On January 11, the United States Navy Ship George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) was successfully delivered to Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for a Planned Incremental Availability.
Ship safety, communications, and fighting system modifications will all be improved due to this refurbishment and equipment upkeep.
More than three years ago, NNSY started making long-term preparations for this availability, and beginning in August 2023, they decided to enhance the amount of comprehensive engineering planning they were doing. During this time, the project team has collaborated with Carrier Team One and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, a sister shipyard responsible for carrier maintenance.
According to Deputy Project Superintendent Robert Shubert, contact and visits between Carrier Team One and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard have been important learning points. These trips have included introducing many new modernisation elements, specifically emphasising shipyard development and learning.
To co-locate staff and make maintenance on the carrier easier, the Bush began its refit at Naval Station Norfolk many months ago. This was accomplished through the use of an enhanced process. During this period, the team was able to relocate engineering and team members to the second floor of W-130, which is the home of NNSY’s Off-Yard Carriers Group, according to Shubert. Ship’s Force was the one who led the push to turn over places on the ship for NNSY mechanics, specifically for this first-time model.
Now that the carrier is located at NNSY, the project team intends to keep most of its manufacturing mechanics in place to ensure complete availability. In addition, the team will use an Operations Control Centre (OCC) that will be co-located on the carrier pier. This will allow the zone managers, supervisors, and mechanics to address any difficulties that may arise throughout the project. To facilitate the continuous execution of tasks, the OCC assists the team in arriving at quick solutions. This is the second carrier availability at NNSY to use the OCC concept, which was previously used to the advantage of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s (CVN 69) Planned Incremental Availability in 2022.
Captain David-Tavis Pollard, the ship’s commanding officer, has also been effectively coordinated with the project team.
