Release from the U.S. Department of Defense 

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Good morning, everyone. It’s great to be here with all of you this morning. 

I see a number of former chiefs in the audience this morning. And welcome to you all. Good to see you. 

Thanks to Secretary Del Toro. Carlos, we appreciate everything that you do for our Sailors and our Marines.  

Let me also welcome our outstanding Deputy Secretary, Kath Hicks. Kath, it’s an honor to serve alongside you. We’re absolutely lucky to have you. 

I want to thank the many distinguished guests and senior military leaders who are here today, including General Milley. General, thank you for your tremendous leadership of the Joint Chiefs. 

I’m also delighted that we’re joined by a great Navy leader who’s been a friend and mentor to me and to so many people here, Admiral Mike Mullen. Sir, it’s an honor to have you. 

And let me say a special welcome to Admiral Mike Gilday’s family—including his mother, Mrs. Frances Gilday. And we’re joined by two of Mike’s siblings, Mark and Mary Joy. And I know that his other siblings, Dave and Brian, are also cheering him on.  

It is an absolute honor to be here today in Memorial Hall. The Navy will always steer by the “immortal valor” of the Naval Academy graduates who lost their lives in defense of America. 

We’re gathered in this sacred space for a simple reason: and that reason is to pay tribute to the finest Navy that the world has ever seen. And we should remember that, right now, thousands of Sailors stand the watch on ships and stations around the world. And that’s a testament to the Navy’s patriotism and professionalism.  

And it’s a testament to your leadership as well. So Admiral Gilday, congratulations on your tremendous tenure as the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations. And I’m glad to be here with so many outstanding Sailors today as we celebrate your service and all that the Navy has achieved under your leadership.   

Ladies and gentlemen, to tackle the national-security challenges of the 21st century, we need our Navy more than ever. It is especially vital in today’s world. And as Mike Gilday likes to say, the global economy floats on seawater. 

So we rely on our Navy to secure the world’s sea lanes for the free flow of ships, commerce, and ideas.  

We rely on our Navy to sail, fly, and operate wherever international law allows.  

We rely on our Navy to project American power and to protect American interests.  

We rely on our Navy to bolster our unmatched network of allies and partners, from the South China Sea to the Caribbean.  

And we rely on our Navy to deter conflict and to keep the peace. 

Now, some of our competitors have a very different vision. They want to upend the rules-based international order that was built at such a high cost after World War II. That includes new challenges in the maritime domain.  

But we are determined to defend the freedom of the skies, the seas, and space. And we are determined to keep the world of the 21st century open, stable, and peaceful.  

And that’s exactly what Admiral Gilday has been focused on for the past four years as our CNO.  

First and foremost, he’s been relentless about readiness. The Navy has been using data-driven reforms to improve maintenance. And today, our Navy, our shipyards, and our industrial base have sped up the pace of repairs. We’ve also invested in our supply chains so that when our ships, subs, and aircraft need maintenance, their new parts are more reliable and get to the fleet even faster.  

And under Admiral Gilday’s leadership, the Navy has also made great strides to modernize our fleet, to strengthen its capabilities, and to project American power on a global scale. 

Last October, the Navy deployed its new, first-in-class aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. She’s the largest warship in the world. The most technologically advanced. And the most powerful.  

In the recent Exercise Neptune Strike, the Ford steamed through the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, sailing together with our NATO allies and other partners to reinforce our common deterrence.    

And Navy airwings have deployed with the F-35C—which is a multi-role stealth fighter that is tailor-made for carrier-based operations.  

Now that’s the type of progress and drive that will keep our Navy on the cutting edge.  

And Admiral Gilday has also deepened the Navy’s integration with the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard. He and his team developed the first tri-service maritime strategy since 2015. And that strategy will shape the maritime balance of power for years and years to come. 

And he has dramatically improved our interoperability with our allies and partners.  

To take just one example: our Navy has a key role in our historic AUKUS partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. AUKUS is helping our three great democracies work even more closely together to keep the Indo-Pacific free, and open, and secure. 

Last month, the first Australian officers graduated from the Navy’s nuclear-power school. And just days ago, a Virginia-class submarine visited Australia as a part of the AUKUS partnership. And these crucial port visits help pave the way for our Australian counterparts to operate their own sovereign, nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines.  

