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RNZN ship of the day – HMNZS Hawea (P3571)

 

HMNZS Hawea entering Otago Harbour in 2009
HMNZS HAWEA guiding Queen Mary II into Waitangi. 2007

HMNZS HAWEA and Queen Mary II

 Navy Open Day at Devonport, New Zealand.

A fleet of seven ships enters Auckland Harbour. New Zealand Navy Ships, HMNZS CANTERBURY, ENDEAVOUR, TE KAHA, HAWEA and TAUPO


HMNZS Hawea is a Lake-class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Hawea was constructed between 2004 and 2007, and commissioned on 1 May 2009.[1] She performs border and fisheries protection patrols.

Hawea is the third ship of this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and is named after Lake Hāwea. Both of the Lake-class were sold to the Irish Naval Service in 2023 being delivered in May 2023. They are due in service sometime in 2024 after commission works are completed. Both are planned to be based on the east coast of Ireland where sea conditions suit their capabilities.

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HMNZS Aotearoa Suffers $10M Damage: Contaminated Diesel and Corrosion Issues Unveiled New Zealand’s HMNZS Aotearoa faces severe challenges with contaminated diesel and corrosion less than four years post-launch, prompting urgent repairs.

It was supposed to be a shining beacon of naval prowess, yet HMNZS Aotearoa, New Zealand’s largest naval vessel, has found itself in murky waters less than four years post-launch. An internal investigation uncovers nearly $10m in damages due to contaminated diesel, with additional concerns over coating and corrosion now coming to light. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered in 2020, the ship’s woes underscore significant challenges ahead.

Contamination Crisis Unfolds

April 2023 marked the onset of the contamination debacle when routine sampling revealed the presence of damaging fungi in the ship’s diesel. Assistant Chief of Navy Captain Simon Rooke highlighted the severity of the issue, noting the potential equipment and machinery damage posed by such microbiological threats. Although the exact cause of contamination remains under scrutiny, the incident prompts a broader inquiry into fuel management and maintenance protocols within naval operations. Remediation efforts promptly initiated in Singapore underscore the urgency of addressing this unforeseen complication.

Corrosion Concerns Compound Challenges

In tandem with the fuel contamination saga, HMNZS Aotearoa grapples with coating and corrosion issues detected since its mid-2020 delivery. These findings necessitate a comprehensive study to gauge the extent of required repairs, with a plan and costing to follow. Expected to conclude by mid-2024, these efforts aim to restore the vessel’s integrity. However, this situation illustrates the broader maintenance hurdles facing naval assets, particularly those of significant scale and complexity.

Navigating a Retention Crisis

The backdrop to these technical troubles is a broader retention crisis within the Navy, with a notable departure of marine propulsion technicians. This personnel challenge adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing maintenance and operational readiness of HMNZS Aotearoa, reflecting wider staffing issues within the defense sector. As the Navy endeavors to rectify the current predicaments, the intersection of technical and personnel issues will likely influence strategic priorities and resource allocation moving forward.

As HMNZS Aotearoa confronts these multifaceted challenges, the implications extend beyond immediate repair needs, hinting at broader considerations for naval asset management, personnel retention, and the ongoing viability of such significant military investments. The unfolding situation underscores the essential balance between operational capability and the maintenance imperative, with a keen eye on the future of naval defense readiness.

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USS George Washington: The U.S. Navy’s First Ballistic Missile Submarine

USS George Washington SSBN Submarine
March 2, 2024  Topic: Security  Region: Americas  Blog Brand: The Buzz  Tags: SSBNUSS George WashingtonSubmarineMilitary

USS George Washington: The U.S. Navy’s First Ballistic Missile Submarine

The USS George Washington (SSBN-598) marked a pivotal advancement in naval capabilities as the U.S. Navy’s first ballistic missile submarine launched in the late 1950s

by Maya Carlin Follow Mayarcarlin on Twitter

Summary: The USS George Washington (SSBN-598) marked a pivotal advancement in naval capabilities as the U.S. Navy’s first ballistic missile submarine launched in the late 1950s. Part of the innovative Skipjack class, it featured a high-speed hull design and was constructed using HY-80 steel. This submarine made history in 1960 by successfully launching the Polaris missile, showcasing its strategic nuclear capabilities. Despite a collision with a Japanese freighter in 1981 and changes in its operational role following the SALT II treaty, USS George Washington demonstrated significant naval prowess until its decommissioning and recycling in 1986.

