Defense AT&L November-December 2008

In the News SPECIAL TO AMERICAN FORCES PRESS battlefield,” he continued. “Sometimes people think we’re SERVICE (JUNE 27, 2008) building something that’s a fantasy or that technology ARMY ACCELERATES DELIVERY OF is the answer to everything, and we absolutely are not. FU TURE COMBAT SYSTEMS TECHNOLO- What we are doing is trying to leverage that technological GIES advantage that American industry and America’s allies Lindy Kyzer help us bring to the battlefield.” The Army is accelerating the delivery of key Future Com- bat Systems technologies to the field, officials announced Kyzer works for the office of the chief of public affairs, media June 26. relations division, Department of the Army. Infantry brigade combat teams will receive the technolo- NAVAL STATION ACTIVITY MECHANICS- gies, called “spinouts,” sooner than previously planned, BURG NEWS RELEASE (JULY 1, 2008) officials said. NSA MECHANICSBURG LOGISTICIANS TOUR USS CARNEY, CONNECT WITH The spinouts include tactical and urban unattended ground THEIR CUSTOMERS sensors; the non-line-of-sight launch system; the Class Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Charley Abrams, USN I, Block 0 unmanned air vehicle; the small, unmanned PENN’S LANDING, Pa.—Seeing the positive end result ground vehicle; and network kits for Humvees. of one’s efforts and labor always serves as a focal and motivational point, as proved true for a group of 15 civil- Lt. Gen. Michael A. Vane, director of the Army Capabilities ian and uniformed employees from the Naval Inventory Integration Center, discussed the accelerated fielding of Control Point (NAVICP), Mechanicsburg, Pa., during their cutting-edge equipment in a teleconference with bloggers visit aboard USS Carney (DDG 64) on July 1. and online journalists. The destroyer, moored here in conjunction with Philadel- “This decision reflects the need to move more aggres- phia’s Independence Day observances, welcomed aboard sively to support current operations across both our ac- the employees for a tour designed to show the operational tive and reserve component capabilities with the Future end point for many of their efforts conducted within the Combat Systems capabilities,” he said. Navy’s supply chain. Commanders and soldiers in the field, as well as members The ship’s public affairs officer Lt. j.g. Parker Carlisle of Congress and Defense Department and Army leaders, brought the group aboard and conducted a tour featur- have been asking for future combat technologies to be ing areas such as the bridge, mess decks, combat, and used for the current fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, Vane most important for this group, supply. said. Australian Navy Lt. Cdr. John Potter, currently working for Operational needs statements from infantry brigade the NAVICP as part of an international officer exchange commanders in 2007 and 2008 were double the num- program, said the tour was a “good opportunity to see ber from heavy brigades, and accelerating the fielding of how supply works from the ship’s end.” FCS spinouts addresses many of those capability gaps, Army officials said. As the tour reached the highlight of seeing the ship’s supply department, participants got a firsthand look at Vane pointed out that FCS is not being developed to pro- who and what they were supporting from their offices at vide “perfect” information. the Central Pa., Navy depot. Storekeeper 1st Class Joseph Melton was there to greet them. He explained to the group “We recognize that soldiers will always fight for informa- the challenges of maintaining the shipboard budget and tion,” he said. “But the soldier on the battlefield and the keeping Carney’s combat systems up and running. commander is the best decision maker, the best sensor, the best shooter, the best communicator, the best negotia- Tour participant Diana Garcia, who works as a logistics tor with both allies and potential enemies. management specialist, defined her job at NSA Mechan- icsburg as “taking care of provisions and procedures.” This “What we want to do is we want technology to enable means a ship sends her an order; she finds the source, that soldier and that commander to better understand the buys the item, and fills the order. Each member of the Defense AT&L: November-December 2008 64 In the News and base employees to better understand and appreciate each other. Abrams writes for U.S. Naval Support Activity Philadelphia. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS RELEASE (JULY 15, 2008) NAVY NAMES TWO VIR- GINIA CLASS SUBMARINES The Navy announced today that the next two Virginia-class attack submarines will be named the USS Minne- sota and the USS North Dakota. The selection of Minnesota, designated SSN 783, honors the state’s citizens and their continued support to On July 1, 2008, a group of 15 logisticians from the Naval Inventory Control Point our nation’s military. Minnesota has a visited the Navy destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) during its port visit in Philadel- long tradition of honoring its veterans phia, to witness firsthand how their work in Mechanicsburg, Pa., impacts the Na- of wars past and present. The state vy’s fleet and its warfighters. Navy Storekeeper 1st Class Joseph Melton explained is proud to be home to 46 Medal of to the group the challenges of maintaining the shipboard budget and keeping USS Honor recipients that span from the Carney’s combat systems up and running. Photo courtesy NSA Mechanicsburg Civil War to the Vietnam War. This will be the third ship to bear the group had a specialty, and Garcia’s includes refrigerating state name. The first USS Minnesota, a sailing steam frig- valves and air-conditioning units, in which the USS Carney ate, was commissioned in 1857 and served during the had “one of the best he’s experienced” according to Lt. Civil War, remaining in service until her decommission- Douglas Turner, Carney’s supply officer. ing in 1898. The second Minnesota was commissioned in 1907. On December 16, 1907, she departed Hampton Inventory manager Delmar Madden explained the pro- Roads as one of the 16 battleships of the Great White Fleet cess whereby a ship contacts him for supplies, which he sent by President Theodore Roosevelt on a voyage around then orders, re-directs, or has the part repaired. If the part the world. She continued her service through World War is unavailable and the urgency is great, the part is sought I, and was decommissioned in 1921. out worldwide from operational ships. The selection of the North Dakota, designated SSN 784, An example of Madden’s work that has affected the USS honors the state’s citizens and veterans and their strong Carney is when all the DDG class fuel nozzles were re- military support and heritage from the Frontier Wars placed. The optimized computer system today allows one through the Cold War and currently the Global War on person to do the work of what used to take many, which, Terrorism. Seventeen North Dakotans have received the as Madden states, makes it “one of the biggest jobs you Medal of Honor for actions in combat, including Master can imagine.” Sgt. Woodrow W. Keeble who posthumously received the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony on March The NAVICP logistician enjoys this aspect of the job be- 3, 2008. This is the second ship to bear the name North cause he is always learning new things, making the tour Dakota. The first ship, the Delaware-class battleship USS a worthwhile experience. North Dakota, was in service from 1910 through 1923. By the end of the tour, communication and learning ex- These next-generation attack submarines will provide periences were gained, allowing for both ship’s company the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the 65 Defense AT&L: November-December 2008 In the News nation’s undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. community. This multi-pronged strategy will enable the They will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveil- department to solicit a broad range of proposals from the lance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements social science community and to leverage the expertise that will enable them to meet the Navy’s multi-mission and infrastructures of a wide range of existing mecha- requirements. nisms for funding basic research. North Dakota and Minnesota will have the capability to at- The Minerva initiative will have several components to tack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise solicit and manage proposals. The first of these has been missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land released through a DoD broad agency announcement. areas, littoral waters, or other sea-based forces. Other mis- Additionally, DoD signed a memorandum of understand- sions include anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare; spe- ing with the National Science Foundation on July 2, 2008, cial forces delivery and support; and mine delivery and to work together on a range of projects related to DoD’s minefield mapping. Minerva initiative, which might include a solicitation of proposals. Submission to DoD’s open broad agency an- The Virginia-class is 7,800 tons and 377 feet in length, has nouncement will not preclude any offeror from submit- a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots ting proposals to future solicitations. submerged. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reduc- Remarks by Secretary of Defense Gates on the Min- ing life cycle costs while increasing underway time. erva initiative may be found at <www.defenselink.mil/ speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1228>. The currently DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS open DoD BAA may be found at: <www.arl.army.mil/ RELEASE (JULY 16, 2008) www/default.cfm?Action=6&Page=8>.

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