Now, it’s a huge task to forge a Navy that will meet today’s security requirements. But for our Sailors, it’s all in a day’s work. And it’s all in a life’s calling.  

Every day, the men and women of the United States Navy defend our democracy.  

You do it with courage, skill, and honor. And you’re not just advancing American seapower around the planet. You’re also advancing America’s commitment to an open world of rules and rights.  

For the past four years, Admiral Gilday has guided all those advances with vigor, and expertise, and foresight. 

Now, Mike was adamant that he did not want today’s ceremony to be about him. But Mike, you don’t always get to choose. And so I’d be remiss if I didn’t say a couple of things about your distinguished career. 

Now, his career started right here at the Naval Academy. And by the way, I’m impressed that I was in the building for at least 30 minutes, and nobody said, “Beat Army” to me when I walked in.   

You’re thinking it though, Admiral. 

Mike’s classmates knew that he would always put in the work, whether he was studying for an exam or playing ultimate Frisbee.  

And that commitment to excellence defined Mike’s 38 years in uniform. 

He took on some of the most challenging jobs out there. Service aboard five warships, two of which he commanded, the destroyers Higgins and Benfold. Commander of a Destroyer Squadron and Carrier Strike Group Eight. Commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command. Director of operations on the Joint Staff. And even carrying the so-called “nuclear football” on Air Force One.  

Now, the Admiral has always understood that the most precious asset in the Navy’s arsenal is our people, including our military families. And Mike’s own family has supported him every step of his journey. 

His wife, Linda Gilday, has had a distinguished career as an engineer and a program manager. And she has brought her own expertise to the Navy as well, including working to improve infrastructure at the Navy’s public shipyards.  

Linda also helped launch the “Women in the Navy” initiative to honor the inspiring women who have strengthened this service throughout its history. And Linda has been a staunch advocate for military spouses and military families, from working for accessible, high-quality child care to helping families transition from duty station to duty station.  

So Linda, on behalf of everyone, thank you for everything that you’ve done in support of Mike and in support of our United States Navy.  

Now, Linda and Mike are deeply proud of their two sons. Michael is a senior at Auburn University. You can say “War Eagle” if you like. Brian is an ensign in the Navy, now serving as an explosive ordnance disposal officer. And that makes Brian third-generation Navy.  

So this is an exemplary military family.  

Mike, you are a sailor’s sailor, through and through. And I’m reminded of something that you said here in May on Commissioning Day. You said that you’ve always found that “Sailors just want to be led well and treated with respect.” 

And that’s been your hallmark, Mike, from Ensign to Admiral. You’ve always led superbly, and you’ve always treated everyone with the respect that they deserve.  

Bravo Zulu, Sailor.  

We wish you fair winds and following seas. 

And I am extremely proud to call you my shipmate. 

Let’s give Mike and the entire Gilday family a round of applause. 

Now, this is indeed a proud day—but I want to take a moment to mark a painful milestone.  

As you know, more than 300 nominations for our outstanding general and flag officers are now being held up in the United States Senate. That includes our top uniformed leaders—and our next Chief of Naval Operations. 

Because of this blanket hold, starting today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, three of our military services are operating without Senate-confirmed leaders.  

This is unprecedented. It is unnecessary. And it is unsafe. 

This sweeping hold is undermining America’s military readiness. It’s hindering our ability to retain our very best officers. And it’s upending the lives of far too many American military families.  

Our troops deserve better. Our military families deserve better. Our allies and partners deserve better. And our national security deserves better.  

So let me say again that smooth and swift transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States and to the full strength of the most lethal fighting force in history.  

And it is time for the Senate to confirm all of our superbly qualified military nominees—including the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations.  

Ladies and gentlemen, all around the planet, U.S. Navy ships help to build a world that is more free, more just, and more secure.  

Our Sailors never waver. And they never give up the ship. And their idealism reflects our country’s highest values of democracy and freedom. 

Our Sailors are the reason why the United States has the finest Navy in human history. 

And thanks to you, the sight of an American flag fluttering in a sea breeze from a gray Navy hull renews the faith of free people in a more hopeful world.   

So thank you to all of the men and women of the United States Navy.  

May God bless you.  

And may God continue to bless the United States of America. 

Thank you very much. 

