USS Norfolk Returns Home After Overhaul

Navy News Stand ^ | August 27, 2004 | Journalist Seaman Apprentice Andy Zask, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet PA

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

	USS Norfolk Returns Home After Overhaul Story Number: NNS040827-06 Release Date: 8/27/2004 11:03:00 AM   By Journalist Seaman Apprentice Andy Zask, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Fast-attack submarine USS Norfolk (SSN 714) returned to its namesake city Aug. 25 after a nearly two-year Engineering Refueling Overhaul (ERO) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Hundreds of friends and family members crowded the pier in anticipation of the return of their loved ones. Some of the families had been waiting in Norfolk since the start of the ERO. "It's good to be back in Norfolk," said Norfolk Commanding Officer Capt. David J. Herman. "It's good to be back where the ship started from just two years ago." "I think my family and friends are happy I'm back in Norfolk, and it's good to be back in an operational submarine," he added. While Norfolk was returning to her long-missed homeport, some of the crew were arriving in Norfolk for the first time. "It's great to be here," said Sonar Technician 3rd Class (SS) Michael Labbe. "It's the first time I've ever been here. I went straight from sub school to the yards." An ERO is the largest maintenance effort in the life of a submarine. "It was a complete overhaul," said Herman. "Almost every single valve got redone, and the biggest part of the overhaul was a complete refueling." "It extended the life of the ship almost 15 years," he added. With stealth, endurance and agility, fast-attack submarines like Norfolk are multi-mission capable. They are able to deploy and support Special Forces operations, disrupt and destroy adversaries' military and economic operations at sea, provide early strike from close proximity, and ensure undersea superiority. Herman said the ERO was a complete success. "The planned schedule was 24 months - it was completed in 22 months. It was the fastest engineering refueling overhaul that has ever been done, and it was also under budget." Norfolk is 21 years old and is the 16th Los Angeles-class submarine. For related news, visit the Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/sublant.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

040826-N-2820Z-003 Norfolk, Va. (Aug. 26, 2004) – The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Norfolk (SSN 714) returns to her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. USS Norfolk is returning from a 22-month Engineering and Refueling overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery Maine. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Apprentice Andy Zask (RELEASED)

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040826-N-2820Z-002 Norfolk, Va. (Aug. 26, 2004) - Families and friends wait anxiously on the pier on board Naval Station Norfolk as the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Norfolk (SSN 714) returns to her homeport. USS Norfolk is returning from a 22-month Engineering and Refueling overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery Maine. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Apprentice Andy Zask (RELEASED)

[ProudVet77]

Bet the guys not on duty commuted every weekend from Portsmouth back to Norfolk. I remember the days of weekly jaunts from Norfolk to NYC. Man we were crazy, drive all night long on Sunday night to get back to the ship by morning muster.

[ProudVet77]

Welcome to the Navy.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

With stealth, endurance and agility, fast-attack submarines like Norfolk are multi-mission capable. They are able to deploy and support Special Forces operations, disrupt and destroy adversaries' military and economic operations at sea, provide early strike from close proximity, and ensure undersea superiority.

...the ERO (Engineering Refueling Overhaul) was a complete success.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

USS Norfolk (SSN 714) ~ good news for the good guys ~ welcome home ~ ping!

 

[Doohickey]

Only one of those shipyards can do a nuclear re-fueling. Plus, speading overhaul work to more than one shipyard keeps those shipyards open and ensures the skillset to do this type of work remains.

[Vineyard]

The Navy has 4 shipyards that can do nuclear refueling of submarines - Norfolk & Portsmouth (east coast), Puget Sound (west coast) and Pearl Harbor.

Aircraft Carriers are refueled at the Newport News Shipyard (civilian yard where the nuclear powered carriers are built).

The workload is spread out to keep all shipyards busy ... but after years of downsizing (going from 8 shipyards to 4 shipyards ... and the manning of the 4 remaining shipyards has also decreased significantly!!) ... it is also spread out to keep any shipyard from being overloaded while another shipyard is underworked.

The present "tag-line" is "ONE SHIPYARD" ... i.e. - NAVSEA (Naval Sea Systems Command) has a 1 shipyard concept where there are 4 sites .. but a shared workforce that can move assets (including manpower) to ensure the work gets done at best cost to the Navy.

Mike

[blackie]

Go Navy ~ Bump!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Severa]

Wanna hear something funnier than this? The first of the Virginia class subs, USS Virginia, is being based at Groton....