Pacific Fleet's Battle "E" Carrier Back At Sea
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS040907-08
Release Date: 9/7/2004 2:39:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Ahron Arendes, USS Nimitz Public Affairs
NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- After six months of hard work between Sailors from USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and shipyard contractors, the largest pierside Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) on the West Coast is complete.
The ship wrapped up the maintenance period and got underway for sea trials Aug. 22. After two days of aggressive testing and operations, the availability was declared complete Aug. 23, exactly as scheduled.
After completion of a successful eight-month combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in November, Nimitz began planning for and started PIA in February. During PIA, approximately 1,200 shipyard personnel from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, along with various Southwest Regional Maintenance Center "find-fix-train" teams, more than 30 local contracted companies, and 10 ship's force teams worked together to complete more than 300,000 man days (2.4 million man-hours) of work.
"I couldn't be happier with the performance of the Nimitz team," said Commanding Officer Robert J. Gilman. "It was quite rewarding to see our Sailors working side by side everyday with their shipyard counterparts. Best of all, we were able to enjoy a good quality of life during the summer and keep everyone safe."
Lt. Cmdr. Duncan Preston, ship's maintenance officer, said the work performed during PIA included replacement of service steam piping, new refrigerant in all air conditioning plants to bring the ship into compliance with future Environmental Protection Agency standards, renovation of 18 berthing compartments (805 racks) and 11 heads, and the resurfacing of decks in hundreds of compartments. Major engineering repairs included a rotor replacement of #3 ship's service turbine generator and a valve repair to #2 main engine throttle.
Other work included cleaning of the Collection, Holding and Transfer system, refurbishment of all four steam catapults, new non-skid on the flight deck, replacement of more than 60 non-watertight doors, powder coating of nearly 200 watertight doors and hatches and preservation of more than 200 ventilation systems.
According to Preston, PIA improved the overall command and control capability, warfighting readiness and interoperability of the ship's systems, and provided valuable cross-training for ship's force.
Each improvement helps keep Nimitz a state-of-the-art aircraft carrier.
"We trained over 200 Sailors in skills they can put to use in their own work centers," Preston said. Some of the skills include deck resurfacing, painting, lagging, sheet-metal repair, valve repair, and damage control fitting preventive and corrective maintenance.
"This should reduce maintenance costs and enhance our self-reliance, especially on deployment when help is too far away," Preston continued. "Overall, the work done by Nimitz Sailors resulted in millions of dollars in savings to the government and is the most efficient availability ever conducted."
Nimitz was also able to capitalize on numerous training opportunities during the maintenance period by sending dozens of Sailors to technical schools, crossdecking them to other ships during underway periods, providing college courses, and continuing its aggressive Enlisted Surface and Aviation Warfare Specialist programs.
A large amount of the work directly impacted the crew's quality of life. New, large-screen plasma televisions and DVD players were installed in lounges, as well as 41 washers and dryers in the ship's self-serve laundry facility.
Five thousand new inner-spring mattresses were installed to replace the old foam mattresses Sailors have slept on for decades.
"We completed a phased replacement of the new mattresses and had all 5,000 of them onboard by the time we got underway," said Readiness Officer Lt. Cmdr. Toby Swain. "They're exactly like the mattress you would have at home, just smaller."
"The berthing compartments are much better now, because they were outfitted with new flat screen plasma televisions and entertainment centers, and the new inner-spring mattresses, which are a lot more comfortable than what we had in the past," said Seaman Michael Roach."
Nimitz will now begin its training cycle with the remainder of the strike group as it executes the Navy's Fleet Response Plan and readies for eventual deployment.
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