A Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Literally Went Nowhere for Almost 6 Years

What You Need to Know: The USS George Washington (CVN-73), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, underwent a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) that lasted 2,117 days, almost as long as it took to build the ship.

-The process, designed to double the carrier’s lifespan, faced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and unexpected repairs. Despite the delays, the RCOH involves extensive upgrades, including nuclear reactor refueling, structural updates, and system overhauls, ensuring the carrier remains operational for another 25 years.

-Similar challenges have been seen with other carriers, highlighting a strained shipyard workforce and increasing complexity of the overhaul process.

Construction began on USS George Washington (CVN-73), the United States Navy's sixth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier on August 24, 1986, when her keel was laid down at Newport News Shipyard in Virginia. The vessel was christened by First Lady Barbara Bush less than four years later on July 21, 1990, and commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk on July 4, 1992.

In fewer than six years, the 1,092-foot-long carrier was constructed and delivered to the U.S. Navy.

That point needs to be stressed as it was on August 4, 2017, that the same carrier entered her Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at the same shipyard. The process is meant to double the life of the carriers by an additional 25 years – but what is notable is that CVN-73 was out of action for 2,117 days – almost as much time as it took to build the carrier, and about two years longer than expected for an RCOH.

"Refueling complex overhauls are performed at the mid-point of a ship's 50-plus-year lifespan, incorporating upgrades to propulsion equipment, infrastructure, and combat support systems," the U.S. Navy explained.

The delays involving CVN-73 were largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown, which stopped work entirely for a period, followed by supply chain issues, and competing requirements for resources. The United States Navy currently lacks the facilities and the workers to properly maintain its fleet.

There have also been reports that some work was done incorrectly, resulting in unexpected repairs, which dragged out the RCOH for USS George Washington.

"Factors that extended the RCOH included delays and changes in her RCOH planning and induction timeline due to FY15 budgetary decisions to inactivate (vice refuel) this ship; the arrival condition of the ship, which was more challenging than expected, planned or budgeted for, including growth work in significant areas of the RCOH; the requirement to remove critical parts from CVN-73 to support higher-priority, deploying aircraft carriers; and the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce and industrial base," HII said in a May 2023 statement to USNI News.

RCOH – Complex Indeed

Although USS George Washington's RCOH was extended by two years – which put a tremendous amount of stress on the crew, and resulted in nine sailors taking their own lives during the process – it should be noted that even in an ideal situation, it takes upwards of four years to complete the work.

The next Nimitz-class carrier, USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) won't return to service on schedule either. The sea service announced earlier this year that the carrier's RCOH will take about five and a half years, an extension of about 14 months. The warship began its midlife refueling in 2021 and was originally on track to complete the work by August 2025.

It should be noted this has been an ongoing problem since USS Nimitz (CVN068) began her RCOH in 1998. According to a 2002 RAND report, the project was scheduled to last 33 months, but dragged out due to a labor dispute and strike at the shipyard, while costs increased by $250 million. Compared to the issues with the latest carriers, that upgrade was almost hassle-free!

Although the refit with the lead vessel of the class should have helped streamline the process, it seems that it continues to get worse. Yet, the truth is that the U.S. Navy doesn't have a choice. Even delaying the RCOH presents problems.

As an infographic from the Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition noted, "Delaying any RCOH negatively impacts fleet readiness and creates inefficiencies in the program, including increased costs and prolonged learning curves. Delays also threaten an already fragile supplier base. Conducting RCOHs on schedule are necessary to return modernized carriers to active service for another 25 years of operational demands."

Why It is Necessary

The RCOH truly is a "complex overhaul" as NNS shipbuilders replaced thousands of valves, pumps, and piping components, while on the outside, they performed major structural updates to the island, mast, and antenna tower. Upgrades have been made to all aircraft launch and recovery equipment; while the carrier's hull, including sea chests and freeboard, has been painted. The team restored the propeller shafts and installed refurbished propellers and rudders.

During the next phase of RCOH, NNS shipbuilders will complete the overhaul and installation of the ship's major components and test its electronics, combat, and propulsion systems. The focus will also be on improving the ship's living areas, including crew living spaces, galleys, and mess decks. This involves more than 25 million total man-hours of work.

"RCOH construction enhances nearly every space and system on the carrier, beyond the most critical requirement to defuel and refuel the ship's two nuclear reactors and to repair and upgrade the propulsion plant," explained Capt. Mark Johnson, manager of the Program Executive Office Aircraft Carriers In-Service Aircraft Carrier Program Office. 

"We work on every part of the ship, from the hull, screws, and rudders to more than 600 tanks; thousands of valves, pumps, and piping components; electrical cables and ventilation; as well as combat and aviation support systems. It's demanding, complex work that challenges every member of the planning team, shipyard crews, and ship's force," added Johnson.

In many ways, the RCOH could be compared to home renovation, and the crew is no doubt as excited as some homeowners to see the work completed, and perhaps even more. The crew continues to live on the ship throughout much of the process – assisting with the maintenance efforts, and that is what put the strain on those crewmembers on board USS George Washington.

Finally, it should be remembered that these upgrades do vastly update each of the carrier's systems. This could be increasingly important given the age of the carriers. USS Nimitz entered service in the 1970s before most people even imagined they might own a computer, while its upgrade was completed in the Internet age. Because of the greater complexity, not to mention a lack of shipyards and workers, each RCOH is simply going to take longer to complete.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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