Celebrating the Ford (CVN78)

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DAILY PRESS Sunday, November 24, 2013

JOE FUDGE/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

Newport News Shipbuilding completes the last of 162 superlifts on the Gerald R. Ford in May, making the carrier’s primary hull structure complete.

Shipbuilding in a time of tight budgets

Much is at stake for the Navy — and for national security — as officials consider paring our fleet of aircraft carriers

By Hugh Lessig |

hlessig@dailypress.com

Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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DAILY PRESS

Sunday, November 24, 2013

efense analyst Todd Harrison, who frequently testifies before Congress, has put a positive spin on the hard choices facing the U.S. military by quoting those sage philosophers better known as The Rolling Stones.

With tight budgets on the horizon, the Pentagon’s wish list isn’t happening, so it should view the future as a chance to reshape America’s fighting force and enact long-overdue reform, he said.

Put another way: You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

It sounds simple, but that philosophy has implications for every corner of the defense budget, including the construction and home-porting of aircraft carriers that serve as a linchpin of U.S. military strategy and a pillar of the Hampton Roads economy.

Can the Navy maintain the 11-carrier fleet that it wants? And if not, can it still get the punch it needs?

The Defense Department has raised the possibility of eliminating two or three carrier strike groups, which Harrison sees as a distinct possibility given the budget cuts now facing the Pentagon.

“It’s almost inevitable we’ll have to cut back on the number of carriers,” said Harrison, analyst and member of the Center for

D

Strategic and Budgetary Assessment.

The Navy dropped to 10 carriers when the USS Enterprise was retired from service last year. The Gerald R. Ford will bring it back to 11.

But implementing cuts to a carrier fleet would take years, not months. Here are two possible scenarios: Carriers returning to Newport News Shipbuilding for scheduled mid-life overhauls could be retired instead. These jobs, known as Refueling and Complex Overhauls, take four years to complete and involve thousands of workers.

The other way? Gradually reduce the fleet by not building carriers as often, Harrison said. Stretching out the production schedule by a few years could mean billions of dollars in savings.

Another question naturally follows when there is talk of shrinking the fleet. If the Navy has fewer carriers, can it boost the striking power of each one — literally getting more bang for the buck?

The Navy could invest in different weapons platforms or stealth drones that can increase the reach of a carrier. But with limited budgets, the Navy must choose between investing in long-term modernization or near-term strength.

Do we need so many aircraft carriers?

The Navy wants to maintain a fleet of 11 aircraft carriers. It currently has 10, plus the new USS Gerald R. Ford. But some analysts say the Navy will have to lose 2-3 carrier groups because of upcoming budget cuts. Naval Station Norfolk is the largest U.S. carrier homeport and the only one on the East Coast.

Bremerton, Wash.

USS John C. Stennis

Everett, Wash.

USS Nimitz

Newport News Shipbuilding USS Abraham Lincoln*

*The Lincoln had been based in Everett, Wash. Its temporary home is Newport News Shipbuilding as it undergoes a four-year overhaul.

San Diego, Calif.

USS Carl Vinson USS Ronald Reagan

North America

South America

Asia

Africa Australia

Yokosuka, Japan USS George Washington

Norfolk USS Theodore Roosevelt USS George H.W. Bush USS Harry S. Truman USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

See Page 7

DAILY PRESS

DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

The Gerald R. Ford’s sponsor, Susan Ford Bales, addresses a crowd during the keel laying ceremony in November 2009 at the Newport News shipyard.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

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PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING

The Newport News shipyard lifted an 825-ton section of the Gerald R. Ford into dry dock in September 2011, completing the ship’s stern.

“If you’re going to cut the number of carrier strike groups, you also ought to consider the mix of capability,” he said.

Stay the course The Navy could also choose to keep 11 carriers. Those who argue for a robust carrier fleet say cutting these floating platforms could create more problems than solutions.

Eric Wertheim is the author of The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World. He tracks, analyzes and compiles data on every naval force in the world.

“The big issue with aircraft carriers is that you can’t build them when you need them,” he said. “A new class takes a generation to prepare. A new ship takes nearly a decade. You either have them or you don’t.”

Aircraft carriers are a one-of-a-kind weapon that can overcome several challenges. When the enemy has occupied territory, they move forces close to the

battle. They get around the problem of asking permission to fly through the air space of another country in order to reach the enemy.

Carriers are useful in peacetime as well, moving U.S. forces to a world hot spot as a hedge against hostilities breaking out, or assisting in a humanitarian crisis. Much has been made of China building its first carrier.

“You have to ask yourself,” said Wertheim, “what do they see?”

But China has one carrier and the U.S. has 10 or 11. Can’t America afford to lose two or three and still maintain an edge?

Not really, said Wertheim. China’s interests are restricted to its home waters.

America has “a whole bunch of interests around the world we have to ensure. No matter where we go, we have to own the air.”

