A name for DDG 1002
November 20th, 2009 | Blogs Chiefs Historical Science and technology Ships | Posted by Phil Ewing
What should the third Zumwalt-class destroyer be named? // Northrop Grumman
Maybe it’s that a three-hull class of advanced ships raises the stakes. Maybe it’s that there will be so many Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that they all start to blend together. Or maybe it’s that, with 51 more littoral combat ships that will carry only names of “medium-sized town names” (for now, anyway) people are worried they’re running out of ships to name for heroes.
Whatever the reason, people have been going after the as-yet unnamed third and last Zumwalt-class destroyer, DDG 1002, with name suggestions. Not just any Navy ship — DDG 1002.
An early one was “Robert A. Heinlein,” for the science fiction author. But one Navy Times reader rejected that and instead recommended “Ernest E. Evans,” for the legendary captain of the destroyer Johnston. The latest recommendation, according to an email making the rounds on a particularly salty distribution list, is “Delbert D. Black,” for the first master chief petty officer of the Navy.
Scoop Deck was cc’d on that email, which pointed to this blog post laying out the whole case. The Navy has plenty of ships named for chiefs of naval operations, writes blogger Chris Garett, but it needs to start according the same honor to its MCPONs, starting with Black.
What do you think? Would you pick Heinlein, Evans or Black for DDG 1002, or a different name altogether?
Another new LCS mission — BMD picket?
November 17th, 2009 | Ballistic missile defense Blogs Foreign navies Science and technology Ships The Middle East | Posted by Phil Ewing
An international export version of Lockheed's littoral combat ship fired an imaginary missile in this artist's conception. The company is now saying it can augment its Aegis-edition LCSes with ballistic missile defense capability // Lockheed Martin
As Galrahn and Phib discuss the latest news about the littoral combat ship Freedom’s upcoming deployment, one of our senior shipmates at Defense News has some other interesting LCS gouge: This week at the Dubai Air Show, Lockheed Martin is pitching a “Surface Combat Ship” to the navies of the Gulf states — a variant of its Freedom-class LCS modded with Aegis radar and ballistic missile defense capability.
LockMart and its LCS rival, General Dynamics, both have shown off concepts for Aegis-equipped export versions of their designs, but neither of the trade-show fliers just pulled from Scoop Deck’s desk drawer say anything about BMD. They do include the possibility of a Mk 41 Vertical Launch System — which the U.S. Navy’s version doesn’t have — that could carry a battery of SM-3 or SM-6 interceptors. Or, as Defense News’s Pierre Tran wrote, an Aegis BMD LCS could be the eyes for land-based missiles:
Given fears in the region of a possible missile attack from Iran, a deployment of the Surface Combat Ship in the narrow waters of the Gulf would provide early warning of a missile launch and allow early destruction in the upper atmosphere by the SM-3 missile or at lower altitude by the Patriot PAC3 or other weapon.
No word on the price tag for this souped-up “SCS,” but given the cost issues the first two LCSes have had, it could be steep. It could also have implications for the U.S. Navy’s pending mission as the BMD protector of Europe, for which commanders could want as many hulls as possible, maybe including cruisers, destroyers and BMD-LCSes.
Astronaut pleads, headline writers harumph
November 11th, 2009 | Aviation Blogs NASA Science and technology | Posted by Phil Ewing
After a scandal that was out of this world, the Lisa Nowak story has returned to Earth, much as the space shuttle Discovery landed in December // NASA
Reporters, editors, bloggers and late-night comedians are losing an icon this week — the most infamous astronaut of all time, Capt. Lisa Nowak, closed out the story that has brought NASA its most public attention since the moonshot.
Nowak pleaded guilty to assaulting a fellow astronaut, Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, in a crime for the ages: Nowak drove more than 1,000 miles, from Houston to Orlando — geared up with a steel mallet, a wig, a BB gun, a knife, latex gloves, rubber tubing, garbage bags and pepper spray — and attacked Shipman as she tried to get into her car in a parking lot.
The motive? Nowak was apparently jealous that Shipman stol’d her man, Cmdr. Bill Oefelein, who was at the center of the astronaut love triangle. Other sensational elements? The infamous diapers. The e-mails. Just when you thought there were no other ridiculous ways for the story to go, there they were.
