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 special episode…We have a budget – sort of – and it’ll take some time to sort it all out. With the help of two great analysts, we dive into what the deal could mean for the US Navy – at least the way it looked some hours before the late-week deal on March 14th. Market analyst Byron Callan and Neil McKiernan of American Defense International are here to give us some insider context. 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 News:
The two ships involved in the March 10th collision off the British northeast coast each remain afloat despite significant damage. Salvage teams boarded the US-flagged tanker STENA IMMACULATE and Portuguese-flagged containership SOLONG March 13 to assess the situation. The captain of the SOLONG, a Russian national, has been arrested by British police on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. The SOLONG, maneuvering at a speed of more than 16 knots, struck the anchored STENA IMMACULATE, which was carrying a US government cargo of military jet fuel, and both ships were swept by fire. A total of 36 crewmembers from both vessels abandoned ship and were rescued, while one crewmember of the SOLONG remains missing and is believed dead. The STENA IMMACULATE remains in its anchored position, while a tug has secured the SOLONG. So far, no pollution has been detected from either vessel. Operated by Crowley Marine, the STENA IMMACULATE was operating under charter to the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command. Multiple international investigations are underway into the incident.
Littoral combat ships CANBERRA and SANTA BARBARA left San Diego March 10 to begin a homeport shift to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Both LCSs are carrying mine countermeasures, or MCM, mission packages tailored for that particular mission. It’s the first time the MCM mission packages have deployed. The LCSs fitted with the MCM mission package were originally intended to replace Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships and Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters. Most of the Avengers and helicopters have already been retired as the mission-ready date of the MCM package continuously slipped behind – it was originally intended to have begun deploying a decade ago, in 2015. The CANBERRA and SANTA BARBARA will become the first LCSs forward-deployed with the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and are to be joined this summer by a third San Diego-based ship, the TULSA. Two more are expected to deploy next year, and another five Independence-class LCSs are to be based in Japan.
The Japan-based USS AMERICA Amphibious Ready Group completed their first western Pacific patrol of 2025 on March 6. The Sasebo-based amphibious ships AMERICA, SAN DIEGO and RUSHMORE embarked the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit for the winter patrol. Meanwhile, the San Diego-based carrier USS CARL VINSON left Busan, Republic of Korea on March 7 after a 5-day port visit. The carrier, with Carrier Air Wing Two, and its strike group have been deployed since mid-November.
The dry cargo ship USNS WALLY SCHIRRA on March 12 completed a seven-month regular overhaul at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea. It was the first time a South Korean shipyard had bid on and won an overhaul of this scale for a US Navy Military Sealift Command vessel. The WALLY SCHIRRA arrived at the Korean shipyard in early September for the first overhaul in Korea following a Master Ship Repair Agreement with the US Navy. Notably, the US Navy said that Hanwha reverse-engineered and replaced a damaged rudder when the blueprint for the rudder was not available.
The Dutch Frigate DE RUYTER on March 11 carried out the Dutch Navy’s first launch at sea of a Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile. The exercise took place off the US east coast, where the DE RUYTER has been operating from Norfolk since mid-February. The test followed a decision in April 2023 by the Dutch government to adopt a maritime strike capability for the Dutch Navy. Tomahawk cruise missiles are to be fitted to Dutch frigates and submarines.
