What to expect in 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
An EA-18G Growler aligns itself for landing aboard USS Ronald Reagan. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Torrey W. Lee)
New uniforms. The first EA-18G Growler squadron deployment. Women training for submarine service. Those are among the changes coming for the Navy in 2010.
Here are some things to watch here in the Northwest:
Aircraft carriers: USS Abraham Lincoln will come out of an overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton and return to its homeport in Everett to begin training for its next deployment. USS John C. Stennis will be joined in Bremerton by USS Nimitz, which is headed to the shipyard for maintenance. It's unclear yet if the Nimitz will move to Everett in 2013 to replace the Lincoln during its planned midlife refueling.
Growlers: VAQ-132 from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is expected to be the first Growler squadron to deploy in 2010. The Navy recently approved full-rate production of the new electronic attack aircraft.
Women on subs: The Naval Academy's graduating class of 2010 will produce the first female officers to begin training for service on Ohio-class submarines. This has been a hot topic of discussion since Navy officials announced their intention in fall of 2009 to integrate some sub crews.
Marine mammals: After an environmental review, the Navy plans to go ahead with using dolphins and sea lions to help guard against swimmers or divers at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.
Childcare: A new childcare center in Bremerton and improvements to the center at Naval Station Everett are in the works, thanks to federal stimulus funds.
Navy Times published its comprehensive look ahead this week for the whole fleet. It included pay and benefits changes, warfare qualification requirements and leadership expectations. It also included uniform updates, like the new working uniform that became available in the Northwest in November (see the Kitsap Sun story about how local sailors are responding to the NWU cammies).
Military.com's DoD Buzz also had a good look at the big picture for the military as a whole, including the Quadrennial Defense Review and important budget decisions.
What are you watching for in 2010? Share your thoughts in the comments.