US Navy formally re-establishes 2nd Fleet

The US Navy re-established the 2nd Fleet in a ceremony (CVN 77) at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, Aug. 24.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson presided over the ceremony aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

Vice Adm. Andrew “Woody” Lewis will be in charge of ships, aircraft and landing forces that will be tasked with protecting the East Coast and patrolling the northern Atlantic Ocean.

“Although deeply consequential, the meaning of this establishment can be summarized simply as a dynamic response to a dynamic security environment — a security environment clearly articulated in the National Defense Strategy,” said Richardson.

“We first need to understand this competitive security environment and why it demands every ounce of our tenacity, ingenuity and fighting spirit. Then we can focus on the mission and how best to accomplish it; 2nd Fleet will enhance our capacity to maneuver and fight in the Atlantic, and as a result, help to maintain America’s maritime superiority that will lead to security, influence and prosperity for our nation.”

Lewis assumed command as the first commander of the re-established C2F, after his confirmation by the Senate June 28.

US 2nd Fleet will be headquartered in Norfolk. All of Lewis’s operational command tours have been on the East Coast making him intimately familiar with operations in the Atlantic. Most recently, he commanded Carrier Strike Group 12 and deployed with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to the U.S. 6th and 5th Fleet areas of operation.

“I am truly honored to lead this fleet. US 2nd Fleet has a storied history, and we will honor that legacy,” said Lewis. “However, we will not simply pick up where we left off. We are going to aggressively and quickly build this command into an organization with operational capability. We will challenge our assumptions, recognize biases, learn and adapt from failures so as to innovate in order to build a fleet that is ready to fight. Ready to fight – so we don’t have to.”

US 2nd Fleet will fall under operational control of US Fleet Forces Command. The fleet had previously been disestablished in 2011.

USS Spruance Commissioned as Navy's Newest Destroyer

By David L. Hostetler, COMNAVSURFPAC Public Affairs

KEY WEST, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Spruance (DDG 111) became the newest member of the Navy's Pacific fleet after being placed in commission during a sunset ceremony at Naval Air Station Key West Oct. 1.

The new destroyer honors legendary Adm. Raymond Spruance, whose calm and decisive leadership at the Battle of Midway contributed to a pivotal American victory during World War II.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mark E. Ferguson III delivered the ceremony's principal address. "We welcome the USS Spruance and her crew to the fleet," said Ferguson.

"Wherever she sails, this ship will honor Admiral Spruance's legacy as the 'quiet warrior' who displayed uncompromising integrity and a powerful intellect, while giving the nation victories at sea in time of war. "Ellen Spruance-Holscher, the ship's sponsor and granddaughter of the ship's namesake, gave the order to "man our ship and bring her to life" prompting the crew of 285 officers and enlisted personnel to run aboard and officially begin the ship's life.

Simultaneously, the ship's systems were activated. Movement of the ship's Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) gun, sounding of alarms, rotation of fire-control radars and a prolonged whistle blast showed approximately 3,400 guests in attendance that the ship was ready for service to the Navy and our country. Cmdr. Tate Westbrook, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., is the ship's first commanding officer and spoke of the advanced weapons systems on Spruance and credited his Sailors with an outstanding effort preparing to operate them.

"Spruance's crew has trained for years to sharpen their skills to employ those capabilities," said Westbrook. "On board Spruance, through many long hours, they have sharpened their swords."

Spruance, the 61st Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the second Navy ship to bear the name, will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Spruance will contain myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare and be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously.

The 9,200-ton Spruance was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots. Spruance will proceed to her initial homeport of San Diego Oct. 3 as the newest member of Destroyer Squadron 23.

USS Independence Commissioned

MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) -- Nearly 500 guests braved the rain today in Mobile, Ala., to attend the commissioning of USS Independence (LCS 2).

Independence joins USS Freedom (LCS 1) in the revolutionary Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class, already making its mark on the fleet.

"LCS will have the capability...to secure the littoral regions upon which communities rely on for food, transportation and for their well-being," said Adm. Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, "and to protect critical chokepoints in the global supply chain, to launch unmanned air, underwater and surface vehicles that will keep our trade at sea and our men and women ashore safe from harm."

LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused ship that demonstrates the latest in naval warfighting technology. The ship is specifically designed to defeat "anti-access" threats in shallow, coastal water regions, including fast surface craft, quiet diesel submarines, and mines. To meet the combatant commander's increased demand for mission-tailored forces packages, LCS features an interchangeable modular design that allows the ship to be reconfigured to meet mission requirements.

"LCS is the future of our surface Navy," said Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis, Commander, Naval Surface Forces. "This program will complement the strengths of larger warships. LCS will be a deterrent of green and brown water threats; the flexibility, versatility, and smart design of Independence make it well suited for joint operations."

Independence is a 419-foot aluminum trimaran, the first of its design in the surface fleet. It has a displacement of 2,800 metric tons, is capable of speeds in excess of 45 knots, and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep. Propelled by four water jets in addition to two diesel and two gas turbine engines, the ship boasts a range of over 3,500 nautical miles.

Independence was christened by Mrs. Doreen Scott, wife of the 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Terry Scott, in a ceremony in Mobile, Ala. on Oct. 4, 2008. The ship completed builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico, and was delivered to the Navy on Dec. 18, 2009.

