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rickusn · 04-13-2007, 00:56 AM

Another new article:
The HSV 2 SWIFT is a high speed, multi-purpose ship that some say could be the future of the Navy sailing toward Mayport Naval Air Station last Friday. The HSV 2 SWIFT will be docked at Mayport for the next three weeks.
Gary Wilcox/Staff.

Last modified Wed., April 11, 2007 - 12:16 AM
Originally created Wednesday, April 11, 2007

New, fast concept cruises into Mayport

The HSV 2 Swift is being called the future of the Navy.

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines staff writer

When the vessel HSV 2 Swift docked at Mayport Naval Station Friday, it was clear the Navy is using a new kind of ship for a new kind of mission.

The trimaran aluminum hulled ship is getting fitted and prepared for the Global Fleet Station that will participate in multinational operations through the Caribbean and near Latin America with the mission of providing a more stabilizing force in the region. But the ship itself is sparking some of the most intrigue.

"You're standing on the future of the Navy," Adm James Stavridis said as he fielded questions on the bridge of the Swift. "You're standing on a new concept, a new way of doing business, a new kind of ship that we are experimenting with."

Admiral James G. Stavridis, United States Southern Command, toured the HSV 2 SWIFT talkes to the media about the planning room on the ship last Friday at the Mayport Naval Air Station last Friday. The HSV 2 SWIFT will be docked at Mayport for the next three weeks.
Gary Wilcox/Staff.

Stavridis will oversee the Swift's mission, which will begin in about a month as preparations continue at Mayport. While the operations are new, Stavridis gushed about the Swift, which has a top speed of 45 knots and looks more like a cruise ship than a military vessel.

The sleek lines of the Swift were designed by an Australian company and the hull was originally intended as a commercial vehicle ferry.

The HSV 2 Swift is one of only two ships of its kind in the U.S. military. The other operates for the Army.

The Swift already has been involved in notable action since it was introduced in 2003. It was on the scene to help evacuate Americans during the conflict between Israel and Lebanon last summer and it helped in relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005.

With a draft of about 9 feet, which is significantly shallower than most Navy ships' 20 feet, the Swift can maneuver easily in shoal waters. When it docked in the Mayport basin Friday, there was no need for a tugboat to push the ship into place.

Such versatility makes the Swift a good fit for the new mission, which will involve teaming up with nations such as Jamaica, The Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, Stavridis said.

"This kind of ship is perfect. It's optimized for the kinds of things that we need to do down there," Stavridis said. "The idea here is to cycle repetitively through various stations down there to build relationships for what we call the Global Fleet Stations concept."

Stavridis will not be stationed on the ship. He will provide supervisory command for the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.

The ship has its own rotating operational crew assigned by the Navy out of Ingleside Naval Station, Texas and the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia. But it has no specific designated home port and Mayport personnel will be on the ship during the upcoming mission.

Navy Capt. Douglas Wied heads the detachment of Mayport sailors assigned to the ship for the Global Fleet Station deployment over the next six months; he'll help command exercises and operations. He said there's no shortage of excitement about the deployment.

"When it comes to a vessel that we can use in working with our partners, this is ideal," Wied said. "Once you go out and take a look at it, it is a very dynamic vessel as far as it can be reconfigured for whatever mission you want. It's got a tremendous capacity for taking on cargo or taking on personnel."

The 321-foot vessel has a cargo deck with storage up to 28,740 square feet. "For the Navy, we can use this to bring on tanks, Humvees, palletized equipment, whatever you want," Wied said.

The entire Global Fleet Station concept is a new one, Stavridis said, and it represents a new approach to security forces in the region formulated by Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., that was in part spawned by the war on terror.

"But I would also say it's part of the emerging global environment, the idea of globalization," Stavridis said. "It's the thinking of how can the United States be more engaged in a more practical way all around the world."

The Global Fleet Station operations will be a good testing ground for the Swift, Stavridis said, and the Navy will then assess what kind of future role the vessel could play in the fleet.

"What you're seeing here is like standing on the beach at Kitty Hawk, [N.C.], and watching the first airplane take off," Stavridis said in reference to the experimental aircraft founded by the Wright brothers. "You don't know how it's going to come out. ... We may look back at this particular deployment and say, 'Boy, that was interesting, but it wasn't quite right.'

"On the other hand, when I look at the capacity here, the high speed 45 knots, the shallow draft of 9 feet, the ability to go almost anywhere and fill it up with almost anything ... I would say the future has unlimited potential for this type of vessel and this wonderful port, Mayport," Stavridis said.

