USS Wasp: Queen The Biggest Presence At Naval Centennial bash

USS Wasp (LHD-1) will be the largest warship docked in Halifax

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip will visit Halifax from June 28 to 30.  The Queen will conduct a review of the international fleet on June 29 as part of celebrations for the Canadian navy’s centennial.

As Rough As It May Seem, It's Still Steady As You Go...

Halifax Harbour Cams

The 17 foreign and 12 Canadian warships anchored in Halifax harbour and Bedford basin will be open to the public over the weekend.

The Ships Bunked For Viewing

The sailors and airmen and women from Denmark, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, France, United States, United Kingdom as well as Canadian sailors will have plenty of choices to be entertained and dined over the four days.

The Fanfare list

U.K. , French, US Navy vessels exercise in the Atlantic

HMS Sutherland's Commanding Officer, Commander John Payne, keeps a close eye on navigator Lieutenant Charlie Collins during a Replenishment at Sea with RFA Fort George


The AURIGA deployment is a large-scale joint maritime operational exercise that lasts four months involving the U.K., U.S. and French navies.

A number of Royal Navy vessels are currently deployed to the eastern seaboard of the USA as part of the AURIGA multinational Naval Task Group.

The Task Group is commanded by Commodore Simon Ancona whose aim over the deployment is to ensure the development of a range of maritime capabilities by maximising the value of training opportunities for all joint and coalition partners involved.

Vessels involved in the Task Group include the Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland, the Arleigh Burke Class destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52) , RFA Fort George, French nuclear submarine FS Perle, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Liverpool.

The Task Force departed Scotland last month and once at sea started conducting routine serials to ensure the Task Group maintained full readiness.

Man-overboard exercises, where a life-sized dummy is thrown overboard and recovered, and response to discovering an exercise fire onboard HMS Sutherland tested whole ship reactions to any eventuality at sea.

Elements of the AURIGA Task Group then concentrated on integrating helicopter flying serials.

The first surface exercise and a boarding exercise were conducted between USS Barry (DDG-52) and HMS Sutherland.

As part of their preparation, the boarding teams' training advanced with rapid roping evolutions being conducted. This allows for a speedy insertion of the boarding team from a helicopter when time is of the essence.

The main drive for elements of the AURIGA Task Group was on honing their submarine-hunting skills during the transit between the UK and Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Working as a combined unit they hunted, avoiding counter-detection, and engaged in simulated underwater battles with FS Perle who proved to be a worthy adversary.

In the two-week period up to arriving in Norfolk, it is estimated 29,100 'pings' of sound were transmitted into the water to enable early detection of the submarine.

Throughout the past two weeks logistics and engineering departments have also been busy ensuring essential stores and equipment are in the correct place by replenishing from RFA Fort George to the other units.

This ensured that the ships could repair defects efficiently and even saw a transfer of crisps when the shop onboard HMS Sutherland unexpectedly ran out - on receipt of the resupply high levels of morale were restored.

On Saturday 8 May USS Barry (DDG-52) and HMS Sutherland conducted a successful exercise with submarine USS Dallas (SSN-700), in conjunction with protecting the high-value unit RFA Fort George.

HMS Sutherland's office was also kept very busy that day exchanging money, with a total of $52,165 exchanged in one day ahead of the ship's first visit to Norfolk.

Commodore Ancona took the opportunity to visit vessels within his Task Group during a photograph exercise, with HMS Sutherland, RFA Fort George, USS Barry (DDG-52) and FS Perle joined by submarine USS Dallas (SSN-700), prior to arriving at the Task Group's destination of Norfolk, Virginia.

Elements of the Task Group will also participate in the International Fleet Review taking place in Halifax to celebrate the Centennial of the Canadian Navy.

Later on in the deployment the Amphibious Task Group consisting of approximately 2,000 personnel and 3 ships will join for the final exercise. HMS Albion, HMS Ocean, RFA Largs Bay.

The deployment will focus on a series of US and Canadian exercises with the principal aim of enhancing our Operational Capability by training with our coalition partners in traditional war-fighting areas of Carrier Strike, Amphibious Assault and Anti-Submarine Warfare operations.



Ambassador Nigel Sheinwald comments on his visit to the HMS Ark Royal 
and the Royal Navy's work with NATO and the US Navy.


The Task Group is Commanded from HMS ARK ROYAL by Commodore Simon Ancona Royal Navy, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group.

Run to Rona On Shipbuilding: Big Canadian Hardware Budget

  HMCS Preserver during New York fleet week 2009.

Two big shipyards will share $33 billion up for grabs for building large vessels

Shipbuilding in Canada is something I've completely sort of forgot about. I do remember 7 years ago being some what happy to hear about the CH-149 Cormorant Search and Rescue (Air & Sea) making its way (15) into mix of new assets for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Hey New York we've come alive again something new next time we come around.

The federal government recently announced a $35-billion shipbuilding plan that should see 28 large ships and 116 smaller vessels built in Canadian shipyards over the next 30 years. It's about time, not that someone like myself would benefit from this. It's definately closer than the UK shipbuilding yards if your flying eastward.

Irving’s Halifax Shipyard, Vancouver Shipyards and Davie Shipyard in Quebec City are thought to be the front-runners in seeking that designation, while smaller shipyards, such as the one in Marystown, N.L., will have a crack at the smaller vessels, and other firms across the country will get subcontracts.

Longtime NDP shipbuilding critic Peter Stoffer said the government seems to be describing a two-year process before any ship construction is underway.

