Ford Conducts Nighttime Shipboard Qualification Trials

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

05.11.2018

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ruben Reed 

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)           

The purpose of the evolution was to assess the position of Ford’s night lights in order for supply vessels to accurately situate themselves during an underway replenishment (UNREP) at night. The Ford is conducting the training to prepare for her next Independent Steaming Exercise (ISE), when she is scheduled to conduct a replenishment at sea at night for the first time.
“What we’re doing today is a unique opportunity, because we have ISE-6 coming up, where we’re going to complete our underway replenishment night certification,” said Lt. Cmdr. Edward Quinones, Ford’s 1st Lieutenant. “So we took advantage of the opportunity and tested all of our night lighting and night lighting capabilities because we’ve never seen a Ford-class carrier alongside any other ship at night.”
Underway replenishments are the primary method ships receive stores and other materials while out to sea. A supply ship can meet any active Navy ship, anywhere at sea to deliver food, medical supplies, fuel, and ordnance when needed.
While conducting these evolutions at sea, the two ships coordinate through line of sight, radio, and measured lines held by Sailors in order to help maintain a separation of approximately 180 feet. Although the Navy and its supply ships have conducted these evolutions at sea for decades, there are many risks involved, especially at night. For Ford, this will be a first for the ship, and the class.
“The only lights that we have are the amber lights on station along with the chemical lights that we have hooked up on all our attachment points and our personnel,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Christopher Joseph, assigned to Ford’s deck department. “So just walking through the space is inherently more difficult at night.”
“The evolution went incredibly well,” said Quinones. “Underway replenishments are one of those evolutions that impact the entire ship so having the opportunity to see that up close in a simulated pierside environment, to simulate a nighttime event that we’re going to conduct for the first time ever in the Ford-class service life is incredibly invaluable to everyone involved.”
ISE-6 will be Ford’s last underway before returning to Newport News shipyard to begin her post shakedown availability period. This evolution, along with many others, gave the crew the opportunity to conduct a great deal of training while in port.

• Date Taken: 05.11.2018
• Date Posted: 05.11.2018 15:06
• Story ID: 276758
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US