Navy News

[kscarbel2]

U.S. Navy pilot draws obscene picture in the sky

CBS News  /  November 17, 2017

A U.S. Navy pilot drew obscene pictures in the sky over Washington state on Thursday, CBS affiliate KREM-TV reports.

Viewers contacted the station after watching a plane draw what appeared to be crude depictions of a penis in the sky in OkanoganCounty, which borders Canada. The station posted pictures of the drawings on its website.

A mother in Okanogan, Washington, told the station she was upset because she might have to explain the drawings to her kids.

The Navy told the station that the aircraft involved was based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island off the Washington coast.

The Navy said in a statement that the incident was "unacceptable."

"The Navy holds its aircrew to the highest standards and we find this absolutely unacceptable, of zero training value and we are holding the crew accountable," the Navy said.

An FAA official told the station there was nothing the agency could do about the incident because it "cannot police morality."

[kscarbel2]

Your tax dollars at work.

[HeavyGunner]

I will admit it cracked me up. Unprofessional yes but if that's the worst our boys do to blow off a little steam and make each other laugh I don't see the big deal. 

[Hobert62]

[kscarbel2]

We're told the F/A18F has an hourly operating cost of US$10,507. 

(https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/08/16/the-hourly-cost-of-operating-the-u-s-militarys-fighter-fleet-infographic/#462da01b685f)

Such immature antics aren't becoming of a naval officer, and don't do anything for the Navy's image.

 

[carlotpilot]

46 minutes ago, Hobert62 said:

if he was directing that at the state govt.  i say right on LOL

Edited November 19, 2017 by carlotpilot

[41chevy]

43 minutes ago, kscarbel2 said:

We're told the F/A18F has an hourly operating cost of US$10,507. 

(https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/08/16/the-hourly-cost-of-operating-the-u-s-militarys-fighter-fleet-infographic/#462da01b685f)

Such immature antics aren't becoming of a naval officer, and don't do anything for the Navy's image.

 

Court Marshall, Dishonorable Discharge and 5 to 7 years at Leavenworth would make N.O.W. happy. even Hillary was visibly up set.

[kscarbel2]

Stagnant F-35 Reliability Means Fewer Available Jets: Pentagon

Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg  /  January 30, 2019

US Marine F-35Bs, which cost $122 million each, can only fly for a quarter of their expected life because of major structural issues

Durability testing data indicates service-life of initial F-35B short-takeoff-vertical landing jets bought by Marine Corps “is well under” expected service life of 8,000 fleet hours; “may be as low as 2,100″ hours Pentagon test office says in 2018 annual report obtained by Bloomberg that’s scheduled for release this week. That means some jets expected to start hitting service life limit in 2026.

Furthermore, there’s no “improving trend in” aircraft availability to fly training or combat missions as it’s remained “flat” over the past 3 years. Details come a day after Defense Sec. Pat Shanahan told reporters the F-35 “has a lot of opportunity for more performance.”

Interim reliability and field maintenance metrics to meeting planned 80% goal not being met, test office director Robert Behler says in new assessment as improvements “are still not translating into improved availability”

• Current fleet performance “well below” that benchmark

• Cybersecurity testing of aircraft in 2018 showed some previous vulnerabilities “still have not been remedied,” assessment says

• Amount of time needed to repair aircraft and return to flying status “has changed little” in last yr; remains “higher than” rate needed to indicate progress as aircraft fleet numbers and flying hours increase, assessment says

• Computerized maintenance tool known as “ALIS” doesn’t “yet perform as intended,” as some data and functions deficiencies “have a significant effect on aircraft availability” and launching flights

• Maintenance personnel, pilots “must deal w pervasive problems w data integrity, completeness on a daily basis,” tester says

• Testing through September of Air Force model gun intended for air-to-ground attack indicates accuracy “unacceptable,” DoD tester says

[41chevy]

From Janes Defense.  With "watered down" requirements the F35 Lightening II still has issues meeting them.

 F-35 Block 3F software package, which Lockheed Martin and the Air Force both touted as providing “full combat capability,” there were dozens of known deficiencies remaining , which was when the latest reporting period for DOT&E’s most recent review ended.   These are a few of the issues still seeking fixes. Some of those affect weapon accuracy, such as a persistent error that causes the F-35A’s internal 25mm cannon to reportedly still shoot to the right of the pilot’s point of aim. 

