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Norfolk Naval Shipyard finishes USS Bataan early and on budget

NAVSEA News Release

Date: 10/18/2002

By Steve Milner, Norfolk Naval Shipyard Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. -- For the third time in the past six months, Norfolk Naval Shipyard has successfully completed an L-ship availability on time and on budget.

This latest success involved a Planned Maintenance Availability (PMA) on USS Bataan (LHD 5), which completed a day early, on Oct. 10, following sea trials off the Virginia and North Carolina coasts.

Earlier this year, NNSY returned USS Saipan (LHA 2), and USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) to the Fleet early, and within cost.

Commenting on his ship's availability at NNSY, Bataan's Commanding Officer, Capt. Martin Allard, said, "We completed a $37-million availability in under four months, and accomplished a greater scope of work in less time than normal."

Approximately 300 NNSY employees, assisted by nearly 300 contractors from 23 major companies worked on this ship daily, according to Bobby Craun, Project Superintendent. Together, they worked more than 65,000 mandays.

Craun said there were 29 alterations, and alterations equivalent to repairs, including about a dozen major jobs. This included work on the ship's Collective Protection System, Global Broadcasting System, boiler modifications, Ship's Service Turbo Generator lube oil cooler modifications, firemain regulating system, and other tasks.

"Ship's force was very proactive and responsive to the team's needs--they really performed more as part of the team than any I have experienced in past overhauls," Craun said.

"The project really owes Bataan's commanding officer and PMA Coordinator much of the credit for the success of the availability for their understanding of the dynamics of ship repair work in an industrial environment, and for creating the working relationship with ship's force," said Craun. "These actions enabled them to work through some very complicated and intense integrations."

The Bataan Project Superintendent said the team, which included NNSY, Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Naval Sea Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair Portsmouth, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Engineers, Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA), and contractors, "worked together, and through tough issues during the entire availability."

"The 'Bataan Attack Team' proved what teamwork can do," said NNSY Commander, Capt. Mark Hugel. "Exceptional preparation and cooperation between the shipyard and the ship's crew allowed the availability to complete on budget and a day early. We faced tough challenges with the propulsion plant work package and with late identified improvements to the galley, but teamwork was key to our success."

"The shipyard stuff is not what Sailors like to do," Allard said. "The hours are long, the work is tough, but they hunkered down and got the job done. We planned ahead and prepared for the availability before pulling into NNSY and that made us able to get more done in less time.

"The work is hard, but it's necessary, because this ship will still be in service when the youngest seaman aboard now has retired. We will take care of USS Bataan now, so later USS Bataan will take care of America," Allard added.