed so much as the architecture is hard to support,” which is particularly problematic for LCS’ overworked crews. Using a smaller gas turbine may reduce the ships’ top speed, but would make maintenance and operation easier. (Source: Breaking Defense 08/07/16) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence class variant of LCS.

First set of builder's trial done

PASCAGOULA, Miss. — The first round of sea trials for the guided missile destroyer John Finn (DDG 113) has been completed. The Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) ship, built at Ingalls Shipbuilding, spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico testing the ship’s main propulsion system and other ship systems. The alpha trial was the first of three builder’s trials planned for John Finn, Ingalls’ 29th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The Navy is requiring three sea trials as part of the restart effort on the DDG 51 program. John Finn is the first destroyer built by Ingalls since the company delivered USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) in 2011. (Source: HII, 09/02/16)