USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, LCS-21 arrived Sunday for a port visit. The ship is Due to sail tomorrow morning. Like most LCS built at Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine in Wisconsin, the ship stopped in Halifax on her way to her home port.
USS St Louis Bypassed Halifax during Covid in 2020. Early ships faced issues with the Combining Gear – the Gear box that transfers power to the shafts form either the diesel engines or the turbines. Because of these issues, Completed ships were not accepted by the navy untill alterations could be made, which led to 3 visits in November 2019.
Due to the location of the combining gear, it was determined to not be cost effective to repair early ships. USS Freedom was Decommissioned in Sept 2021, and Fort Worth, Detroit and Little Rock are set to be decommissioned this year. 5 Additional ships are currently under construction.
At approximately 8:30 on July 12, a fire was discovered aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) while it was moored pier side at Naval Base San Diego. Approximately 160 Sailors were aboard at the time. USS Bonhomme Richard is going through a maintenance availability and normally has a crew size of approximately 1000.
— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 12, 2020
the fire is believed to have started on one of the vehicle storage decks and spread to the well Deck. the ship is designed for amphibious assault, and features a flood-able space at the rear for launching landing craft and has 2 vehicle decks with direct access to the well deck.
throughout the day, the fire spread, into the the hanger deck, and by last night into the island, destroying the bridge area and causing the forward mast to collapse on deck. the ship developed a 3 degree list to starboard.
— Sal Mercogliano 🚢⚓🧭🐪🚒 (@mercoglianos) July 13, 2020
400 firefighters have been working on board, assisted by 5 tugboats fire monitors, and helicopters with Bambi Buckets.
#Fire still burns aboad USS #BONHOMME RICHARD LHD6 at #Naval Base San Diego. This video fm about 0600 PDT Monday 13 July shows the foward superstructure and bridge burned out and foremast collapsed. Helicopters are dropping water from above as well https://t.co/iPK70QhpzWpic.twitter.com/DHqggbzLdd
As of this morning,6:30 a.m. Pacific time, firefighting teams continue operations on board, 57 personnel, 34 USNavy Sailors and 23 civilians, have been treated for minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.
US Navy Officials are optimistic the ship can be saved, however the extent of the fire may mean the ship is a total loss.
this post will be updated.
UPDATE 22:50AST: as of 3:30 p.m. Pacific time July 13, firefighting teams continue operations on board USS Bonhomme Richard. 59 personnel, 36 U.S. Navy Sailors and 23 civilians, have been treated for minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Currently, there are no personnel hospitalized.
Several commentators are further suggesting the heat stress on the ship from the still burning fires will result in the ship being declared a loss. replacement cost for the ship would be in excess of 1.5 billion dollars.
SAN DIEGO (July 13, 2020) An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3, provides aerial firefighting support alongside Sailors and civilian fire crews on the ground to fight the fire aboard amphibious assault ship USS #BonhommeRichard (#LHD6). pic.twitter.com/Ky7sEUzO89
SAN DIEGO (July 13, 2020) An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3, provides aerial firefighting support alongside Sailors and civilian fire crews on the ground to fight the fire aboard amphibious assault ship USS #BonhommeRichard (#LHD6). pic.twitter.com/b07grBqAMZ
SAN DIEGO (July 13, 2020) An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3, provides aerial firefighting support alongside Sailors and civilian fire crews to fight the fire aboard amphibious assault ship USS #BonhommeRichard (#LHD6). pic.twitter.com/A0FDKKiTAS
— Sal Mercogliano 🚢⚓🧭🐪🚒 (@mercoglianos) July 14, 2020
UPDATE July 16: 06:00 a.m. Pacific time July 15, firefighting teams continue operations on board USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), 63 personnel, 40 Sailors and 23 civilians, have been treated for minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Currently, there are no personnel hospitalized. Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE has conducted more than 1,500 helicopter water bucket drops, which is cooling the super structure and flight deck enabling fire crews to get onboard internally to fight the fire.
The fire is now thought to be mostly under control, with teams chasing hot spots. Apparently the superstructure was constructed from Aluminum, which is why the Island was able to burn through – the Heat melted the metal.
