USS Essex Returns To Sea

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley Richardson | SAN DIEGO (Dec. 2, 2019) – Operations Specialist Seaman Joseph Riess handles line aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is underway for the first time following an eight-month planned maintenance availability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Wesley Richardson/RELEASED)  

SAN DIEGO , CA, UNITED STATES

12.02.2019

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Diffie 

USS Essex (LHD 2)

SAN DIEGO – The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) got underway for contractor sea trials December 2nd following a nine-month planned maintenance availability period (PMA).

This marks Essex’s first time underway since returning from a regularly scheduled deployment in March.

"I'm excited to bring Essex out to sea as her commanding officer for the first time," said Capt. Aaron Kelley, who assumed command in September. "I'm also incredibly proud of the crew and their work ethic during our maintenance availability, and that we were able to stick to our schedule as planned."

PMA consisted of a variety of maintenance contracts including upgrades to the ship’s systems and work to extend service life, keeping the ship outfitted with the latest warfighting capabilities. PMA consisted of over 8,000 man hours weekly and over 200 government contractors daily.

“We’ve worked 12- to 16-hour days, supporting the contractors,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danielle Wiley, the ship’s maintenance management officer. “All this work is going to pay off to get us back where we need to be, out at sea.”

Essex’s boilers were upgraded and the weather decks, flight deck and hangar bay received new non-skid surfaces. The ship’s aviation maintenance spaces were modified to support the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

During sea trials, Essex crew will undergo training scenarios designed to evaluate the performance of the ship after the extensive maintenance period. Some of these exercises include conducting man overboard, abandon ship drills and fire drills throughout the ship.

For many Sailors aboard, this will be their first time underway.

“I’m ready experience the sea,” said Airman Darmi Soriano, who has never been underway before. “This is only the first of many underways, so it’s the first step for a lot of new Sailors like me.”
Essex is homeported in San Diego.

For more news from USS Essex (LHD 2), visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd2/

• Date Taken: 12.02.2019
• Date Posted: 12.04.2019 10:59
• Story ID: 354241
• Location: SAN DIEGO , CA, US