DVIDS – News – Navy Unveils New Submarine Universal Modular Mast Maintenance Tower with Ribbon-Cutting

NORFOLK, VA – The NAVFAC (Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command) Mid-Atlantic, in partnership with the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to wrap the new Universal Modular submarine Mast (UMM) to introduce. Maintenance tower aboard NAVSTA Norfolk, March 31st.

Captain Tres Meek, commanding officer, NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic; Captain Dianna Wolfson, in command of NNSY, and Captain Vince Baker, in command of NAVSTA Norfolk, attended. Due to ongoing COVID-19 security protocols, attendance at the ceremony was limited.

“The project capitalized on ship design and construction expertise while welcoming the valuable input from the end user, our tenant orders, who ultimately accomplish and will accomplish the Navy’s mission,” said Meek. “This new facility will be of great support to our war fighters and will help us increase fleet readiness.”

The new 55-foot, 1,300-square-foot tower, built by Norfolk-based Tazewell Contracting, will have a significant impact on the maintenance of the state-of-the-art, state-of-the-art submarines in the Virginia Navy and future nuclear-powered class. The contract was awarded in May 2018 and construction completed in January 2021.

The overall project manager was Carl Tarkenton of the Public Works Department (PWD) Norfolk. The design was led by architect Robert Frank (NAVFAC) and the construction was led by Michael Van Dyke (PWD Norfolk), involving the technical expert team from NNSY and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) led by Richard Csernelabics (NAVSEA).

Prior to this project, the Pearl Harbor-Hickam Joint Base and the New London Navy Submarine Base were the only two Navy sites where repairs and maintenance could be performed on the UMM, an integrated system in which the periscope, the Antennas and the sensors of the submarine are housed. This meant that repairs for submarines stationed at Hampton Roads could take an average of two weeks of maintenance per assembly. The new facility, jointly operated by the Navy, Fleet Maintenance Submarines, and NNSY, will ultimately save the Navy time and money on repairs.

“This facility helps us reduce costs. As one of the five core principles of NAVSEA, affordability is very important to the way we work, ”said Wolfson. “We were asked to redefine our business processes to ensure that we can make the most of our resources in all areas of our complex business and throughout the life cycle of the ships, submarines and systems we maintain. We do this by tirelessly searching for ways to improve our business and make every dollar count. ”

At its core, the project is evidence of the important and longstanding partnerships between NNSY – America’s shipyard; Naval Station Norfolk – the largest naval base in the world; and members of the NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic design and construction team.

“This was a great initiative and is a monument to the outstanding combined efforts of several commandos and organizations,” said Baker. “A common goal will help Naval Station Norfolk improve our capabilities and continue to generate combat strength at sea from the pier and runway in the future.”

Recording date:	03.31.2021
Release Date:	03.31.2021 16:39
Story ID:	392766
Place:	NORFOLK, VA, USA

Web views:	2
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