Page 22. MAINE COASTAL NEWS December 2014 UNITED STATES NAVY NEWS Continued from Page 21.
viving Doolittle Raiders was scheduled for November 2013, but only David Thatcher (former Staff Sgt.), Cole, and Saylor were able to attend as Lt. Col. Robert Hite (USAF, Ret.) watched from his home in Nashville, TN.
For more information on the Doolittle Raid, check out this link:
http://www.naval-
history.org/2014/04/18/doolittle-raid-les- son-in-joint-innovation-resilience
Truman Enters Norfolk Naval Shipyard By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dion Dawson and Mass Communi- cation Specialist 3rd Class John M. Harris, USS Truman Public Affairs NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transited the Elizabeth River and entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Nov. 5 to begin its carrier incremental availability.
Capt. Bob Roth, Truman’s command-
ing offi cer, expressed the pride he has in the work Truman Sailors completed while pre- paring to begin the maintenance availability at NNSY.
“I’m very pleased with our preparations
and am confi dent we will meet any challeng- es that lay ahead with utmost determination and professionalism,” said Roth. “This crew’s dedication and passion to serve is incredible. We will continue with the spirit of ownership that led to our success on de- ployment and know that it will ensure our success here at NNSY.” The transition to NNSY will be a stark change in working and living environments for Truman Sailors, many of whom will ex- perience life in the shipyard for the fi rst time. Command Master Chief Raymond Kemp stressed teamwork and professionalism will be keys to Truman’s success. “A successful yard period will take close cooperation between the crew and NNSY workers,” he said. “With dignity and respect as our foundation for our working relationships and the material condition of the ship, I am confi dent that we can suc- cessfully complete this carrier incremental availability.”
Roth shared Kemp’s sentiments and said he is fully confi dent in the crew’s ability to complete a successful availability in a demanding environment.
“There will certainly be new hurdles, but our attitude and determination will guide us to success,” said Roth.
Greenert Discusses
U.S. Maritime Strategy Shift By Jim Garamone, DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Chief of Na- val Operations discussed the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacifi c region during a presen- tation at the Brookings Institution, Nov.4. Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert said the new strategy should be out by the end of the year and he spoke about the need for changes and gave a short status report on his service’s rebalance to the Asia-Pacifi c region.
The last maritime strategy report was issued in 2007.
Extraordinary Changes
“The compelling need for the revision ... is [that] obviously the security and fi scal changes since 2007 have been extraordi- nary,” Greenert told the members of the think tank.
In 2007, the United States entered a recession, the admiral observed, noting that change was brewing in Asia, the Indian Ocean areas and North Africa. And, he add- ed, U.S. forces were in the midst of a troop surge in Iraq.
Seven years later, there is a different set of issues and the maritime services -- the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard -- must plan for them, Greenert said. These, he said, include the hotspots of the world and the cyberworld.
“Our principles will be the same: the value of presence,” the admiral said. The three maritime services, he added, need to be “where it matters, when it matters.” The strategy will address deterrence, power projection, sea control, maritime security and matters of access, he said. Greenert addressed critics who say that with all the problems in the world -- most notably in the Middle East and Europe -- that the rebalance to the Asia-Pacifi c region should not happen. U.S. Long-range Interests in Asia-Pacif- ic Region
“Despite current events, the long-range interests of [the United States] are in the Asia-Pacifi c,” the admiral said.
He cited some statistics: Fifty percent of
the world’s shipping tonnage passes through the straits of Southeast Asia; One-third of global oil and half the world’s natural gas traffi c move through the South China Sea; Five of America’s top-15 trading partners are located in the Asia-Pacifi c region; and Five U.S. treaty allies -- Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand -- are located in the region. Rebalance to Asia-Pacifi c Will Continue “We have been engaged for more than
70 years in the Asia-Pacifi c region and with signifi cant presence in the area. We will continue with this rebalance,” Greenert said. The rebalance means the Navy has been shifting and will continue to shift forces to the region, the admiral said. This shift is not limited to the number of ships, he added, but also capabilities.
The newest, most-capable vessels are moving to the Asia-Pacifi c/Indian Ocean region, Greenert said. The newest aircraft -- the P-8 -- has already deployed there three times. When the F-35 is ready, it, too will deploy to the region.
U.S., China Economically Intertwined Also, the admiral said, the United States and China are the world’s largest economies and are intertwined. “The mutual prosperity of both of us is in our collective best inter- ests,” he said.
