US Navy to Buy Maritime Prepositioning Ship for $28M

USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon

The US Navy’s Military Sealift Command is paying $28 million to buy maritime prepositioning ship MV PFC Eugene A. Obregon from WTAK-2 in Mobile, AL. The MSC had previously leased the ship under a long-term lease contract (N00033-82-C-1021), which contained an option to purchase. The ship’s new name will be USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon.

WTAK-2 is executing the sale on behalf of Bell Atlantic Tricon Leasing. The ship will remain crewed by about 26 US merchant mariners employed by Waterman Steamship Corp. in Mobile, AL.

Obregon is one of 15 maritime prepositioning ships (MPS) that strategically place US Marine Corps equipment and supplies at sea around the world, making the cargo readily available to Marines who are flown into a theater of operations.

NGC, GD Inspection Failures Call Ships Into Question

SSN 777 construction

On May 14/09, a welding inspector at Northrop Grumman’s Newport News, VA shipyard did the right thing, and complained that a fellow inspector was signing off on ship welds without actually inspecting them. The inspector’s admission of wrongdoing created an extremely serious situation. He had supervised over 10,000 welds, on 8 Virginia class nuclear fast attack submarines (SSN 777-783, and SSN 785) and on the new nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush [CVN 77]. About 10% of the submarine welds were SUBSAFE joints involving critical parts or hull integrity.

The final report has now been released, but a similar issue has now arisen at co-producer General Dynamic Electric Boat…

Northrop Grumman Provides Communicatons Upgrades for USAF’s ASIP

B-52H

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA received an $8.2 million contract to provide Phase II data rate communications upgrades for the Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP).

The US Air Force initiated the ASIP because of catastrophic, unanticipated, in-flight fatigue failures of in-service aircraft. ASIP is the management tool for the USAF to safely manage the fleet from initial operating capability through the design service goal and beyond.

The program focuses on monitoring the structural integrity of USAF aircraft, including: