Page 20. MAINE COASTAL NEWS June 2015 UNITED STATES NAVY NEWS Continued from Page 8. up to 312.
JHSVs have a 20,000 square foot open mission deck and a fl ight deck to support day and night launch and recovery operations, providing U.S. forces added mobility and fl exibility. They can operate in a variety of roles to include supporting overseas contin- gency operations, conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, supporting special operations forces and supporting emerging joint sea-basing concepts. Upon delivery to the U.S. Navy’s Mil- itary Sealift Command (MSC), Brunswick will be designated as a United States Naval Ship (USNS), and will have a core crew of 22 civilian mariners with military mission personnel embarking as necessary.
MDSU-2 Prepares for Historic Dive By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Heather M. Brown, Navy Expedi- tionary Combat Command Public Affairs VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (NNS) -- Since re- turning from deployment, Sailors assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 have been nothing but busy, with their schedules packed with training evolutions in preparation of salvaging a 150 year-old captured enemy vessel. The Civil War ironclad CSS Georgia has resided at the bottom of the Savannah River in Georgia, since she was intention- ally scuttled in 1864 by the Confederates to prevent capture and an attempt to obstruct the river. It wasn’t until more than 100 years later that it was rediscovered and plans were made to begin the process of removing her from the river for the Savannah Harbor Ex- pansion Project (SHEP).
MDSU-2 divers have been assigned to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) during SHEP June 1-July 20 to bring up parts of the ship’s armor systems, steam engine components, small structure pieces and all her weapons, which include four cannons and upwards of 50 projectiles, which are either rifl e shells or the standard cannon ball.
“Because of our expertise we were the ones that were tasked to go get CSS Georgia
on the surface and out of the way for the larg- er project of expanding the river,” said Chief Warrant Offi cer 3 Jason Potts, commander for Mobile Diving Salvage Company 23. “This is what we live for; it’s what we do day in and day out. When it comes to mobile diving, salvage, underwater ship husbandry and force protection, these guys are more profi cient than any dive team in the Navy right now.”
The divers started the week-long
training May 11, by going to Williamsburg, Virginia, to familiarize themselves with the gear they will be using in Georgia. In the fol- lowing days, they conducted dive operations at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek- Fort Story, Virginia. Each diver was given an opportunity to rehearse which roles they will be conducting during the actual event, as well training in a murky-water environ- ment similar to the conditions in which the CSS Georgia rests.
In only a few weeks, MDSU-2 divers will make the trip to Savannah, Georgia, to begin salvaging the ship, but due to the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Georgia’s wreckage they won’t be alone. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from EOD Mobile Unit 6 Shore Detachment King’s Bay, Georgia, will also aid in the recovery of cannons and cannonballs. Once the items are recovered, Navy EOD will work alongside their Marine Corps EOD counterparts to render the items safe at an offsite location.
The remainder of the wreckage and artifacts the divers recover will become the responsibility of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) and will be curated at one of NHHC’s repositories and Conservation Research Laboratory (CRL) located at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
Navy Divers are in the water every day, throughout the world, performing a diverse array of mission sets. With 2015 serving as The Year of the Military Diver, the CSS Georgia is a perfect illustration of their ca- pabilities as they dive into history.
Navy Announces Successful Test of Elec- tromagnetic Catapult on CVN 78
PAUL E. LUKE, INC. Fireplaces - Automatic Feathering Propellors - 3-Piece Storm Anchors
Storage/Repair * Feathering Propellers * Storm Anchors
Full Service Boat Yard 15 Luke's Gulch, East Boothbay, Maine 04544
TEL. (207) 633-4971
www.PELuke.com A. Franklin Luke FAX: (207) 633-3388
MAINE COAST LUMBER, INC. 17 White Birch Lane
4 Warren Ave.
York, ME 03909 (207) 363-7426 (800) 899-1664 Fax (207) 363-8650 M-F 7am-4:30pm
Westbrook, ME 04902 (207) 856-6015 (877) 408-4751 Fax (207) 856-6971 M-F 7:30am-4:30pm
04092 From PEO Carriers Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy con- ducted the fi rst-ever, shipboard, full-speed catapult shots using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) aboard the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Naval Sea Systems Command announced May 15. EMALS is a carrier-based launch system designed to expand the operational capability of the Navy’s future carriers to include all current and future planned car- rier aircraft. The recent test shots, known as “no-loads” because no aircraft or other loads were attached to the launching shuttle, successfully demonstrated the integrated catapult system. Using electromagnetic technology, the system delivers substantial improvements in system maintenance, increased reliability and effi ciency, high- er-launch energy capacity, and more ac- curate end-speed control, with a smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds. By allowing linear acceleration over time, electromagnetic catapults also place less stress on the aircraft.
