The Navy intends to commission the future USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) before the carrier undergoes sea trials, according to a Navy spokesman.
Bush, being built at Northrop Grumman [NOC] Ship Building’s Newport News facility, will be towed to Norfolk Naval Station Dec. 22 to prepare for its commissioning ceremony, Lt. Clayton Doss, a Navy spokesman, said. “The ship’s commissioning ceremony will occur on Jan. 10, 2009.”
However, the Navy won’t be accepting Bush just yet. The carrier must still go through her testing phase, Doss noted.
This isn’t the first time the Navy has commissioned a ship before actually taking delivery. According to Doss, this has happened 15 times before, the last time was with the Los Angeles-class submarine the USS Chicago (SSN-721) in September 1986.
“Delivery of CVN-77 will occur after the satisfactory completion of builders’ trials and acceptance trials, which are scheduled to begin in the early 2009,” Doss said.
Currently, Bush is more than 97 percent complete, and the Navy will work with Northrop Grumman to complete more work up to the commissioning date and up to the start of trials, Doss said.
“What remains to be finished are items such as painting and labeling of spaces, testing items that required sea operations, such as high speed runs, steering checks, and integrated combat systems testing and spaces,” he said.
Following commissioning, the ship will be USS George H.W. Bush and will be “In Commission, Special” during builder’s trials. Following acceptance and delivery to the Navy, her status shifts to “In Commission, Full.” CVN-77 will be considered one of the 11 carriers required to be maintained by law when she is delivered, Doss said.
Improvements to Bush include: a modernized island, launch and recovery equipment; paint system improvements and environmental upgrades–all designed to improve combat efficiency and/or be a good steward of the environment while defending our nation, Doss noted.