Steeljaw Scribe

Lead ship of the next class of LHA’s:
Navy Names New Amphibious Assault Ship America
The Navy’s newest class of large-deck amphibious assault ship, LHA 6, will bear the name USS America, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced while speaking at [...]

Ballistic missile defense from the sea - over the last six months the concept has moved further from test and development to operational reality.  Demonstrated capabilities are expanding the envelope and being delivered to certain designated ships within the fleet.  The question is - in describing these recent advances in ballistic missile defense, including the [...]

Like the ex-USS Davd R. Ray (DD-971) reported on yesterday, The Horne is also slated to be used as a target for the upcoming RIMPAC ‘08 exercise. Fifth ship of the Belknap-class and named for the VCNO during most of WWII, ADM Fredrick J. Horne, she was commissioned 15 April 1967 with then-CAPT [...]

August 1977.  Nellis Range - Nevada. The flight lead of a section of F-4E’s is searching in vain for the intruders. Flying CAP, their mission is to intercept ingressing strike aircraft as part of the large scale exercise known as ‘Red Flag.’  Normally an exceptionally challenging environment, meant to replicate the skies over Central Europe, [...]

Now you see her…

Soon, you won’t:
Familiar Destroyer Will Be Sunk In Naval Exercises
(KITSAP SUN 25 JUN 08) … Ed Friedrich
Frequent drivers along Sinclair Inlet are probably wondering what happened to the big Navy ship that used to be moored in the bay. That was the destroyer David R. Ray, and it was towed away [...]

The Official Press Release:

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Lt. Cmdr. Ralph C. Bisz, U.S. Navy, of Miami Shores, [...]

We opted for the candle - the new arrival on the (viewer’s) right (MacBook Pro):

We know a few others who would approve - and for those who might still be considering the leap ? Come on in, the water’s great 
And for Bill Gates & Co?  Hasta la Vista, baby.
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5,156 victories (4797 by carrier-based F6F’s) vs 270 lost in air-to-air combat (19.1:1 kill ratio)

305 Aces

55 per cent of all aircraft destroyed by Navy/Marine aviators for all of WW2

When WW2 began, the US fighter force (land- and sea-based) was woefully inadequate.  Slow in speed and maneuvering, out powered in the climb, often times out-gunned and [...]

19 June 1944. Philippine Sea - TF 58 is conducting operations in preparation fo the invasion of Guam.  Consisting of five major groups, TF-58 is one of the most formidable assemblies of naval power the world had seen. In front (to the west) was Vice Admiral Willis Lee’s Task Group 58.7 (TG-58.7), the “Battle Line”, [...]

Well, this just got more interesting…

Agency Recommends Air Force Reopen the Bid Process

Washington, DC - (June 18, 2008) - The Government Accountability Office (GAO)today sustained the Boeing Company’s protest of the Department of the Air Force’s award of a contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation for KC-X aerial refueling tankers. Boeing challenged the Air Force’s [...]