Floating radar prepares for missile test

Sea-Based X-Band Radar stationed in Hawaii is getting a test.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser  reports the $2 billion floating radar component of the U.S. ground-based ballistic missile defense system has left Pearl Harbor for an exercise.

Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance chairman Riki Ellison says an interceptor fired from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base will try to shoot down a target missile fired from Kwajalein (KWAH'-jah-lihn) Atoll.

The Missile Defense Agency doesn't release a test date until it has issued a "Notice to Airmen and Mariners." The notice had not been issued Tuesday.

Four interceptors are in silos at Vandenberg and 26 others are at Fort Greely, Alaska.

The system is an element designed to protect Hawaii and the mainland from missiles fired from locations such as North Korea.

USS Reuben James making final return to Hawaii Read more: http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/uss-reuben-james-making-final-return-to-hawaii/-/8905354/19978796/-/lx29pd/-/index.html#ixzz2S9f36lr4

The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate USS Reuben James will return to its homeport in Hawaii from a deployment to the Western Pacific on May 3.

During the ship's seven-month deployment, the crew of Reuben James participated in a series of bilateral maritime exercises or Cooperative Afloat Readiness and Training while conducting at-sea security scenarios, helicopter operations, a search and rescue practical and surface gunfire drills in the Seventh Fleet Area of Responsibility.

"First and foremost, thank you to the crew of USS Reuben James for your outstanding performance," said Reuben James Commanding Officer Cmdr. Daniel Valascho.  "Our motto is 'Back With A Vengeance,' but now we're back with a sense of satisfaction, knowing we did our part operating forward, strengthening partnerships and protecting freedom."

Having completed her final deployment Reuben James will be decommissioned this August after 27 years of service to the fleet.

"They maintained readiness, showed their pride and professionalism and always looked out for each other on and off duty," said Command Master Chief CMDMC(SW) Johannes J. Gonzalez. "I'm very proud of them all and I cannot think of a better crew to represent Reuben James on her final deployment."

During the ship's history it has completed deployments to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, to the Eastern Pacific in support of counter-drug operations and it appeared in the 1990 motion picture The Hunt For Red October.

"I also want to thank all the families and friends who stood by us and prepared a native Hawaiian welcome for the entire crew. It will be great to see you all pierside," added Valascho.

Guided-missile frigates are multi-mission surface combatants, capable of Under-Sea Warfare and Surface Warfare missions. Reuben James is assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron 31 under Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, in Hawaii.

U.S. Third Fleet leads naval forces in the Eastern Pacific from the West Coast of North America to the international date line. Joint, interagency and international relationships strengthen Third Fleet's ability to respond to crises and protect the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners.

Stennis Strike Group Arrives in Hawaii

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) made its first stop in the U.S. at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam April 21 following an eight-month deployment to the 5th and 7th fleet areas of responsibility (AOR).

While deployed, JCSCSG flew more than 11,500 sorties totaling 27,000 flight hours, and conducted community relations and service projects during port visits to Thailand, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Singapore.

"We are excited to be back in the U.S. after a very successful deployment," said Rear Adm. Mike Shoemaker. "The strike group Sailors here did a fantastic job in every mission area. Through their efforts, we were able to provide extensive support to the coalition effort in Operation Enduring Freedom and to enhance our maritime relationships with regional partners throughout the 5th and 7th fleet operating areas."

Hawaii also marks the homecoming for many Stennis Strike Group Sailors, as they were able to visit with friends and family.

"This visit will be a nice reunion for my family and I to pick up where we all last left off and meet the new additions to our family," said Cmdr. Chad Lee, from Kailua, Oahu. "This visit is special for all of us because we will all be visiting my 95-year-old great grandmother."

The JCSCSG, consisting of Stennis, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), is returning from an eight month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th AORs.

Navy's green plan for Pearl Harbor runway draws fire

History buffs say the famous runway at Pearl Harbor's Ford Island is under attack once again -- this time from the U.S. Navy itself, which may cover it with solar panels.

The unused runway in the center of the military base at Pearl Harbor is a good location for the solar project and is "critically important to achieving renewable energy mandates," says Navy spokeswoman Agnes Tauyan. But American history aficionados say the site should be preserved as sacred ground.

"We totally agree with (the Navy) being green, but we don't think they should do it where Americans spilled their red blood," says Ken DeHoff, director of the Pacific Aviation Museum, located in an airplane hangar on Ford Island. "There's plenty of room for them to create this project off to the west, which is just scrub oak and abandoned land."

