USS George Washington (CVN 73) arrived at Newport News Shipbuilding in 2017 for its refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH), which is now about 90% complete. The mid-life maintenance will allow the aircraft carrier to return to the Navy fleet for 25 more years.

Recent successes aboard the ship include operational air conditioning, chill water systems and medical facilities. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is moving into the stages of testing, which is designed to exercise all aspects of the propulsion plant systems and will certify the systems and components for future operations.

“She’s coming to life,” said Dave Fletcher, construction director. “It’s about a 1,100-foot-long ship and the systems are massive.”

Fletcher said the RCOH is on track despite COVID-19’s impact on the schedule. “Shipbuilders are tough folks,” he said. “We kept the ship up and kept making progress, even in the days when it was a very challenging environment to have people here and not put people at risk.”

The aircraft carrier is expected to be re-delivered to the U.S. Navy next year.