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Shortly after dawn the alarm breaks the silence on board HNLMS De Ruyter as the crew of the flagship prepare to head out to sea. After months of planning, a week in port and some final preparations during the pre-sail conference, everyone is focused and excited about what is going to happen in the coming days.

On Saturday morning, 2 November 2013, the ships participating in exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 left the port of Gdynia, Poland to start the main phase of the Maritime Live Exercise.

 ”This is something we’ve been preparing ourselves for and finally we can put the plans into reality,” said Task Group Commander, Capt. Mariusz Koscielski (Polish Navy). “The exercise staff is ready for the job, the ships left port as scheduled, so the mission for us now is to prove we can work as one, cooperate to achieve common goals and provide NATO with a cohesive force at sea,” he added.

The maritime assets will operate in the Gulf of Gdansk and adjacent waters for the next seven days – ensuring the safety of navigation and securing the strategic lines of communication especially the port approaches. Of paramount importance is the protection of Allied military and commercial shipping against submarine or air attacks. The Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 will be responsible for neutralizing sea mines and other dangerous objects that could present a threat to maritime traffic. The task group will additionally practice multinational procedures such as formation maneuvering, communications and search and rescue operations at sea.

HNLMS De Ruyter is a Dutch air defence, command and control frigate appointed to be the flagship of the maritime component of exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013. Twenty-five officers and petty officers from Italy, Latvia and Poland are embarked on board to serve as the Task Group Commanders staff responsible for designating units to proper tasks, covering and coordinating all aspects of the exercise and providing subordinate units assistance as needed.

The force is comprised of the Polish submarine ORP ‘Sokol’, Italian destroyer ITS Caio Duilio, Polish frigate ORP Kosciuszko and SNMCMG1 command ship ORP Czernicki joined by seven minehunters: BNS Narcis (Belgium), ENS Admiral Cowan (Estonia), FGS Dillingen (Germany), HNLMS Makkum (Netherlands) and HNOMS Rauma (Norway), HMS Ledbury (Great Britain) and ORP Czajka (Polish). The maneuvers will also involve naval aviation with Polish navy Mi-14PL and SH-2G helicopters and Portuguese P-3C Orion patrol aircraft.

Exercise Steadfast Jazz is the largest NATO exercise since 2006, and is one of a series of exercises designed to maintain connected and interoperable forces at a high state of readiness. These events allow NATO to continue to develop and hone capabilities, employ new technology and test new tactics.
Press Release, November 5, 2013; Image: NATO ACO

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Huntington Ingalls Industries laid the keel for the future USS John Finn (DDG 113) during a ceremony at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., Nov. 4.

The keel of DDG 113 was authenticated as being “straight and truly laid” by Laura Stavridis – the ship’s sponsor and wife of retired Admiral James Stavridis -and Bob Merchant, Vice President, Surface Combatants and U.S. Coast Guard Programs at HII.

“DDG 113 is the first ship of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer program restart,” said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “This keel laying represents the beginning of John Finn and continues the proud tradition of this highly successful shipbuilding program. I was especially honored to have Admiral and Mrs. Stavridis joining us here today. Admiral Stavridis, a former commanding officer of the first Ingalls DDG 51, USS Barry, knows how the hard work of Ingalls’ shipbuilders produces great warships.”

The DDG 51 class ship is a multi-mission, guided-missile destroyer designed to operate in multi-threat air, surface and sub-surface threat environments. The DDG 51 program continues to reinforce affordability and efficiency in its shipbuilding program with a commitment to deliver ships at the highest possible quality to the fleet.

John Finn is the 29th DDG 51 class destroyer to be constructed by Ingalls and is the first ship of the DDG 51 program restart. The Navy currently has 13 Arleigh Burke class destroyers under contract, including the recent Fiscal Year 2013 – 2017 multi-year procurement of nine ships awarded to HII and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in June 2013.

John Finn is expected to deliver to the Navy in 2016.

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.
Press Release, November 05, 2013; Image: Wikimedia

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The two aircrew aboard a U.S. Navy T-45C Goshawk aircraft that crashed yesterday at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. are stable and are being treated at a local hospital.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. yesterday, a U.S. Navy T-45C Goshawk aircraft crashed at the approach end of a runway at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.

The training aircraft, assigned to Training Squadron 86, crashed while attempting to land at NAS Pensacola. It was returning to the base from a local training flight.

The names of the pilots are being withheld for privacy reasons. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Press Release, November 05, 2013; Image: Wikimedia