Peter H. Daly, a retired vice admiral, is CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute. Going down to eight carriers means “we’ll be able to cover much less of the world,” he said.

And carriers aren’t just for the Navy.

People might forget that in the dark days

after the 9/11 attacks, Army Rangers and special forces were brought into Afghanistan from the flight deck of the carrier USS Kitty Hawk. He fears that cutting the carrier fleet would come back to haunt the American people in a future war.

“I predict that five years from now, if there are carriers removed from service, people will say, ‘that’s not what we meant,’ ” he said.

Off schedule When must the U.S. make these tough choices? Two years ago would have been nice.

“These decisions are long overdue,” said Harrison. “They basically have been kicking the can down the road.”

Given how the government has been funded by a series of continuing resolutions, Harrison said the next big opportunity “to make serious and thoughtful decisions” is the fiscal year 2015 budget.

A global powerhouse The United States holds a wide advantage in aircraft carriers relative to other countries. Then again, the Navy is spread around the world, which is not the case for other countries. Here is a rundown of carriers from around the world. A full-size carrier refers to ships like the U.S. Nimitz class, which uses catapults to launch fighter jets and other fixed-wing aircraft. Other countries classify ships as “aircraft carriers,” but these are smaller than the U.S. fleet, accommodating helicopters and Harrier jump jets, which can take off and land vertically.

United States: 10 full-sized carriers Brazil, China, France, Russia: Each have one full-sized carrier Italy: Two small aircraft carriers India and Thailand: Each have one small aircraft carrier

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

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GERALD R. FORD (CVN 78) Saturday, November 9, 2013 This historic day marks the christening of the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), a new class of aircraft carriers.

Thank you to Newport News Shipbuilding and its employees for their dedication and commitment to creating America's next great warship.

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Bottom left: Shipbuilder Lindell Toombs applies a protective coating to one of the four propellers on the Gerald R. Ford.

Below: The Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is seen during its construction in dry dock in the north yard at Newport News Shipbuilding.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS OXLEY

JOE FUDGE/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

Futuristic meets

frugal Gerald R. Ford’s advanced nuclear power system enables greater technology, minimizes maintenance

By Hugh Lessig hlessig@dailypress.com

imply put, the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier has more juice.

The Gerald R. Ford will sail the seas with more voltage coursing through its many systems, allowing it to power advanced components and increase the level of automation. It creates a ripple effect throughout the ship.

More automation means fewer sailors. More advanced systems should translate into less maintenance. And before its service to the nation ends, the Ford may well sail into science fiction, deploying laser beams, rail guns and other energydirected weapons. It has enough power to pack that kind of punch.

It all starts with something the Navy doesn’t talk about much: its nuclear propulsion plant.

The Ford has a newly designed nuclear power system that will produce far more electricity than the current fleet of Nimitz-class carriers. The reactors are designed with more energy in the core, said Rear Adm. Thomas J. Moore, program executive officer, aircraft carriers.

“They don’t make the ship go

S

See Page 11

Sunday, November 24, 2013

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10 DAILY PRESS Sunday, November 24, 2013

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CONGRATULATIONS TO NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING – HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES ON THE BUILDING OF THE GERALD R. FORD, THE MOST MODERN AND EFFECTIVE WAR SHIP IN THE WORLD. MAINTAINING PEACE THROUGH OUT THE WORLD AND BRINGING MUCH NEEDED JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY, THE STATE AND THE NATION. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING HAMPTON MACHINE SHOP TO BE A SMALL PART OF THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

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ADRIN SNIDER/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

Newport News Shipbuilding workers place the final keel section of the Gerald R. Ford in May 2012. The 680-metric-ton lower bow unit was joined with other keel sections in the dock.

faster,” he said. “It’s like having a bigger gas tank. You can go more miles before you put more gas in the tank.”

The new plant and better design will result in a near three-fold increase in electrical generating capacity. Gone are the steamdriven catapults that for decades flung carrier-based fighter jets into the air. The Ford uses electromagnetic launchers that operate on the same principle as an amusement park ride, but on a much greater scale, and with much more at stake.

A number of features will mean less maintenance, the Navy says. The propulsion plant will be air-conditioned to blunt the corrosive effect of salty air and dirt. More electrical power means fewer valves to turn, which should also reduce the need for repairs.

The additional automation means a smaller crew — hundreds less than a Nimitz-class

flattop.

“The Ford in general is built with new technology that allows for fewer people to operate the ship,” Moore said.

Homefront concerns With fewer sailors, less required maintenance and more gas in the tank, the Navy has positioned the Ford to fight more than one battle. The second fight will be waged in Washington over defense spending.

The Defense Department has raised the possibility of shrinking the 11-carrier fleet, and the Ford is billed as a more advanced warship that will save taxpayers money over the long term.

DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

See Page 12

Robert Bowker welds the initials of the Gerald R. Ford’s sponsor, Susan Ford Bales, onto the keel in November 2009, during the keel laying and authentication ceremony

Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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The typical life cycle cost of a Nimitzclass carrier stands at $32 billion, Moore said. That includes planning, construction, operation, maintenance and deactivation.

The Ford is aiming to cost $28 billion over the same period, and one of the main reasons goes back to those 900 to 1,200 fewer sailors.

“People make up the largest life cycle cost of an aircraft carrier,” Moore said.

“People are more expensive today.”

And because budgets are shrinking, the Navy must stretch its fleet further than before. Remember that big gas tank?

Moore said that will pay dividends years down the road as the Navy looks to project its strength to all four corners of the world.

“It provides the ship with more endurance, and as we enter into an era where the demand signal for carriers is higher, and the potential exists that we may want to have more steaming days for these ships than the Nimitz class, that extra gas in the tank allows the ship to support an increased operational tempo,” he said.

At one time, the Navy had deployed its carriers for six months, followed by an extended maintenance period.

“Now we’re seeing deployments for eight or nine months,” he said. “And it’s not unheard of for a carrier to come back from deployment, reset for a couple of months and go back out before going into a major shipyard maintenance period.”

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

ADRIN SNIDER/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

In 2007, engineer Tosha Hartley sits in front of a projection used to view a ship’s space three dimensionally. The tool allows shipbuilders at the shipyard in Newport News to design-test an aircraft carrier before it’s actually built.

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

ROB OSTERMAIER/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

Curtis “Doc” Eley, center, supervises as the island is lowered onto the deck of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford in January at Newport News Shipbuilding.

They’re expecting.

More efficiency, fewer headaches and a smaller price tag. Those demands weigh on shipbuilders as they prepare to craft the John F. Kennedy, the next carrier in the Ford class.

By Hugh Lessig |

T

o understand the headaches that come from building a new class of aircraft carrier, consider what happened with the valves on the Gerald R. Ford.

Because the Ford was brand new, the ship’s valves had to meet new qualifications. When the vendor got behind, Newport News Shipbuilding installed temporary spool pieces where the valves were supposed to go and continued working.

hlessig@dailypress.com

When the valves finally arrived, they went back and replaced the spools — again and again and again.

“You multiply that thousands of times, doing that on the Ford, and that has caused significant challenges,” said Rear Adm. Thomas J. Moore, the program executive officer for carrier programs.

Moore tells the valve story when asked See Page 16

Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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The Gerald R. Ford is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall.

New island Includes the latest technology in flat panel array radar systems and dual band radar Shorter in length, but 20 feet taller than previous carrier islands

Empire State Building 1,454 feet tall to the top of the lightning rod

Building a better carrier The new design of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier includes many improvements over previous Nimitz-class carriers.

Gerald R. Ford Overall length: 1,092 feet

On deck More area for airplane maintenance because the island is smaller and moved farther aft Weapons elevators use electromagnetic hoist system that replaces cable New software-controlled arresting gear system will recover current and future aircraft

Aircraft elevators There are only three aircraft elevators; the previous carrier, George H.W. Bush, had four Each is capable of lifting up to 200,000 pounds

By the numbers 2

162

200,000

superlifts*

gallons of paint

12

250

4,000,000

years between drydock maintenance

feet of installed fiber optic cable

30

percent increase in electrical capacity due to a new electrical distribution system

percent reduction in necessary maintenance

5,000

hangar bays

shipbuilders worked on the carrier

4,000,000 pounds of weld metal consumed

10,000,000 feet of installed electrical cable

*Smaller sections of the ship are welded together to form units called superlifts. The superlifts become the building blocks of the ship.

General characteristics Gerald R. Ford class

Nimitz class

Power source

Two new nuclear reactors increase electrical power generation

Two nuclear reactors

Length

1,092 feet

1,092 feet

Beam

134 feet

134 feet

Flight deck width

256 feet

252 feet

Displacement

Approximately 100,000 long tons* fully loaded

Approximately 98,560 long tons* fully loaded

Speed

30+ knots

30+ knots

Crew

4,539 (ship, air wing and staff)

5,000-5,200

Aircraft

Approximately 75+

Approximately 60+

(34.5+ miles per hour)

(34.5+ miles per hour) (ship’s company: 3,000-3,200, air wing: 1,500, other: 500)

From steam to electricity New electromagnetic catapult system replaces steam-powered system Electric water heaters replace steam system There are no steam turbine driven auxiliaries

More efficient Ford carrier is able to generate 25 percent more flight missions per day than Nimitz-class carriers

*Long ton = 2,240 pounds

Sources: Newport News Shipbuilding and U.S. Navy

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DAILY PRESS

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Daily Press graphic; rendering courtesy of Newport News Shipbuilding

Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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The Gerald R. Ford is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall.

New island Includes the latest technology in flat panel array radar systems and dual band radar Shorter in length, but 20 feet taller than previous carrier islands

Empire State Building 1,454 feet tall to the top of the lightning rod

Building a better carrier The new design of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier includes many improvements over previous Nimitz-class carriers.

