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NNSY returns USS Hyman G. Rickover early to the Fleet

NAvsea News

By Steve Milner, Norfolk Naval Shipyard Public Affairs

PORTSMOUTH, Va.-Norfolk Naval Shipyard has completed a 40-thousand-manday Interim Drydocking Availability (IDD) on USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) ahead of schedule, and under the shipyard's budget for this project.

"Our success was due in large part to our project's teaming efforts and alignment of expectations," said Rickover Project Superintendent, LCDR Jamie Kalowsky. "We started out determined to win, and to meet our customer and shipyard expectations for cost and schedule."

This repair package was the first of a kind and was aimed at re-certifying the critical systems and components needed for Rickover to continue unrestricted submerged operations. "The Rickover team hit the decks running with a good plan, and stuck to the plan throughout," said NNSY Commander, Captain Mark Hugel. "Every scheduled event was met on or ahead of schedule, and at the correct cost performance."

Rickover's Commanding Officer, CDR Ken Gray, agreed with Captain Hugel's assessment of this project's success. In a letter to NNSY, CDR Gray said, "I have been involved with four shipyard maintenance availabilities on four different SSN's. In all of my shipyard experience prior to this IDD, I have never seen a key event date met. USS Rickover's IDD was a refreshing change from my prior experience. I am still in awe that every key event was completed ahead of schedule."

CDR Gray added, "On behalf of the entire crew of the USS Hyman G. Rickover and the taxpayers of our country, I am grateful for (this) significant accomplishment in returning this frontline warship back to the service of our nation ahead of schedule."

LCDR Kalowsky said the Rickover team adapted lessons learned from repairing aircraft carriers, as part of NNSY's Center of Excellence for carrier programs. These lessons were incorporated into "Rickover's Principles," which were based upon Admiral Hyman Rickover's basic principles for doing one's job. "Besides implementing innovative business and production initiatives, this mission objective stresses personal ownership and responsibility," LCDR Kalowsky explained. (The submarine SSN 709 was named in honor of the late Admiral Rickover, known as the father of the nation's nuclear Navy.)

"As the Rickover team demonstrated, having a good plan and sticking to it is critically important-but another principle that this team embraced was deciding as a leadership team to set high standards and goals, and then expect the team members to meet or beat the targets," Captain Hugel explained.

"Much of their success resulted from knowing what they needed to do and holding each other accountable to do it, day by day and shift by shift," Captain Hugel said.

"It was exciting to see the full potential of our highly qualified workforce, coupled with the motivation and energy of a very special crew," LCDR Kalowsky added. "The team's commitment to excellence allowed an undocking two weeks ahead of schedule."

"This availability is truly a sign of positive things to come at NNSY in submarine repair," Captain Hugel said.