February 2016 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 21. U. S. NAVY NEWS Continued from Page 8.


White House Historical Association. “Keenan Reynolds is a winner,” said Dalton. “He is also selfl ess. He is not being recognized because he is a great athlete. He is being recognized because he’s a great leader. Keenan is following in the footsteps of the man whose birthday we celebrate today.”


CNO Releases ‘A Design for Maintain- ing Maritime Superiority’ From CNO Public Affairs


WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson released ‘A Design for Maintaining Maritime Supe- riority,’ Jan. 5, a document that addresses how the Navy will adapt to changes in the security environment and continue to fulfi ll its mission.


The term ‘design’ refers to the docu-


ment’s built-in fl exibility, recognizing the rapid rate of change occurring in both tech- nology and the maritime domain. “This guidance frames the problem and a way forward, while acknowledging that there is inherent and fundamental un- certainty in both the problem defi nition and the proposed solution,” said Richardson. “As we move forward, we’ll respect


that we won’t get it all right, and so we’ll monitor and assess ourselves and our sur- roundings as we go. We’ll learn and adapt, always getting better, striving to the limits of performance.” The CNO’s design reaffi rms the Navy’s mission, describes the strategic environment and identifi es four lines of effort, each with corresponding objectives to guide the ac- tions of the Navy and its leaders.


ing: Sea


Every Level Future


of Partners


The four lines of effort are the follow- - Strengthen Naval Power at and from - Achieve High Velocity Learning at - Strengthen our Navy Team for the - Expand and Strengthen our Network The document also details four ‘Core


Attributes’ that serve as guiding criteria for command decisions in decentralized oper- ations: integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness.


Blue Angels Arrive in California for Winter Training


From Blue Angels Public Affairs


EL CENTRO, Calif. (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, made its annual deployment to Na- val Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, to prepare for the upcoming show season, Jan. 2. “For the last 49 years, NAF El Centro and the Imperial Valley have been the win- ter training home of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels,” said Capt. William S. Doster, com- manding offi cer, NAF El Centro. “Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the new team this year and helping to celebrate their 70th anniversary.”


The 10-week winter training concludes in early March after the team completes 120 fl ights during a rigorous fl ight schedule. The weather conditions of the Imperial Valley are optimal for the amount of fl ights the team is required to complete. “We are eager to begin training for our 70th season of putting on world class demonstrations,” said Lt. Ryan Chamber-


lain, Blue Angels lead solo pilot. “There is no better place than our second home in El Centro.”


The team performs its fi rst public fl ight demonstration of 2016 at NAF El Centro, March 12.


The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the pride and professionalism of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps by inspir- ing a culture of excellence and service to country through fl ight demonstrations and community outreach. In 2016, the Blue Angels will celebrate their 70th anniversary.


Future USS Rafael Peralta Achieves Aegis System Light Off


By Team Ships and PEO IWS Public Affairs


BATH, Maine (NNS) -- The future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) achieved “light off” of its Aegis Combat System at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard, Dec. 17. The Aegis system light off marks the beginning of combat system testing for the ship. These comprehensive tests will ensure all combat system equipment is operational and communicative.


Rafael Peralta will be equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9 Combat System, which in- cludes an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability, incorporating Ballistic Missile Defense 5.0 Capability Upgrade (BMD 5.0CU) and Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA). “I am very proud of all our industry and government team that got us to this day. I look forward to a successful test program and taking DDG 115 to sea in 2016,” said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class pro- gram manager, Program Executive Offi ce (PEO) Ships. “This is the fi rst BIW DDG 51


restart destroyer to achieve Aegis light off, and we’re excited to provide the fl eet with another DDG 51 equipped with enhanced IAMD warfi ghting capabilities.” The Aegis Baseline 9 IAMD destroyers have increased computing power, along with radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air war- fare and BMD threats. When operational, these multi-mission surface combatants will serve as an integral player in global maritime security, engaging in air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense, as well as increased capabilities in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-sur- face warfare.


“Rafael Peralta is an awesome war- ship. I’m tremendously excited that she has achieved Aegis light-off, the most critical combat system milestone for new con- struction Aegis destroyers,” said Capt. Tom Druggan, Aegis combat systems program manager in PEO Integrated Warfare Sys- tems (PEO IWS 1.0). “Aegis Baseline 9 ex- pands our engageable battlespace eight-fold and is delivering key capabilities in support of distributed lethality. Fleet introduction of Aegis Baseline 9 is going very well, including deployments and carrier strike group operations, and the fl eet is excited about adding another extremely capable, multi-mission Aegis destroyer to the fl eet.” DDG 115 was christened Oct. 31 and


launched Nov. 1. Upon delivery in late- 2016, Rafael Peralta will be the 65th Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyer to join the fl eet.


PORT SAFETY FORUM MEETING MINUTES Continued from Page 6.


& Turtles; Fish and Shellfi sh; Other Marine Life; Eel Grass; Water Quality; Birds; Hab- itat; and Bathymetry.