Gerald R. Ford Overall length: 1,092 feet

On deck More area for airplane maintenance because the island is smaller and moved farther aft Weapons elevators use electromagnetic hoist system that replaces cable New software-controlled arresting gear system will recover current and future aircraft

Aircraft elevators There are only three aircraft elevators; the previous carrier, George H.W. Bush, had four Each is capable of lifting up to 200,000 pounds

By the numbers 2

162

200,000

superlifts*

gallons of paint

12

250

4,000,000

years between drydock maintenance

feet of installed fiber optic cable

30

percent increase in electrical capacity due to a new electrical distribution system

percent reduction in necessary maintenance

5,000

hangar bays

shipbuilders worked on the carrier

4,000,000 pounds of weld metal consumed

10,000,000 feet of installed electrical cable

*Smaller sections of the ship are welded together to form units called superlifts. The superlifts become the building blocks of the ship.

General characteristics Gerald R. Ford class

Nimitz class

Power source

Two new nuclear reactors increase electrical power generation

Two nuclear reactors

Length

1,092 feet

1,092 feet

Beam

134 feet

134 feet

Flight deck width

256 feet

252 feet

Displacement

Approximately 100,000 long tons* fully loaded

Approximately 98,560 long tons* fully loaded

Speed

30+ knots

30+ knots

Crew

4,539 (ship, air wing and staff)

5,000-5,200

Aircraft

Approximately 75+

Approximately 60+

(34.5+ miles per hour)

(34.5+ miles per hour) (ship’s company: 3,000-3,200, air wing: 1,500, other: 500)

From steam to electricity New electromagnetic catapult system replaces steam-powered system Electric water heaters replace steam system There are no steam turbine driven auxiliaries

More efficient Ford carrier is able to generate 25 percent more flight missions per day than Nimitz-class carriers

*Long ton = 2,240 pounds

Sources: Newport News Shipbuilding and U.S. Navy

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DAILY PRESS

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Daily Press graphic; rendering courtesy of Newport News Shipbuilding

Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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Challenges. Concerns. Expectations. what will be easier about building the John F. Kennedy, the next carrier in the Ford class. Planning for the Kennedy is underway at the Newport News shipyard.

The Kennedy won’t be any different than the Ford, and that’s a good thing for shipbuilders. Parts that were in short supply for the Ford can be stockpiled well in advance of the Kennedy, avoiding costly delays.

That’s not the only lesson learned. The shipyard has a more efficient plan to construct the Kennedy, said Mike Shawcross, vice president for CVN-79, which is the Ford’s numerical designation.

Simply put, if you build the same aircraft carrier over and over, you get better at it, and both Newport News and the Navy “have learned a heck of a lot,” said Moore.

But those lessons have come with a price, and not everyone is convinced that the Ford’s problems are behind it.

A long, winding road In September, the investigative arm of Congress issued a stinging report on the Ford program, raising concerns about the carrier’s capabilities and budget.

The Government Accountability Office said key systems on the Ford will face “significant reliability shortfalls” even after it is commissioned. The problems will likely limit the ship’s ability to conduct missions and increase the cost to taxpayers.

GAO cited “inefficient, out of sequence work” and the installation of some technology before it was fully tested and matured.

It recommended delaying the award of a new contract that would authorize more work on the Kennedy until the Navy completed land-based testing for key ship systems.

One week after the GAO report was made public, the Navy announced it would delay that $4 billion contract, although work can continue under an existing agreement so the Kennedy’s overall delivery date should not be affected.

The cost of the Ford increased by 22 percent since its construction authorization in 2008, the report said.

Responding to the report, the Defense Department agreed on the need for some cost and planning reforms in the Ford program, but said the report goes too far in saying the Ford will face “significant operational limitations” once commissioned.

Moore echoed that assessment when

asked about the GAO study.

“I respect the GAO report and what they put out,” he said. “We don’t take issue with the findings themselves. We have some cost challenges on the ship. The only thing I took issue with is the character of the risk itself.”

While the Navy has developed some technology during construction, it also has tested that technology, Moore said. For example, the electromagnetic launch system for aircraft has undergone more than 200 launches at a test facility in New Jersey.

Moore said he’s confident that his concerns will be answered by the time the Navy takes delivery of the ship in 2016.

Earlier is better The Navy and the shipyard started down the path of building the ship before the design was complete. That’s not unusual in shipbuilding, Moore said, “but the complexity is magnified in something as large and ambitious as an aircraft carrier,” Moore said.

That won’t happen with the Kennedy. It will proceed with a completed design and an improved construction process, said

Shawcross.

“We document any issues that come up with putting the (Ford) together,” he said.

“All of those are logged (and) we roll those into the design for the Kennedy.”

Timing is also key. If you’re building a car, it’s easier to work on the engine when it’s moving along an assembly line instead of waiting until it is bolted onto the vehicle body and covered by a hood.

