What you need to know: USS George Washington (CVN-73), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, underwent a refueling and complete overhaul (RCOH) that took 2,117 days, almost as long as it took to build the ship.
– The process to double carrier life has encountered significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues and unexpected repairs. Despite the delays, RCOH includes extensive upgrades, including nuclear reactor refueling, structural updates and systems overhauls, which will keep the carrier operational for another 25 years.
-Similar challenges were observed with other carriers, highlighting the strain on the shipyard workforce and the increasing complexity of the refurbishment process.
The construction of the USS began George Washington (CVN-73), the United States Navy’s sixth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, on August 24, 1986, when the keel was laid at the Newport News shipyard in Virginia. The ship was christened by First Lady Barbara Bush less than four years later, on July 21, 1990, and commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk on July 4, 1992.
In less than six years, a 300-meter-long aircraft carrier was constructed and delivered to the United States Navy.
This should be emphasized because on August 4, 2017, the same carrier reported for a refueling and comprehensive overhaul (RCOH) inspection at the same shipyard. This process is expected to double the service life of the carriers by an additional 25 years – but what is notable is that CVN-73 was out of service for 2,117 days – almost the same amount of time it took to build the carrier, or about two years longer than expected for RCOH.
“Comprehensive refueling overhauls are performed midway through the ship’s more than 50-year service life and include modernization of propulsion equipment, infrastructure and combat support systems,” the U.S. Navy explained.
CVN-73 delays were largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdown, which completely halted work for some time, followed by supply chain issues and competing demand for resources. The United States Navy currently lacks the facilities and personnel to properly maintain its fleet.
There were also reports that some work was done incorrectly, resulting in unexpected repairs that dragged out the RCOH for the U.S.S. George Washington.
“Factors that increased the RCOH time included delays and changes in the RCOH planning and implementation schedule due to FY15 budget decisions to deactivate (replacement refueling) this vessel; vessel arrival status that was more challenging than expected, planned or budgeted, including development work in significant areas of the RCOH; the requirement to remove critical parts from CVN-73 to support higher priority aircraft carriers and the impact of Covid-19 on the workforce and industrial base,” HII said in a May 2023 Statement to USNI News.
RCOH – Complex indeed
Although the U.S.S George WashingtonRCOH was extended for two years – which caused enormous stress for the crew and resulted in nine seafarers taking their own lives in the process – it is worth noting that even in an ideal situation it takes over four years to complete the work.
Another Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) will also not return to service as planned. The Maritime Service announced earlier this year that the carrier’s RCOH would last approximately five and a half years, an extension of approximately 14 months. Refueling of the ship began mid-life in 2021 and was originally scheduled to be completed by August 2025.
It should be noted that this has been an ongoing problem since the days of the USS Nimitz (CVN068) began construction of the RCOH in 1998. According to a 2002 RAND report, the project was scheduled to take 33 months, but was delayed due to a labor dispute and a strike at the shipyard, and costs increased by $250 million. Compared to the problems with the newest carriers, the update was almost seamless!
While the refurbishment of the main ship of this class should have helped to improve the process, it appears that the situation continues to deteriorate. The truth, however, is that the United States Navy has no choice. Even the RCOH delay creates problems.
As noted in an infographic from the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition: “Delaying any RCOH negatively impacts fleet readiness and creates program inefficiencies, including increased costs and extended learning curves. Delays also threaten an already fragile supplier base. Conducting RCOH on schedule is necessary to return modernized carriers to active service for another 25 years of operational requirements.”
Why is it necessary?
RCOH is truly a “complete overhaul” as NNS shipbuilders replaced thousands of valves, pumps and piping components while externally they performed major structural updates to the island, mast and antenna tower. All aircraft launch and recovery equipment has been improved; while the hull of the aircraft carrier, including the sea chests and freeboard, was painted. The team refurbished the drive shafts and installed refurbished propellers and rudders.
In the next phase of RCOH, NNS shipyards will complete the renovation and installation of the ship’s main components and test its electronics, combat and propulsion systems. Emphasis will also be placed on improving the ship’s living conditions, including crew living quarters, galleys and mess decks. This means a total of over 25 million man-hours of work.
“The RCOH design enhances nearly every space and system on the carrier, beyond the most critical requirement of removing and refueling the ship’s two nuclear reactors and repairing and upgrading the propulsion plant,” explained Captain Mark Johnson, manager of the Aircraft Program Executive Office, the In-Service Aircraft Carrier Program Office.
“We work on every part of the ship, from the hull, propellers and rudders to over 600 tanks, thousands of valves, pumps and piping components, electrical cables and ventilation, as well as combat and air support systems. It’s demanding. “It is a complex job that challenges every member of the planning team, shipyard crews and ship crew,” Johnson added.
In many ways, RCOH can be compared to a home renovation, and the crew is undoubtedly as excited about the completion of the job as some homeowners, maybe even more so. The crew continues to live on the ship for much of the process – helping with maintenance, and that is what puts a strain on crew members aboard the U.S.S. George Washington.
Finally, remember that these updates significantly update each of the carrier’s systems. This may be increasingly important given the age of carriers. USS Nimitz it came into use in the 1970s, before most people even thought they could own a computer, and its modernization was completed in the Internet era. Due to the increased complexity, not to mention the lack of shipyards and workers, each RCOH will simply take longer to complete.
Author experience and expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a writer based in Michigan. During his twenty-year journalistic career, he collaborated with over forty magazines, newspapers and websites, in which he published over 3,200 articles. He writes regularly about military equipment, the history of firearms, cybersecurity, politics and international affairs. Peter is also Co-author for Forbes and Billing work. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: (email protected).
Image source: Creative Commons.
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