Hi everyone; this is Kevin. Today is Tuesday, December 14th.
Last week I took part in the alpha trials for SSN 793 PCU Oregon. These trials are the first major test of a submarine’s capabilities at sea. During alpha trials, all the boat’s systems and components are tested, the boat submerges for the first time, and the crew conducts propulsion plant testing on the surface and submerged.
Thank you to the team—crew and shipbuilders—for the effort they put forth to get us to and through alpha trials. This alpha trial was long awaited and long overdue, and many of you know that. All involved worked hard and really persevered through some very trying circumstances. While we didn’t complete everything we set out to do, I watched a Navy and Shipbuilder team that worked very well together. Communications were strong—the strongest I’ve seen—and were much improved over our last trial on PCU Vermont. That result was caused by intentional steps we took to apply lessons learned, and it worked. I can tell you firsthand that the ship performed beautifully, and we should be proud about the capability we’re about to deliver to our Navy.
I also got to speak with folks who went to sea on board a US Navy submarine for the very first time. You never forget your first submarine ride, and each of the people I spoke with, Navy and EB, now understand what many of us already know. The work we do is hard and ultimately, incredibly rewarding.
The 793 will next undergo Bravo trials, which focus on acoustic and combat system performance. In January, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey—INSURV—will evaluate the submarine’s seaworthiness, operational capabilities and the crew’s performance. In the New Year, I will report back to you on the results of these trials.
Last week NAVSEA conducted an audit of our non-destructive testing program. The audit covered NDT being performed at Groton and Quonset Point as well as the performance of the NDT engineering group in managing the program. NDT is the last stop in our welding process during which welds are inspected and verified to meet technical requirements. Our NDT program has had some significant challenges over the last several years. These challenges were amplified by a high number of retirements of very experienced personnel in our welder, NDT inspector and examiner ranks coupled with a significant growth in new people in these areas to support the Virginia and Columbia construction programs.
The NDT team has worked very hard over the last couple of years to overcome these challenges and improve NDT program performance. Additional NDT inspectors and examiners have been on-boarded and trained, and the NDT engineering group has revamped the oversight program to ensure the quality of the NDT being performed.
The audit results from last week demonstrate that we’re on the right path with solid teamwork and strong performance. While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, we’ve proven that we’re working on the right things and headed in the right direction. I’m proud of the NDT team for the hard work they’ve put in and their perseverance really shows in the results of this audit.
Thank you to the entire NDT team. You can be proud of the work you’ve accomplished as well. The audit results reinforce what right looks like and that when we focus on a problem, we move the needle in the right direction.
Thanks everyone; we’ll talk soon.
