The San Antonio-class ship spent time in the Gulf of Mexico testing all systems in preparation for the remaining events that will occur before delivery of the ship, expected to occur in the spring.
“Our shipbuilders have worked hard to get LPD 29 to sea,” Ingalls Shipbuilding Ship Program Manager Davianne Stokes said.
“We are absolutely dedicated to get this important asset into the hands of our Navy and Marine Corps partners.”
Ingalls Shipbuilding has delivered 12 San Antonio-class ships and currently has three LPDs under construction, including Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29); Harrisburg (LPD 30), the first Flight II LPD; and Pittsburgh (LPD 31).
US Navy
LPD Flight II is the next generation amphibious ship to replace Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) classes of dock landing ships.
In March 2023, Ingalls received a $1.3 billion modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy for the procurement of the detail design and construction of LPD 32, named Philadelphia, the 16th ship in the San Antonio class and the third LPD Flight II.
Amphibious transport dock ships are a major part navy’s expeditionary force, deployed with a U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force for amphibious and expeditionary crisis response operations that range from deterrence and joint-force enablement to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Watch: British Army’s Jackal 3 vehicle officially launched into production.
Production of the much-anticipated Jackal 3 military vehicle has officially been launched for the British Army.
Created by Babcock International Group and Supacat, 70 High Mobility Transporter Jackal 3s will be produced for the military by the summer of this year.
“At this time of global instability, the significance to the British Army of delivering the HMT Jackal 3 vehicle should not be understated,” said Babcock CEO David Lockwood.
The project is one of the first contracts to deliver on the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy.
Major General Darren Crook CBE, the director of the Land Equipment Operating Centre at DE&S said: “This Supacat and Babcock collaboration will deliver modern fighting vehicles for the British Armed Forces and our allies, whilst developing and maintaining key land defence engineering skills in a much-valued part of the south-west of England.
“It is tangible evidence of the British Army’s Land Industrial Strategy and our purpose for Defence: to protect the nation and help it prosper.”
Sixty-two of the Jackal 3 vehicles will be produced at Babcock’s Devonport site, while the remaining eight will be made at Supacat’s manufacturing facilities in Dunkeswell.
In tribute to both the British Army and the Royal Navy, the new Southwest production facility has been named The Raglan Building in recognition of the nearby Raglan Barracks, which supported British soldiers on their way to overseas operations in the 1800s.
The Jackal is often used by cavalry regiments such as the Yeomanry and is equipped with armour and blast protection underneath the vehicle. It is also well-equipped for cross-country capabilities.
However, the Jackal 3 will replace its earlier counterpart with a new suspension system for better off-road performance. It also has more space for payload delivery and is less detectable.
Watch: Princess of Wales drives Jackal 2 vehicle on visit to The 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.
Nick Ames, the CEO of Supacat said: “As an SME based in south-west England, it is an enormous privilege to have our product selected yet again by the British Army.
“The Jackal 3 is the product of 25 years of specific development and 45 years of corporate development.
“Every member of our staff takes enormous pride in the quality of the product that provides our soldiers with a leading-edge battle-proven platform that they can rely on.
“That pride in quality also led us to our production partner for this project, Babcock.
“Our teams have worked, together with the MOD, tirelessly to a challenging timescale and with enabling technology, to support this procurement and we will continue to do so into the future to provide world-class product to the British Army.”
The vessel was ordered after the New Zealand government, facing a requirement for more minesweepers to operate in home waters, chose the Castle-class design because it was simple enough to be built with the country’s limited ship construction facilities at the time.[1]
Hautapu was the third of the nine minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and was commissioned on 26 June 1943. the others being Aroha, Awatere, Maimai, Pahau, Waiho, Waima, Waipu, and Waikato (never commissioned). She served with the 96th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, located at Lyttleton.[2] In 1945 Hautapu was assigned to the Canterbury project to improve radar and meteorological observations but was not actively involved until 1946.[3][4] In 1947, Hautapu was involved in the 1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies, with a party of sailors giving a note to the captain stating that they were dissatisfied with the handling of lower-deck committees and that that they would not work until their issues were resolved. Eleven sailors subsequently left the ship, but one later changed his mind and returned.[5] Despite this, Hautapu still continued to Lyttleton, without the crew.
Later in 1947, Hautapu was put up for sale and sold to New Zealand Fisheries Ltd. (which was located in Wellington) to serve as a fishing trawler. In 1963, Hautapu was laid up, due to high operating costs, and poor results with fishing,[6] later being put back into service.
