Latest news with #MilitarySealiftCommand
Newsweek
3 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Photos Show US Aircraft Carrier Preparing for Patrol on Pacific Front Line
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington—homeported in Japan—continues its preparations for an upcoming patrol in the western Pacific Ocean. Lieutenant Commander Mark Langford, the George Washington's public affairs officer, told Newsweek that the aircraft carrier was "focused on ensuring that the U.S. military remains the world's most combat-credible fighting force capable of maintaining peace through strength." Why It Matters The George Washington is one of the American naval vessels forward-deployed in Japan—a major treaty ally of the U.S. in Northeast Asia. It returned to its home port at Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo in November following 2,117 days of maintenance in Virginia. The 100,000-ton warship left Yokosuka naval base earlier this week, while its naval aviators were conducting field carrier landing practice on a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, simulating landings on the George Washington's flight deck to obtain landing qualifications. A Japanese media representative capturing a United States Navy F-35C fighter jet as it conducted a "touch and go" during field carrier landing practice at Iwo To in Japan on May 25. A Japanese media representative capturing a United States Navy F-35C fighter jet as it conducted a "touch and go" during field carrier landing practice at Iwo To in Japan on May 25. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dyxan K. Williams/U.S. Navy While the George Washington and its aviation unit prepared for patrol, the Chinese navy—the world's largest by hull count, with more than 370 vessels—deployed the aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong to the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, respectively. What To Know The George Washington conducted consolidated cargo and fueling-at-sea operations with the chartered tanker Badlands Trader on Wednesday at an undisclosed location in waters south of Yokosuka, according to photos released by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. Check out these images. @MSCSealift chartered ship Motor Tanker Badlands Trader (T-AOT 5582) conducted consolidated cargo operations (CONSOL) with @GW_CVN73 May 28 at sea south of Yokosuka, Japan. 🚢⛽💪 — U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (@MSCSealift) May 29, 2025 The aircraft carrier was underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of operations in support of "a free and open Indo-Pacific," Langford said. Both the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean are the Seventh Fleet's operating area. Official photos also show that the Carrier Air Wing 5—attached to the George Washington—conducted field carrier landing practice at Iwo To, a Japanese island 750 miles south of Tokyo. The training began on May 19 and is scheduled to end on Saturday. Participating carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft included the F-35C and F/A-18E/F fighter jets, the EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, and the E-2D airborne command and control aircraft. Pilots performed repetitive "touch and go" landings during the training on the small island. "[This is the training] that is required for Air Wing 5 air crews to get ready to go to sea," said Captain William Fallon, the assistant chief of staff for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Navy Region Japan, adding that the island provided a realistic practice environment. The George Washington's carrier air wing is also known as the "air wing of the future," said Langford, referring to the inclusion of the fifth-generation F-35C fighter aircraft, which features "advanced stealth technology" and provides "unmatched lethality and survivability." What People Are Saying The U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Navy Region Japan said on Friday: "[Field carrier landing practice] is a required flight training for pilot qualification and proficiency that precedes aircraft carrier landing operations, ensuring warfighting readiness in support of regional security and stability in the U.S. Indo-Pacific region." The U.S. Navy said of the USS George Washington's return to Japan: "George Washington is Seventh Fleet's premiere forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States' commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and operates alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet." What Happens Next It was not immediately clear when the George Washington would begin its first patrol after returning to Japan seven months ago. It also remains to be seen whether it will conduct joint operations with its sister ship, the USS Nimitz, which is in the South China Sea.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. Navy's newest replenishment oiler to honor Black civil rights activist Sojourner Truth
