Page 8. MAINE COASTAL NEWS October 2017 U S N N Continued from Page 7.


planned for early September. They are also the construction yard for the Navy’s John Lewis-class fl eet replenishment oilers. 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 Intends to Restore USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) at Huntington Ingalls Indus- tries


From Naval Sea Systems Command Offi ce of Corporate Communications


WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy intends to award a contract initiating the restoration of USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) in Pascagoula, Mis- sissippi, before the end of the fi scal year. The start date, scope, cost and the time


required to fully restore the ship have not yet been determined. The Navy chose this course of action


following a review of the capabilities and workload of new construction and repair shipyards. Given the complexity of the work and the signifi cant unknowns of the restoration, the Navy determined that only an Arleigh Burke-class shipbuilder could perform the eff ort. Only HII has the available capacity to restore Fitzgerald to full opera- tional status in the shortest period of time with minimal disruption to ongoing repair and new construction work. Additionally, the Navy is currently


evaluating proposals to award a contract for the heavy lift transport of Fitzgerald from SRF-JRMC Yokosuka to the continental United States. Fitzgerald was involved in a collision


with the Philippine-fl agged merchant vessel ACX Crystal June 17. The ship suff ered damage on her starboard side above and below the waterline. Compartments that were aff ected include two berthing spaces, a radio room, a machinery space, and various lockers, passageways, and access trunks. In addition to the restoration eff ort,


the Navy intends to incorporate previous- ly planned modernization eff orts into the availability that were to have taken place at SRF-JRMC Yokosuka in 2019.


US Navy Awards Contract for the Heavy Lift of USS Fitzgerald From Navy Offi ce of Information


WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command has awarded a $3.1 million fi rm, fi xed-price contract for the heavy lift of USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62). Patriot Shipping, based out of Houston,


Texas, has been awarded the contract to move Fitzgerald from Yokosuka, Japan, to Pascagoula, Mississippi where the ship will be repaired by Huntington Ingalls Indus- tries.


Heavy-lift will be completed by No- vember 2017.


Wanted: A New Way to Find Pilots for U.S. Navy Unmanned Aircraft


By Warren Duffi e Jr., Offi ce of Naval Research


ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- Georgia Tech and the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, sponsored by the Offi ce of Naval Research are sponsoring the development of a series of new specialized tests to assess cognitive abilities and personality traits, and identify potential Navy and Marine Corps unmanned aviation systems (UAS) operators. It’s called the Selection for UAS Personnel, or SUPer.


Before acceptance to fl ight school,


aspiring naval pilots must pass the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB) - a rigorous intellectual exercise that evaluates aviation and nautical knowledge, math and engineer- ing skills, and personality traits. Since training a single pilot costs the


U.S. Navy over $1 million, the ASTB is a critical tool for fi nding the right candidates to fl y manned aircraft, such as fi ghter jets. But the Navy doesn’t have ASTB-style tests to qualify pilots of today’s latest aircraft - remotely-operated, unmanned aviation systems, popularly called drones. Since the wars in Afghanistan and


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Iraq began, UAS have played larger roles in intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, and other missions. Con- sequently, there’s an increasing need for well-trained UAS pilots. “The temperament and personality of


F-18 pilots won’t necessarily be the same as those fl ying surveillance aircraft,” said Cmdr. Brent Olde, a program offi cer in ONR’s warfighter performance depart- ment. “Neither will the required skill set be identical, so it’s important that we create a standardized way to assess the abilities of future UAS operators.” In recent years, the Air Force estab-


lished its own formal screening process for UAS operators, and the Marine Corps designated a UAS career path for its ranks. The Navy, however, doesn’t have an offi cial selection and training pipeline specifi cally for UAS operators. Historically, the service took aviators who already earned their wings, gave them on-the-job, UAS-specifi c


training, and placed them in temporary po- sitions.


SUPer comprises both written and


computerized tests covering skills like math knowledge, spatial orientation, reading cockpit dials and critical thinking. SUPer participants also study computer maps fea- turing prominent natural or manmade land- marks and then remember object locations on larger, less defi ned maps. Tests are followed by training exercis-


es on a fl ight simulator designed to mirror common UAS missions. Participants also complete psychological and personality tests to ascertain if they would excel as UAS pilots - which often involves 12-hour shifts sitting in front of a control station, inside of an isolated command center. “SUPer will be a valuable tool in help-


ing the Navy pick the best people to become UAS operators, and determine who will be an optimal fi t and fi nd satisfaction in the role,” said Dr. Phillip Ackerman, a Georgia Tech psychology professor overseeing SU- Per’s development. Approximately 350 civilian and mili-


tary volunteers are participating as SUPer research subjects at Ackerman’s Georgia Tech laboratory and various Navy and Air Force training centers. The current version of the SUPer test battery takes approximate- ly four hours to complete. At the end of September, Ackerman and


his research team will review the results, design a standardized exam for validation by prospective Navy and Air Force UAS pilots, and, hopefully, have a product ready for fl eet implementation in 2018. “Training pilots for manned and


unmanned systems is time-intensive and expensive,” said Lt. Cmdr. Tatana Olson, deputy director of the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory at the Naval Medical Research Unit, Dayton, and who serves as SUPer’s government lead. “SUPer will defi ne and assess the knowledge, skills and abilities required to be a successful UAS operator, and, ultimately, optimize naval use of human resources for unmanned aviation.” Warren Duffi e Jr. is a contractor for ONR Corporate Strategic Communications.


John S. McCain Sailors Posthumously Advanced


From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Aff airs


WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy an- nounced Thursday that the 10 Sailors who died aboard USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) were posthumously advanced to their next rank.


Electronics Technician 1st Class


Charles Nathan Findley, 31, from Kansas City, Missouri, was posthumously advanced to Chief Electronics Technician. Interior Communications Electrician


Continued on Page 20.


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