Hautapu shortly after she ran aground.
On 4 November 1963, Hautapu struck an unidentified object and was run aground off the Marlborough east coast, damaging the rudder, and was pulled towards the beach despite her being in full astern.[7] All eight crew members onboard survived. Following this there were attempts to salvage the Hautapu, but none would succeed. Hautapu was eventually salvaged on 29 April 1964, and was towed to Wellington. Once salvaged it was found vandals had stripped the vessel of most of her gear.[8] When Hautapu reached Wellington, she would be taken on to a slipway for inspection, to determine the fate of the ship. After the inspection she was declared a total loss as it was found the waves had damaged her structurally, with repair being considered futile.[4] As they owned the trawler Taiaroa (formerly HMNZS Waikato) New Zealand fisheries decided to keep Hautapu for spare parts for Taiaroa.[4] After two years Hautapu was offered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) to be sunk, which they accepted.[4] She was to be towed by HMNZS Inverell, and attacked by de Havilland Vampire and English Electric Canberra jets.[9] Plans of sinking her were postponed after the MV Kaitawa sank with all hands lost, with the Inverell being sent to locate her wreck.[4] However, on 2 June 1966, Hautapu sank at Shelly Bay after a stern charge was detonated, which was placed there in case the RNZAF could not sink the Hautapu.[10] After the sinking, there was a legal dispute on who owned the wreck, with the RNZAF claiming that the New Zealand Fisheries Ltd still owned the wreck, and the New Zealand Fisheries Ltd claiming the RNZAF owned the wreck, resulting in a six-year legal battle.[11][10] In July 1972, after another gathering of officials, the Secretary of Defence would assist in removing the wreck of Hautapu, while denying ownership of her.[10] She was cut up in 1972–1973 by divers of the Royal New Zealand Navy, with the floating crane Hikitia raising the sections ashore to be scrapped
“The new policy is based on extensive work to understand what our people not only need but would like,” he explained.
“It will cover four elements: improving the quality of the food itself and when it is available, providing wider selection, rolling out technology-enabled purchasing and collection, and improving dining facilities to provide a social hub throughout the day.
“New menus are being developed and I hope to announce details to service personnel in the next few weeks – including detail on menus and cost – this will be good news.”
The changes are a response to recommendations made in the Haythornthwaite review, which examined service personnel’s terms and conditions.
Vice Admiral Hally said that the changes would not be immediate, but would be introduced to improve the “quality, choice and value of the food itself”.
He added: “I aim to share the detail in advance of rollout, giving people notice of these positive changes which will represent an investment in our people.”
Two Archer mobile howitzers fire 155mm rounds during the training exercise in Sweden (Picture: MOD)
British soldiers have been getting hands-on with their new Archer mobile howitzer – firing the weapon for the first time on a snowy training area in Swedish Lapland.
The Swedish-designed Archer is based on the Bofors FH77 field howitzer, consisting of an automated 155mm 52-calibre gun mounted on a 6×6 articulated hauler and a separate fire control cabin.
It was a case of the weapon going back to its roots as the members of the Royal Artillery fired the gun on a range near Boden in the north of the country, Sweden’s biggest garrison town.
In order to improve survivability, combat units must be able to cooperate effectively, and the Archer represents the next generation of wheeled artillery systems being built to keep up with fast-moving ground forces.
In keeping with tracked self-propelled artillery systems like the AS90, the Archer is designed to “shoot and scoot”.
This means the crew can open fire on a target then quickly move to a new location before being hit by counter-battery fire or enemy ground attack aircraft.
The Archer fires a 155mm round during a training exercise for the British Army in Sweden (Picture: MOD)The Archer getting ready to fire a round (Picture: MOD)The Archer moving to a firing position (Picture: MOD)The British Archer Team being assessed on loading ammunition ready for the next fire mission in Sweden (Picture: MOD)The Archer Mobile Howitzer in Swedish Lapland training British Army soldiers (Picture: MOD)Soldiers from the British Army’s Royal School of Artillery learn how to operate the Archer (Picture: MOD)
The Army says the Archer can engage a target and then disengage in less than 20 seconds, minimising its chances of being located by the enemy and increasing its survivability.
The weapons system has a crew of up to four, is fully automated and has a firing range in excess of 50km.
Loading, laying and firing is handled from inside an armoured cabin, offering good protection as the crew are kept separate from the ammunition.
