SWRMC Undocks USS America On-Time

SWRMC Undocks USS America On-Time

By SWRMC PAO

SWRMC Undocks USS America On-Time

SAN DIEGO-Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC), along with industry partners and ship's force, successfully undocked amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on-time on Aug 11, marking a major milestone in the completion of their ongoing Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) availability.

Depot-level (D-level) maintenance during CNO availabilities often encounter "growth work"-additional repairs identified once systems and structural compartments are opened. Unaccounted for during planning, unexpected repairs can impact execution schedules.

According to Jorge Mota, America's project manager, this on-time success was due to proactive risk mitigation, disciplined planning, and an agile contracting strategy designed to address potential growth work early.

"Between SWRMC, ship's force and our industry partner, we were determined from the start to work as a unified team with the goal to get things done on time," said Andrea Salcido, assistant project manager. "That collaboration directly drove our success."

Conducting major overhauls in dry dock involves significant engineering complexity, including hull maintenance, structural assessments, and heavy rigging operations requiring precision. Meeting the targeted undocking date reflects the technical discipline and execution rigor across the maintenance team.

"Even with extensive planning, a ship's true material condition is only fully revealed once work begins," said Salcido. "I love looking at a situation like this and seeing the complexity and creativity required to meet the deadline. Being able to engineer solutions to meet those hurdles is what inspires me. USS America is a vital fleet asset, and we look forward to carrying this moment through the remainder of the availability."

USS America's CNO availability is slated to complete in 2027.