The runway is part of a decommissioned airfield now, but on Dec. 7, 1941, 33 of the 70 aircraft on the ground at Ford Island and one hangar were destroyed during the Japanese surprise attack. In 1964, the runway and the rest of Ford Island was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Navy's plan that is under consideration would cover Ford Island's 4,000-foot runway and 14 acres of adjoining land with 60,000 solar-energy panels. The goal is to convert at least 50% of the Navy's energy demands to alternative sources by 2020.

The Pacific Aviation Museum has opposed the proposed project because it says it does not respect the runway's significance in American history.

"Consider the hue and cry should a 60,000-panel project be located at Gettysburg or Valley Forge," the museum said in a written statement. DeHoff says the museum suggested the Navy build the solar panel array at West Loch, an unused area to the west of the airfield on Waipio Peninsula, but he says the Navy rejected the alternative location because it was within the "blast arc," or minimum safe distance, of an area where the Navy stores ammunition.

The museum gives tours of the island, featuring the runway, hangars and iconic red-and-white spiraled control tower that was featured prominently in the movies Pearl Harbor and Tora! Tora! Tora!

The island is also home to the battleship USS Missouri as well as monuments to the battleships USS Utah and USS Oklahoma. Tauyan says the proposal is part of a project that "includes installation of PV arrays on roofs, parking shade structures and available parcels of land" in military installations across the state of Hawaii, and that the project is critically important to "achieving energy security."

According to the Navy, the runway at Ford Island is under consideration for the panels because "it is an inactive space that is ideally located and sized." The Navy says the photovoltaic panel systems will be built, owned, operated and maintained by three energy companies awarded a $500 million contract to provide locally generated energy to the Navy.

The Navy says the West Loch location has not yet been completely ruled out and that several potential locations are being considered while the Navy conducts an environmental assessment of the surrounding area.

DeHoff says that although the runway hasn't been maintained since its deactivation in 1999, the site's historical significance, along with its importance to the local community, hasn't diminished. "This is an area that the kids play in, and they're going to cover it up and put a 7-foot high fence around it and basically make the place a monstrosity," he says.

Along with the roughly 450 homes housing Navy personnel and their families on the island, DeHoff says the museum has about 200,000 visitors a year.

According to the Pacific Aviation Museum, the Navy 's initial proposal was to erect the 60,000 blue, 4-by-6-foot solar panels in a way that would resemble the historic runway when seen from the air, with a white X placed every 1,000 feet along the array as if it were a closed runway.

Barbara Bloom, a museum representative, says the Navy's design is unacceptable because "it's going to look like the runway's made of Legos."

Tauyan says the Navy "remains committed to balancing our responsibility towards environmental stewardship, energy security and the preservation of historically significant facilities and structures."

Collins submarine problems.

Sailors aboard a Collins-class submarine forced to return to base for repairs during a multinational exercise near Hawaii last week would have been profoundly disappointed, a former senior submariner says.

It is the second time in just over a year a Collins-class submarine has had to withdraw from a major international exercise because of mechanical issues.

The former commander of the Australian Navy Submarine Group, Steve Davies, said the officers and crew of HMAS Farncomb would have been riding high after successfully sinking a decommissioned United States warship with a Mk 48 torpedo during RIMPAC 2012.

HMAS Farncomb experienced ''a minor flood'' shortly after the firing exercise while snorkelling to recharge its batteries.

One of the hoses in the submarine's weight compensation system split, spraying water into a machinery space.

Emergency measures were invoked with the ship withdrawing from the exercise and returning to Pearl Harbour for repairs.

HMAS Dechaineux was unable to take part in Exercise Bersama Shield last May when issues with her engines left her stranded in Singapore.

Mr Davies, who was in Canberra last week as part of his new role as executive director of the Submarine Institute of Australia, said he had experienced similar disappointments during his own service and could feel for the 60-strong crew.

It was unfortunate the hose failure had drawn attention away from the excellent job HMAS Farncomb had done in sinking the former US ammunition ship, USNS Kilauea, with a single Mk 48 torpedo.

Hitting a target that was dead in the water was far more challenging than locking on to a moving ship.

''Torpedoes like speed,'' he said. ''A moving object is much easier to spot. One of the tactics you can use against a torpedo attack is to stop near a border or boundary of some kind.''

The firing exercise, or SINKEX as it is known, would have been a very costly undertaking.

In addition to missing out on Kilauea's value as scrap, the United States Navy would have also had to spend a lot of money decontaminating the vessel to make sure she was safe to sink. The torpedo alone costs more than $3.5 million.

''The Mk 48 Model 7 has been developed jointly by Australia and the US,'' Mr Davies said.

''It has sonar, guidance and tracking systems and trails a wire.''

The torpedoes, which carry just under 300 kilograms of explosives, are fitted with sophisticated magnetic sensors that allow them to detonate under their targets to inflict the maximum possible damage. They weigh almost 1700 kilograms and are 5.8-metres long.