That’s all over now. But The Register isn’t wasting the last chance for this sort of thing — its headline today was “Astronaut love-dustup mace space ace Nowak cops plea,” with the sub-hed: “Anger management classes for wiggy carpark catfight.”
SecNav returns to prime time in ‘NCIS’
November 9th, 2009 | Blogs Morale Washington leadership | Posted by Phil Ewing
"Janie, I need your help solving the mystery of the disappearing shipbuilding budget." // CBS
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus apparently so loved being on “The Daily Show” last month that he is returning to prime time — only for his forthcoming guest spot, he has taken a pretty steep demotion in rank. Mabus will play an agent in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service on an episode of its eponymous drama, “NICS,” scheduled to air Nov. 24, TV Guide reported Monday.
“He will be making a cameo appearance,” confirmed Mabus’ spokeswoman, Capt. Beci Brenton. He filmed his scenes during a trip last month to the West Coast that included a speech at the Pacific Council and a visit, with LCAC ride, to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The Navy’s West Coast public affairs office arranged the cameo with CBS, Brenton said, although she wasn’t clear about whether the process began with the Navy offering Mabus or “NCIS” asking for him.
Is Mabus a regular viewer of “NCIS?” Brenton said: “I believe he is.”
Other Navy officials, including the then-head of the real NCIS, have made appearances on the show before, but that precedent didn’t make it all right with at least one commenter over at TV Squad, who thinks Mabus probably has more important things to do than act in TV dramas:
I do not believe the secretary of the navy has any business being on television. If this is all he has to do, he needs to have someone review his “To Do” list. The sailors under his command need him more than NCIS. I hope Obama fires him! We have many more issues for our leaders to deal with. Bad choice by this secretary of the navy!
Another potential controversy here is Mabus’ choice to appear on the original “NCIS” and not its inexplicable spin-off, “NCIS: Los Angeles,” with Cool James and Robin. And if Mabus really wants to flex his acting chops, he needs to play a guy who loves LSU and the New York Yankees.
Another sound of freedom — or is it?
November 9th, 2009 | Blogs Historical Life at Sea | Posted by Phil Ewing
Seaman Sarah Rickett, of the USS Constitution, demonstrated how to load one of its cannons. Neighbors of the ship have complained its gun salutes are too loud // Navy
In Hampton Roads, Va., the punches and counter-punches over the noise of fighter jets from Naval Air Station Oceana eventually reached the point that people began putting stickers on their cars that read “I ♥ jet noise.” The earsplitting roar of jet engines is the “sound of freedom,” supporters said, and if you don’t like it — you can giiit out.
An even stranger Navy noise situation is in play up in Boston, where, according to the local paper, some of the finer elements of society are complaining about the regular cannon salutes and other “noise” put out by the USS Constitution. One example: “Over the summer, we have entertained several times, and we have had guests sit up in shock when the cannon goes off.”
Heavens! One scarcely dares dream of it! It simply won’t do to startle Ambassador Carstairs and Lady Uppington-Smythe as they try to enjoy their vichyssoise! And yet the Navy apparently plans to accede to none of the requests quoted by the Herald:
- A reduction in the size of the battery charge would help.
- In the morning, a reduction in the National Anthem volume would help.
- On Sat and Sun, would you be open to eliminating or delaying the morning salute to say 9am?
Just as quickly as the complaints materialized, the Constitution’s other neighbors and advocates have come to its defense. Some of them are quoted here, but two others are names that will be familiar to frequent visitors on the Deck — Boston Maggie isn’t named that because she’s from Peoria, and as a hometown girl, she’s going to bat for the Constitution. And although Mike Burleson makes his home in graceful Charleston, S.C., he too is on the side of the world’s oldest floating commissioned warship.
What do you think? Should Old Ironsides scale back or stop its cannon salutes to be a good neighbor?