Military relations between the United States and China play a part in the overall relationship, Greenert said, noting he’s met several times with his Chinese counterpart. The two nations, he said, are looking at where the differences are and how to in- crease cooperation. China participated in the Rim of the Pacifi c exercise near Hawaii this past summer. And, the two nations’ na- vies cooperated in the hunt for the missing Malaysian jet. Seeking Increased American-Chinese Cooperation
Chinese and American leaders are looking for ways to expand the scope of the relationships and have agreed to have exchange offi cers at their war colleges and service academies, Greenert said.
The nuclear carrier USS HARRY S. TRUMAN goes to Norfolk Naval Shipyard. “With this rising navy in China, we have
... opportunity,” he said. “The challenge is to get rid of unneeded, unfounded and un- professional cases in the interactions we are inevitably going to have at sea.” As a Pacifi c power, the United States is committed to security in the region, Greenert said.
“The alliances are strong and we will honor our treaties,” he said. “The engage- ment is increasing bilaterally and multilat- erally and it’s really part of the rebalance.”
Fabrication Begins for the Future USS Daniel Inouye
From Team Ships Public Affairs
BATH, Maine (NNS) -- Bath Iron Works (BIW) celebrated the start of fabrication of the future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) during a ceremony at BIW shipyard, Oct. 31. This fi rst major ship milestone symbol-
izes that the fi rst 100 tons of steel for the ship have been cut.
“Construction on Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyers is in full swing on the East and Gulf Coasts,” said Capt. Mark Van- droff, DDG 51-class program manager, Pro- gram Executive Offi ce (PEO) Ships. “The restart DDG 51s benefi t from a mature and stable design with increased air and missile defense capabilities. These build on a legacy of success, providing outstanding combat capability and survivability characteristics.” The ceremony came just a day after
BIW ceremoniously laid the keel for the future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and a month following the start of fabrication on the future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) at the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Daniel Inouye will be equipped with the
Navy’s Aegis Combat System, the world’s foremost integrated naval weapon system. This system delivers quick reaction time, high fi repower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for anti-air warfare.
The ship is part of the Navy’s latest
fl ight of destroyer, Flight IIA, which enables power projection, forward presence, and escort operations at sea in support of low in- tensity confl ict/coastal and littoral offshore warfare as well as open-ocean confl ict. First-in-class ship, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) was laid down at the BIW ship- yard in 1988. Since, BIW and HII have laid keels for an additional 67 Arleigh Burke- class destroyers including Daniel Inouye. Destroyers have been a mainstay of
the Navy’s surface fl eet since the fi rst U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Bainbridge, was commissioned in 1902. Able to operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups, today’s destroyers provide the fl eet with multimission offensive and defensive capabilities.
As one of the Defense Department’s
largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the develop- ment and procurement of all destroyers, am- phibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs man- aged by PEO Ships are benefi ting from serial production effi ciencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.
Future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) Keel Authenticated
By Team Ships Public Affairs
BATH, Maine (NNS) -- The keel of the future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) was ceremoniously laid at the Bath Iron Works shipyard Oct. 30. The ship’s keel was authenticated by
the mother, Rosa Maria Peralta and sisters, Karen Peralta and Icela Peralta Donald of ship namesake, Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Each au- thenticator etched their initials into the keel plate to symbolically recognize the joining of modular components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship.
“Sgt. Peralta was a hero whose bravery
and selfl essness will not be forgotten,” said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class pro- gram manager, Program Executive Offi ce (PEO) Ships. “It’s an honor to be here with Sgt. Peralta’s sisters and his mother who will serve as the ship sponsor to lay down the keel of the ship that will honor her son’s memory.”
The ship was named for Peralta as a result of actions occurring during what is known as the Second Battle of Fallujah. While clearing houses in Fallujah, Iraq, on Nov. 15, 2004 a Marine squad, including Peralta, entered a house where the enemy silently waited. The squad was instantly barraged with intense small arms fi re. The fi re knocked Peralta to the ground and mortally wounded him. As the fi refi ght continued, the fl eeing enemy threw a frag- mentation grenade into the building. Peralta absorbed most of the grenade’s blast with his body, thus saving the lives of two fellow marines. Sergeant Peralta died from his wounds. In 2008 Peralta was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his extraordi- nary heroism.
The future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG
115) is the third of 11 ships awarded as part of the DDG 51 program restart. The DDG 51 class provides outstanding combat capability and survivability characteristics while minimizing procurement and lifetime support costs, due to the program’s maturity. As one of the Defense Department’s
largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the develop- ment and procurement of all destroyers, am- phibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs man- aged by PEO Ships are benefi ting from serial production effi ciencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.
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