Air Department News

HII announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) recently began topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.Following successful “no-load” testing on catapults one and two, known as the ‘bow cats,’ the NNS team, alongside the John F. Kennedy crew, has now started “dead-load” testing.

Less than one week after Pres. Donald J. Trump commissioned the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) launched and recovered its first fixed-wing aircraft July 28, 2017, off the coast of Virginia. The first arrested landing, or "trap", occurred at 3:10 PM (EST) and the first catapult launch happened at 4:37 PM (EST). Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Struck of Tallmedge, Ohio piloted the F/A-18F Superhornet from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 based at Patuxent River, Maryland. The Superhornet caught the number two arresting wire of Ford's advanced arresting gear (AAG) system and was launched from catapult one using the electromagnetic launch system (EMALS). "Today, USS Gerald R.

Former President George H.W. Bush, prepares to signal the launch of two "dead loads" off the flight deck of the Precommissioning Unit (PCU) George H. W. Bush's (CVN 77). "Dead Load" launches test the ship's catapult systems ability to launch aircraft. The ship is under construction at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard. U.S. From Pre-Commissioning Unit George H. Marking a milestone in the construction of the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier, Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) George H.

Nicholas C. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) (Big E) is currently undergoing one of its most visible rehabilitation efforts during its current extended yard period at the Northrop Grumman Shipyards in Newport News, Va. The crew, as well as civilian contractors, teamed up in September to give Big E's flight deck a face lift. From installing new catapults to completely refacing the surface of the deck with non-skid, which began March 13, the crew is working diligently to complete the evolution. “Non-skid is a non-slipping material that will assure planes won’t slip on the flight deck when they land or take off,” said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handler) (ABH) 1st Class (AW/SW) Hector M. Arroyo, Crash and Salvage leading petty officer.

After successfully completing over 10 drills during a three-day period, USS Tarawa (LHA1) passed the Unit Level Training Readiness Assessment Sustainment (ULTRA-S) inspection June 28. Alpha fires, mines in the water, man overboard and intruder on the quarterdeck were some of the different types of drills Tarawa conducted. Throughout the inspection, Tarawa’s training teams in damage control, combat systems, force protection, medical and others were evaluated through training team scenarios by Afloat Training Group (ATG) Pacific. The assessment also covers seamanship, navigation and the Maintenance Material Management (3M) program. “ULTRA…

A team from Northrop Grumman Newport News reinstalled USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) arresting gear engines into the ship's flight deck, June 6. The arresting gear engines were placed onto the ship's flight deck via cranes at the ship’s new location at Pier 3, completing another major milestone for the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier during its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard. “This has been a total team effort,” said Gray Milteer, aircraft launch and recovery equipment superintendent for Northrop Grumman Newport News. “These are the largest arresting gear components we’ve installed to date, and every trades department has supported this project over the past 18 months.

Special Warfare Boat Operators (SB) from Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20) reached a milestone on March 28 when they successfully completed the 100th and 101st insertion of the Maritime Craft Aerial Deployment System (MCADS) off the coast of North Carolina. Serving as a true force multiplier, the MCADS capability enables Naval Special Warfare Sailors to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world in a maritime environment. The system deploys an 11-meter RIB (rigid inflatable boat) rigged with four large parachutes from the back of a C-130 or C-17 at approximately 3,500-feet. Approximately four Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) immediately follow the boat out of the plane and parachute to the immediate proximity of where the boat lands.

By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class James R. Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are participating in shipwide exercises beginning March 20, which are aimed at returning the ship and its crew to operational status following an extended stay at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. General Quarters (GQ), engineering, crash and salvage, man overboard, sighting team, security, and other drills are being conducted during simulated underway periods in which the crew operate on an at sea schedule. “The fact that we’re done with most of the work we had to do in the yards means we can shift our focus now to training,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class (AW) Billy Ramirez, leading petty officer of Air Department’s crash and salvage team.

Ammunition is transferred from the hangar to the flight deck during an ammunition offload aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). The Norfolk, Va.-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is currently conducting training off the coast of Virginia. U.S. USS George Washington (GW) (CVN 73) returned to Naval Station Norfolk Sept. 1, following a two-and-a-half week underway period in preparation of the upcoming Planned Incremental Availability plus Docking (PIA+D). It was the last at sea period before GW goes to Norfolk Naval Shipyard. “This has been a tremendous underway, a complete success in every regard,” said Rear Adm. Garry R. White, GW’s commanding officer.