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Bomb Builders in Demand and on the Job

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030327-06
Release Date: 3/27/2003 11:26:00 AM

By Journalist 3rd Class Jeff Williams, USS Kitty Hawk Public Affairs

ABOARD USS KITTY HAWK, At Sea (NNS) -- As the world's attention is on coalition strikes against Iraq, Sailors aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) are building bombs that may ultimately affect the outcome of the war.

Kitty Hawk's aviation ordnancemen (AO) assigned to the weapons department bomb building (G-3) division are tasked with assembling various missiles and bombs that are being used for air-to-ground combat in Iraq.

These Sailors are responsible for inserting the fuses, which assist in detonating bombs. Ordnancemen also configure the guidance settings to aid pilots in locking in on a target.

"We definitely play a vital role in our pilots' ability to do their jobs. We have no room for error. We must do it right the first time, or it could cost (one of our Sailors) their life," said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW) Gabriel Saez.

An average day for one of G-3's AOs begins with finding out what types of bombs are needed and when they are needed. After that information is distributed, the process begins. Sailors are then divided into teams and sent to work in one of the two main bomb assembly areas located forward and aft on the ship.

These teams then begin to follow step-by-step procedures for building specific types of bombs. These steps are documented in assembly manuals, and a certified team leader is on scene to observe and perform various checks and balances to prevent errors in the building process.

"The team leader is usually the most senior and experienced AO, and they have years of experience in properly assembling ordnance. Along with that, each member of every team is responsible for calling a 'training timeout' if they notice any error at any point in the evolution," said Saez.

This is a system of checks and balances, because the process of building bombs is time-consuming, and right now, time is of the essence, according to Saez.

"Our work load has multiplied by five due to recent world events, and along with the added workload, we have time constraints, as well," he said. "Because of this, we can't take our time building these bombs. We use a procedure called 'fleet built.' This means we build the initial bomb using the step-by-step procedure. The following bombs are built based on general knowledge with references made to the manual when necessary."

Although this process is ideal for real world events, AOs are told never to allow memorization to dictate the way they assemble bombs, according to Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Brandon Little.

"Things are always changing. There are always new procedures and updates coming down the pipeline, so we can't rely on the way things were done a few months ago. We have to stay current on new guidelines, because each bomb has different requirements for assembly."

Kitty Hawk's bomb assembly teams construct bombs weighing from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds. One of the heavier bombs is the Guided Bomb Unit 10, which is laser guided and deadly accurate, according to Saez. The Phoenix AIM-54, Cluster Bomb Unit and GBU 16 are some of the other bombs assembled below the water line on America's oldest active war ship.