Abraham Lincoln returns to the fleet

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to the fleet after completing her RCOH. She completed sea trials after completing refueling, which included high speed operations, and multiple tests to verify the ships systems were working correctly. RCOH takes place approximately halfway through the life cycle of each carrier, and happens once per ship. During the process, the reactors are defueled, upgraded, and refueled. Each RCOH takes 4 years to complete.

Next up for the process is the George Washington, which recently returned to the east coast, from being forward deployed in Japan. She's scheduled to enter Newport News, and the shipyard this summer, and return to the fleet around 2021.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (May 12, 2017)--Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that the company has redelivered the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) to the U.S. Navy. The redelivery took place following successful sea trials that tested the ship’s systems following its refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.

“The successful completion of sea trials and redelivery of the ship to the Navy is the culmination of over 48 months of teamwork between Newport News shipbuilders, the CVN 72 crew, our government partners and all of our suppliers,” said Chris Miner, Newport News’ vice president, in-service aircraft carrier programs. “The completion of the refueling and complex overhaul returns a fully recapitalized ship to the fleet, ready to support any mission and serve our nation for another 25 years.”

newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com...

I do miss living in Virginia Beach right off the bay side. Watching the ship's coming in and out...Seeing them train on the bay. And the fighters training in the skies. So much awesomeness to see on a daily there.