Joint Warrior 10-1 Kicks Off with Fast-Paced Training

April 13, 2010 by Jeffrey Bradford · View Comments
Filed under: Syndicated Industry News 
Joint Warrior 10-1 Kicks Off with Fast-Paced Training
April 13, 2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nikki Smith, Destroyer Squadron 24 Public Affairs

USS LABOON, At Sea (NNS) -- The multinational exercise Joint Warrior 10-1 commenced April 12 off the coast of Scotland with high-tempo training exercises.

Joint Warrior is a United Kingdom-led, multiwarfare exercise designed to improve interoperability between allied navies and prepare participating crews to conduct combined operations during deployment.

The concentrated training schedule for the guided missile destroyer USS Laboon, one of the six U.S. Navy ships participating in Joint Warrior 10-1, included a mine leadthrough and a Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) exercise, which occurred immediately upon pulling out of port in Faslane, Scotland.

"All underway time is valuable. We want to maximize every training moment, and it puts everyone into the scenario," said Capt. Stephen Evans, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 24. "We're in scenario from the very start, and we're operating under very realistic circumstances."

The first exercise of the day was a mine leadthrough, in which a minesweeping ship, HMS Brocklesby (M33), led Laboon through a simulated mine warfare track, which permitted Laboon to practice ship maneuvers and operate astern of the minesweeper. During the exercise, Brocklesby escorted Laboon through a mine track, which ensured Laboon had a clear, mine-free, path as it transited a potential dangerous area.

Ensign Michele Rollins, DESRON 24 staff navigator, said this minesweeping exercise is unique because it is not practiced the same way U.S. Navy ships would practice off the U.S. east coast. During U.S. Navy exercises, navigation would plot a path for ships to follow and simulate a minesweeper escort ship. In Joint Warrior, Laboon and other ships were able to actually follow a minesweeping ship, achieving a realistic experience for Sailors aboard the ship.

Meanwhile, the crew remained ready to execute the FIAC. The crew was not briefed on what time the attack would happen, but was told to be ready and waiting for the call to go out. When Laboon's crew was called to man stations for the attack, they found four jet skis inbound and executed proper procedures to neutralize threats.

As Sailors manned gun mounts and blew the ship's whistle, the at-sea fire party members manned fire hoses spray and deter the inbound jet skis. The exercise also challenged Laboon's navigation and bridge team, while personnel executed proper pre-planned responses, they continued to maintain the ships speed and maneuver the ship, in different ways, to keep the jet skis in the ships wake.

Master-at-Arms 1st Class (SW/AW) Joseph Lucy, Laboon's anti-terrorism force protections watch officer, said this exercise was beneficial great because attempts to gather information from approaching jet skis approaching ships is an increasing realistic scenario.

"This is our home; we have to protect each other. Everyone was reacting to the situation as if it were real, and we were working together in the mindset to protect each other and protect our home," said Lucy.

Ships led by DESRON 24, commanded by Capt. Aaron C. Jacobs, commodore, will be participating in the Joint Warrior training exercise until April 23, with different, realistic scenario-driven exercises planned everyday.

The exercise promotes Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet's three focus areas: conducting safe and effective fleet operations to achieve mission, providing ready maritime forces for global assignment and teaming with allies and partners in execution of the maritime strategy.

Joint Warrior serves as a certifying event for ships that will deploy with coalition forces in the future. Laboon is participating alongside the guided missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52), guided missile cruisers USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and USS Vicksburg (CG 69), guided missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) and Fleet Replenishment Oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195).
Nations participating in the exercise are Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.

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Lockheed Martin Delivers 1,000th Vertical Launch ASROC Missile

March 13, 2010 by Jeffrey Bradford · View Comments
Filed under: Japan, Lockheed Martin, Syndicated Industry News 
Lockheed Martin Delivers 1,000th Vertical Launch ASROC Missile
July 6, 2009 9:03:00 AM

AKRON, Ohio, -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently marked the production and delivery of the 1,000th Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) missile during a ceremony at the company's Akron, OH, facility. The milestone VLA missile is part of a contract for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

The world's only urgent attack operational antisubmarine warfare (ASW) weapon for surface combatants, VLA missiles provide vessels with the capability to attack submarines beyond the submarine's attack range, even in adverse weather conditions. Lockheed Martin supplies VLA missiles to the U.S. Navy as well as the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force through a combination of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and direct commercial sales.

"The VLA missile has proven to be a very robust weapon," said Capt. Tom Wears, U.S. Navy program manager. "This weapon will be a critical component of the U.S. Navy's inventory for many years."

"This milestone demonstrates the longstanding teamwork and commitment from the VLA Program Team to our customers and to the warfighter," said Rick Perez, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Defense Systems market segment.

"We are pleased that the VLA missile is the primary ASW weapon for Japan's newest surface combatant ships," said Naoji Tomita, vice president and general manager, Mitsubishi International Corporation. Mitsubishi is Lockheed Martin's trading partner for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

Development of the VLA missile began in 1984 and production units have been delivered to the U.S. and allied navies since 1992.

To provide defense against existing and future ASW threats, Lockheed Martin is currently extending the range of the VLA. This new missile, the VLA Extended Range (VLA-ER), will provide four to five times more range by adding a wing glide kit to the existing system. VLA-ER reuses nearly 90 percent of the existing VLA and includes a common configuration allowing both ship and air launch.

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Royal Australian Navy Test-Fires Raytheon Standard Missile-2 — Press Release

January 18, 2010 by Matthew Potter · View Comments
Filed under: Australia, Business Line, Companies, Countries, Events, Press Releases, Raytheon, development program, missile defense, production program 

Royal Australian Navy Test-Fires Raytheon Standard Missile-2

JERVIS BAY, Australia, Jan. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Australian Navy fired Raytheon Company’s (NYSE:RTN) Standard Missile-2 Block IIIA anti-air warfare missile during recent tests on board the HMAS Melbourne.

“With this firing, Melbourne’s crew validated the work done to transition warships from SM-1 capability to SM-2,” said Ron Shields, Raytheon’s SM-2 program director. “This was the first time an SM-2 has been launched by any navy from an upgraded frigate, clearing the way for other fleets to make similar upgrades.”

As the most widely fielded variant of SM-2, Block IIIA is deployed by the U.S. and eight allied navies. The missile is part of a long-range area air defense capability capitalizing on communication techniques, midcourse guidance, advanced signal processing and propulsion improvements. These enhancements substantially increase the intercept range to 90 nautical miles (104 statute miles) and provide high- and low-altitude intercept capability and performance against advanced anti-ship missile threats.

Three other Royal Australian Navy frigates are scheduled to be upgraded to the SM-2 configuration. The modifications, along with upgrades to the combat management systems, launchers and other systems, will improve the ships’ capabilities against low-altitude and supersonic targets and provide extended area air defense protection.

“Standard Missile has been the U.S. Navy’s primary surface-to-air fleet air defense weapon for more than three decades,” said Shields. “This test shows the flexibility of SM-2, and why it is the global air defense missile of choice.”

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

Contact:
John Eagles
502.727.9391 (mobile)
John_J_Eagles@Raytheon.com

Source: Raytheon Company

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