Norfolk Naval Shipyard Completes CVN 76's Planned Incremental Availability

From Norfolk Naval Shipyard Public Affairs

May 20, 2010 - WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Norfolk Naval Shipyard successfully completed USS Ronald Reagan's (CVN 76) six-month Planned Incremental Availability May 19 at San Diego's Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) under budget.

This project came in under budget and marked both Norfolk Naval Shipyard's (NNSY) largest off-site availability as well as the largest public sector work package ever performed on an aircraft carrier berthed at NASNI.

While NNSY was the project lead, its partners Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) also accomplished significant amounts of work.

"This project really encompassed the 'One Shipyard' concept," said Curt Hart, the Project Superintendent. "NNSY, PSNS & IMF, SWRMC, and NGSB worked hand-in-hand every day to achieve a common goal."

During peak manning, approximately 1,400 people worked the project each day. This included approximately 625 NNSY personnel, 165 PSNS & IMF employees, and 600 from SWRMC/NGSB.

A Lean Release Assessment using a combined NNSY/PSNS & IMF team was conducted in January 2010 to determine how well project management Lean initiatives were used to improve project processes and results on board Reagan. Results of the assessment were positive and the project team developed several best practices to share with other shipyards for future carrier availabilities.

Under the 'One Shipyard' concept, the naval shipyards level the workload and mobilize the work force across the yards to best ready the fleet and stabilize a vital industrial base for America's defense. NAVSEA's four shipyards include NNSY in Portsmouth, Va.; Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine; and PSNS & IMF in Bremerton, Wash. Naval Shipyards perform logistic support and work in connection with ship construction, conversion, overhaul, repair, alternation, dry docking, outfitting, manufacturing research, re-development and test work.