During the tests, generators within the ship produced an electric pulse, which was passed through power conditioning electronics to linear motors just below the fl ight deck surface. This energy allowed for the linear motors to propel the launching shuttle down the catapult track in excess of 180 knots before bringing the shuttle to a stop at the end of the track.
The next phase of EMALS testing, scheduled for this summer, will involve launching “dead-loads” off of the bow of CVN 78 into the James River. “Dead-loads” are large, wheeled, steel vessels weighing up to 80,000 pounds to simulate the weight of actual aircraft. The dead-loads will be launched from each catapult using a specifi c test sequence to verify that the catapult and its components are operating satisfactorily. To date PCU Gerald R. Ford is 90 percent complete and 1550 Sailors have reported for introduction and training. CVN 78 will be commissioned in March 2016.
Navy Declares Initial Operational Capa- bility for New Rolling Airframe Missile From PEO IWS Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy successfully achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) aboard the am- phibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) May 15.
RAM is a highly successful, 39-year U.S. cooperative program with the Ger- man government that has yielded the U.S. taxpayer more than $800 million in cost avoidance and has delivered arguably one of the most capable anti-ship cruise missile defense systems in the world. The new RAM
Block 2 missile is designed to counter ad- vanced anti-ship cruise missile threats that U.S. and Allied Navies face today. The IOC declaration is the culmination of cooperative developmental and opera- tional testing events between the U.S. Navy and the German government spanning the last two years. Compared to previous con- fi gurations, Block 2 provides signifi cantly improved kinematic performance in maneu- verability and range as well as a more so- phisticated radio frequency receiver. These improvements allow RAM to increase the battlespace and engage low probability of intercept threats at longer ranges. Prior to the IOC declaration, the U.S. Navy and German government successfully demonstrated the enhanced ship self-de- fense effectiveness of the Block 2 RAM during testing at the Pacifi c Missile Range Center at Point Mugu, California, between May 2013 and March 2015.
Steven Holsworth, U.S. national deputy program manager for RAM, said, “Through cooperation, this program has continuously met all challenges and has successfully pro- duced more than 3000 RAM missiles (Block 0, 1A, 2) and 200 launchers. The strength of the RAM community is also evident in the high success rate in our 450-plus live fi ring events in its history. The on-time, on-cost de- livery of the fi rst Block 2 missiles embodies the best of the U.S. and German design/pro- duction capabilities. With the completion of recent test events, we are ready to write the next chapter of the RAM success story by delivering the enhanced capability to the U.S., German, and allied warships on which RAM is deployed.”
Andrea Schwarz, RAM deputy program manager from Germany concurred. “Since our inception in 1976, the U.S. and Germany have cooperatively developed, produced, and supported the RAM program through 16 international agreements/amendments. It is a testament to the program that both countries have remained steadfast in their commitment and cooperation, including 50/50 government contributions and in- dustry work share. With the introduction of Block 2, we continue the cooperative spirit and technical excellence that has protected our Navies over the past three decades.” In 2014, the program had a highly successful test and evaluation run where it scored hits on several extremely challenging target sets. Currently, RAM protects the U.S Navy’s CVN, LCS, LHA, LHD, LSD and LPD 17 class warships and twenty-two of Germany’s warships.
The RAM Program Offi ce is aligned with Program Executive Offi ce for Integrat- ed Warfare Systems, which manages surface ship and submarine combat technologies and systems, and coordinates Navy enter- prise solutions across ship platforms.
HISTORY FOR YOURWALLS
From Maine’s Outstanding Photography Archive For Homes, Offices, B&Bs, Lobbies
Custom Framing
Free
*HARDWOOD LUMBER*SOFTWOOD LUMBER* *HARDWOOD PLYWOODS*MELAMINE*MDF*MARINE PLYWOODS*MDO*PARTICLE BOARD*SLATWALL*LAMINATE* *EDGE BANDING*VENEER*HARDWOOD MOLDINGS* *CUSTOM MILLING*DOVETAILED DRAWER BOXES
We Deliver ME, NH, VT, MA, RI
www.mainecoastlumber.com info@mainecoastlumber.com
Photo Search Image
Licensing
Study CD Available
YOUR CITY OR TOARM & COUNTRWAT We Ship UPS
40 E. Main St. (U.S. Rte.), Searsport www
enobscotMarineMuseum.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31