Classified as a heavy torpedo, the Mk 48s are designed to break a ship in two.

New Zealand - Navy frigate tests missile off Hawaii

The New Zealand Navy frigate, Te Kaha, has test fired a missile worth almost a million dollars off the coast of Hawaii for the first time.

Currently stationed around 280 kilometres from Honolulu, the frigate is part of the New Zealand contingent participating in the bi-annual Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) international maritime warfare exercise.

RIMPAC is hosted by the United States Navy's Pacific Command, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces.

In a rare chance, the HMNZS Te Kaha tested the ship's most powerful weapon - a missile worth around $800,000 - in a special US navy firing range.

"For us obviously this is a pretty big deal, certainly from the ship's perspective.

"The idea is to test the missile firing and systems aboard the ship but more importantly the people involved in firing the missile," said Te Kaha Commander Jon Beadsmore.

In the three hour long test process, a remote control target is released around 60 kilometres away.

Te Kaha uses radar to track the target, then fires a sea sparrow homing missile to intercept it.

Advertisement

The US invites allied military forces from the Pacific Rim nations to participate in RIMPAC.

Most of the 22 RIMPAC nations will participate, with this year's exercise to involve combatants from the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia.

Over the next week all manner of missiles and torpedoes will be test fired.

Te Kaha's turn on the range was called resounding a success.

"The missile was fired, gathered nicely into the control beam of the controlling radar, and proceeded towards the target," Beadsmore said.

RIMPAC 2012 - Esquimalt-based submarine makes debut at international super-drill

Naval exercise off Hawaii marks first time Canada shares command

The arrival Tuesday of Canada’s only functioning submarine at the world’s largest naval exercise off Hawaii marks the first time a Victoria-class sub will participate in the international drill.

The ability of HMCS Victoria, the CFB-Esquimalt based submarine, to train with 40 surface ships, six submarines and more than 200 aircraft is an opportunity “you can’t replicate through simulation,” said Commodore Peter Ellis, the Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific.

The six-week Rim of the Pacific exercise, or RIMPAC, also marks the first time the United States has handed over control of key operations to Canadian officers.

The exercise, which began June 29 and ends Aug. 3, includes 25,000 personnel from 22 nations.

Ellis and two other Canadian officers leading operations during RIMPAC spoke to the Times Colonist on a conference call Tuesday from Pearl Harbour.

After a decade spent mostly in dry dock, HMCS Victoria completed the first part of its work up and fired an exercise version of the MK48 torpedo in March. The boat will complete its high-readiness certification during the exercise, which Ellis called “a huge milestone.”

“Victoria’s crew will really benefit from the entire experience and I dare say the surface ships [and other submarines] will benefit from having Victoria as an opponent,” Ellis said. “Everyone can learn from each other here.”

The super-drill, which is held every two years, is aimed at building relationships between Pacific nations, considered key to keeping the Asia-Pacific corridor safe.

Ellis compared some portions of the exercise to a pick-up hockey game, where players swap teams in order to understand how others operate. “We’ll do that during the exercise to enhance the ability to work together but also to show off [our navy’s] independent capabilities.”

CFB Esquimalt-based war ships HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Ottawa are also participating, as are the base’s fleet diving unit and a Sea King helicopter from 442 Squadron at CFB Comox.

The first week starts with myriad safety meetings and communications tests before the ships start more intense live training, including missile trials, aircraft landing and anti-warfare drills.

The exercise ends with a fast-paced, four-day “real world” scenario that incorporates land, sea and aircraft capabilities, said Ellis, who is the commander of combined task force 176, an amphibious group led by USS Essex.

This year marks the first time Canadian officers have been given senior leadership positions in the exercise, which is typically dominated by the United States.

“The fact that Canada is playing a key role speaks to the size of our contributions to RIMPAC, which is second to the United States in this case,” said Brig.-Gen. Michael Hood, the combined forces air component commander for the exercise.

Rear-Admiral Ron Lloyd has been assigned deputy commander combined task force, the command structure in charge of the exercise.

Successful Test of Interceptor Missile off Hawaii

The U.S. military has successfully conducted a test flight of the Navy's newest interceptor missile by shooting down a ballistic missile target off Hawaii.

The Missile Defense Agency says the USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the separating missile launched from Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Tuesday night.

It's the second consecutive successful intercept test of the SM-3 Block IB missile and the second-generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system, which is operated from ships. The first successful intercept test took place last month.

The agency says the test was the 23rd successful intercept in 28 flight test firings for the Aegis system.

The system is the sea-based midcourse component of the agency's Ballistic Missile Defense System and is designed to intercept and destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.

