1 l 29 l 2018
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
A New Twist on Sub Construction Crews recently completed a major construction milestone for a fixture that will transform business operations and help revolutionize the way Newport News Shipbuilding constructs submarine hulls. X36 shipbuilders and contractors spent much of Saturday, Jan. 27, working to connect the components of the Advanced Fixture Assembly Machine in the Fixture Production Bay at the Joint Manufacturing and Assembly Facility (JMAF). Crews precisely positioned the caisson – a 400 metric-ton circular component that is 34 feet tall with a diameter of 66 feet – between two 73-foot columns and secured it to two coulisseaux, which allow the fixture to raise up
and down the two columns and overturn 180 degrees. “Everything went nice and smooth. It was a total team effort, not just one individual,” said Gary Lowe (X36), part of the 16-member transporter team that positioned the caisson. Pressure hulls for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine bows and sterns will be assembled inside the fixture. An overhead crane will introduce submarine hull plates into the fixture. An internal assembly tower and welding tower will move into position via embedded tracks and motorized carriages to assemble and weld the hull. CONTINUED ON PG 3
NNS Marks 132nd Anniversary Sunday, Jan. 28, marked 132 years of business for Newport News Shipbuilding. As the company celebrates this anniversary and its history, NNS leaders are also looking toward the future. Recently, senior staff met and put together a plan and vision for moving the company FORWARD. After discussing what they want NNS' future to look, feel and sound like, leaders turned to Shipbuilders Rochelle Robbins (O62) and Renae Myles (E01) to bring their words to life through art. Robbins communicated the NNSFORWARD Strategy's goals through spoken word, and Myles produced the painting shown to the left. Shipbuilders are invited to watch videos of Robbins performing spoken word and Myles describing her painting on MyNNS. There is also an anniversary photo slideshow on NNS' external website. Posters depicting the painting are now available on the first floor of Bldg. 520.
Renae Myles and Angela Nuttle recently produced this painting to visually represent NNS' path forward.