Release from U.S. Navy Office of Information 

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10 August 2023 

WASHINGTON (August 10, 2023) — The United States Department of the Navy (DON) and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). 

The MOU, signed by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, and Environment) Meredith Berger, and EEI President and CEO Tom Kuhn, establishes a framework for the two organizations to identify opportunities to align the common energy goals of the DON, its servicing electric companies, and nearby communities. 

Relationships between America’s investor-owned electric companies and the Department of the Navy (DON) have been instrumental in increasing energy resilience, reliability, and efficiency, as well as reducing energy consumption at Navy and Marine Corps installations. The MOU will empower these relationships to identify best practices that support the energy grid, local communities, and national security interests. 

“EEI and our member companies are excited to continue our partnership with the DON and to pursue additional opportunities to strengthen energy grid resilience,” said Kuhn. “The signing of this MOU will allow the industry to play a vital role in maintaining and enhancing America’s energy security by laying the foundation to enhance joint energy resilience planning.” 

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment ensures mission readiness through resilient installations, personnel, ranges, and capabilities. As the DON’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Secretary Berger is also responsible for establishing and overseeing execution of sustainability goals and implementing Climate Action 2030. 

“The ability of the DON’s installations to plan, prepare, adapt and recover from a range of natural or manmade threats is essential to mission readiness,” said Berger. “Energy security is critical to mission success, and working with organizations that share our goals is critical to our efforts.” 

About Edison Electric Institute: EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for nearly 250 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 65 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. 

  

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Aug. 11, 2023 

By Team Ships Public Affairs 

SAN DIEGO – Construction started on the sixth Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB), the future USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD NASSCO), Aug. 8. 

The ESB ship class is highly flexible and used across a broad range of military operations supporting multiple operational phases, similar to the Expeditionary Transfer Dock class. Acting as a mobile sea base, they are part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces and supplies to provide prepositioned equipment and sustainment with flexible distribution. 

“The ESB platform has demonstrated they have not only the flexibility, but the capability the fleet needs while protecting our warfighting advantage,” said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The ship will support a variety of mission sets while focusing on its core capabilities of aviation facilities, berthing, special operations, equipment staging support, and command and control operations.” 

In July 2023 the ship was named by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in honor of Medal of Honor recipient and Korean War veteran Hector A. Cafferata and is the first ship to carry his name. 

GD NASSCO is also currently under construction on the future USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7) as well as John Lewis-class Fleet Replenishment Oilers, USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208), Lucy Stone (T-209) and Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210) with Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-ASO 212) and T-AO 213 under contract. 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft. 

Release from Commander, Naval Surface Forces Public Affairs 

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From Commander, Naval Surface Forces Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO – USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) honored more than three decades of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, Aug. 10.

Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, commander, Naval Surface Forces served as the ceremony’s guest speaker and wished the current crew fair winds and following seas as they bid farewell to their ship.

“The Sailors of USS Mobile Bay demonstrated time and time again the resolve and readiness the Surface Force provides around the clock in support of our nation’s interests,” said Kitchener. “Everywhere this ship and crew deployed, Mobile Bay Sailors served their nation well, and lived up to the valor enshrined in the Battle of Mobile Bay.”

Commanded by Capt. Brandon J. Burkett, Mobile Bay maintained a crew of 30 officers and 300 enlisted members.

“It’s been an honor to be Mobile Bay’s last commanding officer,” said Burkett. “It has been a distinct privilege to work alongside some of the finest Sailors our Navy and our nation have to offer. Their persistence through adversity is commendable and truly represents the spirit of Mobile Bay’s motto, ‘Full speed ahead.’ They truly embody what it means to be a ‘MOBster.’ It is now my solemn responsibility as the ships final captain to order hauling down the colors and disembarking the crew. Though to many of us ‘MOBsters’ past and present, the feeling is deeper than that. Those who’ve gone to sea know that a ship is more than a machine that floats. When you are away from home for months on end your ship becomes your home and your protection. We take care of her and she takes care of us. Simply put, she becomes family. It has been an honor to serve with my crew on this exemplary warship.”

Mobile Bay was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi and commissioned Feb. 21, 1987, Alabama State Docks in Mobile, Alabama.