The 155mm gun has a rate of fire of 12 rounds every three minutes when used intensively, and can be supplemented by a remote-controlled grenade launcher or heavy machine gun for close-in defence.
Its 6×6 drive train can propel the vehicle up to 70km/h and it has a maximum range of 650km.
The Royal Artillery has taken control of several Archer units already, having handed a number of its tracked AS90s to Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces are also operating the Archer, these guns having been supplied by Sweden.
Every year on 6 February, New Zealanders and visitors gather at Waitangi to mark the 1840 signing of Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document – Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi.
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) is invited annually by the people of Te Tai Tokerau to attend Waitangi Day and perform a range of ceremonial duties.
Representing the RNZN this year will be Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor and Deputy Chief of Navy Commodore Andrew Brown, along with a large number of Navy personnel.
“Attending Waitangi Day is the ceremonial highlight of the year for our Navy and always an absolute privilege to be part of,” Rear Admiral Proctor said.
“Our relationship with the people of Te Tai Tokerau is long-standing and built on mutual trust and respect.
“This day is a taonga for our nation and we’re grateful we can once again share it with the people of this region, other Kiwis and visitors alike.”
This year the RNZN’s dive, hydrographic and salvage vessel HMNZS Manawanui will be anchored off Waitangi from Sunday 4 February to Tuesday 6 February.
On Monday 5 February, the ship will be taking to sea 20 senior secondary students from high schools throughout Te Tai Tokerau, giving them an idea of what a career in the Navy could look like.
RNZN involvement in the annual commemorations will include the RNZN Band performing at the Village Green in Paihia on Sunday 4 February, with a Beat Retreat and Ceremonial Sunset Ceremony at the Treaty Ground flagpole on the evening of Monday 5 February.
A 100-person Royal Guard of Honour will conduct the ceremonial lowering of the New Zealand White Ensign, signifying the end of the day. This will be reviewed by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand.
At midday on Waitangi Day, Tuesday 6 February, HMNZS Manawanui will fire a 21-gun salute to observe the 184th Anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The New Zealand Defence Force Māori Cultural Group will also give a series of performances on the Treaty Grounds.
From the outset, Waitangi Day commemorations have included naval involvement. It was Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand Captain William Hobson, Royal Navy, who, along with Māori rangatira (chiefs), signed Te Tiriti on 6 February 1840 as an agreement between the British Crown and Māori.
Aside from the years interrupted by war, pandemic and weather events, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy – and from 1941 the RNZN – have paraded at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
In 1990, the RNZN was presented with a Charter recognising the strength of the relationship between the RNZN and the community in the region. The charter allows the RNZN to parade on Te Tai Tokerau land and on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The first Badger (DD-126) was named for Commodore Oscar C. Badger (a cousin of Secretary of the Navy George Edmund Badger), the father of Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger, the son of the commodore and the father of the admiral, was also honored by the naming of the destroyer Charles J. Badger (DD-657) (q.v.), and the grandfather of Admiral Oscar C. Badger. This Badger (FF-1071) honors all four men.
From left to right, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel K. Inouye (DDG-118), Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182) and Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) sail in formation during Multi-Large Deck Event (MLDE), Jan. 31, 2024. US Navy Photo
Two American aircraft carrier strike groups are drilling with a Japanese big-deck warship in the Philippine Sea, the services announced.
Carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) drilled with Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182) in the Philippine Sea in a multi-day event. A JMSDF release stated that the drills began on Monday and will conclude on Thursday.
“The purpose of this training is to improve the tactical skill and interoperability with the U.S. Navy,” Rear Adm. Hitoshi Shimuzu, commander of Escort Flotilla 2, said in a JMSDF release. “Our relationship is committed to regional peace and stability.”
The exercise included, “air defense drills, sea surveillance, cross-deck exercises and tactical maneuvers to advance unique high-end warfighting capability,” reads the statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.
Vinson is embarked with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59) and destroyers USS Sterett (DDG-104), USS Dewey (DDG-105), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) and USS John Finn (DDG-113) of Destroyer Squadron 1. Theodore Roosevelt is embarked with CVW 11, cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and destroyers USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110), USS Daniel K. Inouye (DDG 118) and USS Halsey (DDG-97) of DESRON 23.