Likewise, it is easier for shipyard workers to complete their work in the shop instead of waiting for a component to be part of the larger ship, where issues like access and lighting may be more difficult.

“We’re looking at putting the ship together differently and in more efficient ways,” Shawcross said.

But even that good news comes with a challenge: The Navy expects that a more efficient operation will have a favorable impact on the Kennedy’s price tag.

According to Navy budget documents, the total cost of the Ford is estimated at $12.8 billion, which includes $3.2 billion in planning costs.

The price tag for the Kennedy is estimated at $11.3 billion.

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

is proud to congratulate Newport News Shipbuilding on the completion of the newest class of aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

KAITLIN MCKEOWN/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

From left: Apprentices Will Gaydos, Jonnathan Wilson and Sarah Erlandson and Apprentice School instructor Jeff Bilodeau helped build the upper bow section of the Gerald R. Ford.

Apprentice shipfitters leave mark

All-apprentice crew savors privilege of constructing upper bow section of Ford

By Hugh Lessig hlessig@dailypress.com

he Gerald R. Ford weighs 90,000 tons, but it still came together piece by piece.

It’s the job of shipfitters to join those pieces into one mammoth ship. And a certain crew at Newport News Shipbuilding has a special attachment to the upper bow section of what is now America’s most advanced aircraft carrier.

An all-apprentice crew worked on this forward section of the ship, helping give

T

the Ford its distinctive profile. The project has become a source of pride not only for the crew, but for Jeff Bilodeau, a craft instructor at the Newport News Apprentice School.

“As advanced as that unit was, the opportunity to do that was incredible,” he said. “It’s something that these apprentices could see from start to finish.”

Normally, apprentice crews include a few seasoned shipbuilders to help teach the younger workers.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

See /Page 19

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A Historic Milestone

GERALD R. FORD CVN 78

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“You have to figure out how to make this ship happen out of flat metal.”

Sarah Erlandson But it just so happened that Bilodeau found himself with an all-apprentice crew of shipfitters to join together bulkheads, decks and other components.

Being a shipfitter is sort of like framing a house, the crew says, except they’re doing it with huge pieces of steel instead of wood.

“It starts out as flat metal somewhere in the fab (fabrication) shop,” said Sarah Erlandson, 22, of Leesburg. “You have to figure out how to make this ship happen out of flat metal.”

Shipfitters need a variety of skills to do their job.

“I like fitting because it’s one of those all-around trades,” said Will Gaydos, 20, of Orlando, Fla. “You really learn a lot. You have all this steel laying around and you build something that is ready to be welded, that’s complete. That’s something I really like, just being able to see my work and see progress.”

It also has fringe benefits outside the shipyard. Jonnathan Wilson, 26, who grew up in Portsmouth, said he’s a lot more confident when it comes to working on projects around the house because he has learned a number of different skills.

See /Page 20

ADRIN SNIDER/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO KAITLIN MCKEOWN/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

Apprentice shipfitter Will Gaydos talks about helping to build the upper bow section of the aircraft carrier Ford.

Newport News Shipbuilding joined the Ford’s 680-metric-ton lower bow unit with its other keel sections in May 2012.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

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The high point of the experience was seeing the upper bow lifted onto the Ford as a finished unit.

“You stand on the ground and say, ‘Look, that’s what I did,’ ” Erlandson said.

“That’s probably the best feeling,” Wilson agreed.

As an instructor, Bilodeau saw other positives, as well. Without more experienced workers to advise them, the crew got up to speed and learned from each other.

“You can watch them grow as they’re developing these units,” he said. “Just watching them come together, watching the friendships that develop, just seeing them hang out together after work because they built that bond, it’s a good feeling watching that.”

Now that the Ford is in the water, the apprentices have something to brag about for the next 50 years.

“I weld it and grind on it, and I’m building these huge things,” said Erlandson. “It’s cool because it’s something you can tell your kids. ‘Oh yeah, I built the first Ford-class carrier.’ ” Contact Hugh Lessig at 757-247-7821.

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KAITLIN MCKEOWN/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

From left: Apprentices Sarah Erlandson, Will Gaydos and Jonnathan Wilson helped to build the upper bow section of the aircraft carrier Ford.

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JONATHON GRUENKE/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

Jimmy Witt is a longtime shipyard employee who has turned the shaft of every Nimitz-class carrier and now the first-in-class Ford.

PRECISION AT A PREMIUM Less than 3,000th of an inch of variance. That’s what the Navy demands of the structures built by Jimmy Witt, who has spent more than 50 years as a machinist

By Hugh Lessig | hlessig@dailypress.com Sunday, November 24, 2013

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JOE FUDGE/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

Newport News Shipbuilding machinist Jimmy Witt adjusts a large rudder shift from the Carl Vinson in 2006. Witt has worked at the Newport News shipyard since the summer of 1961.