The ship’s operational history includes the 1989 evacuation of U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon; launching 22 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) in support of Operation Desert Storm and evacuation of thousands of people displaced by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the vicinity of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines during Operation Fiery Vigil in 1991; U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (CGLED) seizure of 10.5 metric tons of cocaine approximately 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, and launching Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

The ship’s sponsor, Kathryn Jane Maury helped organize the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia in the 1960s after her Navy pilot husband was shot down and captured in 1965. She was married to U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton, a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism while a prisoner of war. USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), a Flight III Arleigh-Burke class destroyer is named for him. Mrs. Denton passed away on Nov. 22, 2007, at the age of 81.

The ship was the first named after and in honor of the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. During the famous American Civil War naval battle between Union forces under the command of Adm. David Farragut and Confederate forces under Adm. Franklin Buchanan.

The ship’s motto, “Full speed ahead,” is based on Adm. Farragut’s famous command issued during the battle and typifies the Admiral’s key to success in war, straight thinking and determined action. Mobile Bay proudly carried on the tradition of patriotism and courage displayed by the ships and Sailors in the historic battle which concluded when Farragut’s Union ships converged upon the Confederate ironclad CSS Tennessee firing broadsides and ramming it at full speed with their prows. After two hours, Tennessee was dead in the water, it’s steering gone and stack shot away, filling the gun deck with suffocating heat and flames. Only then did the wounded Buchanan give the order to surrender. Tennessee’s colors came down, concluding one of the most important battles in the Civil War.

Mobile Bay will be inactivated and towed to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Bremerton, Washington where they will be in a Logistic Support Asset (LSA) status.

For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnsp/, www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMNAVSURFPAC, and www.public.navy.mil/surfor/.

27 July 2023
For Immediate Release:

WASHINGTON, DC – The Naval Order of the United States (NOUS) National Capital Commandery welcomes the Escort Carrier Sailors and Airmen Association (ESCAA) to the nation’s capital for a planned final reunion convention which will feature a day-long symposium on Friday August 25, 2023.

Escort Carriers often dubbed “Jeep Carriers” came into existence during World War II, serving with both the U.S. and Royal Navies in the Battle of the Atlantic to deter German U-Boats attacks on cross-Atlantic convoys. They provided the backbone to what became known as Hunter-Killer groups. One such group, centered around the escort carrier Guadalcanal, would capture the German submarine U-505 on June 4, 1944. Escort carriers also served in the Pacific. During the Battle for Leyte Gulf, the Gambier Bay was sunk by enemy gunfire and a Kamikaze claimed St. Lo. On January 4, 1945, another Kamikaze claimed Ommaney Bay off the Philippines and this past July 10th, 2023, the Naval History and Heritage Command confirmed its discovery. A briefing on this discovery by Naval History and Heritage Command underwater archaeology staff is planned for the symposium.

Escort Carriers went on to serve with the U.S. Navy in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and with other navies. Given their significant contribution to naval history as illustrated by Ommaney Bay, the NOUS National Capital Commandery invites those interested in this unique aspect of naval aviation history to attend a one-day history symposium to be held at the Crystal City Doubletree Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. ESCAA has convened an impressive program with NOUS Companion Dr. David F. Winkler, author of a forthcoming book on the Navy’s first aircraft carrier Langley, serving as moderator. Other experts who have accepted invitations to speak include Cdr. Stan Fisher of the U.S. Naval Academy History Department, Archaeologist Bradley A. Krueger, historians Robert Cressman and Guy Nasuti of the Naval Heritage and History Command, and Travis Bickford of the Library of Congress. The symposium has the strong support of the Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, Rear Adm. Samuel Cox, USN (Ret.) who has invited convention attendees to tour the Navy Museum the following day and will be the featured speaker at the convention’s closing banquet that following evening.

For those interested in attending the one-day symposium which will include a lunch, the registration is found at www.ecsaa.org/symposium . For those interested in attending the entire reunion convention that includes the symposium, city tour, memorial service and banquet, further information can be found here at www.ecsaa.org/convention.

Though this is the last reunion event for the ESCAA, the NOUS National Capital Commandery commends this organization for its intent to forge on with a mission of preserving the legacy of this unique warship class. Promoting events such as this Escort Carrier History Symposium falls within the mission of the NOUS National Capital Commandery. For more on the Naval Order and eligibility to join, visit https://nouscap.org.

