Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Zick from Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, Newport News confirmed with Capt. Patrick Thompson, Stennis' commanding officer, that all segments of the Surface Ship Movement Check-Off List have been completed up to the point of putting water into the dry dock, which allows the Dock Master to begin flooding the dry dock.
The departure from the dry dock today is not an end, but a new beginning. As Stennis moves into the next stage of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH), the focus will now shift to final outfitting and testing. This phase will involve the installation of major components, testing of systems, and refurbishments to the ship's living areas.