New Zealand Warships kept out of Pearl Harbour

Te Kaha,

Despite New Zealand signing a sweeping new agreement on military co-operation with the United States, its anti-nuclear legislation is the reason two navy ships have been refused entry to Pearl Harbour during the world's largest maritime exercise.

For the first time in 28 years, the Defence Force is taking part in this year's Exercise Rim of the Pacific, known as Rimpac. The force has proudly publicised New Zealand's involvement in the US-hosted exercise.

The frigate Te Kaha and Auxillary Support Vessel (fuel tanker) Endeavour are in Hawaii, along with a rifle platoon from the Infantry Regiment, a counter-mine team, an air force P-3K Orion and a dive team based in San Diego.

The ships made front-page news in Honolulu, with the local Star-Advertiser reporting New Zealand was the only country "refused entry" to Pearl Harbour.

Prime Minister John Key said there was "nothing new" in the United States' position.

"That's been the position since the (nuclear-free) legislation was passed in 1987."

It did not affect the exercise which was being conducted out at sea.

"They're just in another part of the port, the commercial part, we're not surprised, we thought that might happen," Key told TV3.

The new agreement was a "step forward" because it recognised the laws of each country.

But the nuclear-free issue was a rock in the road that both sides had agreed to get past, Key said.

"We would need to either change our position of the US Navy would need to change its position around confirm or deny and I don't think that's going to happen on either side."

The exercise was still worthwhile, he said.

Defence Force spokesman Major John Gordon said the two ships were berthed at Aloha Towers, which is in the tourist part of Honolulu Port.

"They are not stationed within the actual harbour itself."

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman said refusing New Zealand ships at naval ports was a longstanding US policy enacted after nuclear-free legislation was introduced in 1987.

"I understand there have been some exceptions in the past but this is nothing new." New Zealand was not prepared to change its policy and so had not expected the US to change its policy, he said.

"The reality is we're getting all the military engagement benefits as it is, so where the boats tied up is not really a big deal to us at all."

The Rimpac exercise was happening at sea, so it was not affecting New Zealand's involvement.

The Washington Declaration was signed by Coleman and US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta last month. It agrees on closer co-operation in areas including maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

US hosts world's largest naval exercises in Hawaii

Some 25,000 sailors and other military personnel from 22 nations are converging on Hawaii starting Friday to practice hunting for submarines and catching pirates in the world's largest naval exercises.

Some 25,000 sailors and other military personnel from 22 nations are converging on Hawaii starting Friday to practice hunting for submarines and catching pirates in the world's largest naval exercises.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet is hosting the Rim of the Pacific exercises, which take place every two years in Hawaii and surrounding waters.

Countries from Japan to Tonga and Russia to Chile are sending 42 surface ships, six submarines and 200 aircraft to participate in the series of drills, which takes place over the next five weeks.

Participants will train to clear mines, dispose of explosives and come to the aid of civilians in natural disasters, among other drills.

Adm. Cecil Haney, the Pacific Fleet commander, said the drills help different nations prepare for emergencies.

"It provides an opportunity for naval forces of like-minded countries to work together so that as things come up, we can more easily assemble and address things like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief," Haney told The Associated Press during a recent interview at his Pearl Harbor headquarters.

The exercises, known as RIMPAC, date to 1971 but have expanded in recent years. Eight nations took part in 2006, 10 in 2008, and 14 two years ago.

This year's exercises come as the U.S. refocuses its attention on the Asia-Pacific region.

In January, the Obama administration announced a new defense strategy to boost the country's presence in Asia because of the region's economic importance and China's rise as a military power. It aims to maintain American military pre-eminence worldwide even as the U.S. cuts spending to reduce the nation's deficit.

As part of that strategy, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta earlier this month told a conference in Singapore the U.S. would assign 60 percent of its fleet to the Pacific Ocean by 2020. Currently, the Navy divides its roughly 285 ships equally between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum Center for Strategic & International Studies, a Honolulu-based think tank, said the drills show Panetta and the U.S. Pacific Command - which oversees all American forces in the region - are serious when they say readiness in the Pacific won't be affected by defense drawdowns.

"What better way to prove that than holding the world's largest maritime exercise," Cossa said. "That's putting your money and your ships where you mouth is."

One new part of the drills is the use of a cooking oil and algae biofuel blend to power some of the U.S. vessels and aircraft. The Navy is spending $12 million to buy 425,000 gallons of biofuel for the exercises.

It's part of an effort to demonstrate the Navy can use biofuels to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels. The Navy has been investing heavily in technologies for algae, sugar and other crops so that biofuels will meet half of its fuel needs by 2020.

The exercises end Aug. 3.