NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN , Sept. 24, 2019 —
Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commander, Naval Surface Forces (CNSF) visited Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Sept. 19.
Brown toured coastal patrol ship USS Whirlwind (PC 11) and mine countermeasures ship USS Devastator (MCM 6), as well as held an all-hands call with surface warfare officers during his visit.
Brown is using face-to-face dialogues with Sailors in the fleet to discuss efforts to build combat ready ships and battle-minded crews while preparing for the high-end fight.
“Who are we?” said Brown. ”We are the premier surface force in the world, second to none. There is no other surface force in the world that is as good as we are.”
During his all-hands call, Brown emphasized the return of great power competition and told attendees to be combat ready and battle-minded in order to turn their readiness into combat lethality.
Brown also spoke about the future surface force that will include the Navy’s next guided-missile frigate (FFG(X)), flight III destroyers (FLT III DDG), medium displacement unmanned surface vehicle (MDUSV), large displacement unmanned surface vessels (LDUSV), large surface combatants (LSC), naval operational architecture, and mainstreaming Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).
The Navy has planned to establish 66 LCS crews within the next five years compared to 68 destroyers over the past 30 years.
“It’s great to hear that he has confidence in the direction that we’re going,” said Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Szachta, commanding officer of coastal patrol ship USS Monsoon (PC 4).
U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.