I

n the summer of 1961, Jimmy Witt stepped off a Greyhound bus in downtown Newport News to start a new job that came with a fat 33 percent raise.

His old job in Charlottesville paid a buck fifty an hour, but the Newport News shipyard had jacked it up to two bucks.

Growing up in West Virginia coal country, Witt had never heard of Newport News or its shipyard. But his friend had landed a job there, and Witt had something that made him a valuable commodity to a company on the cutting edge of Navy ship design and construction.

As a high school kid, he displayed an aptitude for machining metal, a skill he honed by attending trade school in the morning and high school at night.

“I just loved machining metal,” he said.

“It was just something that attracted me.”

At first, the job seemed like a tall order to an 18-year-old kid out of high school.

“They took me on a tour of the machine shop, and they showed me all these big machines,” he said. “And the man said, ‘one day, you’re going to be running this.’ And I’m thinking, ‘I don’t think so.’ ”

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He eventually thought so. In fact, Newport News Shipbuilding became his home for the next 52 years. After spending his first few months in a boarding house on 35th Street, he eventually settled in Grafton, York County, where he lives today.

During his five-plus decades, Witt has worked on the giant shafts that help propel nuclear-powered aircraft carriers through the water. The shafts measure 66 feet, 8 inches and weigh 52 tons, yet they must be machined to precision, spinning with no more than 3,000th of an inch of variance.

That degree of precision not only makes the carrier run smoothly, it could save lives.

A shaft with too much variance will vibrate and create a distinctive noise that a foreign government could detect.

Witt has put his fingerprints on every Nimitz-class carrier in the U.S. fleet, as well as the first-in-class carrier Gerald R. Ford.

During his decades of service, he spent time at sea on a carrier just once, when the USS Carl Vinson was on sea trials.

He still remembered one early morning test when the ship was running near top speed and went in reverse.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

“You can’t stay in bed,” he said. “I mean, the walls are rattling. The doors are rattling.

When they throw that thing in reverse, you think they’re going to tear the back end out of it. That’s when you realize how much power those props have when they turn.”

He retired Aug. 2 of this year as the Ford neared completion, crediting his co-workers with lengthening his career.

“They were all really good to me,” he said.

“The older guys, if I had a problem years ago, I would go to an older mechanic who had a lot more experience than I did. I never remember anyone refusing to help me. And I was not shy about asking for help.”

Midway through his career, Witt found the tables turned as he became the teacher, and machinist Kenny Walker became his protege. Walker, who lives in Gloucester, said he took the chance to train with Witt because it allowed him to work during the day.

Witt spelled out how it would go.

“He came down here to get on day shift, and I said, ‘Look, it’s going to be a little tough the first year, but once you get confident that you can cut these shafts, you’re going to

love it. You’re going to finish out your career here.’”

Witt is fine with handing over the reins to Walker. After all, they’ve worked together for more than a decade.

“They made a good choice when they picked Kenny,” Witt said. “He’s a top-notch machinist. He catches on quick. I only have to tell him something one time — most times.”

Walker said he enjoys a challenge, and cutting shafts for aircraft carriers has not disappointed.

The job of “getting those shafts out and getting them to the specifications required was pretty stringent,” Walker said. “The average human hair is three-thousandths in diameter, so it has to be that close. As it’s rotating, it’s got to be steady.”

Walker has a good attitude, according to his teacher.

“He’s just a nice guy to work with,” Witt said. “And it’s nice when you enjoy who you’re working with.”

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

ROB OSTERMAIER/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

Capt. John Meier talks about the challenges and rewards of being the commander of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, a first-in-class ship constructed by Newport News Shipbuilding.

First-in-class

Resolve Commander of USS Gerald R. Ford once thought he would fly commercial planes for a living, but a desire to ‘fix things’ convinced him to commit to the Navy

By Hugh Lessig | hlessig@dailypress.com

omewhere, perhaps tucked away in a family album, is a photo of young John Meier at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, sitting astride the Army mule.

Today, this isn’t something he readily publicizes as the Navy’s handpicked commander of the world’s most advanced aircraft carrier. But it illustrates a key character trait for the new skipper of the Gerald R. Ford.

Meier is not afraid to change direction if it means pursuing a goal.

The Ford represents the most challenging assignment to date for the 49-year-old western Pennsylvania native. A few months ago, he exchanged his Navy cap for a hard hat to help oversee completion of the firstin-class ship at Newport News Shipbuilding. Now he must mold thousands of sailors into a single, cohesive crew.

Asked if he ever saw himself in this position, he replied bluntly: “Not at all.”

S

Make things better Meier’s father served in the Army Chemical Corps and at one point interviewed prospective cadets for West Point, which explains how Meier ended up on that mule.

“I was kind of like a lot of sons, they want to do the opposite of their dad,” he said. “There was no way I was going in the Army, but I liked the Navy a lot. That really appealed to me.”

