Over 2,300 Components to be Modernised
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has been awarded a $2.9 billion (€2.4 billion) contract for the refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS JOHN C STENNIS, the company announced on 19 February.
The RCOH represents 35% of all maintenance and modernisation in an aircraft carrier’s 50-year service life. The process for the JOHN C STENNIS will include refuelling the ship’s reactors, as well as extensive modernisation work to more than 2,300 compartments, hundreds of tanks and systems. In addition, major upgrades will be made to the propulsion plant, the flight deck, catapults, combat systems and the island.
Built at Newport News, STENNIS was christened in 1993 and delivered to the Navy in 1995. The ship is the seventh NIMITZ-class carrier to undergo this major life-cycle milestone. More than 4,000 Newport News employees will support the execution effort, which will continue through late 2025.