Navy says digital work instructions, lessons learned are improving construction of third Ford-class carrier
By Megan Eckstein
Mar 7, 10:26 AM
SAN DIEGO — Aircraft carrier manufacturer Newport News Shipbuilding is revamping its processes to become more efficient as it builds the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers, a company official said.
Brian Fields, the vice president of aircraft carrier construction for CVN-80 and CVN-81, told reporters Feb. 18 the company had a plan going into construction on the Gerald R. Ford, but lessons learned are driving down cost and schedule as the company works through the John F. Kennedy and now the Enterprise.
One lesson relates to crane lifts of large modules or supermodules. Given the immense size of aircraft carriers, the workforce builds the steel framing for segments of the ship, which can then be outfitted with pipes and cables. These modules are then lifted by crane and put into place on the hull.
Fields said the company has learned to use even larger supermodules, therefore needing fewer crane lifts to put the pieces into place.
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2022/03/07/navy-says-digital-work-instructions-lessons-learned-are-improving-construction-of-third-ford-class-carrier/