He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1986 with a degree in general engineering and received his aviator’s wings two years later. Meier flew the EA-6B Prowler, a twin-engine electronic warfare aircraft.

“When I initially joined, I thought I would do my tour, learn to fly jets and go fly for the airlines,” he said. “During the

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course of that decision to stay or go, I realized there were things I didn’t like about the Navy, and that I couldn’t fix them if I got out. That’s what really motivated me to stay in, to make a difference and to fix things, to make things better.”

What did he want to fix?

A new culture The Navy had some policies he didn’t like. He saw Navy leaders who did good jobs and others he didn’t necessarily respect. He tried to learn from both. He didn’t like the tendency of the Navy “to do collective punishment or to hold people to the lowest common denominator.”

Many things have changed for the better.

He is proud of the Navy’s culture, work ethic, command climate and spirit within

the command. And he’s impressed with today’s young sailors, who are more technologically savvy and more accepting of change.

Take the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy on gay service members.

“I would argue it was the biggest nonissue ever,” he said. “If it was going to be an issue, it was probably an issue with the older folks. The younger sailors, they’re pretty understanding and pretty nonjudgmental of people’s lifestyles.”

That change didn’t happen overnight. It could not have happened when he joined back in the 1980s, he said. But now it will help the Navy attract the best sailors.

And that’s who he wants serving on the Ford.

“It doesn’t mean the best males,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean the best white males. It means nothing but the best and the brightest. You look at the systems on board this

ship. It’s the most technologically advanced ship in the world. I want the smartest, most capable sailors to operate its systems, regardless of any of those labels people like to put on each other. It doesn’t matter what their sexual preference is, their skin color, their gender. They need to be competent.”

Before Meier was selected to lead the Ford, he first had to command an aircraft squadron. Then he served in the Pentagon and was later selected for the Navy’s nuclear power school. He hadn’t been in a classroom for 20 years.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said. “But what in life that’s worthwhile, is easy or free?”

Molding a crew Meier assumed command of the Ford in

July and got to know the ins and outs of the shipyard while the final pieces of the carrier came together.

“It’s a little different, certainly,” he said.

“Sailors belong on ships, and ships belong at sea. But you have to build them some time and you have to maintain them some time. This is every bit as vital — because if we don’t get this part right, it won’t operate at sea.”

The challenge for his crew is doubly difficult because his sailors are blazing a trail, a big difference from the last new carrier to leave the yard, the USS George H.W. Bush.

“When Bush was built, they had 10 other Nimitz-class carriers,” he said. “For a firstof-class ship, there’s nobody else on the waterfront we can lean on.”

Lessig can be reached by phone at 757-247-7821.

ROB OSTERMAIER/DAILY PRESS FILE PHOTO

Capt. John Meier stands on the flight deck of the Ford in July at Newport News Shipbuilding, when a time capsule was welded to the aircraft carrier in a ceremony.

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Commissioned carriers built in Newport News

USS George H.W. Bush

USS Ronald Reagan

USS Harry S. Truman

USS John C. Stennis

USS George Washington

Hull number: CVN 77 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based at Naval Station Norfolk) Christened: Oct. 7, 2006 Commissioned: Jan. 10, 2009

Hull number: CVN 76 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based in San Diego, Calif.)

Christened: March 4, 2001 Commissioned: July 12, 2003

Hull number: CVN 75 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based at Naval Station Norfolk) Christened: Sept. 7, 1996 Commissioned: July 25, 1998

Hull number: CVN 74 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based in Bremerton, Wash.)

Christened: Nov. 11, 1993 Commissioned: Dec. 9, 1995

Hull number: CVN 73 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based in Yokosuka, Japan) Christened: July 21, 1990 Commissioned: July 4, 1992

USS Abraham Lincoln

USS Theodore Roosevelt

USS Carl Vinson

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower USS Nimitz

Hull number: CVN 72 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based at Naval Station Norfolk) Christened: Feb. 13, 1988 Commissioned: Nov. 11, 1989

Hull number: CVN 71 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based at Naval Station Norfolk) Christened: Oct. 27, 1984 Commissioned: Oct. 25, 1986

Hull number: CVN 70 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based in San Diego, Calif.)

Christened: March 15, 1980 Commissioned: March 13, 1982

Hull number: CVN 69 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based at Naval Station Norfolk) Christened: Oct. 11, 1975 Commissioned: Oct. 18, 1977

Hull number: CVN 68 (Nimitz-class supercarrier) Status: Active (Based in Everett, Wash.)

