Page 8. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2015 U. S. NAVY NEWS
Navy’s Oldest Ship Receives Hull Cleaning
From Naval Sea Systems Command PA BOSTON (NNS) -- USS Constitution “Old Ironsides” received a waterborne underwa- ter hull cleaning and comprehensive inspec- tion in Boston Harbor, April 6-7 in prepara- tion for its upcoming May 19 dry-docking. Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy, last docked in 1995 and since then accumulated marine growth has fouled her hull. The Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) admin- isters the Navy’s hull cleaning program and provides hull cleaning and inspections services through its government contractor, Seaward Marine Services.
Hull cleaning reduces operating fuel ex- penses, safeguards the environment via re- duced greenhouse gas emissions, mitigates the spread of invasive species, and restores the hydrodynamics of the ship to improve its performance. Additionally, once a hull is cleaned, it affords divers the opportunity to assess the condition of the hull, hull coat- ings, and appendages for any damage prior to dry-docking. The 217-year-old ship, launched in October 1797, is unique because its wood- en hull is covered with thin copper sheets attached with copper nails. Historically, copper sheathing was used to inhibit marine growth and Constitution retains the sheath- ing for that purpose.
Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Trenton (JHSV 5)
From Team Ships Public Affairs
MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) -- The Navy accepted delivery of the USNS Trenton (JHSV 5), its fi fth joint high speed vessel, April 13. Having completed acceptance trials only a month ago, the ship continues to meet key milestones as it progresses towards op- erational status. Now delivered to the Navy, the ship’s crew will begin move-aboard and familiarization before the ship sails away from the shipyard to begin her shakedown period and fi nal contract trials later this year. “JHSVs continue to surpass our expec-
tations and Trenton is no exception. Built from a mature design, unwavering require- ments and with a committed Navy/Industry partnership, JHSV-5 has been designed to support and enable critical Navy missions throughout the world,” said Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Manager Capt. Henry Stevens. The fi rst two ships of the class, USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) and USNS Choctaw
County (JHSV 2) have already demonstrat- ed their inherent fl exibility participating in international exercises and missions. Most recently, in conjunction with multinational maritime exercises, USNS Spearhead deliv- ered more than 15,600 pounds of medical equipment and supplies to non-governmen- tal organizations operating in Ghana March 26.
“What really sets these vessels apart is their speed, agility and transport capability,” said Stevens. “Trenton can travel thousands of miles without refueling and has over 20,000 feet of stowage space in her mission bay for everything from vehicles and mil- itary cargo to humanitarian supplies. That means we can equip our troops and allies with mission essential supplies faster than ever before.”
JHSVs bridge the gap between low- speed sealift and high-speed airlift. In addition to their inherent cargo transport capabilities, JHSVs have a 15-foot draft and the ability to interface with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, facilitating the transport of cargo to shallow-draft waterways and ports. The vessels also features a fl ight deck designed to support helicopter operations and a fast-rescue boat mounted mid-ship on the port side. The vessel has airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces, with fi xed berthing for 104. USNS Trenton will be owned and op- erated by Military Sealift Command (MSC) and will be manned by a crew of 22 civil service mariners.
As one of the Defense Department’s
largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the develop- ment and procurement of all destroyers, am- phibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs man- aged by PEO Ships are benefi ting from serial production effi ciencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.
Undersea Rescue Command,
Contractors Work to get Pressurized Rescue Module Recertifi ed
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gerald Dudley Reynolds, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Crew members from Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and contractors from Phoenix International commenced the recertifi cation of pressur- ized rescue module Falcon (PRM-1) aboard surface support ship Hornbeck Offshore Services Dominator, April 2-7.
Future USS John Finn (DDG 113) Launched
This recertifi cation is the fi rst in-water test completed in two years.
The Falcon PRM is tethered and re- motely operated to rescue submarines. “Recertifying the Falcon is a very de- tailed but important process,” said Lt. j. g. Shawn Branske, Commander, Submarine Squadron 11’s URC maintenance offi cer. “The entire asset is torn down and examined from the nuts and bolts to the latches.” The process took several days to ensure quality checks were done correctly before going out to sea.
“Part of this recertifi cation process is to make the rescue operations run more smoothly,” said Jeremie Arnold, mechani- cal technician for the Falcon. “I have done recovery operations in Spain and India but there is always something we can improve on.”
The Falcon is an essential part of submarine recovery and rescue. It uses 12 thrusters to maneuver the module in the water, which allow it to reach a disabled submarine within minutes.
Operators can use it to conduct rescue operations at depths of up to 2,000 feet where a pumping mechanism helps attach it to a disabled submarine and can be adjusted for mating at up to 45 degrees.
Once mated to the submarine, high-pres- sure pumps release water pressure through the transfer skirt. After the pressure is re- leased up to 16 personnel can be transferred at a time.
“The rescue module is also equipped with 12 cameras and three sonars, which can be used to help locate the disabled sub- marine,” said Arnold. “The Falcon is a very
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rapidly deployable asset to help all navies with a rescue.”
The Falcon is scheduled to perform deep water testing later this month to fi nalize the recertifi cation process.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Wins Two Environmental Awards
From Portsmouth Naval Shipyard PA KITTERY, Maine (NNS) -- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) was recently an- nounced as the winner of two fi scal year 2014 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) En- vironmental Awards, one for Environmental Restoration-Installation and one for Cultural Resources Management-Small Installation. The SECNAV Environmental Awards recognize Navy and Marine Corps indi- viduals, teams, ships, and installations for exceptional environmental stewardship. The award submittals in each of the categories are judged on fi ve key criteria: program management, orientation to mis- sion, stakeholder interaction, transferability, and technical merit.
“The environmental restoration pro- gram has been ongoing for a number of years now, starting with our initial assessment in 1983 to identify potential cleanup sites,” said Cmdr. Jason Crosby, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) public works offi cer. “By the end of the summer, we will have completed records of decision and remedial actions for all but one site, which
Continued on Page 20.
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