Software issues. The Joint Program Office has been watering down the software requirements for years already, too, securing an interim, limited capability Block 3i software suite to meet some early test objectives and avoid even more embarrassing delays. Before that, the baseline Block 3 was supposed to represent a fully functional package, a requirement the initial iterations of the supposedly "final" Block 3F code failed to meet, as well. It could also otherwise impede the ability of the aircraft’s various complex systems to properly share and display information to the pilot, other F-35s and different aircraft, or throughout ground-based networks. There are other ongoing occupational hazards, as well, including worrying reports of incidents of hypoxia-like symptoms among pilots flying Air Force F-35As.

Marine and Navy F-35 pilots have reported a “green glow” in their helmet’s display that can dangerously obscure their vision at night, especially during attempts to land on aircraft carriers and amphibious ships, as well. Lockheed Martin has only recently begun to implement fixes for that problem across the F35 fleets.

U.S. military already owns hundreds of F-35s that could also need costly modifications or end up relegated to secondary, non-combat roles. Even then, problems with earlier systems mean that those older aircraft have some of the lowest availability rates.

During the March 2018 hearing, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Jerry Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Programs, and Requirements, said that it was still costing his service approximately $50,000 per flight hour to fly its F-35As, roughly twice the cost per flight hour to fly an F-16C/D Viper, which the Joint Strike Fighters are slated to replace. 

In the meantime, it offers no benefit to the security of the United States to field weapon systems that lack significant capabilities for any reason without being honest about those issues. The multi-national nature of the F-35 program means that these decisions impact the capabilities and credibility of nearly a dozen allies, and potentially more, as well. The Pentagon's refusal to accept the most recent batch of jets over the contract dispute will delay the delivery of one to Australia and another Norway, underscoring the interdependence inherent in the program for many smaller participants.

All told, it is definitely a good thing that the F-35 program is moving forward in its testing process, but lessons must be learned from its troubled history and it does no good to rush ahead only to create an illusion of real progress.

Edited February 2, 2019 by 41chevy

[GA_Dave]

That's some pretty damn good flying right there!

"While on patrol, the pilot sees a blip coming in on his six.  He executes a 180 degree turn to his left and flies directly at the enemy.  As he makes his first attack run, he fires and quickly banks to his left, then his right, then a left loop around to make his second pass on the target.  He gets more hits on the second pass and flies straight ahead, then loops around to his right and makes a third pass to ensure the enemy is destroyed."

That's his story, and he's sticking to it!

[kscarbel2]

CH-53E Super Stallion reaches one million flight hours

Defense Blog  /  July 12, 2019

A legendary CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopter reached a major milestone this year by logging more than one million flight hours since it first entered service with the Marine Corps in 1981.

The CH-53E is a versatile machine used for amphibious assault and long-range insertion, delivering troops, vehicles and supplies. This rapid resupply vehicle is still one of the most used aircraft in the United States military air arsenal.

“The CH-53E has seen more work than was ever anticipated it would see,” said Major Matthew Baumann, H-53 In-Service, Naval Air Systems Command Heavy Lift Helicopter program office (PMA-261) co-lead.

Currently, there are 142 CH-53E Super Stallions in service. Though out of production, the CH-53E is in the middle of a “RESET” – a rolling period of rebuilding, upgrading and increasing safety, reliability and capabilities to lengthen its service life through 2032.

According to Baumann, the first 25 helicopters have completed their RESET process, “allowing the squadron commanders to plan for training, operations and maintenance with renewed confidence,” he said.

Resetting of the CH-53E fleet is an important segue from the current platform to the new CH-53K King Stallion, which will be its heavy-lift replacement.

“The CH-53K is the most powerful helicopter ever built by the United States military,” said Colonel Perrin, PMA-261 program manager. “It will be safer, faster and more capable than any previous heavy lift helicopter in the battlespace.”

Its development is currently in the testing and capability requirements phase, with a goal of bringing the CH-53K to fleet Marines by 2024.

“It’s a game-changer,” said Perrin. “We can’t wait to have the K available for fleet use. But for now we’ve got a capable, reliable and safe helicopter doing heavy-lift for our Marines.”

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXLvuIt0zpw

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[gxbxc]

I was an airframe inspecter  at Sikorsky when they were building the CH53 back in 1967 , it was an awesome aircraft then  and more so now, 1 million hours is an almost unbelievable flight record .And I am sure that it's crew are proud of it.

[Rob]

When I was in the navy we hangered next to the CH-53E hangers in Norfolk, VA. Got to see those things torn all apart several times. Never did work on one however as a different squadron but I knew a couple folks over there from "A" school so used to visit often as they did me when I'd have a radar set opened bare.