Help Team Navy sink the online competition
October 27th, 2009 | Blogs Science and technology | Posted by Phil Ewing
Team Navy bloggers need your help to raise the most money in this year's Project Valour-IT campaign // Navy
The big guns in the Navy blogosphere don’t always agree — Bring back the battleships? Chinese carrier threat? Anything about LCS? — but starting this week they’re steaming line astern in a dread task force with a common objective: Raise money for a great cause and defeat the blogger teams representing the lesser other services.
Galrahn, Maggie, ol’ Phib and Steeljaw are just some of the boldface names on Team Navy taking part in this year’s Project Valour-IT fund drive, which goes toward buying voice-controlled laptops and other needed gear for our fighting men and women who are recovering from injuries they’ve received in action. Here’s the full blog roster for Team Navy, and if you kick them a few bucks you’ll help push the Navy fund-raising bar past the other teams’.
As of Tuesday morning, the Marine Corps team was in the lead — and that’s not acceptable, shipmate!
The world wonders
October 26th, 2009 | Blogs Historical Life at Sea Maritime operations Ships | Posted by Phil Ewing
The Japanese battleship Yamato burned after being struck by U.S. Navy aircraft during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which ended 65 years ago today // Naval History and Heritage Command
Monday marks the 65th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Leyte Gulf — the largest sea battle in history and one of Scoop Deck’s all-time favorites — and it wouldn’t do for the date to pass without taking note.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf includes some of the finest — and worst — moments in naval history, including the last surface engagement between battleships; the spectacular heroism of the destroyers Johnston and Samuel B. Roberts; and Adm. William Halsey’s fateful decision to send his carriers after a Japanese feint.
Suitably, the Web is awash in good links about the battle and its participants, including Eagle1’s account of the battle, Maggie’s links and SteelJaw’s history lesson. And the Wiki on this particular topic is pleasantly bright and comprehensive.
Navy’s top techie approves social media tools
October 23rd, 2009 | Blogs Navy Science and technology | Posted by Andrew Tilghman
Anybody see the Navy’s Chief Information Officer’s blog this week? Rob Carey, the Navy’s top techie, approves of sites like Facebook.
3. Social Media as a Tool to Build Trust. Social media is an inherent part of the toolbox for members of the millennial workforce, while baby boomers are just adopting it. Social media tools should become the standard by which we can share and collaborate on information inside and outside the network boundaries.
Nevertheless, there is a downside.
New blog After Action brings you the world of mil-sports
October 20th, 2009 | Blogs Life at Sea Sports The deckplates | Posted by Phil Ewing
Sports are often compared to war — linemen “battle” for the gridiron; bad pitchers get “shelled;” and in the backfield, the secondary provides “optimized, time-critical network-centric support for the joint defense.” So it’s no surprise that the military is chock-full of great athletes and, generally, that the services are permeated by a culture of sports and competition.
In that spirit, Military Times brings you After Action, a new joint blog from all four colors of the rainbow (green, light blue, regular blue and red) about sports in and around the armed services. Check it out here, let us know what you think and send us tips about anything sports-related going on with your service, your local command, or just who won the paper football game in the DFAC last night. And send pictures!
China’s concrete carrier
October 19th, 2009 | Aviation Blogs Carriers Foreign navies Photos Science and technology | Posted by Phil Ewing
A building under construction in Wuhan, China, looks suspiciously like a giant aircraft carrier. What is it for? // tiexue.net
If you’re plugged in to the Navy inter-webs you may have seen the latest photo-set depicting China’s newest aircraft carrier, which is quickly taking shape but won’t put to sea any time soon — because it’s a building.
The giant pretend cement aircraft carrier is being built in the inland city of Wuhan, and it corresponds to your standard Russian-influenced notional Chinese carrier design: Large ski-jump bow and very large island, in this case much bigger than it would need to be on a real ship at sea.
The problem — as is often the case in these situations — is a severe shortage of actual facts about the carrier-building. Will Chinese aviators train on this enormous mock-up? Is it a tourist attraction? The blog ChinaSmack reports that parts of the island are already in use as office space. Which is kind of neat, if you think about it; it’s the grown-up equivalent of sleeping in race-car bed. Our Center of Excellence would definitely be better if it were a building shaped like a warship. Or a warship.
So what do you think the Wuhan carrier-building is?