Photo By Chief Petty Officer Zachary Anderson | Machinery Repairman Fireman Tasha Hibbert machines a tool at Huntington Ingalls...... read more read more
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By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zachary A. Anderson, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Public Affairs
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) is one of the most expensive maintenance periods a ship will go through in its life-cycle. In a time when budget cuts are a looming possibility, Sailors on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are doing their part to minimize the cost of Lincoln’s RCOH.
Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Judith Bell led a team of three Sailors from Lincoln’s Deck Department in the refurbishment of detachable anchor chain links, saving the navy $80,000 by not contracting out the work.
The project used 192 man-hours over a two-week period and resulted in a greatly extended lifespan for the chain links.
“Our first step was lowering each of the three 350-pound links and transporting them to the light industrial facility (LIFAC),” said Bell. “After we got the links to LIFAC, they were sandblasted and thoroughly cleaned, followed by two coats of primer and paint.”
While the evolution saved the Navy money, it also had another important benefit.
“This was a great experience,” said Bell. “It was a welcome break from our normal day, it gave us a chance to get some valuable hands-on training while in the RCOH environment and save the taxpayers a considerable amount of money in the process.”
The project’s supervisor, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Lencacher, Deck department’s boatswain, was pleased with the multiple benefits of the project.
“We got to save the Navy some serious money,” said Lencacher. “And our Sailors got some good on-the-job training and practice with leadership.”
Lincoln is currently undergoing RCOH at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz-class to undergo a RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most modern and technologically-advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation's defense.
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2014 20:55 |
| Story ID: | 130868 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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