Development Squadron 5 Receives First Unmanned Undersea Vehicle

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Johndro, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

KEYPORT, Wash. (NNS) -- Commander, Submarine Development Squadron 5 (CSDS 5), Detachment UUV, took delivery of Large Training Vehicle 38 (LTV 38), an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) Aug. 22.

The delivery makes LTV 38 the first UUV to join the vehicle inventory used by detachment UUV at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport.

Once a few final operational preparations are completed over the next few weeks, it will be ready to hit the water for both capabilities tests and proficiency training.

"This is certainly a key milestone for Detachment UUV in that we will have a baseline training vehicle for the future of Large Displacement UUVs," said Lt. Brian Nuss, officer in charge at Detachment UUV.

LTV 38 was originally developed for the Sea Stalker program. The vehicle is 27 feet in length and 38 inches in diameter, and was originally assembled in 2008 by Penn State University's UUV land-based test facility at State College, Pennsylvania. It underwent its first series of operational tests shortly after its assembly and made its first operational deployment on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96).

"This process was a long time coming," said Sonar Technician (Submarines) 1st Class (SS/DSV) Travis Townsend, leading petty officer at detachment UUV. "Puget Sound has a great undersea and naval presence. It truly makes sense for the detachment to receive this vehicle and start preparing for what the future of the Navy holds."

As a UUV, LTV 38 is able to perform at a maximum depth of 1,000 meters for up to 72 hours. It is designed as a full-pressure hull vehicle, capable of both line of sight and over the horizon communications, and can also conduct limited autonomous contact avoidance maneuvers via acoustic sensors while anchored and such missions are conducted and controlled remotely.

UUVs allow naval submarines to safely gain access to denied areas with revolutionary sensors and weapons. These areas may be denied based on unacceptable risks to a submarine such as extremely shallow water, very poor acoustic conditions, or mined waters. UUVs provide unique capabilities and extend the "reach" of naval platforms while reducing the risk to the submarine and its crew.

The use of unmanned vehicles in the undersea environment is projected to grow for the Navy. During a recent visit to the Pacific Northwest, Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, told Sailors he envisions having autonomous underwater vehicles on patrol by the end of the decade.

"The future large-diameter vehicles will come in 2020 and in order for the detachment to fully prepare for the delivery of those vehicles we have to start with the tactics, training and procedures now to make it a successful program in the future," Nuss said.

According to the Penn State University Applied Research Lab, the Pacific Northwest provides key components for efficient transition of UUV technology to the fleet that includes technology development, testing and evaluation, and fleet presence.

"We couldn't have done this without the partnership from Keyport, Penn State and Commander, Submarine Force Pacific, supporting us both financially and realizing that there's a gap in training that needs to be filled for Det. UUV to succeed in the future," said Nuss.

X-47B Achieves New Set of Firsts Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt

From Naval Air Systems Command Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Navy's X-47B completed its final test aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Aug. 24 and returned to its home base at Naval Air Station Patuxent River after eight days at sea.

While underway, the X-47B flew in the carrier pattern with manned aircraft for the first time and conducted a total of five catapult launches, four arrestments and nine touch-and-go landings, including a night time shipboard flight deck handling evaluation.

"This is another detachment for the record books; all tests were safely and effectively executed," said Capt. Beau Duarte, Navy's Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager. "We have set the bar for the future of unmanned carrier aviation."

Testing began Aug. 17 when the X-47B performed its initial cooperative launch and recovery cycle with an F/A-18. With its automatic wing-fold capability and new tailhook retract system, the X-47B met the program's objective to demonstrate that carrier-based manned and unmanned aircraft could maintain a 90 second aircraft launch and recovery interval.

Throughout the week, the Navy/Northrop Grumman test team captured X-47B flying quality and recovery wind condition data to evaluate how the aircraft responds to wake turbulence during approach and landing. This data will be used to improve a simulation model for use with carrier-based aircraft.

The team also evaluated how the unmanned aircraft performed during the first night time taxi and deck handling operations aboard a carrier. Since the shipboard environment presents different challenges at night, this test was an incremental step in developing the operational concept for more routine unmanned air system flight activity.

"We conducted X-47B night flight deck operations to understand the human interface and suitability of the unmanned air vehicle and deck operator's hand-held control unit in the night environment," said Barbara Weathers, X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System lead. "These lessons learned will help with the development of future unmanned platforms."

The Navy will continue to execute shore-based testing at Patuxent River to further the goal of seamless integration with manned aircraft and to refine best practices for the evaluation of future unmanned air systems.

Kings Bay Honors Fallen Service Members

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ashley Hedrick, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Public Affairs

KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -- Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay finished its Run for the Fallen held by the Kings Bay Fitness Complex Aug. 21.

Throughout Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, 6,805 service members died in battle. The men and women were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters to many families across the nation.

As a way to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, runners around the world paid tribute to the war heroes by participating in the Run for the Fallen.

The national event began Flag Day, June 14, 2008, when a team of runners ran across America from Fort Irwin, California, to Arlington National Cemetery. Pictures of deceased service members marked each mile of the trek in remembrance of what they did for our nation.

"We do this for all who have sacrificed their lives for what we believe in," Cpl. Jacob Meyers of Marine Corps Security Force Battalion Kings Bay said. "Anybody that we love, that we know who has been to combat and has fallen, it's all in remembrance of them."

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay finished its Run for the Fallen held by the Kings Bay Fitness Complex Aug. 21. The event began June 18 with a 5K run. From June to August each command or individual was asked to log and record their miles. In the end, each mile is tallied to see which command had the most miles.

Heather McCormick, Navy Adventures Unleashed coordinator said the event is held to honor those who have fallen but those who have served should be saluted too.

"It is important to remember those who are serving our country, whether they are currently serving or they've died in battle," McCormick said. "Kings Bay does this run in honor of them."

The closing ceremony started the Kings Bay event with the presentations of colors, a morning prayer, and words of guest speaker Erick Millette, a wounded warrior who participates in the Warrior's Speak program. Marines displayed a representation of a battle cross. Its purpose was to show honor and respect for fallen service members

Cmdr. Ed Callahan, Naval Submarine Base Kings Base executive officer, spoke to the runners before the race.

"With every step you take, with every breath you take, with every heartbeat, you're doing it for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice," he said.

The Kings Bay runners were given small reminders of who they were running for. Changes also were made to this year's run to make it more symbolic.

"This year we handed out dog tags with the names of the fallen," McCormick said. "It was something to remind them as they were running. We also put out stakes with the battlefield cross on them, which represented a fallen service member."

After the run, an Honor and Remember Flag was awarded to the command which logged the most miles. MCSFBn Kings Bay earned first place with a total of 3,452 miles. Commander, Submarine Squadron 16 came in second with 1,670 miles, and Maritime Force Protection Unit was third with 1,428 miles.

From June 18 to Aug. 21, a total of 15,287.91 miles were logged by Kings Bay service members in honor of those who have fallen in battle.