USS George H.W. Bush Completes PIA at Norfolk Naval Shipyard

After four months at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) are headed back out to sea after successfully completing a short-term upgrade and maintenance period, Dec. 1.

The ship’s planned incremental availability (PIA) is key in keeping the ship in top shape for its upcoming work-ups, combat deployment, and 50-year lifecycle.

Over the course of the PIA the ship completed approximately 30,400 individual line items that included 90 modifications, such as upgrading the ship’s Combat Systems computer software, improving classified and non-classified networks and the Automated Data Processing system that brings the ship up-to-date for the upcoming deployment.

“A major upgrade the ship was able to do was making all ventilation local just by using a push button,” said Senior Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Christopher Bartley. “Another task we were able to accomplish was making all the damage control plotting electronic. Everything marked gets sent straight to damage control central making plotting more time efficient.”

The crew achieved a major accomplishment in completing the PIA in such a short period of time, a testament to the crew and training teams’ ability to stay flexible and ready to respond at all times.

George H.W. Bush is entering its training and qualification cycle in preparation for a 2013 deployment.

[mappress]

Press Release, December 4, 2012; Image: navy