What’s Next for the Navy’s LCS Fleet?
The littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords launches a Naval Strike Missile in the Philippine Sea on Oct. 1, 2019. The missile is a long-range, precision-strike weapon designed to seek and destroy enemy ships. (US Navy photo by Navy Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe) Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff. Chief of Naval Operations ADM Michael Gilday offered details to a House defense subcommittee on the US Navy’s plans for…
MQ-8B Drone Crashes Upon Deployment
An MQ-8B Fire Scout UAV crashed upon deployment into the littoral combat ship USS Charleston and fell into the sea. It was not recovered.
Iranian Ships Harass USCG Patrol in Persian Gulf
Iranian ships swarmed two US Coast Guard vessels in the Persian Gulf earlier this month. A ship and fast boats of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps came within 70 yards in ‘unsafe and unprofessional’ maneuvers to USCGC Monomoy patrolling international waters.
Navy Holds 1st Unmanned Fleet Exercise
The US Pacific Fleet held the first-ever exercise — Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21 — that focused on unmanned systems, moving the service closer to integrating manned and unmanned capabilities in daily fleet operations and battle plans.
DefSec: Climate Change Poses Security Risks
DefSec Lloyd Austin told attendees at an international climate summit late week that the climate crisis is making it more difficult for the military to defend the US and its allies. “The climate crisis is a profoundly destabilizing force for our world,” he said during the virtual event.
Electric Grid Getting Cyber Checkup
The White House is setting up a pilot program to improve the cybersecurity of the nation’s electricity infrastructure as part of a broader initiative focused on industrial control systems. Complicating the US cybersecurity effort, the National Security Agency cannot collect intelligence domestically.
Fagan Nominated Vice Commandant USCG
USCG VADM Linda Fagan nominated as vice commandant of the Coast Guard. Fagan is the head of the Pacific area of operations and will become the first woman to achieve a fourth-star in the Coast Guard.
Mercy’s New Flight Deck Put to the Test
The USNS Mercy hospital ship conducted its first-ever flight deck landing of a V-22 Osprey last week. The MV-22B Osprey is assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 of NAS Patuxent River.
The Afghanistan War Takes Its Toll
A Brown University report has put a price tag on the two-decades-long Afghanistan war at $2 trillion, and notes that 240,000 lives have been lost in Operations Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support.
No Unity on Afghan Withdrawal
Biden’s plan for a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan withdrawal by Sept. 11 meets fierce GOP congressional opposition but support from former SecState Colin Powell.
