Deployed Enterprise Engineers Vital for Flight Ops

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Peter Melkus, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- U.S. aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) completed its first day of flight operations Jan. 22, since arriving in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

A key factor for successful flight operations aboard Enterprise are the ship's engineers below deck who provide the one thing that makes the magic happen - steam.

The main mission of Enterprise is to launch F/A-18 Hornets, Super Hornets, EA-6B Prowlers, C-2 Greyhounds, and E-2C Hawkeyes from the flight deck's four catapults. Without the machinist's mates in the Catapult Steam Shop, which is part of Engineering department's Auxiliary Division, the only aircraft that could get off deck would be the ship's helicopters.

Working six hours on and six hours off, the Catapult Steam Shop's Machinist's Mates harness the steam generated from the ship's eight nuclear reactors to provide 500 psi to the catapult systems to shoot high-tech aircraft into combat.

"We have the knowledge of the steam cycle and the same fundamental training as the other engineers on board, but we also have to learn how to apply this to our flight deck mission through on-the-job training," said Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Christopher Miller, from Clayton, N.Y. "Repetition is key, but since we launch a bird several times a minute, repetition is never a problem."

Miller said he loves his job and especially enjoys being unique in the engineering profession aboard the ship.

"We're really the only ones in our division who work hand-in-hand with the air ratings on a constant basis," he said.

The Catapult Steam Shop has 20 Sailors working around the clock to ensure the ship can complete its primary mission. Though their schedule only allows for about five hours of sleep at any given time, Miller is surprisingly upbeat.

"I stay up even longer because I want to complete some advanced qualifications to better my career," Miller said. "I like it though. My brother is in the Air Force and we talk about our jobs. I wouldn't trade places with him."

Enterprise is conducting theater security cooperation efforts and maritime security operations in the region while underway on its 21st deployment.

Enterprise Strike Group consists of Enterprise, the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), the guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), USS Barry (DDG 52) and USS Mason (DDG 87); USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8), Carrier Air Wing 1, and Destroyer Squadron 2.

For information regarding Enterprise Strike Group's deployment, visit the USS Enterprise Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USS.Enterprise.CVN.65.

For more news from USS Enterprise (CVN 65), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn65/.