Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…2023 in review. We’re joined by the entire gang from USNI News to look back at some of the biggest and most significant naval developments of the past year. Chief editor Sam LaGrone, deputy editor Mallory Shelbourne and journalist Heather Mongilio will also let us in on what they expect to see in 2024.
Please send us feedback by DM’ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.
This Week’s Naval Round Up:
Responding to a series of attacks from Houthi forces in Yemen using missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, the United States on December 19 declared the formation of Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect international shipping passing through the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The operation is under the overall command of the existing US-led Combined Maritime Force in the Mideast region and in particular, Combined Task Force 153, charged with security in the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. A number of major international shipping companies, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CGM, MSC and others, stopped allowing their ships to pass through the Bab al-Mandeb and instead began rerouting ships around Africa, adding thousands of miles, dozens of days and millions of dollars to each voyage. Implementation of Prosperity Guardian, however, has proved problematic, with most nations balking at US plans and others declining to send ships or take part at all. As this podcast is being recorded the future remains cloudy, but there have been no significant Houthi attacks on shipping since the last incidents reported on December 18.
The destroyer USS THE SULLIVANS transited the Strait of Gibraltar December 17 to enter the Mediterranean Sea, one of several destroyers on single deployments that are bolstering US forces in the Sixth and Fifth Fleets in Europe and the Mideast. Earlier, destroyers DELBERT D BLACK and LABOON also arrived in the region. The LABOON passed southbound through the Suez Canal December 21 to take up station in the Red Sea.
The Senate on December 20 was finally able to confirm the last eleven four-star admirals and generals awaiting confirmation, held up for much of 2023 by Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville, who dropped his holds on the nominations as the Senate closed out the year. Across the services, three-and-four-star flag and general officers are finally being allowed to take office, in turn freeing up nearly 400 officers who were in temporary command. Among Navy swearings-in this week was that of Admiral Bill Houston to become the new Director of Naval Reactors, and Vice Admiral Brendan McLane as the new commander of Naval Surface Forces.
The aircraft carrier USS HARRY S TRUMAN left Norfolk Naval Shipyard December 17 to return to Norfolk Naval Station, completing a year-long overhaul. The ship will enter the earliest stages of the readiness cycle to prepare for an upcoming deployment. For the moment, the move leaves only USS JOHN C STENNIS among the US Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers currently in shipyard hands. STENNIS is at Newport News Shipbuilding in the midst of a major four-year refueling complex overhaul, or RCOH.
In Britain, the Royal Navy declared initial operating capability for the Naval Strike Missile, now fitted aboard the Type 23 SOMERSET. Developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the surface-to-surface NSM will replace Harpoon missiles in the British Fleet. The IOC, announced December 19, came just two weeks before the last of the Harpoons is removed from British warships. Britain plans to fit eleven frigates and destroyers with NSM, which is also in service with the US Navy and the navies of Norway and Poland. Another dozen navies already have declared their intention to adopt the weapon.
In new ship news, Austal USA on December 21 received an $868 million dollar award from the US Navy to build three Expeditionary Medical Ships. The EMSs are based on Austal’s Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport design. Two of the ships have already been named: the Bethesda EMS 1 and BALBOA EMS 2. The third and last ship is expected to be completed by May 2030.
And the Boeing-built ORCA XLUUV Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle was delivered to the US Navy on December 20. The autonomous, diesel-electric craft, designated XLE Zero, is to be used as a test asset. The XLUUV program originally envisioned the test craft plus five more hulls, but severe delays and cost overruns led to the cancellation of other vessels – for now.
Servello Squawk:
As we just discussed…it’s been a very busy year with lots of ups and downs for the naval service. It’s easy to be critical of the decisions made by senior leaders or even criticize an individual for not doing it the way it used to be done. It may even sound like we think we know best or could do it better – let me assure you that that is absolutely not the case.
Chris and I…as well as our guests, have an amazing respect for the naval service and the men and women who keep the country’s maritime might afloat. While we admire their sacrifice year round, the admiration is especially realized at this time of year. Being deployed and away from your family and friends is hard…being deployed over the holidays sucks.
After we post this podcast tonight our team will start to unwind, have a holiday cocktail and begin really to celebrate Christmas with the fam. That will not be the case for tens of thousands of men and women who are on call around the globe this holiday season. They will work multiple shifts, some will stand combat watches, others may even come under direct fire from America’s adversaries.
We would like to thank those folks for their hard work, for rising to the occasion every time something new is asked of them and for their sacrifice so that our family can have a safe and Merry Christmas. God bless the United States and all who help keep us free.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Cavasships podcast.
