Aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush completed planned incremental availability testing in mid-November. (US Navy)
With the completion of sea trials off the coast of Virginia in mid-November, aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) concluded its 10-month planned incremental availability (PIA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) in Virginia, US Navy (USN) officials confirmed on 18 November.
The modernisation and maintenance work included the installation of combination ovens in the ship's galley, modular refrigeration equipment to improve system reliability, and upgrades to the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) system, USN officials said. CANES is designed to enhance shipboard computing systems and to consolidate multiple legacy networks.
More modernisation work included the installation of the Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) system, the officials said.
NTCDL helps the ship to simultaneously transmit and receive real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from multiple sources. It also facilitates the exchange of command-and-control information over multiple datalinks, enhancing situational awareness and operational advantage.
Bush entered its PIA in January 2024 and completed the availability on time, USN officials noted.
To maintain the PIA schedule, NNSY scheduled a significant volume of advance work at Naval Station Norfolk (NAVSTA Norfolk) before the carrier's arrival at NNSY, the officials said.
USN officials noted that key trades workers and shop mechanics worked alongside engineering and material support personnel at NAVSTA Norfolk, bolstered by NNSY's off-yard carrier team.
NNSY also employed experienced zone managers, who conducted the PIA for aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69), completed in December 2022, to “improve overall learning and performance”, USN officials pointed out.
Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) completed its first post-PIA exercise while under way in the Pacific Ocean on 27 September.
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