Newport News, Va. - The refueling and complex overhaul of the USS Abraham Lincoln is underway at the Newport News Shipyard.
The USS Lincoln moved into dry dock 11 at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding last week after a six-week delay.
The award of the refueling and complex overhaul contract had been delayed by six weeks due to delay in passing the FY13 Defense Appropriations Bill.
Capt. Karl Thomas, Commanding Officer of the USS Abraham Lincoln, says he is glad the ship is finally in its new home in Newport News.
"We built a lot of momentum as a team over at the Naval Station. Then when we found out we weren’t going to move on time, it’s hard to sustain that momentum," Thomas stated.
"We were able to do it, but six weeks was about as long as I wanted to do it."
The refueling and complex overhaul is only done once during the half-century lifespan of an aircraft carrier and involves work being done to nearly every system.
The work on the USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to be complete in November 2016.
Time-lapse video: The USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in dry dock