The Northeast Regional Ocean Coun- cil will prepare an Ocean Plan which will be designed for agencies to use as a guide when considering permitting applications for various waterway uses such as aqua- culture and sustainable energy projects and will weigh those projects with other competing demands such as shipping and fi shing (as examples). The Council is now in the fi nal phases of preparing the Plan which will be ready for public comment in the early Spring (March). The Port Safety Forum has established an ad-hoc Ocean Planning Sub-Committee to review and comment. Currently, the Ocean Planning Committee is comprised of Brian Downey (Chair), LT David Bourbeau (USCG), the Portland Pilots Incorporated, and Kevin Battles (Portland Deputy Harbormaster). If you are interested in contributing as a sub-committee member, please contact Brian Downey at brian.downey@marinecs. com. For more information regarding the Northeast Regional Ocean Council please visit http://northeastoceancouncil.org. 4. Port Activities Update: NERACOOS - Tom Shyka


Tom Shyka provided an update on the NERACOOS ocean data buoy system and thanked those in the Port Safety Forum for their letters of support offered while NERACOOS pursued Federal re-funding for their services. Based on user support and available resources, they are current- ly expecting to continue service with the existing funding levels. The NERACOOS


website recently underwent revision which refreshed the look and feel of the site to make it more user friendly and more compatible with tablets and other hand held devices. If you haven’t visited the site, it is highly recommended for anyone who works on the water or in the vessel/shipping industry. The site provides a comprehensive real time data from offshore buoys which monitors critical environmental data including winds, waves, visibility, air temperature, water temperature at various depths and more. In addition to hourly buoy data, other data products include forecasting of water levels, coastal fl ooding and erosion forecasts, and ocean forecasts. Further, the site offers the Environmental Research Division’s Data Access Program which is a data server that provides a simple, consistent way to down- load subsets of scientifi c datasets in common fi le formats to make graphs and maps. For more information, please visit http://www2.neracoos.org to learn more about the extremely valuable on-line tools available through NERACOOS. NOAA - LCDR Meghan McGovern Report Icing Conditions - In an effort to improve freezing spray forecasts, NOAA is collaborating with Environment Canada to evaluate each country’s freezing spray forecast models and tools. Analysis of freez- ing spray cases, forecaster feedback, and ship observations will allow Environment Canada and NOAA scientists and fore- casters to better predict dangerous freezing spray conditions to protect life and property at sea. NOAA requests that you help in their study by reporting icing conditions using the following web-based link: http://go.usa. gov/WYbm. Survey Work in Penobscot Bay


- NOAA is anticipating conducting some oceanographic surveys in Penobscot Bay. They have consulted with the regional pilots, Coastal Zone Management, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Maine Port Authority to focus the scope of the most critical survey locations.


Coastal Zone Management - Matt Nixon The Maine Coastal Management Pro- gram, is led by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry through a partnership with NOAA’s Offi ce for Coastal Management which continues to fuel their work with critical funding and technical assistance. The coastal manage- ment program consists of a network of 19 state laws with four state agencies working in cooperation with local governments, nonprofi t organizations, private businesses, and the public to improve management of coastal resources. Maine CZM addresses an array of issues vital to healthy coastal resources and robust coastal economies, including access to the shore, harbor plan- ning and management, habitat mapping and restoration, storm hazard resiliency, land use planning, water quality and citizen stewardship. Maine’s coastal zone extends to the inland boundary of all towns bor- dering tidal waters and includes all coastal islands. Among CZM’s current initiatives is seafl oor mapping using a small research vessel which is regionally deployed each season. The focus this past year has been between the Kennebec River and Booth- bay Harbor. Improving Maine’s resiliency, the data collected by CZM is also used to identify offshore sand deposits for beach nourishment and use in storm surge models to generate more accurate predictions for coastal Maine. In the permitting and site


selection process, government agencies, can use CZM data to evaluate the potential impacts of offshore development to enhance permitting decisions for offshore facilities. 5. Old Business/New Business: Fatigue Management – Captain David Gelinas – Penobscot Bay and River Pilots Captain Gelinas reviewed recent Fa- tigue Management training offered by the Maine Pilotage Commission to all Maine Pilots. The training was also offered to other key port users including commuter ferry operators and tug boat captains and crews. The training, delivered by Maritime Institute for Training and Graduate Studies provided a concise examination of sleep patterns, fatigue sources and strategies to enhance quality rest. The Penobscot Bay and River Pilots have already initiated methods to en- hance rest quality through better coordina- tion of ship scheduling with regional agents. The training was made possible through a Pilot Training Fund managed by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Captain Earl Walker – Mr. Henshaw presented Captain Walker a letter from Governor LePage congratulating him on his distinguished service to the Maine Pilotage Commission. In September, Captain Walker stepped down from his Commission chair after nearly 30 years of dedicated service. Thank you Captain Walker! 6. Next Meeting: April 13, 2016 (Belfast), 10:00 AM, University of Maine Hutchinson Center, 80 Belmont Avenue (Route 3), Belfast, ME 04915


Recommended guest speakers, sug- gested topics and sub-committee proposals are always welcome and encouraged. Sug- gestions and comments may be sent to brian. do wney@martinecs.com.


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