"The crews are immensely excited to reach commissioning," said Cmdr. Curt Renshaw, commanding officer, Blue Crew. "They have been waiting and preparing a long time to do what they are doing today."

"We are also excited to have the people who built the ship be a part of the ceremony against the great backdrop of a supportive city," said Cmdr. Michael Riley, commanding officer, Gold Crew. "We are extremely pleased to celebrate this occasion in Mobile."

The Sailors who brought the ship to life today are part of an innovative manning reconstruct that reduces crew size, demanding each Sailor maintain high levels of proficiency in multiple fields, and optimizes ship operability with multiple crews. Independence is manned by two rotational crews, "blue" and "gold," of 40 Sailors each. These crews are further augmented by detachment specialists for each of the mission modules.

"It was a pretty special honor to be named as the first boatswain's mate of the watch," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (SW) Katrina Williams. "I will be the first watch on the USS Independence, and I was chosen by my superiors, that means a lot to me. "

"This is a chance for my parents and my fiancée's parents to come and see what I'm doing, where I live, the jobs I will be doing and most important, where I will be working," said Engineman 1st Class (SW) Benjamin Standon, who welcomed 15 members of his family to the audience.

The rotational crew model is already proving effective aboard USS Freedom (LCS 1), Independence's predecessor in the LCS class. Freedom is currently readying for her maiden deployment, accelerated approximately two years. The Navy expects to learn key operational lessons about Freedom in a deployment setting, and to integrate those lessons into the larger LCS fleet, projected to eventually reach 55 ships.

Independence will conduct further testing and evaluation before eventually heading toward its homeport in San Diego.

"Green Ship" USS Makin Island Brought to Life in San Diego

NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- USS Makin Island (LHD 8) was formally commissioned today (Oct 24) in a ceremony on Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI).

The ship dubbed the "Prius of Navy warships," arrived in San Diego in mid-September, three years after her christening. She brought over 1,000 Sailors and their families to the San Diego community.

"I am proud this ship, and that her Sailors, Marines, and families will all call San Diego 'home'," said Congresswoman Susan Davis, the senior U.S. government official present. "It is great to have a new, 'green,' addition to San Diego. Each of you contributes to mission success and to our great community."

Adm. Patrick Walsh, commander, Pacific Fleet, the event's principal speaker, addressed the impact of Makin Island on the fleet.

"USS Makin Island represents the US Navy's long standing commitment to both the defense of our nation and ensuring security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond," said Walsh. "This commissioning also marks a new and significant chapter in the US Navy's history. The Navy will look to the USS Makin Island as the example as we move aggressively forward with plans to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and other hazardous chemicals."

Makin Island is the final amphibious assault ship built in the LHD-1 Wasp-class, but is the first of the class built with gas turbine engines and electric drive. The Navy projects that this advance will save nearly $250 million in fuel costs over the ship's lifetime. The development is already paying off – during the ships transit from Pascagoula, Miss., to San Diego, Makin Island consumed over 900,000 gallons less fuel than a steam ship completing the same transit, saving more than $2 million in fuel costs. Other environmentally-friendly initiatives include the use of an electric plant to power auxiliaries, meaning no steam or associated chemicals; and the use of reverse osmosis water purification systems that negate the need for chemicals like bromine or chlorine.

"This warship significantly enhances our joint Navy and Marine Corps capability," said Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis, commander, Naval Surface Forces. "In support of our nation's maritime strategy, it possesses the ability to rapidly respond to emergent tasking anywhere, anytime."

It was quite a day for Capt. Bob Kopas, commanding officer, USS Makin Island, who guided the ship and her Sailors through over four years of construction and trials. He gave thanks to the crew for working together to reach a momentous occasion.

"You have shown the metal you are made of every day," Kopas said. "In Mississippi you demonstrated your humanity by rebuilding playgrounds that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and during our port visits in South America you demonstrated your compassion by volunteering your off-duty time to renovate schools and other community facilities. Over the past four years, the dedication and enthusiasm you have shown has been the 'flames' which have heated the metal of our ship, making her able to meet the challenges of our nation and the Navy over the next 40 years and beyond."

Navy Establishes Carrier Strike Group 1

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 prepares to land on USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) flight deck during routine flight operations. Carl Vinson is underway conducting flight deck certification after the completion of its scheduled refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The RCOH was an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Rowe/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Navy formally established Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 in San Diego October 1, 2009. The flagship for CSG 1 will be the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), currently homeported in Newport News, Va. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) will round out the strike group.

Commanded by Rear Adm. Ted "Twig" Branch, CSG 1 will be a San Diego-based operational command and will report to Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

"We are excited by the opportunity to establish this new command and bring the power of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group online in support of our nation's defense," said Branch. "I'm also very happy to bring this capability, along with the men and women who make it possible, to the great city of San Diego."

Carrier Strike Group 1's first mission is expected to be a transit around South America in the spring of 2010 as Vinson relocates to its new homeport of San Diego.

In support of the nation's maritime strategy, CSG-1 will help promote regional partnerships, deter crisis, project power, promote maritime security, and provide humanitarian assistance or disaster relief within the U.S. Pacific Fleet's 100 million square-mile area of operations.

The Navy took redelivery of Vinson July 11, 2009, following the successful completion of the ship's midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH).

USS Carl Vinson is the third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to complete RCOH at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News and is undergoing a four-month post-refueling shipyard maintenance period to prepare for its transit to San Diego.