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. On this episode…It was a busy week in San Diego in early February for the annual USNI AFCEA WEST naval exposition. Cavas was there and we’ll dive into some of what was seen and heard in sometimes-sunny Southern California.
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This Week’s Naval News:
The carrier USS HARRY S TRUMAN with destroyer JASON DUNHAM passed northbound through the Suez Canal February 3rd and arrived at Souda Bay in Crete on February 6th, following 50 days of operations in the Red Sea. Houthi attacks against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have largely ceased in apparent response to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire that took effect in late January, and US Central Command has announced no attacks on Houthi infrastructure in Yemen since January 8th. The cruiser GETTYSBURG and destroyer STOUT continue to operate in the Red Sea, USNI News reported.
The destroyer USS WILLIAM P LAWRENCE struck the cruiser USS PRINCETON on January 27th while the ships were arriving at the port of Sriracha, Thailand. A Navy statement said no injuries resulted from the incident, but both ships received superstructure damage. Both warships are part of the USS CARL VINSON Carrier Strike Group; the carrier herself visited Laem Chabang, Thailand between January 31st and February 3rd and was rejoined by the PRINCETON and WILLIAM P LAWRENCE. After departing Thailand the strike group was expected to take part in Pacific Steller exercises in the South China Sea with the French CHARLES DE GAULLE carrier strike group, which conducted a visit to Lombok, Indonesia in late January. CHARLES DE GAULLE is accompanied by the French destroyer FORBIN, frigates PROVENCE and ALSACE and support ship JACQUES CHEVALLIER. The Japanese carrier KAGA also is expected to take part in Exercise Pacific Steller.
A US Coast Guard sailor remains missing February 7th after being reported overboard from the cutter WAESCHE February 4th off the southern Mexican Pacific coast. Mexican Navy ships and aircraft are joining the US Coast Guard in search and rescue efforts. The US Coast Guard along with US Navy aircraft has increased coastal patrols off US southern borders and off Mexico and Central America since late January.
The Japan-based AMERICA Amphibious Ready Group in late January began a regional deployment with the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ARG consists of the assault ship AMERICA and amphibious ships RUSHMORE and SAN DIEGO. Among other operations, they are expected to take part in the Japanese-American Exercise Iron Fist 25 from mid-February to early March.
The Singapore Navy has begun using its small, 30-ton MARSEC maritime security patrol boats in the fully unmanned mode, the Singapore Ministry of Defence said in late January. The craft, which are about 17 meters, or 55 feet long, have been in service since 2023 but were normally manned by a crew of two. Now operating in the unmanned mode, the MARSEC patrol boats will maneuver throughout some of the world’s most congested waters, with thousands of commercial craft of all sizes regularly underway and anchored in Singapore’s waters and the nearby Singapore Strait. The craft are fitted with a 12.7 mm automatic weapon as well as a laser dazzler.