"They don’t need two years. They could work with industry to get it much faster."

But Stoffer welcomed the announcement, saying the arrangement should allow the industry to better plan for the future.

"If they do it right, this can indeed be a successful day for all of Canada."

Premier Darrell Dexter said he was pleased with the new policy, and said MacKay should be congratulated for his leadership on the issue.

"Obviously, we have one of the most successful shipbuilding yards in the country," he said before Thursday’s announcement.

"We believe that our yard can compete with any in the country, and we’re happy to see the government moving in that direction."

Stoffer said it could mean good jobs for Nova Scotians.

"If you look at Halifax, it’s a tremendous opportunity. Take (Nova Scotia Community College) — they can train young people in the skilled trades of shipbuilding, then these people can have long-term employment."

I've completely left out the politics on this one. Heres the stuff things are made for your tax dollars.

A. Joint Support Ship - A 200 meter, 28,000 ton multipurpose vessel to support Canadian forces ashore or fleet deployments up to 6 times longer than normal.

A sustained speed of 20 knots. Able to carry "7,000t – 10,000t of ship fuel,650 – 1,300t of JP-5 naval aviation fuel, and 1,100 square meters of ammunition."

To deploy up to 4 helicopters, and act as a command ship.

These will eventually replace the HMCS Protecteur and HMCS Preserver.

B. Canadian Surface Combatant-This is expected to replace the Iroquois class destroyers, example our almost 40 year old flagship HMCS Athabaskan (DDH 282) and eventually all those over what ever class  Halifax frigates.

About 6000 tons light with some type of Phased Array Radar, firing Sea Sparrow or even SM-3 missiles. Possibly SeaRAM or CIWS for self-defense.
C. Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship-Able to operate in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zones, in medium ice, for up to four months endurance.

Range of at least 6800 miles, a complete C3 capability, sustained cruise speed of 14 knots and a maximum of 17 knots. Also a gun armament and a lifespan of 25 years.

We're all kind of tired of hearing of the out of date "tin canned navy."

More  backwater lashing read this:
Once-powerful navy is 'desperate for new ships'

USS Enterprise Out of Yard: InSurv Classified Documents?

More exciting news these days than those US Navy InSurv classified documents policy changes of Dec '09...

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group deployed Friday from Norfolk Naval Station, Va., making this a big week in Navy News.

The morning of May 19 '10 began with replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196). An all crew effort pitched in a few members from the each of the various departments to help secure and store food supplies aboard the "Big -E".

Though everyone was ready to ship-out for a deployment in October '09 the USS Enterprise was laid up for an additional 7 months. A big shuffle of assignments and leave of absence and retirement occurred for about 1/3 of that original Task Group crew.

Six ships, an Air Wing along with 6000 sailors of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group deployed Friday from Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia.

They are the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) and guided missile destroyers USS Winston S. Churchill(DDG 81), USS Oscar Austin(DDG 79) and USS Ross(DDG 71). The US force opposite Iran will be joined by a German warship, the frigate FGS Hessen(F221), operating under American command.

Enterprise is underway conducting carrier qualifications in preparation for work-ups and her 21st deployment.

On the West Coast, the carrier John C. Stennis on Monday started a $137 million, six-month planned incremental availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. The carrier will have extensive work on propulsion and aircraft launch and recovery systems, according to the contract. Radar and communications systems also will be upgraded.

The carrier Ronald Reagan returned to sea for sea trials the following day after six months of upgrades, modernizations and maintenance. The work was done at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., the carrier’s homeport.

And in the Western Pacific, the forward-deployed George Washington Carrier Strike Group departed Yokosuka, Japan, on Tuesday to conduct equipment testing and carrier landing qualifications to prepare for an upcoming deployment.

This comes after hundreds of thousands of man hours repairing and upgrading the carrier during a 121-day selective restricted availability period, according to the Navy.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) Now Beyond Accommodative

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Torrey W. Lee, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

May 21, 2010 - SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) pulled into Naval Air Station North Island May 19 after a successful two-day sea trial, which marked the official end to its six-month planned incremental availability (PIA) period.

The sea trial was the final phase of PIA and was conducted to assess the material readiness and ability for the ship to return to the operational fleet.

Ronald Reagan's executive officer, Capt. Ronald Ravelo attributed the success of Ronald Reagan's PIA to the tremendous teamwork between the ship's crew and shipyard workers from Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Northrop-Grumman's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and Southwest Regional Maintenance Command.

"This is where a warship should be," said Ravelo. "I was walking around the ship and as we made it to deep water I could feel that energy in the crew."

During the maintenance period, Ronald Reagan received technological upgrades that will prepare it for its next deployment and beyond. Refurbishments ranged from hi-tech combat systems to firefighting equipment. The crew also benefited, receiving living spaces and improved ship's laundry services, to list a few.

"With the modernization we're now going through I think it serves as a preparation," said Ravelo. "The challenges out there in the real world are becoming a lot more complex. By investing the time and money into these carriers and upgrading the systems, it better prepares us to tackle all of those challenges."

Ronald Reagan's PIA began last fall, on the heels of the ship's fourth deployment in four years. The PIA was the ship's second, the first coming in 2007. With most of the crew involved in that maintenance period transferred, going from an operational carrier to a shipyard environment was difficult at first.

"Initially it was tough," said Ravelo. "After that initial shockwave once we got into the groove I think everyone worked really well together. Again, teamwork was the key."