USS George Washington (SSBN-598): The Submarine That Changed Naval Warfare

Named to honor the commander in chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States, USS George Washington (SSBN-598) became the Navy’s first-ever ballistic missile vessel when introduced more than six decades ago.

Initially, she was laid down as the attack submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589). Ultimately, however, her longer length due to incorporating a ballistic missile section pushed her out of the class.

Another attack submarine under construction received the original hull number and name instead.

Introducing U.S. Navy Submarine USS George Washington SSBN

George Washington’s keel, was laid down at Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in 1958. She was launched one year later. As mentioned previously, Scorpion became George Washington during her construction phase. Notably, a plaque bearing her original name remained in the submarine’s forward escape hatch while in service.

She measured roughly 381 feet with a beam length of 33 feet and a draught of 29 feet. George Washington displaced 6,055 tons when surfaced and 6,815 tons submerged.

In 1960, George Washington loaded two solid propellant Polaris missiles and successfully launched the first Polaris from a submerged submarine. The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage, solid-fueled, nuclear-armed, submarine-launched ballistic missile that served the U.S. Navy for nearly twenty years.

When the formidable weapon was launched underwater from a moving platform, it became invulnerable to counterattack. The Polaris eventually formed the backbone of the service’s nuclear force. Down the line, this missile was gradually replaced by more advanced SSBNS, notably the Trident I.

Following a brief stint at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where she successfully launched Polaris missiles, George Washington sailed for Naval Submarine Base New London at New London, Connecticut. Following a decade-long departure from Groton, George Washington returned to South Carolina for refueling, having cruised some 100,000 nautical miles out at sea.

Collision with Nissho Maru

In 1981, a Japanese freighter collided with the George Washington in the East China Sea, causing the cargo ship to sink.

While thirteen of the Japanese ships’ crew members were rescued from rafts, the captain and his first officer were killed. Japanese officials accused the Navy of waiting 36 hours before informing its government or armed forces of the incident.

According to a statement released by the Navy, George Washington and its ballistic missiles/nuclear reactor onboard were undamaged. Survivors disputed the Navy’s account of the incident.

As detailed by The New York Times, “Survivors also said the submarine surfaced briefly after the collision but then submerged a few minutes later. The United States Navy, however, said in its statement that the George Washington surfaced immediately after the collision to offer assistance but that the freighter had disappeared from sight in fog and rain. ”The submarine was unable to observe personnel casualties or damage to the Japanese vessel before it disappeared from view,” the Navy said.”

Final Deployments

Following the Nissho Maru incident, George Washington returned to Pearl Harbor for her last missile patrol. Her missiles were unloaded in compliance with the SALT II treaty in 1981. George Washington deployed to Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal in her new role as an attack submarine.

She later participated in the 24th UNITAS exercise, representing the U.S. Navy’s sole submarine. Following these exercises, George Washington escorted John F. Kennedy in a deployment that circumnavigated South America in 1984.

USS George Washington was officially stricken from the Naval Vessel Registry in 1986 and was subsequently disposed of through the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

About the Author: Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

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RNZN Ship of the Day – HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) Loch-class frigate of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), which had formerly served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Loch Katrine at the end of World War II.

 

The RNZN has supported the meteorological and radio stations on Raoul   Island which provided New Zealand with weather forecasting, shipping and   aviation data every three hours. This image shows Loch Class Frigate  HMNZS Rotoiti’s crew  unloading government personnel via cane baskets at  Fishing Rock, Raoul  Island, November 1949.

HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) 1949

Loch Class Frigate HMNZS Rotoiti (Ex HMS Loch Katrine) pictured at HMNB Devonport in 1949.
H.M.N.Z.S.Rotoiti New Plymouth 1960
HMNZS Rotoiti in Dunedin

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Great series of photos of the brand new Balao-class diesel-electric fleet submarine USS Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island Navy Yard on 2 March 1944, USN photos # 1434-44 through 1436-44. Commissioned just nine weeks prior, she is pictured here just after her post-shakedown maintenance before departing for points West to get in the war.

Broadside view of the Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island on 2 March 1944. USN photos # 1434-44 through1436-44, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. Via Navsource

A past Warship Wednesday alum, Tilefish gave hard service under the U.S. flag, earning five battle stars across six war patrols during WWII and another star for her Korean service. Given a Fleet Snorkel upgrade post-war, she was decommissioned and transferred to then-U.S. ally Venuzela in 1960 with 16 years on her hull. Her second career, as ARV Carite (S-11), would ironically stretch out another 16 years.

Of interest, Tilefish was a bit of a movie star, appearing in Glen Ford’s Torpedo Run as well as James Gardner’s Up Periscope while in the USN and, in Venuzlan service, as a curiously dazzle-camo’d German U-boat in 1971’s Murphy’s War, which starred Peter O’Toole as the eponymous Murphy.

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Italian Navy Destroyer Caio Duilio Shoots Down Drone In Red Sea

This afternoon, implementing the principle of self-defense, the Italian Navy destroyer Caio Duilio shot down a drone in the Red Sea. The drone, with similar characteristics to those already used in previous attacks, was about 6 kilometers from the Italian ship, heading towards it.

Italian Navy destroyer Caio Duilio is one of two Andrea Doria-class air warfare destroyers. Image Italian Navy.

Currently in the area to ensure freedom of navigation and the security of trade routes, D554 Caio Duilio replaced Italian frigate Federico Martinengo in the context of Italian maritime surveillance operations in the Red Sea. The effort began at the end of December, following attacks by Houthi militiamen against traffic sailing in the Strait of Bab-el Mandeb.

“The terrorist attacks by the Houthis are a serious violation of international law and an attack on the security of maritime traffic on which our economy depends. These attacks are part of a hybrid war, which uses every possibility, not only military, to harm some countries and benefit others,” said the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto.

The Italian Navy combatant Caio Duilio is operating in the Red Sea to help protect international law and safeguard national maritime interests.

The ship is fitted with three 76 mm guns featuring the DART guided ammunition optimised for air defence, which were used in the engagement. Image Italian Navy.

Naval News Comments

No details have been released about the engagement of the Italian Navy destroyer, except for the distance. Caio Duilio is fitted with three 76/62 mm Super Rapido guns designed for close range air defence (CIWS). The radar-guided Strales-configuration of the guns featuring the DART guided ammunition makes the system the weapon of choice used for the engagement. However, the drone was engaged by the Super Rapido with conventional rounds according to an interview given to an Italian TV station by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, yesterday.

The post Italian Navy Destroyer Caio Duilio Shoots Down Drone In Red Sea appeared first on Naval News.

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Navy destroyer returns to Japan after 4 years of stateside upgrades

