by Craig Hooper on March 26, 2018
As a staunch advocate for the Navy’s tug and salvage fleet, I am thrilled to see the drama-filled T-ATS(X) program head towards production (some history here). It has been a long road for this important but low-profile and oft-ignored vessel–the T-ATS(X) wallowed under multiple RFIs for years. It nearly foundered after several efforts to privatize […]
by Craig Hooper on March 24, 2018
I know I should be talking about big bolus of shipbuilding cash that is headed the Navy’s way, but…I’d be remiss if I failed to note some Ford Class news. Inside Defense reports: The Navy is reverting to an earlier plan and will shock test the lead ship of its new aircraft carrier class, the Gerald R. […]
by Craig Hooper on March 15, 2018
Giuseppe Bono is one of those crafty elders of the shipbuilding community, so his recent interview in Defensenews.com, conducted by Tom Kington, is worth a closer examination. It is one of the more interesting salvoes in a brutal FFG(X) marketing frenzy. Now, Fincantieri is in something of a complicated spot regarding the future frigate bid. […]
by Craig Hooper on March 8, 2018
America has a very small window of time to shock test a Ford Class aircraft carrier. If missed, the Ford Class will likely not be shocked at all–a perplexing oversight as America “girds” anew for conventional state-state conflict. I am worried. Recent Ford shock trial coverage suggests American maritime commentators forget that the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) […]