Mary-Louise Hoffman
A Huntington Ingalls Industries division has updated and tested a catapult system aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of a ship modernization and maintenance initiative.
The U.S. Navy and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding crew launched steam-powered catapults on the aircraft carrier approximately 20 times during the system’s “no-load” test, the company said Wednesday.
“The test reminds us that this is what aircraft carriers do: We launch aircraft to project combat power from the sea in support of our national interests,” noted Navy Capt. Ronald Ravelo.
Chris Miner, vice president for in-service aircraft carrier programs at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding arm, said that catapult system components underwent ground-based assessments before the company integrated them onto Lincoln.
HIIÂ began the midlife refueling and complex overhaul of Lincoln in March 2013 and is scheduled to redeliver the aircraft carrier to the Navy this year.
