6 | 1 | 2021
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
Photo by Ashley Cowan
Historic Barge Departs NNS
Shipbuilders said goodbye to the historical Surface Ship Support Barge (SSSB) on April 18.
the SSSB remained in Dry Dock 10. Shipbuilders stowed the barge in Dry Dock 2 from 2016 to 2021 for inactivation work.
The barge supported nuclear refueling and defueling at Newport News Shipbuilding for more than 50 years. Past customers include: Long Beach (CGN 9), Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
Jim Calabrese (X72), deputy program manager of aircraft carrier and submarine inactivations, said SSSB’s recent inactivation and tow required teamwork for success. “This evolution helps pave the way for Nimitz-class inactivation and disposal operations,” he said. “It’s a bittersweet closure to a historic chapter for the Naval Nuclear Power Program. We’ve said farewell to an old trusted friend that served us well.”
Don Marrow (E82) helped discover early processes for SSSB. “My role was to write procedures and tech manuals for SSSB,” he said. “It has an interesting history.” The SSSB started its life as the mid-body section of the SS Cantigny, an oil tanker built during World War II. While at NNS,
A new facility replaced the SSSB to support refueling and defueling aircraft carriers. A federal contractor is responsible for dismantling and disposing the SSSB.
Improving the Process The shipbuilders responsible for installing the massive elevators that will move aircraft on John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) faced quite a learning curve. However, they were able to learn as they worked and gain efficiencies that will make the job safer and faster on future carriers. CVN 79 may be the second Ford-class carrier, but it is the first to have an electric aircraft elevator (EACE) system. Older ships used hydraulic elevators. “It’s a smaller footprint as far as machinery,” said Construction Supervisor Adam Horak (X01). “The capacity of the elevator is the same, but there’s a reduction in operation time compared to Ford, and it still meets the sortie rate.”
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An aircraft elevator is installed on John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) in 2019.