SNMCMG1 visits St Petersburg

Six NATO mine warfare vessels from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 are visiting St Petersburg, Russia this weekend. Ships involved include:

• ORP Czernicki (Poland)
• EML Admiral Cowan (Estonia)
• FGS Dillingen (Germany)
• HMNoS Rauma (Norway)
• BNS Narcis (Belgium)
• HNLMS Makkum (Netherlands)

A formal visit to the Russian Baltic Fleet will be followed, of course, by a football tournament.

Корабли постоянной минно-тральной группы НАТО прибыли в Петербург

Как сообщили в ЗВО, в четверг в Петербург зашли четыре корабля – “X.X. Черницки” (Польша), “Адмирал Кован” (Эстония), “Диллинген” (Германия) и “Раума” (Норвегия). В субботу состав кораблей несколько изменится – в северную столицу войдут бельгийский “Нарцис” и нидерландский “Маккум”, они заменят корабли Норвегии и Германии.

© РИА Новости. Игорь Руссак

С.-ПЕТЕРБУРГ, 10 окт — РИА Новости. Корабли постоянной минно-тральной группы НАТО прибыли в Санкт-Петербург, в субботу их палубы будут открыты для посещения всех желающих, сообщает в четверг пресс-служба Западного военного округа (ЗВО).

“В 10.00 мск корабли НАТО ошвартовались у причалов набережной Лейтенанта Шмидта. По традиции рядом с иностранными боевыми кораблями занял место так называемый корабль-хозяин — однотипный с ними базовый тральщик Балтийского флота “БТ-212”, — говорится в сообщении.

Как пояснил представитель ЗВО, в четверг в порт Петербурга зашли четыре корабля — “X.X. Черницки” (Польша), “Адмирал Кован” (Эстония), “Диллинген” (Германия), и “Раума” (Норвегия). В субботу состав кораблей несколько изменится — в северную столицу войдут бельгийский “Нарцис” и нидерландский “Маккум”, они заменят корабли Норвегии и Германии. “Было принято решение о единовременном приходе в порт Петербурга четырех кораблей. В любом случае все они посетят Петербург”, — сказал собеседник агентства.

© РИА Новости. Игорь Руссак

В ходе неофициального визита в северную столицу России, командиры кораблей совершат протокольный визит к командиру Ленинградской военно-морской базы Балтийского флота, который примет иностранных командиров на борту корабля №1 ВМФ РФ крейсере “Аврора”. Также в программе пребывания возложение экипажами зарубежных кораблей венков и цветов на мемориальном Пискаревском кладбище.

“Кроме того, военным морякам предстоит принять участие в “спортивной баталии”. 11 октября между сборной ВМС НАТО и сборной Балтийского флота состоится товарищеский футбольный матч”, — уточняет ЗВО.

За последние годы это первый визит постоянной минно-тральной группы НАТО в Петербург. Ранее моряки минно-тральной группы НАТО становилось гостями моряков-балтийцев в столице Балтийского флота — Калининграде. Визит кораблей НАТО в Санкт-Петербург завершится 14 октября.

http://ria.ru/spb/20131010/968989046.html

USS Coronado (LCS 4) completes acceptance trials

The USS Coronado (LCS 4) will be the US Navy’s 4th multi-mission littoral combat ship from a commitment to purchase 52 as replacements for frigates, mine countermeasures vessels, and assault ships. The project is 100% over budget and the ships are not considered to be survivable in combat, yet the Pentagon’s commitment to purchase 52 units remains.

LCS 4 Completes Acceptance Trials

MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) — The future USS Coronado (LCS 4) successfully concluded acceptance trials after completing a series of graded in-port and underway demonstrations for the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), the Navy announced Aug. 28.

130823-N-EW716-001 GULF OF MEXICO (Aug. 23, 2013) The future USS Coronado (LCS 4) conducts at-sea acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy, which is planned for later this fall. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Austal USA/Released)

Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the Navy, which is planned for later this fall. The ship completed trials Aug. 23.

“Coronado’s performance was strong” said Rear Adm. Robert Wray, INSURV president. “[This was] the most complete and rigorous trial on the Independence variant to date. I remain bullish on these seaframes.”

During the four-day trial, the Navy conducted comprehensive tests intended to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant, ship handling and auxiliary systems. While underway, the ship successfully performed launch and recovery operations with both the 7-meter and 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boats, a four-hour full power run, surface and air self defense detect-to-engage exercises, and demonstrated the ship’s tremendous maneuverability performing tight turns and accomplishing speeds in excess of 40 knots.

“Coronado encompasses lessons learned from the construction and operation of its predecessor USS Independence. The value of those changes was evident in the strong performance of the ship during her trial.” said LCS Program Manager Capt. Tom Anderson. “It’s a very exciting time in the LCS program.”

