The U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) successfully completed its mid-cycle inspection (MCI) September 5.
Every space, system and piece of equipment onboard was checked for optimal operational capability by 10 inspectors from the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) and 49 from the Type Commander Material Inspection Team (TMIT). MCI is conducted every 30 months prior to the ship’s INSURV cycle.
Cmdr. Aaron Washington, assistant chief of staff for Commander Naval Surface Forces, said:
We strictly inspected the material readiness of the ship to insure that it was capable of accomplishing the mission it was designed for and will continue to in the future.
Blue Ridge Sailors prepared for this inspection for months, conducting mock inspections and cross-departmental Preventative Maintenance System (PMS) spot-checks, ensuring the crew understood what was expected of them.
The inspectors also observed, the operations department conduct a detect to engage test; information system’s department high frequency transmitter observations; as well as the basic daily shipboard operations including the ship’s internet capabilities.
The overall goal of MCI is to verify the material readiness of the ship and to provide the crew with a list of how they can expand the life-cycle of the ship further, said Capt. David Owen, chief of staff and a senior inspector of INSURV.
MCI is graded using 20 different functional areas, ranging from supply and aviation to engineering and damage control.
Blue Ridge has been forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, for nearly 36 years. As the flagship for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, Blue Ridge is committed to strengthening and fostering relationships within the Indo-Asia Pacific region.
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Image: US Navy