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Theodore Roosevelt Begins New Mast Installation

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS101211-05
12/11/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Corey , USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- The first major section of USS Theodore Roosevelt's (CVN 71) (TR) mast was installed Dec. 3, marking another major construction milestone in the ship's mid-life refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va.

The 36-ton lower main mast is an essential component to the mission of the ship's Navigation and Combat Systems Departments.

"The purpose of a ship's mast is to provide a platform for electronics such as radar, communications antennas, navigation systems, and just as it was used on older ships, the flags are flown from it," said Northrop Grumman Construction Supervisor Matt Grizzard.

An aircraft carrier mast is usually assembled in the upper, middle and lower sections. The TR mast will be assembled differently.

"The mast on every other ship has been installed in three sections, but on TR it will be installed in two sections," said Combat Systems Maintenance Officer (SWO/FMF) Lt. Cmdr. Steven Hernandez. "These changes were made to accommodate our new antennas. Lessons were learned from past experiences, and things have been done that will produce improved antenna performance."

The two sections that are being used as the mast of TR are the lower and upper sections. The new mast is a square structure, which deviates from a typical ship's mast that is a round structure. This new square design measures eight feet by eight feet at the base and is one of the changes that was made to improve antenna performance. The lower section was put into place Dec. 3, and the upper section is scheduled to be put up March 2011.

"Without the mast we have no foundation," said Hernandez. "We're unable to proceed forward with installation of communications and radar antennas, and it's a big step in an overall completion of combat systems equipment."

The RCOH is an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle.

During RCOH, TR's nuclear fuel will be replenished and the ship's services and infrastructure will be upgraded to make the ship the most state-of-the-art aircraft carrier in the fleet and prepare the ship for another 25 years or more of service.