Fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lewis was christened during a ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Calif., July 17, 2021. U.S. Navy / Sarah Burford
The Naval Brief: Shipbuilding plan criticized; A Navy SpecOps first; Oiler, christened; and more…
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Lawmakers blast shipbuilding plan. The newest 30-year shipbuilding plan does not give Congress the details it needs to make decisions about the future of the service’s fleet, two House lawmakers criticized Tuesday, Defense One reports.
Making history. A female sailor has graduated from a 37-week course to become a Naval Special Warfare combatant-craft crewman, becoming the first woman Naval Special Warfare operator, the Associated Press reports. She is among 17 graduates who will operate boats that carry Navy SEALs on missions.
Navy honors lawmaker. The first John Lewis-class oiler ship was christened Sunday on the first anniversary of the civil rights activist and House lawmaker’s death. Lewis served for 17 terms in Congress, representing Georgia, and was one of the organizers for the 1963 March on Washington.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On July 21, 1997 the USS Constitution sailed under her own power for the first time in 116 years.
From Defense One
First Wave of Afghan Interpreters Head to Fort Lee // Tara Copp and Jacqueline Feldscher: Arriving families will stay for the moment in barracks or other housing; the State Department will pick up their food and medical costs.
Exclusive Interview: Lockheed’s CEO Wants His Company to Connect All the Pentagon’s Weapons // Marcus Weisgerber: Jim Taiclet has been forming alliances with commercial firms in an attempt to give Lockheed a leg up over its competitors.
‘Not One Time’: Milley Says Joint Chiefs Did Not Violate Oath in Handling Trump // Tara Copp: Chairman doesn’t deny that he and other chiefs mulled resigning if given an illegal order.
Bird-Mimicking Electric Drone Hits New Endurance Record // Patrick Tucker: As the military grapples with connecting more things over longer distances, recent flight reveals a way forward.