February 2017 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 9. U S N N


tional commanders with warships ready for tasking by manning, training, equipping and maintaining all littoral combat ships in the fl eet.


Delivery marks the offi cial transfer


of LCS 10 from the shipbuilder, an Austal USA-led team, to the Navy. It is the fi nal milestone prior to commissioning, which is planned for 2017 in Galveston, Texas. “Today marks a signifi cant milestone


in the life of the future USS Gabrielle Gif- fords, as transfer to the Navy occurs and her in-service counter begins,” said LCS Program Manager Capt. Tom Anderson. “I look forward to celebrating the commission- ing of this fi ne ship, along with the ship’s namesake, this coming spring as she makes her way to her homeport of San Diego.” Following commissioning, Gabrielle


Giff ords will be homeported in San Diego with her fellow ships USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6) and USS Montgomery (LCS 8). The LCS class consists of two variants,


the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin, with the Independence variant team led by Austal USA. Each LCS will be outfi tted with a mis-


sion package made up of mission modules containing warfi ghting systems and support equipment. A dedicated ship crew will com- bine with aviation assets to deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-sub- marine warfare or surface warfare missions.


Future USS Rafael Peralta Completes Acceptance Trials


From Team Ships Public Aff airs


BATH, Maine (NNS) -- The future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) successfully completed acceptance trials Dec. 16 after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine. The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection


and Survey (INSURV) reviewed the ship and its crew during a series of demonstra- tions while underway. INSURV evaluates the ship’s construction and compliance with Navy specifi cations and is the governing body that recommends the ship be delivered to the Navy. The trials were conducted both pier-


side and underway. Many of the ship’s onboard systems tested to validate per- formance, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and pro- pulsion applications, met or exceeded Navy specifi cations. “DDG 115 performed exceedingly well during acceptance trials and throughout the test and trials period,” said Capt. Casey Mo- ton, DDG 51 class program manager, Pro- gram Executive Offi ce (PEO) Ships. “This ship is another example of the excellent work performed by our Navy, waterfront, and industry teams. As we continue with serial production of the Arleigh Burke class, I look forward to delivering more of these world-class ships to the fl eet.” Rafael Peralta is 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 and Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air capability. The ship’s IAMD radar will provide increased computing power and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air war- fare threats. The Aegis Combat System will enable the ship to link radars with other ships


and aircraft to provide a composite picture of the battlespace and eff ectively increase the theater space. Following delivery, DDG 115 will be


the 65th Arleigh Burke class destroyer and the fi rst of the DDG 51 FLT IIA restart ships to be built at Bath Iron Works. The shipyard is currently in production on future destroy- ers Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) and Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) and under contract for three additional ships awarded as part of the fi ve-ship multi- year procurement for FY13-17. 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 boats and craft.


Navy Announces Navy Week Schedule By Ricky Burke, Navy Offi ce of Com- munity Outreach Public Aff airs


MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- From Portland, Maine, to Spokane, Washington, America’s Navy will sail into 15 cities across the country in 2017 as part of the Navy Week outreach program. Navy Weeks, coordinated by the Navy


Offi ce of Community Outreach (NAVCO), are designed to give Americans the opportu- nity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and pros- perity. Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s fl agship outreach eff ort into areas of the country without a signifi cant Navy presence, with 195 Navy Weeks held in 71 diff erent U.S. markets. “Navy Weeks are designed to show


Americans the tremendous investment and unmatched capability they have in their Navy,” said Cmdr. John Gay, NAVCO’s director. “Because the Navy is concentrated primarily on both coasts, we’re challenged to communicate our mission away from fl eet concentration areas. The Navy Week program helps us do that.” Navy Weeks are scheduled for the following cities in 2017: Mobile, Alabama, Feb. 22-28 Austin, Texas, March 19-26 Gulfport/Biloxi, Mississippi, March


31-April 8


Memphis, Tennessee, May 8-14 Spokane, Washington, May 15-21 Pittsburgh, June 19-25 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, July


17-23 24-30


Green Bay/Fox Cities, Wisconsin, July


Indianapolis, Aug. 7-13 Portland, Maine, Aug. 21-27 Detroit, Aug. 28-Sept. 4 Salt Lake City, Sept. 11-17 Little Rock, Arkansas, Oct. 16-22 Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 23-29


An additional Navy Week will be added


during the year at a location and time to be determined. Navy Weeks bring a variety of events,


equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements with the public, key infl uencers, and organizations representing all sectors of the community. “During a Navy Week, 75-100 outreach


events are coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service, and diversity organiza- tions in the city,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brett Daw- son, NAVCO’s event planning department head. “We bring in as much of the Navy as we can to raise awareness of the Navy, its mission, and its importance to the public.” The Blue Angels; the Navy Parachute


Team; bands; divers; Seabees; explosive ordnance disposal teams; naval aviation


An artist rendering of the littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS11). (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Stan Bailey/Released)


aircraft and aircrew; Sailors from ships and submarines with namesake ties; hometown Sailors; Navy Medicine personnel; USS Constitution Sailors and equipment; Naval History and Heritage Command; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and environmental assets; the Navy Ceremonial Guard; and Navy recruiting as- sets all have participated in the Navy Week program in various capacities over the life of the program. Navy Week cities are chosen based on


a variety of factors, including Gallup data on Navy knowledge and awareness, Navy recruiting data, demographic information, namesake ties of ships and submarines, past outreach history in the market, and geogra- phy to ensure events are dispersed across the country. Last year’s Navy Week program,


through the execution of more than 900 individual outreach events, showcased the Navy, its mission, and its people to a com- bined audience of approximately 70 million Americans.


USS Michael Murphy Deploys to West- ern Pacifi c


From Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Public Aff airs


PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke- class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) departed Pearl Harbor for a regularly-scheduled deployment with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Asia-Pacifi c region, Jan. 13. Michael Murphy deployed with a


crew of approximately 320 Sailors and a detachment of MH-60R Sea Hawk heli- copters from the “Easyriders” of Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 37, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, who trained for months to earn deployment certifi cation.


“The crew has worked tirelessly in


preparation for this deployment,” said Cmdr. Robert A. Heely, Jr., commanding offi cer, Michael Murphy. “’Team Murphy’ will be challenged with diverse mission sets within the Indo-Asia-Pacifi c region. Their resiliency will be tested, but they are up to the task and are ready to perform as part of Carrier Strike Group 1.” While deployed, the Carl Vinson CSG


will remain under U.S. 3rd Fleet command Comtinued on Page 21.


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