BESIKTAS-M

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Besiktas M reached Constanta, repairs of aircraft carrier completed

The USS 'Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)' wass underway conducting routine flight operations agaom in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations on Feb. 24, after departing from Souda Bay on Feb. 23, following the completion of an emergent repair availability (ERAV). The ship remained operationally ready to complete deployment with mission and purpose on full display by the entire crew. Led by a Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC), the creew completed the five-day ERAV at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, working with FDRMC personnel, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and the local industry partner Theodoropoulos Group to assess the damage, develop a repair plan, and restore weathertight integrity to the ship. The 'Besiktas M' meanwhile arrived in the port of Constanta on Feb 26. Report with photo: https://news.usni.org/2025/02/24/uss-harry-s-truman-back-underway-after-repairs-following-collision

Captain of aircraft carrier fired after collision

Capt. Dave Snowden was fired just over a week after the aircraft carrier USS 'Harry S. Truman' had been in collision with the 'Besiktas M' at the mouth of the Suez Canal as the carrier prepared to return to the Red Sea. Snowden was relieved by Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, which includes the USS 'Harry S. Truman' . The official reason given by the Navy was a loss of confidence in Showden’s ability to command: “The U.S. Navy holds commanding officers to the highest standard and takes action to hold them accountable when those standards are not met. Naval leaders are entrusted with significant responsibilities to their Sailors and their ships,” according to the Navy release. The Truman is expected to continue its mission after completing repairs. Snowden will be temporarily assigned to Naval Air Forces Atlantic. He was a former executive officer on the USS 'Harry S. Truman' . He became captain in December 2023 after completing a tour as captain of the amphibious transport dock ship USS 'San Antonio'. His interim replacement is Capt. Chris Hill, who commanded the Norfolk-based USS 'Eisenhower', whch is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Aircraft carrier being evaluated after collision with bulk carrier

Navy inspectors have started evaluating the structural integrity of the USS 'Harry S. Truman'. The assessment, which began no Feb 16 at th e Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the island of Crete, will cover the hull and bulkheads to ensure they can bear weight. A small slash penetrated the ship’s hull high above the waterline. It was too soon to say how long the inspection will take and when a comprehensive damage assessment will be available. The evaluation won’t include the flight deck. The carrier conducted flight operations on Feb 15, days after the Feb. 12 late-night collision with the 'Besiktas M' near the Suez Canal. There were no injuries in the collision, which damaged a line handling space, the fantail and a platform above a storage space. The exterior walls of two storage rooms and maintenance space also were included in initial damage assessments. The ship’s nuclear propulsion plants were unaffected. The inital assessments likely mean the ship could be patched up and soon resume its deploymen. The maintenance capabilities at Souda Bay should be able to provide temporary repairs that should carry the ship through the rest of its deployment to the point where permanent repairs can be made. nless more significant problems are discovered, the Navy likely will keep the carrier on station. A shortened deployment and return to Norfolk, Va., could complicate a tight maintenance and deployment schedule for the service’s other 10 carriers. The mishap remains under investigation. Report with photos: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2025-02-19/truman-collision-repairs-souda-bay-16881858.html Source - Stars and Stripes