April 20, 2020 | International, Naval
17 Apr 2020
Military.com | By Gina Harkins
The Navy has awarded a new contract for the long-awaited replacement connector that will ferry Marines, weapons and other equipment ashore.
Textron Systems was awarded $386 million to build 15 new ship-to-shore connectors, Naval Sea Systems Command announced on Thursday. The connectors will replace the aging fleet of Landing Craft, Air Cushion vehicles, known as LCACs, which have been in operation since the 1980s and are nearing the end of their service lives.
The new 92-footlong connectors will have further range and lift capabilities than the legacy LCACs. They can carry 74 tons and will be compatible with amphibious ships that have well decks, along with expeditionary transfer dock and sea bases.
"As the program continues to move forward with delivering these important capabilities to the fleet, the procurement of these additional craft is critical," Tom Rivers, program manager of the Amphibious Warfare Program Office for the Program Executive Office Ships, said in a statement.
The contract award is an important milestone for a program that plays a big part in the Marine Corps' future missions. That service is focusing its sights on the Asia-Pacific region, where Commandant Gen. David Berger said Marines and sailors will likely be called on to respond to China's growing influence.
China has militarized tiny man-made islands in the South China Sea. The islands have airstrips, hangars, barracks and lookout points.
As the country's military invests in new weapons systems that can target ships further away from the shore, the Navy and Marine Corps will need next-generation landing craft to get people and equipment from amphibious ships onto nearby beaches.
The new connectors can be loaded with an enclosed personnel transport module that can carry up to 145 Marines in full combat gear, according to Textron. The craft can also carry vehicles and other heavy equipment.
Textron will do most of its work on the 15 new vessels in New Orleans. The Navy already accepted delivery of the first next-gen landing craft, called the Ship to Shore Connector Craft 100, in February.
The sea services will continue testing it and training on that platform in Panama City, Florida.
The Navy plans to buy 73 of the new ship-to-shore connectors, according to its program summary.
December 19, 2023 | International, Land, Security
Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, will announce a major investment in the Canadian Army on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence.
October 5, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
DÉFENSE Pour le chef d'état-major des armées, la France doit pouvoir « gagner la guerre avant la guerre » Le général Thierry Burkhard, nouveau chef d'état-major des armées (CEMA), doit présenter, mercredi 6 octobre, sa vision stratégique pour les années à venir devant les députés de la Commission de la défense de l'Assemblée nationale. Après l'avoir fait valider au sommet de l'Etat, il en a dévoilé des éléments à la presse. Il estime que la France doit être capable de « gagner la guerre avant la guerre », en avançant sur des domaines tels que l'influence et la lutte informationnelle (lutte informatique d'influence, ou LII). « Avant, les conflits s'inscrivaient dans un schéma « paix-crise-guerre ». Désormais, c'est plutôt un triptyque « compétition-contestation-affrontement », a détaillé le général. « La compétition est devenue l'état normal, que ce soit dans le champ économique, militaire, culturel ou politique et les conflits dits périphériques appartiennent à cette compétition. On a vécu vingt ans durant lesquels la logique était l'engagement sur le terrain, mais aujourd'hui ce n'est plus l'unique solution », a-t-il insisté. La France doit être en mesure de conduire des guerres « hybrides », comme ses adversaires. « Le terme hybride a une connotation négative, mais c'est ce que nous faisons déjà en combinant des actions de nature différente », explique le général. L'enjeu de l'hybridité est « de freiner voire d'empêcher l'autre de décider en faisant planer sur lui une incertitude », a-t-il résumé. Le Monde et Le Figaro du 5 octobre
July 19, 2018 | International, Naval
By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy needs to get the permission of lawmakers to move $62.7 million to fix a number of hiccups in its high-tech new carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, during its post-shakedown availability that kicked off July 15. The money, part of a larger DoD reprogramming request from June, will go toward fixing a number of issues that arose during its recently concluded post-delivery trials, according to a copy of the request obtained by Defense News. According to the document, the Navy needs to move: $12.7 million to fix “continuing technical deficiencies” with the Advanced Weapon Elevators. $30 million for “tooling and repair” of the main thrust bearings, issues that the Navy has blamed on the manufacturer. $20 million for additional repairs, a prolonged post-shakedown availabilty, and parts and labor. By: David Larter The Navy told Congress in May that it was going to exceed the Ford's $12.9 billion cost cap because of needed repairs and alterations. The $62.7 million was part of that total repair bill. The repairs and technology setbacks extended the Ford's PSA at Huntington Ingalls' Newport News Shipbuilding from eight months to 12 months, according to a statement from Naval Sea Systems Command, and significantly added to the cost. The ship will then proceed to full-ship shock trials ahead of its first deployment, a priority pushed by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., according to the document. Since its delivery, the Ford has spent 81 days at sea during the eight times it was underway, a July 15 NAVSEA release said. “The ship has completed 747 shipboard aircraft launches and recoveries against a plan of approximately 400,” the release said. “CVN 78 successfully completed fixed-wing aircraft/helicopter integration and compatibility testing, air traffic control center certification, JP-5 fuel system certification, daytime underway replenishment capability demonstration, ship's defensive system demonstration, Dual Band Radar testing, and propulsion plant operations.” https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/07/18/us-navy-asks-congress-to-shift-millions-to-fix-its-new-high-tech-supercarrier/