Sailors watch as the portside anchor of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is lowered into a dry dock for maintenance on March 15, 2019. US Navy Photo
The Navy released its first-ever long-range ship maintenance and modernization plan amid a growing fleet and a growing backlog of repair work, and the report highlights challenges in dealing with chronic mismatches between maintenance requirements and yards’ capacity. Read More
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) personnel bring the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) into Drydock 6 at PSNS in Bremerton, Wash. PSNS and IMF personnel will work side by side with ship’s force teams to get the ship back in fighting condition and back to the Fleet. US Navy photo.
SAN DIEGO – Just 30 percent of the Navy’s destroyers come out of maintenance availabilities on time, the head of Naval Sea Systems Command said, and the service will be taking actions in the coming months to incentivize industry to increase their capacity and improve that on-time figure. Read More
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Elizabeth River during the ship’s transit to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. Dwight D. Eisenhower is preparing for a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. US Navy photo.
Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) has departed Norfolk Naval Shipyard and is returning to Naval Station Norfolk to complete the remaining months of work on its long-overrun maintenance availability there, USNI News has learned. Read More
Capt. Kyle P. Higgins, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), addresses the crew during an Aug. 18, 2018, all-hands call on the flight deck. Dwight D. Eisenhower is undergoing a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. US Navy photo.
Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) will remain tied up in maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard until early 2019, resulting in a maintenance availability about triple the expected six-month length. Read More
The following is the executive summary to Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) shipyard optimization plan, which lays out a 20-year, $21-billion plan to improve the four public shipyards. The full report will not be released to the public, and the redacted summary was released on Sept. 12. Read More
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) personnel bring the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) into Drydock 6 at PSNS in Bremerton, Wash. PSNS and IMF personnel will work side by side with ship’s force teams to get the ship back in fighting condition and back to the Fleet. US Navy photo.
This post has been updated to include the redacted executive summary of NAVSEA’s shipyard optimization plan.
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – The Navy plans to build momentum for its 20-year, $21-billion ship repair yard modernization plan through key early wins: proving that a redesign of the yard in Maine translates to a substantial increase in productivity, and renovating drydocks to accommodate the Navy’s newest nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Read More
The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Helena (SSN 725) arrives at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in August 2015 for a high-priority docking continuous maintenance availability. US Navy photo.
CAPITOL HILL – The Navy will execute a $21-billion, 20-year public shipyard optimization plan as a series of small projects that can be done even as maintenance work on submarines and aircraft carriers continues at the yards, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition told senators today. Read More
Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) observe as the ship pulls into Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., on Aug. 5, 2017. US Navy photo.
The Government Accountability Office recommended the Navy revisit its plans to improve and modernize its four public shipyards – something the service is already in the midst of – after finding that the yards’ overall condition remains poor and the timeline and cost to achieve the Navy’s full list of needed improvements continue to grow. Read More
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) departs Naval Station Norfolk for the transit to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va. The ship is preparing for a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. US Navy photo.
Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) departed Naval Station Norfolk on Aug. 5 to transit to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a six-month Planned Incremental Availability, the Navy announced. Read More
Sailors stand beside an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the “Fighting Swordsman” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) on June 26, 2017. The ship is underway during the sustainment phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan. US Navy photo.
This article is the second in a two-part package on the East Coast aircraft carrier fleet, after Commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic Rear Adm. Bruce Lindsey invited USNI News to talk about recent milestones within his fleet.
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. — Maintaining very high readiness during a carrier strike group’s post-deployment sustainment phase actually saves the Navy money later on, the service found, despite fears that budget constraints might hinder the Navy from making the most of that time in a ship’s deployment cycle. Read More
