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BHR Upgrades Chemical, Biological and Radiological Protection System

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060311-06
Release Date: 3/13/2006 1:15:00 AM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Ryan Valverde, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- During the Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship USS Bonhomme Richard’s (LHD 6) (BHR) $30 million Docked Planned Maintenance Availability that ended Feb. 22, the warship upgraded its Collective Protection System (CPS) and added four more chemical, biological and radioactive protected zones.

CPS zones provide protection against a chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) attack by way of filtration and pressure, controlling access to a certain spaces and creating safe havens. The newly protected areas include high priority spaces, such as medical, command and control spaces and living spaces. In the case of a CBR attack, personnel inside the safe havens can carry on their normal duties without wearing individual protective equipment, while areas outside the safe havens may be exposed to contamination.

“Bonhomme Richard also went through a complete CBR-D Detection equipment groom to include Improved Point Detection System (IPDS Chemical Agent monitor), Dry Filter Unit (DFU Biological Agent detector), and the AN-KAS-1(Chemical Agent Detector),” said Damage Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Myles Fry, 29, BHR’s chemical, biological and radiological leading petty officer.

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) headed the nearly seven-month project, redesigning and adding the new zones.

“Our role was to assist NAVSEA in the installation and removal of the existing CBR filters and undergo extensive training in maintenance and operation,” explained Fry, an 11-year Navy veteran of San Bernardino, Calif. “Numerous around the clock man-hours were logged in the installation process. The goal was to be completed with the backfit upon completion of DPMA.”

The CBR team's workload was nearly tripled to complete the project.

"It was a lot of hard work in a short period of time," said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Patrick Hall, 23, of San Diego. "We had to learn all the new zones and learn the basics of how the system works. We are charged with maintianing the CPS zones and the replacement of all filters."

BHR, the sixth Wasp-class multipurpose amphibious assault ship to have the CPS improvements, is in the beginning stages of its training cycle, preparing for upcoming operations at sea.