Media inquiries about the Escort Carrier History Symposium can be sent to ESCAA president Dave Ryan at [email protected].

Release from the Secretary of the Navy 

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Department of the Navy Two-Year Review 

09 August 2023 

Statement from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro: 

Today marks my second anniversary as your Secretary of the Navy, and it continues to be an honor to serve by your side.  In that time, our Navy and Marine Corps team has made much progress advancing our three enduring priorities:  Strengthening Maritime Dominance, Building a Culture of Warfighting Excellence, and Enhancing Strategic Partnerships.  Together, we are improving readiness and modernization in order to ensure we can always fulfill our mission to be combat-ready; our future depends on the work we do today to create a more ready, modern, and capable Navy and Marine Corps team. 

Visiting you at naval bases, shipyards, depots, training ranges, tarmacs, and runways world-wide, I have witnessed firsthand the progress you have made towards improving the training, readiness, and modernization of our fleet and force.  Along with your senior leaders throughout the Department, I strive to ensure you have the resources you need today and well into the future.  Thanks to your collective efforts, we have worked effectively with Congress via the President’s Budget Requests for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-24 to increase the Department of the Navy’s top line budget by more than $47 billion, a 23% increase from FY 2021.  There is still much work to be done, and this increased investment in our fleet and force by the American people is a sacred trust that reflects the centrality of the Navy and Marine Corps to our national security strategy in this era of competition. 

Read the full memo HERE. 

Release from Textron Systems 

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August 9, 2023 

AEROSONDE®AIR 

AEROSONDE^® UNCREWED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (UAS) SUPPORTING SEVENTH U.S. NAVY SHIP WITH EXTENDED RANGE ISR SERVICES 

Hunt Valley, Maryland, AUGUST 9, 2023 – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today that it has been awarded an initial contract valued at up to $19.5 million by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide UAS operational support to two Independence Class LCS and one Freedom Class LCS variants. This award joins the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB)-4 and ESB-5, as well as two DDG- class ships, bringing the total number of U.S. Navy ships supported by the Aerosonde^® UAS system to seven.  

Textron Systems will deploy its Aerosonde UAS to provide mission overwatch and extended intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services with enhanced mission payloads as seen aboard the ESB-5. 

“Contractor-owned/contractor-operated contracts like this support the Navy’s continued investments in uncrewed assets for their ships,” said Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President, Air Systems. “We’ve seen the benefits of our Aerosonde UAS for DDG and ESB- class ships already, and we’re honored to be expanding into this new ship class, allowing us to continue supporting maritime domain awareness and missions while delivering operational and logistical capabilities.”  

The Aerosonde system continues to set the standard for mission readiness and ease of use, amassing more than 600,000 flight hours serving multiple U.S. customers and allies. It is designed for expeditionary land- and sea-based operations with both fixed-wing and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) options. Textron Systems has provided turnkey, UAS operations for customers around the world for more than 10 years. 

Release from U.S. Fleet Forces Command 

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NORFOLK, Va. – The crews of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) dry cargo ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) performed a MK 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) re-arm, pier-side, at Naval Station Norfolk, Aug. 3. 
 
The Navy conducted the demonstration to provide proof of concept that a dry cargo ammunition ship can reload the weapons system pier-side and while the ship is at sea, with a goal of expanding the capability of VLS reloading in expeditionary environments. 
 
“The Navy has been considering alternative vessels to move ordnance into a theater without an on-shore infrastructure to support,” according to Jerit Vanauker, of MSC’s Taluga Group. “One of the situations considered was the ability to re-arm VLS for Navy combatant ships in a contested environment, and so we considered the idea to use an MSC dry cargo ammunition ship.” 
 
In addition to the crews of Porter and William McLean, U.S. 2nd Fleet, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command’s (NECC) Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG), the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) and NSWC Picatinny supported the VLS re-arming. NECC’s expeditionary reload team from NAVELSG are expertly trained in ordnance transfer and handling and can operate in remote, complex, and austere environments to ensure naval forces remain forward and mobile. 
 
“MSC’s role in developing and executing VLS is vital,” Vanauker stated. “We will bring the ordnance, and platform to deliver ordnance, in support of VLS re-arming of our combatant ships, so they can get back in the fight without traveling long distances to be resupplied.” 
 
