2012 Sea Air Space Expo Continues

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Shannon Burns, Defense Media Activity - Navy

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (NNS) -- The second day of the 2012 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, held at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center April 17, focused on today's technology and the future of the Navy.

Numerous panel, floor speaker and roundtable sessions took place covering these topics. During the Sea-Air-Space Luncheon keynote speaker Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert talked about these topics as well as the Tenets.

Several classes of Navy vessels were discussed at the expo including the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). According to the LCS program manager, LCS is a critical part of the Surface Force's ability to provide credible capability for deterrence, sea control, and power projection around the world. It is a fast, agile, networked surface combatant designed to operate in the near-shore environment but still capable of open-ocean tasking.

"Littoral combat ships brings tremendous capabilities to our Navy, they allows us to deploy ships, to exercise with our neighbors, and increase our engagement and our presence," said Capt. John Neagley, program manager, Littoral Combat Ship. "They address three specific capabilities and gaps: mine warfare, surface warfare, and anti-submarine warfare."

Another type of Navy vessel discussed was the Virginia-class submarine - designed for multi-mission operations in the littorals while still retaining what the prgram executive officer describes as the submarine force's strength in traditional open-ocean, anti-submarine, and anti-surface missions.

"The Virginia-class submarine is the replacement for the Los Angeles-class submarine and it will be the work horse for the fast attack fleet for years to come," said Rear Adm. (sel.) Michael Jabaley, program manager for Virginia-class submarines, Program Executive Officer Subs. "We've so far delivered eight to the Navy out of a total program of 30 submarines, they're performing wonderfully in the fleet and will continue to do so for decades to come."

Also discussed at the expo was the new class of aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, the first new class of aircraft carriers in almost 40 years. They are nearly identical in size to the Nimitz-class carriers, but are designed with upgraded hulls, mechanical, electrical, and electronics capabilities.

"The Gerald R. Ford-class carrier is the Navy's next generation of aircraft carriers," said Capt. Chris Meyer, program manager, Future Aircraft Carriers Program for Naval Sea Systems Command. "It builds on a legacy of U.S. aircraft carrier capability; it provides improved capability for the future with reduced total ownership costs and reduced crew size. We are able to have more capability with less ownership costs."

The Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition includes three days of seminars and demonstrations highlighting the latest maritime-related technologies and solutions. The symposium provides an excellent opportunity for Navy policy and operational leadership to interact with industry representatives to discuss and debate common interests and concerns.

"We are the nation's first responders, there is no doubt about that, we deter, we assure access, and we protect security, and we're there to protect prosperity," said Greenert. "This, and our future role, led me to three tenets. Warfighting has to be first. We have to be confident, we have to be proficient at what we're doing and we have to be relevant. Number two, we have to operate forward. That's where we're most effective and that's where we've always been most effective in our Navy. Number three, we have to be ready for today's challenges today."