Lightning flashes over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as the ship transits the Arabian Gulf. Carl Vinson is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region. (U.S. Navy photo)

Members assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, embarked aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) to ensure the ship and its aircraft’s Precision Approach Landing System (PALS) and Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) are operating at their full capabilities, Feb. 1.

Normally the VX-23 crew will maintain both systems before a ship departs for deployment and upon its return to homeport, but due to the length of Carl Vinson’s current deployment, experts felt the need to inspect Vinson’s systems before the ship returned home.

“This was a very unique opportunity for NAVAIR [Naval Air Systems Command] and the ship,” said Lt. Matthew Dominick, VX-23 Carrier Suitability Department project officer. “We were able to conduct flight tests while having no impact on the ship’s mission readiness and its support of Operation Inherent Resolve.”

During their visit, the team conducted 21 fully automatic coupled landings with a 100 percent completion rate.

“Complex pieces of equipment such as these require a unique amount of maintenance,” said Kevin Nolin, NAVAIR Patuxent River senior technical specialist. “If we receive news that the systems aren’t as accurate as they should be, we have the capacity and experience to address and fix any problem that may arise. We are confident that both systems will be fully functional throughout the duration of the ship’s current deployment.”

The visit also served as an opportunity for the ship’s technicians to receive first-hand training from specialists with extensive knowledge and experience in both systems.
“These [VX-23] professionals are the experts in these systems,” said Dominick. “Some of them have been working with these systems for decades and were there when the systems were designed. It provided the crew with insight from individuals with a vast amount of knowledge and experience on these systems.”

Nicole Thompson, NAVAIR Patuxent River computer scientist, said this type of cross-training is vital to the Navy’s ability to safely and effectively support its mission.      
“The safety of this ship’s crew is our top priority, therefore we are going to ensure that each and every component in these systems are operational and working the way they should be. The technicians aboard the ship are doing an outstanding job to ensure this happens,” said Thompson. “We made a few adjustments, and everything is working as it should.”

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is currently conducting flight operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the area conducting maritime security operations, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, and theater security cooperation efforts.

(Story and photo courtesy USS Carl Vinson public affairs)