04-13-2007, 00:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
rickusn *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-09-03 Posts: 1,317	Another new article: The HSV 2 SWIFT is a high speed, multi-purpose ship that some say could be the future of the Navy sailing toward Mayport Naval Air Station last Friday. The HSV 2 SWIFT will be docked at Mayport for the next three weeks. Gary Wilcox/Staff. Last modified Wed., April 11, 2007 - 12:16 AM Originally created Wednesday, April 11, 2007 New, fast concept cruises into Mayport The HSV 2 Swift is being called the future of the Navy. By DREW DIXON, Shorelines staff writer When the vessel HSV 2 Swift docked at Mayport Naval Station Friday, it was clear the Navy is using a new kind of ship for a new kind of mission. The trimaran aluminum hulled ship is getting fitted and prepared for the Global Fleet Station that will participate in multinational operations through the Caribbean and near Latin America with the mission of providing a more stabilizing force in the region. But the ship itself is sparking some of the most intrigue. "You're standing on the future of the Navy," Adm James Stavridis said as he fielded questions on the bridge of the Swift. "You're standing on a new concept, a new way of doing business, a new kind of ship that we are experimenting with." Admiral James G. Stavridis, United States Southern Command, toured the HSV 2 SWIFT talkes to the media about the planning room on the ship last Friday at the Mayport Naval Air Station last Friday. The HSV 2 SWIFT will be docked at Mayport for the next three weeks. Gary Wilcox/Staff. Stavridis will oversee the Swift's mission, which will begin in about a month as preparations continue at Mayport. While the operations are new, Stavridis gushed about the Swift, which has a top speed of 45 knots and looks more like a cruise ship than a military vessel. The sleek lines of the Swift were designed by an Australian company and the hull was originally intended as a commercial vehicle ferry. The HSV 2 Swift is one of only two ships of its kind in the U.S. military. The other operates for the Army. The Swift already has been involved in notable action since it was introduced in 2003. It was on the scene to help evacuate Americans during the conflict between Israel and Lebanon last summer and it helped in relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. With a draft of about 9 feet, which is significantly shallower than most Navy ships' 20 feet, the Swift can maneuver easily in shoal waters. When it docked in the Mayport basin Friday, there was no need for a tugboat to push the ship into place. Such versatility makes the Swift a good fit for the new mission, which will involve teaming up with nations such as Jamaica, The Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, Stavridis said. "This kind of ship is perfect. It's optimized for the kinds of things that we need to do down there," Stavridis said. "The idea here is to cycle repetitively through various stations down there to build relationships for what we call the Global Fleet Stations concept." Stavridis will not be stationed on the ship. He will provide supervisory command for the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command. The ship has its own rotating operational crew assigned by the Navy out of Ingleside Naval Station, Texas and the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia. But it has no specific designated home port and Mayport personnel will be on the ship during the upcoming mission. Navy Capt. Douglas Wied heads the detachment of Mayport sailors assigned to the ship for the Global Fleet Station deployment over the next six months; he'll help command exercises and operations. He said there's no shortage of excitement about the deployment. "When it comes to a vessel that we can use in working with our partners, this is ideal," Wied said. "Once you go out and take a look at it, it is a very dynamic vessel as far as it can be reconfigured for whatever mission you want. It's got a tremendous capacity for taking on cargo or taking on personnel." The 321-foot vessel has a cargo deck with storage up to 28,740 square feet. "For the Navy, we can use this to bring on tanks, Humvees, palletized equipment, whatever you want," Wied said. The entire Global Fleet Station concept is a new one, Stavridis said, and it represents a new approach to security forces in the region formulated by Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., that was in part spawned by the war on terror. "But I would also say it's part of the emerging global environment, the idea of globalization," Stavridis said. "It's the thinking of how can the United States be more engaged in a more practical way all around the world." The Global Fleet Station operations will be a good testing ground for the Swift, Stavridis said, and the Navy will then assess what kind of future role the vessel could play in the fleet. "What you're seeing here is like standing on the beach at Kitty Hawk, [N.C.], and watching the first airplane take off," Stavridis said in reference to the experimental aircraft founded by the Wright brothers. "You don't know how it's going to come out. ... We may look back at this particular deployment and say, 'Boy, that was interesting, but it wasn't quite right.' "On the other hand, when I look at the capacity here, the high speed 45 knots, the shallow draft of 9 feet, the ability to go almost anywhere and fill it up with almost anything ... I would say the future has unlimited potential for this type of vessel and this wonderful port, Mayport," Stavridis said.