April 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy on Saturday plans to christen the future Sojourner Truth, a John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler that honors the famous American Black woman, in San Diego. The ship is named in honor of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century civil rights abolitionist and activist from New York. "This ship honors the legacy of a woman of great character and determination and the ship will bring the critical capacity needed to the fleet in often rapidly changing environments," John Lighthammer, program manager, said in June 2024 when the keel was laid. The ceremony will be livestreamed and is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. PDT. Ship sponsor Barbara Allen, a sixth-generation descendant of the ship's namesake, will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow. Isabella Baumfree gave herself the name Sojourner Truth in 1843 after she became convinced that God had called her to leave New York and go into the countryside. She was born into slavery in Swartekill, N.Y., in 1797, and escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. She became the first Black woman to win such a case against a White man in 1828. She died in 1883 at age 86. There is an exhibit about her at the Smithsonian National Women's History Museum in Virginia. It is part of the Smithsonian. Brett Seidle, the under secretary of the Navy, will deliver the principal address, followed by remarks from Vice Adm. John Wade, commander, U.S. Third Fleet; Capt. Micah Murphy, commander of Military Sealift Command in the Pacific; and Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. The U.S. Navy in 2016 announced T-AO 210 would be named after her. Construction on the future ship began on March 27, 2023. The replenishment oilers are operated by Military Sealift Command and feature oil as well as significant dry cargo capacity. In May 2024, the U.S. Navy took delivery of the first fleet replenishment oiler, USNS Earl Warren, named after the U.S. Supreme Court chief justice. Three are under construction in San Diego by General Dynamics and two others are planned. They are a cornerstone of the Navy's fuel delivery system and "essential to sustaining contested logistics, enabling lethality even in sea-denied environments," according to a news release. In addition, they have aviation capability and provide additional capacity to the Navy's Combat Logistics Force. A Block Buy contract was issued in September 2024 for the detail design and construction of T-AO 214-221.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A US Navy supply ship just finished up major maintenance work at a South Korean shipyard for the first time
South Korea completed major maintenance on a US Navy supply vessel for the first time. Doing maintenance in the region reduces downtime and costs, US Naval Forces Korea said. Officials and experts have said that South Korea may have some answers to US shipbuilding woes. In a strategically significant first as the US military looks for options to repair and maintain ships in the priority Indo-Pacific theater, a South Korean shipyard has completed large-scale maintenance work on a US Navy supply ship. Earlier this week, South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean finished up repairs on USNS Wally Schirra, a Military Sealift Command Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship. The regular overhaul (ROH) took seven months. Per Military Sealift Command, this is the first time a South Korean shipyard has bid on and won an ROH contract of this scale for this type of vessel. Smaller voyage repairs take place regularly at allied yards. It's "a landmark achievement," Rear. Admiral. Neil Koprowski, Commander, US Naval Forces Korea, said, noting that "maintenance in theater reduces downtime and costs, while enhancing operational readiness." The maintenance included addressing "extensive deterioration and damage to the hull, propeller, rudder, and rudder post/steering gear," Cmdr. Patrick J. Moore, commanding office, MSC Office-Korea, said. The Wally Schirra is part of the US Navy's Combat Logistic Force, vessels that keep US Navy vessels supplied with fuel, food, spare parts, and other critical needs. "Notably, Hanwha engineers reverse-engineered the damaged rudder, completely replacing the unit when blueprint were not available," Moore said. "This saved significant time and resources in getting Wally Schirra back to sea, a testament to their resilient supply chains, advanced automations, and skilled workforce." The repairs come as leaders in Washington are addressing American shipbuilding problems, and some officials and experts have indicated South Korea and other Pacific allies may have some solutions. South Korea boasts the second largest shipbuilding industry in the world behind China and has been identified by US officials and naval affairs experts as an example for how to fix some problems in American shipbuilding. Earlier this week, a House Armed Services Committee's Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee hearing included discussions on what lessons the US could take from South Korea and Japan's shipbuilders. Some bigger takeaways included adopting their approaches to in-house worker training, certain ways of addressing capability, operations, and material management issues, and the design and construction processes. Ronald O'Rourke, a naval affairs specialist and longtime Congressional Research Service analyst, pointed specifically to South Korea's ship designs. The country tends to construct larger sections that improve worker access and straighter, less convoluted pipes "with a strong focus