During the demonstration, Porter pulled into the naval station and moored ‘skin-to-skin’ along-side William McLean, which was moored to the pier. The ships’ crews installed marine bumpers between the vessels to prevent damage to the ships during the VLS re-arm. 
 
Once the ships were safely moored, the VLS team aboard William McLean prepared two simulated ordnance packages for delivery. 
 
“The VLS handling team prepared and reviewed the necessary procedures, ordnance handling equipment (OHE) and tools to conduct the VLS re-arm,” said Vanauker. “All procedures were reviewed, OHE and tools were inspected and a safety brief was conducted.” 
 
“Once inspection was complete, the canister was loaded into the tilt-fixture and vertical strong-back, secured and then attached to the crane hook,” he continued. “The tilt-fixture and vertical strong-back allows the canister to be tilted into a vertical position with assistance from the ship’s crane.” 
 
Using the Mclean’s crane, two simulated missiles were lifted from the ship’s flight deck and swung over to Porter’s forward weapons cells. Porter’s VLS team received the simulated ordnance and stowed the missiles aboard in the ship’s MK 41 Vertical Launch System. 
 
“The crane operator, with assistance from the Signalman, swung the simulated ordnance over to Porter, placing it over the open module cell hatch, and lowered into alignment with the available cell,” Vanauker continued. “In all, performing a VLS re-arm is a very simple evolution which requires patience and focus.” 
 
The crane for the VLS re-arm demonstration was operated by Boatswain’s Mate Justin Bradley, one of William McLean’s Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs). 
 
“This was the first VLS re-arm to take place aboard William McLean,” according to Capt. John Stulz, USNS William McLean’s Master. “Our CIVMARs secured the USS Porter alongside, operated the crane and provided support on deck for this evolution. Cargo and ordnance operations are a part of daily life for MSC ships.” 
 
“The crew of the William McLean performed with precision and professionalism during this movement, just like our counterparts do every day around the globe,” Stulz added. 
 
The VLS re-arm demonstration was conducted as part of U.S. Fleet Forces’ Large Scale Exercise 2023 (LSE). 
 
“Expeditionary logistics allow the Navy to quickly return to maintaining maritime dominance,” said Rear Adm. Brad Andros, Commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. “Operating in support of Military Sealift Command during Large Scale Exercise 2023 provides our expeditionary reload teams the opportunity to train to different platforms so that they can continue to sustain capacity and increase the persistent combat power of naval forces.” 
 
LSE 2023 provided a venue to test and refine current and new technologies and platforms to reinforce our current position as a supreme maritime force and provide feedback used to inform future innovation. LSE 2023 includes six Navy and Marine Corps component commands and seven U.S. numbered Fleets, including U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet, operating seamlessly across 22 time zones. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command

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SAN DIEGO – The keel for the future USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), the Navy’s 5th John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, was laid at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company’s (GD NASSCO) shipyard in San Diego, August 8. 

A keel laying is the recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. It is the union of a ship’s modular components and the authentication or etching of an honoree’s initials into a ceremonial keel plate. In recognition of their steadfast spirit and patriotic devotion over the past two decades to unite approximately 100 ships with ship sponsors, ship introduction specialists and ship sponsors Alicia Aadnesen and Debbie Simmons etched their initials into the keel plate of the future USNS Lucy Stone. 

The ship is named for American suffragist Lucy Stone, who joined other notable advocates such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Ernestine Rose, and Antoinette Brown Blackwell to petition for suffrage and abolition in the 19th century. Her efforts as a founder of the Women’s National Loyal League were essential to the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. 

“The future Lucy Stone’s keel laying is a significant milestone, and we are excited to mark the beginning of great achievements to come for this ship,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office. “The fifth John Lewis-class oiler will enhance the fleet’s ability to refuel ships at sea.” 

The oilers feature substantial volume for oil, a significant dry cargo capacity and aviation capability. The vessels have double hulls to protect against oil spills and strengthened cargo and ballast tanks.  T-AOs will add capacity to the Navy’s Combat Logistics Force and become the cornerstone of the fuel delivery system. 

GD NASSCO is also in production on future T-AOs, USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208) and USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210). They are also under contract on future USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) and T-AO 213. 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft. 