The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returned to the 7th Fleet on Saturday after nearly four years of maintenance and upgrades in Oregon. Taylor Pascual, wife of Chief John David Pascual, a hospital corpsman, was among the family members who stood in the cold and waited for the ship to dock. “I’m very proud of him for being part of everything McCampbell is doing,” she said. The McCampbell becomes the 10th warship in Destroyer Squadron 15, the principal surface force for 7th Fleet and routinely the escorts for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. The ship was assigned to Yokosuka from 2007 to 2020. It left for Portland, Oregon, in July 2020 for its mid-life modernization, including upgrades that fortified its “warfighting capability,” according to a news release Saturday from 7th Fleet. “We are excited for the opportunity to rejoin 7th Fleet and the forward-deployed ships in Yokosuka,” the McCampbell’s skipper, Cmdr. James Pierce III, said in the release. “Our Sailors have trained diligently over the past four years since our departure to prepare for our return to Japan.” Loved ones reunite as the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell returns to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on March 2, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes) During its previous 13 years in Japan, the destroyer regularly steamed through the Taiwan Strait and took part in freedom-of-navigation operations near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. It also participated in disaster-relief efforts, including missions following a 2008 earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Indonesia and Operation Tomodachi after an earthquake and tsunami devasted northeastern Japan in 2011. After a monthlong “acclimation period,” the McCampbell will be fully capable of taking on missions in the Western Pacific, said Capt. Justin Harts, commander of Task Force 71 and Destroyer Squadron 15. JENNESSA DAVEY Jennessa Davey is a reporter and photographer at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2016. Jennessa was named the Marine Corps’ videographer of the year in 2018 and photographer of the year in 2019.


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New photos of fourth Chinese Navy’s Type 075 LHD floating -According to information published by Rupprecht Deino on February 27, 2024, new photos of the fourth Type 075 landing helicopter dock have been released, showing it floating.

Chinese PLA Navy’s fourth Type 075 landing helicopter dock. (Picture source: Ricky Un)

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BELLISSIMO – Check out this great image of the Italian Navy’s Mar Grande Naval Station, Taranto, taken on 23 June 2018.

 

The above includes closest to the camera, two Bergamini-class FREMM frigates–Alpino (F 594) and Luigi Rizzo Martinengo (F 592)— a Lupo-class frigate and an Andrea Doria-class destroyer to the left, both of Italy’s flattops (Cavour and Garibaldi) in the center, a Durand de la Penne-class destroyer being towed out, and an aging Maestrale-class frigate, in addition to a few misciloanius tugs, lighters, and yard craft.

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60 Years of Getting it Done – US Coast Guard disrupts trafficking, The 71-member crew of 210-foot U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) returned to their homeport at Pensacola– where the aging class is being collected– on Saturday following a 57-day counterdrug patrol that ranged into the Eastern Pacific Ocean under 4th Fleet/JIATF-South control. And the 59-year-old (not a misprint) cutter bagged a narco sub, which continues to be a thing in those waters.

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance (WMEC 615) interdicts a low-profile vessel carrying more than $5 million in illicit narcotics in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on Feb. 15, 2024. Patrolling in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Reliance crew stopped two drug trafficking ventures, detaining six suspected traffickers and preventing nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine and 5,400 pounds of marijuana, worth more than $57 million, from entering the United States. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Reliance)

Commissioned in Galveston in 1964 Reliance is the leader of her 16-ship class, of which four have been retired in recent years– only to see those old hulls transferred to overseas allies.

This black and white photo shows newly the commissioned Reliance (WMEC-615) in the mid-1960s with an HH-52 Sea Guard helicopter landing on its pad and davits down with one of its small boats deployed. Notice the lack of smokestack and paint scheme pre-dating the Racing Stripe or “U.S. Coast Guard” paint schemes. She has a 3″/50 forward as well as 20mm cannons for AAA work and weight and space for ASW Mousetraps, a towed sonar, and Mk.32 ASW tubes, although they were never fitted. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

As noted by the USCG:

In addition, the cutter made port calls in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama for the first time in the ship’s 59-year history. The cutter also crossed into the Southern Hemisphere, prompting a time-honored equatorial crossing tradition for the Reliance crew. Before returning to Pensacola, the crew conducted aviation training with aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile and steamed in formation with Coast Guard Cutter Diligence (WMEC 616) to commemorate the cutters’ upcoming 60th anniversaries this summer.

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