— Sal Mercogliano 🚢⚓🧭🐪🚒 (@mercoglianos) July 16, 2020
at 2:30 am pst, the USN Surface Warriors twitter account tweeted that “Out of an abundance of caution the pier and ship were cleared of personnel due to an initial shift in the ship’s list. Personnel are now pier side. ” there have been no further updates.
the 6 am update indicates that fire teams are back on board. the ship has a noticeable list towards the pier, no smoke is visible, and external water application has ceased.
The latest US Navy Littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis is due this morning, and is expected at the dockyard around 8:30am. the ship is sailing from its builders in Wisconsin, to Mayport Florida.
The ship was commissioned Oct 26 in Burns Harbor Indiana.
photos will follow, but may be delayed due to weather.
The first arrivals for exercise cutlass fury showed up in Halifax Yesterday and Today. HMS Northumberland is missing below, its tucked in out of the way at the moment. HDMS PETER WILLEMOES had not yet arrived.
USS NEW HAMPSHIRE NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA BNS LEOPOLD HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL USNS PATUXENT HNLMS VAN SPEIJK USS JASON DUNHAM USS GridleyHMCS FREDRICTON inboard, HMCS VILLE DE QUEBEC outboard
Exercise Cutlass Fury is taking place September 9. The announcement has said 22 ships will take part.So Far, it appears NATO Standing maritime Group 1 will be in attendance. SNMG1 currently consists of: – USS Gridley (American) – BNS Leopold I (Belgium) – NRP Francisco de Almeida (Portugal) – KNM Thor Heyerdahl (Norway)
I am also hearing that the new Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be making an Appearance. It has in the past traveled with a Destroyer and Supply ship.
UPDATE 1. Marlant has confirmed Asterix will be participating via a tweet.
UPDATE 2. the Royal navy confirmed HMS Northumberland will be sailing to Halifax. the release also states that Northumberland is part of the QE Carrier strike group with HMS Dragon and RFA Tideforce.
UPDATE 3: Arrivals are beginning to be posted – On September 5th, HDMS PETER WILLEMOES (Danish),HNLMS VAN SPEIJK (Dutch) and HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL (Norwegian) are due.
UPDATE 4: USNS PATUXENT and NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA also now confirmed.
UPDATE 5: A US navy Submarine is Due on the 4th. it is USS New Hampshire, Virginia class, fast attack . Other confirmed arrivals include USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM , and BNS LEOPOLD
UPDATE 6: HMS Queen Elizabeth will be in Halifax in this month. She is traveling with HMS Dragon, and RFA Tideforce
Defence watch reports HMC Ships Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan, and Glace Bay will be participating for Canada.
Incidentally – the previous reports mentions 22 Ships and 8 countries. So far we have: Canada – 6 ( Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan,Glace Bay and Asterix) US – 4 (USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM, USNS PATUXENT USS New Hampshire) UK – 1 (HMS Northumberland) Portual – 1 ( NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA) Norway – 1 (HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL ) Netherlands -1 (HNLMS VAN SPEIJK ) Denmark – 1 (HDMS PETER WILLEMOES)
France is likely a participant, and will probably send a Frigate and a Submarine as they did in 2016. Add the Leeway Odyssey we have 18 ships. The HMS Queen Elizabeth, RFA Tideforce and HMS Duncan bring us to 21 ships. the RN Carrier group also includes a Astute class Submarine.
UPDATE 7: the French anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet was spotted working with HMS Queen Elizabeth and RFA Tideforce.
USS Gravely made a stop today at Irving Woodside to take on Fuel. The ship spent a few days in Halifax at the dockyard after it was relived as flagship of SNMG1. from Halifax, it sailed north for exercises with Denmark, and is now bound for Norfolk.
Curiously the ship stopped in Nuuk, Greenland Prior to its first call in Halifax.
USS Gravely put in for a port visit this morning. The ship tied up at Jetty NH, by the bridge. DDG-107 is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, and was commissioned in 2010, the 57th ship of her type.
Gravely most recently served as flagship of NATO SNMG1, handing off those duties to USS Gridley last week in Rota Spain.
As the ship is not yet commissioned, technically PCU Billings tied up at the Dockyard, in view of the Macdonald bridge. The ship is due to sail Tomorrow at 10am.