Release from Commander, Naval Surface Group Mid-Pacific

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07 August 2023 

PEARL HARBOR, HI, UNITED STATES – The Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), and its crew arrived at the ship’s new home port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Aug. 7. 
 
USS Carl M. Levin is the first naval ship named in honor of Michigan’s longest serving senator, the late Carl M. Levin, for his years of service as a longtime member and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. 
 
Levin began his career as an attorney, professor, and assistant attorney general in Michigan and was elected to the Senate in 1979. Levin chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee from 2001 – 2003 and from 2007 until his retirement. He was Michigan’s first Jewish senator and the state’s longest-serving senator, serving for 36 years before retiring in 2015. 
 
“USS Carl M. Levin honors the legacy and achievements of a great American senator who always placed service of others above self,” said Cmdr. Kelly Craft, Carl M. Levin’s commanding officer. “Symbolized in U.S. steel, the crew has worked tirelessly to bring her to life and sail her to our homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. We are proud to join our comrades in the defense of Hawaii, ready to take on any challenge and always remain tenacious in the fight.” 
 
During Carl M. Levin’s transit to Hawaii, the ship made port calls to major naval ports including Newport, Rhode Island., Norfolk, Virginia, Mayport, Florida, and San Diego, California. Additionally, the crew stopped in Oranjestad, Aruba, before continuing through the Panama Canal and visiting Manta, Ecuador. Throughout their journey, Carl M. Levin accomplished numerous certifications and evolutions including, underway replenishments at sea, flight quarters, gun shoots, small boat operations, and many more. 
 
The ship was christened on Oct. 2, 2021 at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and commissioned in on June 24, 2023, in Baltimore. 
 
The mission of Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific is to manage the overall warfighting capability of the Surface Combatant Force homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; to coordinate the manning, operations, combat systems, engineering, maintenance, training, logistics, administration, and support of assigned units to achieve the highest levels of combat readiness. 
 
As in integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific in addition to providing realistic and relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless roles of sea control and power projection. U.S. 3rd Fleet works in close coordination with other numbered fleets to provide commanders with capable, ready forces to deploy forward and win in day-to-day competition, in crisis, and in conflict. 

PEARL HARBOR, HI, UNITED STATES – The Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), and its crew arrived at the ship’s new home port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Aug. 7. 
 
USS Carl M. Levin is the first naval ship named in honor of Michigan’s longest serving senator, the late Carl M. Levin, for his years of service as a longtime member and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. 
 
Levin began his career as an attorney, professor, and assistant attorney general in Michigan and was elected to the Senate in 1979. Levin chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee from 2001 – 2003 and from 2007 until his retirement. He was Michigan’s first Jewish senator and the state’s longest-serving senator, serving for 36 years before retiring in 2015. 
 
“USS Carl M. Levin honors the legacy and achievements of a great American senator who always placed service of others above self,” said Cmdr. Kelly Craft, Carl M. Levin’s commanding officer. “Symbolized in U.S. steel, the crew has worked tirelessly to bring her to life and sail her to our homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. We are proud to join our comrades in the defense of Hawaii, ready to take on any challenge and always remain tenacious in the fight.” 
 
During Carl M. Levin’s transit to Hawaii, the ship made port calls to major naval ports including Newport, Rhode Island., Norfolk, Virginia, Mayport, Florida, and San Diego, California. Additionally, the crew stopped in Oranjestad, Aruba, before continuing through the Panama Canal and visiting Manta, Ecuador. Throughout their journey, Carl M. Levin accomplished numerous certifications and evolutions including, underway replenishments at sea, flight quarters, gun shoots, small boat operations, and many more. 
 
The ship was christened on Oct. 2, 2021 at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and commissioned in on June 24, 2023, in Baltimore. 
 
The mission of Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific is to manage the overall warfighting capability of the Surface Combatant Force homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; to coordinate the manning, operations, combat systems, engineering, maintenance, training, logistics, administration, and support of assigned units to achieve the highest levels of combat readiness. 
 
As in integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific in addition to providing realistic and relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless roles of sea control and power projection. U.S. 3rd Fleet works in close coordination with other numbered fleets to provide commanders with capable, ready forces to deploy forward and win in day-to-day competition, in crisis, and in conflict.