Following delivery and commissioning, Coronado will be homeported in San Diego with its sister ships USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Independence (LCS 2) and USS Fort Worth (LCS 3).

Milwaukee (LCS 5), Detroit (LCS 7), Little Rock (LCS 9) and Sioux City (LCS 11) are under construction at the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wis., and Jackson (LCS 6), Montgomery (LCS 8), Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and Omaha (LCS 12), are under construction at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala.

Wichita (LCS 13) and Billings (LCS 15) are under contract with Marinette Marine Corp and in the pre-production phase, while Manchester (LCS 14) and Tulsa (LCS 16) under contract with Austal and in the pre-production phase.

The littoral combat ship class is designed to defeat threats in coastal waters where increasingly capable submarines, mines, and swarming small craft operate. To deliver capabilities against these threats, the Navy introduced LCS with innovative concepts, such as modular mission packages, to quickly respond to an evolving threat.

The Navy is committed to a 52-ship LCS class.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=76205

Royal Navy TwoSix.tv updates for September 2013

VIDEO: Lockheed Martin Unmanned Systems (2013)

USS Ponce escapes mothball fleet to fulfill new rôle in the Persian Gulf

The USS Ponce, until 2011 one of the oldest LPDs in commission with the US Navy, escaped a trip to the mothball fleet by finding a new role as the USN’s Afloat Forward Staging Base, Interim (AFSB-I) supporting mine countermeasures vessels and helicopters in the Persian Gulf.

USS Ponce stays afloat in unique role as forward staging base

Helicopters sit on the deck of the USS Ponce during a large-scale international mine countermeasures exercise May 20 in the Persian Gulf. The Ponce was reclassified from an amphibious landing transport dock to an interim afloat forward staging base for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. Hendrick Simoes/Stars and Stripes

MANAMA, Bahrain — When the USS Ponce returned to Norfolk in December 2011 with its 360 crewmembers and thousands of additional shipmates — roaches that had inhabited the vessel — it was supposed to be its final deployment.

After its “victory lap,” it was scheduled to decommission in March 2012. But the U.S. Navy decided the race wasn’t quite yet over for the 41-year old ship.

The Ponce, nicknamed the Proud Lion, was reclassified from an amphibious landing transport dock to an interim afloat forward staging base for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, and it arrived at its new Bahrain homeport in July 2012.

It was a first for the Navy, whose officials described it as an experiment, partially inspired in part by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk’s role as an afloat special operations staging base during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.

For the first time, the Navy has such a platform permanently based in the 5th fleet theater and capable of doing a variety of missions — including humanitarian relief or special operations — utilizing the ship’s flight deck, well deck and immense storage capacity.

Another experimental aspect was that in its new role the ship would essentially be manned by a crew of civilian mariners from the Military Sealift Command integrated with U.S. Navy sailors. It currently has about 220 crewmembers — 165 civilians and 55 servicemembers.

“It keeps you on your toes,” said Capt. Jon Rodgers, commander of the USS Ponce. “I’ve touted two cultures, one crew.”

Walking aboard the ship, it’s common to see civilians with beards, long hair, and men with earrings — all things that would be considered to be contrary to good order and military discipline on a regular U.S. Navy ship.

Still, the biggest challenge for the Proud Lion in past year has been physically converting the ship to an afloat staging base. Since the ship was expected to have been decommissioned, it was in severe disrepair and much of the task of retrofitting and modernizing it fell to the crew, who did so even as the ship transited from Norfolk to the Middle East June last year.

“The ship was pretty broken,” said Christopher Semmler, an engineer on the Ponce, adding that all the maintenance work has given him good experience to put on his resume.

The bridge, pilot house, combat information center and many more compartments were completely overhauled. The crew also installed some new compartments such as a shipboard ER complete with an operating room designed by Navy surgeons. And the work continues, especially in engineering where temperatures below regularly exceed 130 degrees in the Gulf.

“We are constantly dealing with breakdowns, overhauls and fixes,” said Steven Wojtasinski, an engineer. Since the Ponce was built in the late 1960s, the engineering equipment “brings you back in time a little bit,” he added.

But the underlying problem of how much money should the Navy put into a vessel considered an interim solution, remains unresolved.

On July 10, 2013, the Ponce celebrated its 42nd birthday, and there is much uncertainty about how many more birthdays it will have. Rodgers said he believed it will remain in service at least until 2016 when it may possibly be relieved by a newer vessel.

Since the ship’s arrival in the 5th Fleet, it has played a key command and control role as the centerpiece in two 5th Fleet led, large-scale international maritime security exercises in the Persian Gulf.

“It is an experiment, and I think it’s been a successful one,” said Rodgers, who claims the vessel has 10 more years of life in her.

But, he admits he has a bias.

“She is a wise old ship, and if the nation needed her to go further I’m sure she can do it.”

http://www.stripes.com/uss-ponce-stays-afloat-in-unique-role-as-forward-staging-base-1.233134#