on reducing the labor hours needed to produce them." O'Rourke noted that South Korea and Japan's shipbuilding models feature many practices for world-class shipbuilding standards and efficient shipyard operations. Past US Navy leadership has praised these two US allies for their shipbuilding prowess. The last Navy secretary was particularly impressed by the digitization and real-time monitoring for timely deliveries at South Korean shipyards. More broadly, the recent hearing focused on what Congress and the Navy needed to do to address dire US shipbuilding problems and the Navy's top programs running overtime and over budget. Fixing those issues has become as a top priority for the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump's pick for secretary of the navy. But experts, analysts, and officials have noted that many of the US' shipbuilding woes are decades-old challenges that won't be fixed overnight. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One sailor presumed dead in shipping collision off British coast
March 11 (UPI) -- British Member of Parliament Mike Kane said Tuesday that a sailor from the cargo vessel Solong is believed dead following a crash between that ship and an oil tanker carrying jet fuel for the United States military. The incident occurred Monday off the coast of England in the North Sea about 10 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire County, closest to the city of Hull, between the Stena Immaculate oil tanker and the Portuguese-flagged Solong. According to the ship tracking site MarineTraffic, the Stena Immaculate, which had been chartered by the U.S. military to transport Jet-A1 fuel to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, was anchored when it was allegedly struck by the Solong at around 9:48 a.m. local time. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but heavy fog was reported to be present at the time of the incident. Videos show the ships both had been set ablaze, and while the flames aboard the Stena have been extinguished, the Solong has been reported to still be burning and is not expected to remain afloat. Earlier reports that the cargo ship had been carrying the potentially dangerous chemical sodium cyanide have since been dismissed as incorrect. The rest of the Solong's 14-member crew have been accounted for, as has the Stena's entire complement. A spokesperson for Downing Street announced Tuesday that regarding the cause of the crash "there doesn't appear to be any suggestions of foul play at this time."
Muscat Daily
11-03-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
North Sea: Tanker hired by US military hit by cargo ship
London, UK – A cargo ship hit a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US government off the eastern coast of the United Kingdom on Monday, causing a large fire on both vessels and triggering a rescue operation. The incident occurred in the North Sea near the city of Hull, and the alarm was first raised at 9:48am (UTC/GMT). Local lawmaker Graham Stuart said 37 crew members aboard the two ships had been brought to shore and assessed by ambulances. According to the owner of the cargo ship, one of its crew is missing. The office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said details surrounding the cause of the collision 'are still becoming clear'. Lifeboats, firefighting vessels, a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft were deployed to respond to the incident. Oil tanker was carrying jet fuel The oil tanker involved in the collision was US-flagged chemical and oil products carrier MV Stena Immaculate, which is managed by maritime company Crowley. The ship was carrying jet fuel for the US military at the time of the collision. 'The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel … crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard,' Crowley said in a statement. A spokesperson for the US Navy's Military Sealift Command confirmed that the civilian-crewed ship was 'on a short-term charter' at the time of the incident. The other vessel involved in the crash was the Portugal-flagged container ship Solong, which was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It is owned by German shipping company Reederei Koepping. Maritime data provider Lloyd's List Intelligence said the Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a flammable gas. Impact on marine life Environmental group Greenpeace said it was too early to judge what kind of cleanup might be needed. 'The magnitude of any impact will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and type of oil carried by the tanker, the fuel carried by both ships, and how much of that, if any, has entered the water,' a spokesperson for the group said. Tom Webb, senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, said the area was known for its rich wildlife including wading birds and waterfowl. 'Chemical pollution resulting from incidents of this kind can directly impact birds, and it can also have long-lasting effects on the marine food webs that support them,' he said. Mark Hartl of the Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University said that although the images of the ships 'look worrying', the impact on the aquatic environment won't be as damaging as crude oil would have been, 'because most of the jet fuel will evaporate very quickly'. DW