[kscarbel2]

I was taken aback this week when I saw an F-4 Phantom landing.

It must belong to a private training contractor (e.g. Tactical Air Support, Draken International, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, Top Aces, Air USA) .

[Rob]

1 hour ago, kscarbel2 said:

I was taken aback this week when I saw an F-4 Phantom landing.

It must belong to a private training contractor (e.g. Tactical Air Support, Draken International, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, Top Aces, Air USA) .

Imagine those things landing and taking off from your roof!!! On my first "cruise", I could touch the underside of the flight deck at the #3 wire. You could watch the PLAT camera feed, (which was live) and feel the tailhook slam down onto the steel deck and "SCREECH" very loudly dragging the aircraft to a stop. That impact along with the drag brakes for the arresting cables were damned hard to get any sleep through during flight ops..... 

Of course full stage afterburning TF-30, J-79, and F-404 engines on the catapults weren't none to quiet either.....

Some of the memories I'll never forget.  

[kscarbel2]

 

[kscarbel2]

This Navy warship went down in World War II with 49 crew members aboard. Divers finally found it after 75 years

Michelle Lou, CNN  /  July 19, 2019

The USS Eagle PE-56 was supporting Navy training exercises off the coast of Maine when an explosion tore it in half in April 1945.

Only 13 people survived, and 49 officers and crew members went down with the ship.

For 75 years, no one knew exactly where the submarine hunter -- and its crew -- rested at the bottom of the ocean.

But in June 2018, a team of eight wreck divers working with the Smithsonian Channel finally located it about six miles from Maine's shore.

The group of divers, known as the Nomad Exploration Team, spent four years searching for the wreck until they stumbled upon it with the help of sonar technology from Garry Kozak.

"When we found her initially and found subsequent pieces later on, we were just in absolute awe and there was an incredible amount of respect for the sailors who are still entombed with the Eagle 56," Ryan King, one of the divers, told CNN.

The wreckage sits more than 250 feet below the surface, King said.

The ship's steel plating is starting to rust away, but the site has been designated a war grave "and has all the protections associated with that," King said.

Finding the shipwreck was a challenge: Diving off the coast of Maine means that it's cold and visibility is often less than 20 feet.

"It's not a wreck that's in shallow waters. It's significantly deeper than recreational diving," King said. "Decompression on these dives will last 1.5 to 2 hours, sometimes longer."

The sinking was originally thought to be an accident

The USS Eagle PE-56 was the last American warship sunk off the East Coast during World War II, according to the Smithsonian Channel.

The US Navy originally dubbed the April 23, 1945, sinking an accident from a boiler explosion, but survivors reported that a Nazi U-boat (U-853) had in fact torpedoed the ship.

Naval historian Paul Lawton and archivist Bernard Cavalcante's research proved the initial assessment inaccurate, and in 2003, the Navy reclassified the sinking as a combat loss. It also recommended that Purple Hearts be awarded to the 49 dead and 12 survivors. The reclassification made the USS Eagle PE-56 the Navy's largest single combat loss in New England waters.

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[HeavyGunner]

Has there ever been a ship besides this one sunk by enemies just off of our shore?  Very interesting read to say the least. 

[kscarbel2]

23 minutes ago, HeavyGunner said:

Has there ever been a ship besides this one sunk by enemies just off of our shore?  Very interesting read to say the least. 

During WW2, many freighters were sunk by German U-boats within eyesight of beach goers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Turner_(DD-648)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Plymouth_(PG-57)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cythera_(PY-26)

[kscarbel2]

Associated Press  /  July 12, 2020

Seventeen sailors and four civilians suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire Sunday on board the USS Bonhomme Richard at its home port of Naval Base San Diego.

The 3-alarm blaze was reported shortly before 9 a.m.

The ship could burn for days “down to the water line” says San Diego Fire Chief Colin Stowell.
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[Ditchdiggerjcf]

Somebody's ass is gonna be in a crack

[kscarbel2]

The fire continues out of control.

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[Ditchdiggerjcf]

That one is a total loss. Probably will never sail again.

[mrsmackpaul]

Thats amazing how far its spread and still no stopping it, its in port so all facilities that you could possibly want or need I would of thought would be available to you 

Paul 

[Ditchdiggerjcf]

Seems to be some pretty piss poor damage control on that ship. Ship is in port so it should not be loaded with equipment. That doesn't leave much else to burn. How in the hell did they not get watertight doors closed to prevent/slow the spread of that fire so they could get a handle on it?