Vinson deployed from San Diego on Oct.12 with Princeton and DESRON 1 destroyers USS Hopper (DDG-70), USS Kidd (DDG-100), USS Sterett (DDG-104) and William P. Lawrence (DDG-110), according to the USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker. Imagery released by the Pentagon show Kidd in the Philippine Sea as of Jan. 21 and Hopper in the South China Sea as of Jan. 16, while William P. Lawrence has been assigned to the Theodore Roosevelt CSG. Dewey, Rafael Peralta and John Finn are part of the U.S. forward-deployed Japan DESRON 15 based in Japan. Theodore Roosevelt deployed from San Diego on Jan. 12 with Lake Erie and DESRON 23 destroyers USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), Daniel K. Inouye and Hasley.
The Navy release said that the last exercise of its kind took place in November in the Philippine Sea with the Carl Vinson and Ronald Reagan strike groups.
From left to right, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG-104), Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59), Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel K. Inouye (DDG-118), Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) along with aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two sail and fly in formation during Multi-Large Deck Event (MLDE), Jan. 31, 2024. US Navy Photo
“The U.S. and Japan are uniquely capable of rapidly assembling multiple large-deck naval forces in support of mutual security interests in the Indo Pacific,” Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander, of CSG-1 said in a statement. “Our ability to rapidly aggregate and work collectively alongside the JMSDF and the Theodore Roosevelt strike group is positive proof. Events like these are not new. The Vinson strike group has conducted similar operations since 2001, and most recently in November 2023 along with the Ronald Reagan CSG and the JMSDF in the Philippine Sea.”
The Navy and JMSDF are expected to conduct further large deck exercises this year that will incorporate multi-national participation. Both Italy and France are deploying carrier strike groups to the Indo-Pacific this year. Italy will deploy carrier ITS Cavour (550), which operates F-35B fighters in its embarked air wing with a multinational force of escorts, and France will deploy carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91), which operates Rafale M fighters in its air wing, along with an escort and support group.
The JMSDF has previously said the service intends to strengthen cooperation with the Italian Navy, particularly in regard to F-35B operations. Japan has been keen on learning from the carrier operations experiences of European F-35B operators Italy and the United Kingdom along with the United States, as it prepares for its own operations with the F-35Bs. A delegation of JMSDF and Japan Air Self-Defense Force officers observed trials on U.K. carrier HMS Prince of Wales (RO9) off the U.S. East Coast in November, with Japan planning to send an Izumo-class destroyer carrier later this year.
The JMSDF ship that will head to the U.S. will likely be JS Kaga (DDH-184), which is in the midst of wrapping up sea trials following the first phase of the ship’s conversion to operate F-35Bs. That modification includes structural conversion of the bow flight deck portion of the ship from a trapezoid shape to a square shape.
Sister ship JS Izumo (DDH-183) is scheduled to go into the dock later this year for similar work, with both ships also slated to undergo a second and final conversion, which Japan hopes to finish by Fiscal Year 2027. The JMSDF does not have a naval aviation fighter component and Japan’s F-35Bs will be operated by a JASDF squadron. Japan plans to receive six F-35Bs in FY 2024 from a total order of 42 aircraft and will establish a provisional F35B squadron the same fiscal year. It’s unclear how Lockheed Martin’s announcement of delivering a lower number of F-35s this year due to delays in the Technology Refresh 3 software upgrade will affect Japanese deliveries.
Cargo is delivered to the expeditionary mobile base USS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB 3) during a vertical replenishment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in the Arabian Sea, January 13, 2018. U.S. Navy Photo
Houthi officials claim to have launched a missile attack targeting the U.S. Navy’s afloat expeditionary sea base, USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3). However, U.S. officials have not yet confirmed the alleged incident.
The Houthis did not clarify whether the vessel was hit. It’s important to note that the group has made false claims about attacks in the past, including a similar claim of a missile attack on the US-flagged Ocean Jazz which the U.S. denied as “patently false.”
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh could not confirm the alleged incident during a Monday afternoon press briefing. “I don’t have anything for you at this time,” she said in response to question about it from USNI News. U.S. officials have anonymously rejected the claim, according to media reports.
The USS Lewis B. Puller was delivered to the Navy in 2015 and was initially operated by the Military Sealift Command, the U.S. Navy’s civilian-manned sealift and ocean transport arm. The vessel was redesignated as a commissioned warship in 2017.
Measuring 784 feet, the USS Lewis B. Puller is designed to support air mine countermeasures and special warfare missions. It can also undertake additional missions, including counter-piracy, maritime security, as well as humanitarian and disaster relief.
In 2022, the USS Lewis B. Puller was harassed by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz just days after it was involved in a massive seizure of illegal weapons in the Gulf of Oman, which were being transported by Iran to the Houthis in Yemen.
