The future USS Bougainville (LHA 8) continues advancing through major mechanical system updates, with the aircraft elevator (ACE) chain now loaded and secured.
The ACE will play a critical role once the ship is handed over, supporting amphibious and aviation missions.
“This platform will take airplanes, helicopters and other equipment from the hangar to the flight deck so they can be ready for operations,” said Joey Langford, designer. “It has to be at least pinned at the flight deck for Builders Trials and fully operational for Acceptance Trials.”
HOW IT WORKS
“LHA 8 is the first Ingalls-built ship with electric aircraft elevators,” explained Stephen Jowers, Engineering project lead. “The previous LHAs had hydraulic aircraft elevators.”
Installing the chain takes about 20 people working together, requiring precise coordination and safety awareness.
“There’s a lot happening at once and everyone has to stay sharp,” Stephen continued.
Each ten‑foot chain section weighs 1,000 pounds, and there are 16 sections on each side of the elevator—over 32,000 pounds of moving steel that must be perfectly timed/ positioned.
“Inside the elevator trunks, you have sprockets on top and, down below in the machinery room, are motor driven sprockets,” said Stephen. “The chain goes around all of it, and that’s what moves the elevator platform from the hangar deck to the flight deck.”
PERFORMANCE MEETS PRECISION
The work was led by Department 19’s marine riggers and hand riggers and was supported by machinists.
“We do a lot of the discreet work, which is a lot of mission systems on these ships, whether it be safety nets, elevators, boat davits—we handle a lot,” said John Hamblin, Rigging foreman. “This is one of our bigger jobs.”
The crew spent long hours preparing, aligning and securing each chain section into place along the elevator trunk.
“We have to stay on our p’s and q’s—always communicating, watching,” said John. “These guys know if they see anything unsafe: we stop, assess and fix it.”
With the ACE chain now loaded, shipbuilders will continue system integration and mechanical testing as LHA 8 moves into the next stages of completion.
Moments like this show the pride and purpose behind every Ingalls shipbuilder, moving the mission forward one milestone at a time.
