The USS Beloit, a littoral combat ship, was commissioned in Milwaukee with Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson, the first Black woman to become a major general in the US Army Reserve, as its sponsor. Anderson, a Beloit native, was chosen for her groundbreaking achievements and connection to the ship's namesake. The USS Beloit, now battle-ready, honors Beloit's contributions to the Navy. Anderson's distinguished military career includes numerous awards and a historic promotion in 2011.
The US Navy has deployed warships to the Middle East in response to the threat posed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, but notably absent from the surge are the troubled Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The LCS, while numerous, is unsuitable for combat and lacks the capability to defend against the Houthi's attacks. The ongoing conflict has led to commercial ships diverting trade routes, and the US-led naval campaign is attempting to contain the crisis. The LCS's limitations highlight the need for the US Navy to reevaluate its fleet composition and capabilities in the face of evolving security threats.
A Navy drone boat, previously used as a testbed for exploring the capabilities of uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in littoral waters, is currently up for auction by the General Services Administration (GSA). The vessel, known as UUSV HTF, is approximately 39 feet long and features shock-mitigating seating, twin diesel engines, and a maximum speed of over 25 knots. While it requires inspection and potential repairs, it can be converted back to conventional operation. The auction includes a triple-axle steel trailer, and interested buyers have until 5:20 PM today to place their bids.
The littoral combat ship Charleston returned to San Diego after a deployment that lasted for 26 months due to rotating crews. The Navy is now shifting to using single crews to operate some of these warships. Charleston conducted mine countermeasure training and was the first commissioned U.S. Navy ship to visit the port of Manila in four years. An unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the ship less than three weeks after it left San Diego in 2021.
The US Navy has christened the USS Cooperstown in honor of military veterans, including the 70 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame who served in World War I and II. The newly commissioned USS Cooperstown is a Freedom-variant littoral combat ship that operates in near-shore and open-ocean environments. Staterooms on the ship will be named after Hall of Fame players, and the ship's motto is "America's Away Team."
Three former and current executives of Austal USA, including the former president, have been indicted on charges of fraud and conspiracy for allegedly manipulating the company's financial statements to make its signature littoral combat ship program appear more profitable. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a lawsuit against the three, accusing them of overstating revenues and earnings to earn tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and the defendants are expected to plead not guilty.
