Navy Recruiting Rebounds, FY24 Goals Surpassed
The US Navy says it has surpassed its recruiting goals for fiscal 2024, which ended Oct. 1. This comes after the service had failed to meet its accession targets for the first time ever last year. At one point, officials had projected missing recruiting targets by roughly 6,700 for FY24.
Lessons Learned in Red Sea, Ukraine
US Navy ADM Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, said the service is taking lessons from its operations in the Red Sea to help US military leaders prepare for a potential future conflict with China. The service is also looking at what Ukraine has done to hold off the Russians in the Black Sea.
After 45 Years, F/A-18 Continues to Evolve
The Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet celebrated its 45th anniversary earlier this month. The aircraft was born at Naval Air Systems Command and developed to be a strike fighter. The Hornet introduced a level of aircraft superiority that had not been seen before and set the standard for future development of next-generation fighters. Improvements to the fighter jet ensure that it will remain the Navy’s “workhorse.”
Navy Wants 100 Drone Ships in Middle East Waters
The Navy wants 100 unmanned ships patrolling waters around the Arabian Peninsula by the end of the summer of 2023. Most systems will come from international partners according to US 5th Fleet commander VADM Brad Cooper. The Navy has been testing an experimental force of long-endurance drone ships at sea with artificial intelligence tools on shore to search for military threats or illegal activity.
Cargo Removal Next Effort to Float Ever Forward
Salvors will need to remove cargo containers from the grounded Ever Forward in Chesapeake Bay, the Coast Guard has determined after two unsuccessful attempts to refloat the ship. Removal of containers is expected to take about two weeks.
Climate Events Cost US Military Billions
DoD’s Climate Risk Analysis says that extreme weather events have cost the US billions of dollars in damage at military bases, and climate change is altering the natural environment in the Arctic and creating a new frontier of geostrategic competition.
