The Navy’s Nimitz-class USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) aircraft carrier went underway for sea trials Aug. 11, part of a planned six-month maintenance period.
CVN-74 entered a planned incremental availability (PIA) last February at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) in Bremerton, Wash. During the PIA, the ship will get improved operational systems, upgraded navigation systems and refurbished crew berthing spaces, the Navy said.
The Stennis’ PIA has had the largest-ever planned work package for a six-month availability for a Nimitz-class carrier and began three days ahead of schedule. This included 2.8 million man-hours of work for the ship’s sailors, the maintenance facility, and contractors.
“I am tremendously proud of the hard work and dedication required to reach this milestone, and look forward to seeing the ship and crew in action as we begin our at-sea training cycle,” Capt. Gregory Huffman, the Stennis‘ commanding officer, said in a statement.
The final part of the PIA includes taking the ship to sea to demonstrate that the new, repaired, and refurbished systems are operating as designed.