Can the Great Green Fleet sail in time?
October 15th, 2009 | Liberty Science and technology Ships | Posted by Phil Ewing
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus wants more ships with "hybrid" propulsion systems like the Makin Island's for his "Great Green Fleet" by 2016 // MC2 Jon Husman/ Navy
Scoop Deck was disappointed Wednesday to learn that, although Navy Secretary Ray Mabus wants the Navy to field an all-sustainably powered carrier strike group by 2016, plans do not call for the ships to be painted green. Perhaps it’s just as well, because the “Great Green Fleet” must overcome any number of other challenges before it can put to sea in seven years.
Mabus’ goal is for a strike group that comprises ships and aircraft fueled by no foreign oil — the subs and carrier would be nuclear; the ships would have hybrid powerplants or use alternative fuel; and all the aircraft would use alternative fuel. Today, the Navy has no ships that use marine bio-diesel, just one “hybrid” ship and no aircraft that fly with bio-JP5.
Engineers have taken some early steps: The Navy will test a hybrid Arleigh Burke propulsion system in a laboratory next year, and engineers hope than an bio-fuel-powered F/A-18 “Green Hornet” also will fly next year.
What do you think: Can the Navy build the “green fleet” in time?
Brace for impact: Reagan arrives in Phuket (updated)
September 22nd, 2009 | Carriers Liberty Life at Sea Morale The deckplates | Posted by Phil Ewing
An elephant ride, as enjoyed by these Essex sailors in February, is just one liberty option for sailors visiting Thailand. The carrier Reagan arrived in Phuket this week // MC2 Greg Johnson/ Navy
The Phuket Wan newspaper, of Phuket, Thailand, is quickly becoming an indispensable source for WestPac naval coverage — and you can’t help but like a newspaper that runs this headline:
US Warships Anchor! Phuket’s All Set to Rumble
So the fleet’s in, so to speak, and Phuket boosters are expecting a $1 million-per-day boost to the local economy from the wallets of the sailors during their visit. The ships are scheduled to be there until Sept. 27, and lest we forget, their crews have been warned about potential trouble with ladyboys.
Another local paper, the Observer, points out that no sailors will be spending time on Jet-Skis while in town. The penalty for doing so is apparently “severe.”
All hands, be advised: Look out for ‘ladyboys’
September 21st, 2009 | Carriers Liberty Life at Sea Morale | Posted by Phil Ewing
Much as the sailors in this 1934 painting needed to keep their wits about them, so too will Reagan strike group sailors need to keep up their guard on a visit to Phuket, Thailand, officials say // NavHistHerCom
Sailors know it’s a dangerous world out there: Let your guard down for less than a second and you can be vacuumed into a jet intake, or blown off the flight deck and never seen again. Here’s something else to add to all the occupational hazards of Navy life: ‘Ladyboy’ attacks.
The Ronald Reagan carrier strike group is due to arrive this week in Phuket, Thailand, and the Phuket Wan newspaper reports that the coming influx of sailors will happen in the midst of a transgender crime wave. The city — already infamous as a destination for sex tourism — has been experiencing a spate of muggings allegedly perpetrated by its workforce of “katoeys,” and there is a concern that problem might keep too many American dollars out of the hands of local merchants:
A spate of muggings by katoey ladboys [sic] in Patong has raised concern for the safety of US sailors who arrive on Phuket to take shore leave next week.
The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan spearheads a friendly ”invasion” of warships to boost Phuket’s economy over five days.
But another less friendly invasion of ladyboys from all over Thailand has already begun, the local police chief warned today.
What a weird story. Have you done a port visit in Phuket? What was it like? Keep it clean — this is a family blog.
Filipino rep: U.S. Navy keep out
August 19th, 2009 | Carriers Liberty nuclear weapons | Posted by Phil Ewing
The carrier George Washington sailed out of Manila Bay Aug. 15 after a port visit, which angered a member of the Philippine Congress // MC2 Clifford Davis/Navy
Not everybody loves visits from the carrier George Washington as much as the Australians. When the ship pulled into Manila Bay last week, a representative in the Philippine Congress called in no uncertain terms for GW to turn right around and leave.
U.S. aircraft carriers, as “floating bases” for strike aircraft, are as bad as the U.S. bases the Navy used to maintain in the Philippines, said Rep. Walden Bellow, of Quezon City. And worse is the fact that the Navy won’t confirm or deny they carry nuclear weapons, he said. Bello offered a solution, though:
We … demand the immediate withdrawal of the USS George Washington from Philippine territory and call for a moratorium on all further US warship entries into the country. If the US insists on “neither confirming nor denying” the presence of nuclear weapons in its ships, we demand that a congressional committee be allowed to fully inspect all US warships in our territory.
Scoop Deck wants to hear what Manila’s saloon-keepers think of that idea.
Back in SecNav’s day
August 4th, 2009 | Chiefs Historical Liberty Ships The deckplates The Middle East Washington | Posted by Phil Ewing
MANAMA, BAHRAIN — Navy Secretary Ray Mabus was about halfway through an all-hands call here in an auditorium packed with sailors and Marines when a new questioner approached the microphone. In Mabus’ opening remarks, the officer said, Mabus had mentioned the Navy over which he now presides was very different from the one in which he’d served out of college. In what ways?
Scuttlebutt from down under
July 17th, 2009 | Foreign navies Liberty Ships | Posted by Andrew Scutro
- //Australian Government
While you’re waiting for the night flight to Vegas or you’re just waiting for a bag of frozen steaks to thaw, check out this video from the Aussie fleet. The relevance is both Scoop Deck’s unrelenting curiosity about other naval forces as well as the looming arrival of Australian frigates Ballarat and Sydney in New York City — escorted by the destroyer Mahan — on Sunday. The crews will enjoy their own version of Fleet Week before getting back aboard and heading out to continue their Operation Northern Trident tour.
You will have to be a real ship geek to watch the whole 12 minutes, most of which is slightly dry, until the slightly more moto stuff at the end.
MCPON’s July 4 message: Hiiii-YAH!
June 30th, 2009 | Liberty Personnel The deckplates | Posted by Phil Ewing
"If you're gonna compare a Hanzo sword... you compare it to every other sword ever made... that wasn't made by Hattori Hanzo." // MC1 Jennifer Villalovos/Navy
Strike that — it’s actually “Hooyah.” In his message to the fleet for the Independence Day holiday, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SS/SW) Rick West encouraged sailors to “take every possible precaution (including watching out for others) whether you’re driving, riding a motorcycle, on the water or staying at home with fireworks and barbecue.”
Naturally, no one needs a reminder about safe sword use.
No more fun of any kind
June 15th, 2009 | Liberty The Middle East | Posted by Andrew Scutro
Scoop Deck was saddened at the news last week that lawmakers in Bahrain are cracking down on bars on that hot desert island. Saddened because off-duty time there is fun–sort of the way the bar in Star Wars might have been fun. For the most part both expats and locals are friendly and though it needs no explaining, cold beer has refreshing qualities when the sun is strong. Closing down bars there is like draining an oasis. Even the tourism board touts the nightlife.
Feel free to share your sea stories from Bahrain.