Christened: May 13, 1972 Commissioned: May 3, 1975

Decommissioned carriers built in Newport News

USS Enterprise Hull number: CVN 65 (Enterprise-class supercarrier) Status: Inactive (Berthed at Newport News Shipbuilding) Christened: Sept. 24, 1960 Commissioned: Nov. 25, 1961

USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67): Commissioned Sept. 7, 1968; decommissioned March 23, 2007 USS America (CV 66): Commissioned Jan. 23, 1965; decommissioned Aug. 9, 1996 USS Ranger (CVA 61): Commissioned Aug. 10, 1957; decommissioned July 10, 1993 USS Forrestal (CVA 59): Commissioned Oct. 1, 1955; decommissioned Sept. 30, 1993 USS Coral Sea (CVB 43): Commissioned Oct. 1, 1947; decommissioned April 26, 1990

USS Midway (CVB 41): Commissioned Sept. 10, 1945; decommissioned April 11, 1992 USS Leyte (CV 32): Commissioned April 11, 1946; decommissioned May 15, 1959 USS Boxer (CV 21): Commissioned April 16, 1945; decommissioned Dec. 1, 1969 USS Randolph (CV 15): Commissioned Oct. 9, 1944; decommissioned Feb. 13, 1969 USS Ticonderoga (CV 14): Commissioned May 8, 1944; decommissioned Sept. 1, 1973

USS Franklin (CV 13): Commissioned Jan. 31, 1944; decommissioned Feb. 17, 1947 USS Hornet (CV 12): Commissioned Nov. 20, 1943; decommissioned May 26, 1970 USS Intrepid (CV 11): Commissioned Aug. 16, 1943; decommissioned March 15, 1974 USS Yorktown (CV 10): Commissioned April 15, 1943; decommissioned June 27, 1970 USS Essex (CV 9): Commissioned Dec. 31, 1942; decommissioned June 20, 1969

USS Hornet (CV 8): Commissioned Oct. 20, 1941; sunk Oct. 26, 1942 during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands USS Enterprise (CV 6): Commissioned May 12, 1938; decommissioned Feb. 17, 1947 USS Yorktown (CV 5): Commissioned Sept. 30, 1937; sunk June 7, 1942 during the Battle of Midway USS Ranger (CV 4): Commissioned June 4, 1934; decommissioned ct. 18, 1946

Sources: U.S. Navy, Newport News Shipbuilding, Daily Press archives Sunday, November 24, 2013

DAILY PRESS

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KAITLIN MCKEOWN/DAILY PRESS PHOTO

Matt Mulherin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding, watches as Susan Ford Bales christens the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford on Nov. 9 at Newport News Shipbuilding.

‘History in the making’

By Hugh Lessig hlessig@dailypress.com

NEWPORT NEWS — With tearful memories and a decisive swing, Susan Ford Bales christened the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier on Nov. 9 under perfect skies at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Named for the nation’s 38th president, the Gerald R. Ford ushers in a new class of warship designed to rule the seas through the 21st century. But apart from the technological advances it represents, much of the day was dedicated to recalling an unassuming congressman from Grand Rapids who helped steer a nation through a painful chapter of U.S. history.

In an emotional message aimed directly at the carrier’s crew, Ford Bales read 26

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portions of her father’s final letter, written to a friend shortly after he learned the carrier would be named for him Her father wrote: “It is a great source of boundless pride and humility to know that an aircraft carrier bearing my name will be forever connected to the valor and patriotic service of men and women of the United States Navy.”

He died one month later, and Ford Bales nearly broke down as she noted how Capt.

John F. Meier and his sailors have praised her dad.

“You’ve expressed your own views about his integrity and its importance to this magnificent carrier,” she said. “Dad . . . their message fills this shipyard. You kept your promise; you healed the nation, you gave the American people a presidency that was a

Sunday, November 24, 2013

shining beacon of ‘Integrity At The Helm.’”

“Integrity at the helm” is the official motto of Ford.

Then came the climactic moment, as Ford Bales ascended steps, took her place at the bow of the giant ship and, with a level two-handed swing, broke a bottle of sparkling wine across a metal bar to christen the ship.

She nailed it on the first try and gave a fist pump for good measure.

“I think we can all agree, that was a good swing,” said Newport News Shipbuilding President Matt Mulherin.

The Newport News shipyard is the only facility in the nation that builds and maintains the U.S. nuclear-powered carrier fleet, and the Ford — which is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2016 — isn’t the only

current tenant. On the opposite end of the shipyard sits the nation’s first nuclear-powered carrier, Enterprise, retired from service last year.

In between Enterprise and Ford is the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is undergoing a mid-life refueling. The continuum represented by the three ships was not lost on Mike Petters, president and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the parent of Newport News Shipbuilding. He recalled when Enterprise was introduced to the world as a technological marvel, and what shipyard workers thought of it.

“They were confident they knew then, they were witnessing history in the making,” he said, “as are we today.”

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

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from downtown Newport News, we have always been proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the men and women at Newport News Shipbuilding.

From the year we first published in downtown Newport News, we have always been proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the men and women at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Congratulations Daily Press

Show that early cover… Something of the Enterprise… and now…

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Sunday, November 24, 2013 DAILY PRESS

Since the very first year we published

28 DAILY PRESS Sunday, November 24, 2013

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