PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility’s (PHNSY & IMF) workforce successfully docked Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) on Sept. 4 in preparation for a depot modernization period (DMP).
"North Carolina is approaching the midway point of her planned life cycle and it is important to conduct repairs and state of the art upgrades to ensure she is combat-ready and equipped to conduct all assigned tasking well into the 2030s,” said Cmdr. Tad Robbins, North Carolina commanding officer.
Robbins added that the crew was looking forward to the refurbishment and upgrade period after North Carolina went on three Pacific deployments in the last six years.
During the DMP, the shipyard project team and ship’s crew will perform structural inspections and repairs, overhaul and replacement of existing complex mechanical and electrical systems, paint and coatings repair and replacement, system modernization, and nuclear work.
“We are all aligned and working together as one big Ohana to achieve the goal of getting the boat back to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Kevin Alford, project superintendent, PHNSY & IMF. “And while it’s definitely hard, dirty, challenging work, with the right team it can also be a lot of fun. I definitely have the right team.”
North Carolina will spend time in the dry dock, then undergo a 10-month period of testing systems and certification of the boat’s crew. At its peak, there will be more than 600 people working daily on the project.
The Navy’s Pacific submarine force has unique access to a critical undersea domain. The ability to rapidly deploy is a key component to the Pacific Fleet’s ability to deter and respond to crisis and conflict throughout the Indo-Pacific region. While underway, the submarines conduct combat readiness training and employ undersea warfare capabilities in support of a wide range of missions. The shipyard’s ability to complete complex maintenance operations and deliver submarines back to the fleet on time, ensures that our submarine force remains ready and responsive for any tasking.
North Carolina was commissioned May 3, 2008, and is the fourth navy vessel and first submarine named after the state. North Carolina is homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and has a crew of approximately 140 Sailors and officers representing almost every state in the nation.
PHNSY & IMF is a field activity of NAVSEA and a one-stop regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines. It is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawaii. Strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, it is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East. Its location places it about a week’s steaming time closer to potential regional contingencies in the Indo-Pacific.