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Nimitz class carriers are strange and complex ships. They are expected to have a service life of 50 years, I read – there is a caveat to that.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers undergo a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at the mid-point of their 50-year lifespan, a process that takes years to complete. The USS George Washington (CVN-73) recently completed its RCOH, which lasted 2,117 days\u2014almost as long as it took to build the ship.<\/p>\n
Construction began on USS George Washington<\/i> (CVN-73), the United States Navy’s sixth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier on August 24, 1986, when her keel was laid down at Newport News Shipyard in Virginia. The vessel was christened by First Lady Barbara Bush less than four years later on July 21, 1990, and commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk on July 4, 1992.<\/p>\n
In fewer than six years, the 1,092-foot-long carrier was constructed and delivered to the U.S. Navy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Little quick number punching says the RCOH took 5.8 years. Potayto, potahto.<\/p>\n
The delays involving CVN-73 were largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown, which stopped work entirely for a period, followed by supply chain issues, and competing requirements for resources. The United States Navy currently lacks the facilities and the workers to properly maintain its fleet.<\/p>\n
“Factors that extended the RCOH included delays and changes in her RCOH planning and induction timeline due to FY15 budgetary decisions to inactivate (vice refuel) this ship; the arrival condition of the ship, which was more challenging than expected, planned or budgeted for, including growth work in significant areas of the RCOH; the requirement to remove critical parts from CVN-73 to support higher-priority, deploying aircraft carriers; and the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce and industrial base,” HII said in a May 2023 statement to USNI News.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Let’s circle back to that FY15 bit… decision to deactivate vs. refuel?\u00a0 Whoa.<\/p>\n
The next Nimitz-class carrier, USS John C. Stennis<\/i> (CVN-74) won’t return to service on schedule either. The sea service announced earlier this year that the carrier’s RCOH will take about five and a half years, an extension of about 14 months. The warship began its midlife refueling in 2021 and was originally on track to complete the work by August 2025.<\/p>\n
It should be noted this has been an ongoing problem since USS Nimitz<\/i> (CVN068) began her RCOH in 1998. According to a 2002 RAND report, the project was scheduled to last 33 months, but dragged out due to a labor dispute and strike at the shipyard, while costs increased by $250 million.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It sounds like they basically almost gut the vessel and then rebuild her from the outside in?<\/p>\n
The RCOH truly is a “complex overhaul” as NNS shipbuilders replaced thousands of valves, pumps, and piping components, while on the outside, they performed major structural updates to the island, mast, and antenna tower. Upgrades have been made to all aircraft launch and recovery equipment; while the carrier’s hull, including sea chests and freeboard, has been painted. The team restored the propeller shafts and installed refurbished propellers and rudders.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Under ideal conditions, it sounds like the projected 4-year refit is going to take six routinely. The article claims the ship will be more capable when it’s finished – sure hope so.<\/p>\n
Someone please call China and tell them to back off for a few years…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"