Elizabeth Leigh
Ken Mahler, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of Navy programs, said the Huntington Ingalls Industries division continues to build ties with the USS Abraham Lincoln crew as they moved closer to completing the refueling and overhaul of the aircraft carrier.
“Since we began the (project)… we’ve been working side by side (with the sailors) to recapitalize and modernize the entire ship, such that when she returns to service, Lincoln will continue to be one of the most capable and formidable ships in the world,” Mahler said Tuesday.
He made the remarks at last week’s mast-stepping ceremonies to mark the completed installation of the ship mast.
The 38-foot, 33-ton upper mast section was the final part of the main mast to be installed on the flight deck of the Nimitz class vessel.
“The ceremony today highlights the workmanship, ingenuity and tenacity of the shipyard workers, sailors and contractors who have poured their hard work and labor into RCOH,” the ship’s commanding officer, Capt. Karl Thomas, said at the commemoration.
“I am inspired by the dedication of every member of the integrated team and their commitment to getting Lincoln back to the fight,” he added.
Newport News began repair and modernization work on the Lincoln in March 2013, a RCOH process designed to prolong ship operations for another 25 years.
