AFTER ACTION REVIEW (AAR)
USS Lake Erie (CG-70) AN/SPY-1 Equipment Harvest
- Executive Summary
During the Inactivation Continuous Maintenance Availability (ICMAV), the SPY-1 Harvest Team successfully executed an aggressive, high-priority reclamation operation on the USS Lake Erie (CG-70). The mission focused on the extraction and recovery of critical AN/SPY-1 Radar System components to support Battle Spare development at Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane. Over a compressed six-week timeline, the team safely removed 150,000 pounds of equipment, valued at $94,579,638.68 in assets and potential cost avoidance. This effort accelerated the project timeline by six months and established multiple technical and operational “firsts” for execution during an ICMAV.
- Purpose & Objectives
The USS Lake Erie was identified as a critical asset for the development of AN/SPY-1 Battle Spares. The rapid extraction and recovery of its AN/SPY-1 radar suite—specifically the Signal Processor (SIGPRO) systems, including the In-line Service Signal Processor (ISSP) and Ballistic Missile Defense Signal Processor (BSP)—was established as a top priority for:
- NSWC Crane (Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division)
- PAE Mission Systems (Combat Systems & Fires)
- Senior Navy Leadership
The primary objective was to complete this extensive harvest safely, efficiently, and within a compressed availability window to support critical laboratory testing and fleet readiness.
- Execution Phase Breakdown
The removal plan was executed in two distinct, three-week phases, managing complex structural modifications, rigging challenges, and coordinated crane lifts.
Phase 1: Disconnection and Antenna Removal (Weeks 1–3)
The initial phase focused on isolating AEGIS equipment from shipboard utilities and executing the heavy lifts for the phased-array antennas.
- AEGIS Space Isolation & Disconnection:
- Successfully disconnected utilities (air, water, power, and waveguide connections) in six key AEGIS spaces:
- Computer Room (01-138-0-C)
- Radar Room 1 (RDR 1) (04-140-1-C)
- Radar Room 2 (RDR 2) (03-138-1-C)
- Radar Room 3 (RDR 3) (01-220-0-C)
- Radar Room 4 (RDR 4) (05-316-0-C)
- Radar Room 5 (RDR 5) (04-316-0-C)
- AN/SPY-1 Antenna Removal: Prepared all four phased-array antennas for structural removal.
- Forward, Starboard, and Aft Antennas: Successfully removed utilizing pier-side cranes.
- Port Antenna: Rigged and removed utilizing a floating crane.
Phase 2: Structural Access & Cabinet Extraction (Weeks 4–6)
The second phase required aggressive structural access cuts to allow egress for heavy below-deck cabinetry and electronics.
- Hull & Bulkhead Penetrations:
- Computer Room Access: Executed a structural cut-out on the forward exterior (fo’c’sle) to facilitate the egress of the SIGPRO cabinets. Following extraction, the hull penetration was sealed to watertight standards to ensure safe post-decommissioning (DECOM) tow.
- RDR 3 Access: Completed an interior bulkhead cut in Radar Room 3 to enable egress for ISSP SIGPRO and Power Supply cabinets.
- Midships Access: Completed an exterior structural cut around the port-side midships blast door.
- Deckhouse Rigging & Cabinet Extraction:
- Removed Transmitter (XMTR) Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Signal Processing cabinets from both forward and aft deckhouses.
- Cabinets were strategically rigged out through the openings created by the starboard and aft antenna removals.
- Key Achievements and Metrics
The harvest program yielded unprecedented results, significantly beating initial schedule expectations and delivering immense fiscal and operational value:
- Tonnage Salvaged: 150,000 lbs of critical equipment successfully harvested.
- Financial Impact: $94,579,638.68 in equipment value recovered and potential cost avoidance secured.
- Schedule Optimization: Pulled the harvest schedule 6 months to the left by executing the extraction during the ICMAV window rather than waiting for post-decommissioning availability.
- Critical Asset Delivery: Placed the Navy’s first complete battle-spare string of ISSP/BMD SIGPRO cabinets directly into the laboratory at NSWC Crane for testing and development.
Program “Firsts”
- First AN/SPY-1 Antenna Removal conducted during an active ICMAV.
- First AN/SPY-1 Antenna Removal executed using a floating crane.
- First Below-Deck Cabinet Removal executed during an ICMAV, resulting in the extraction of 30 cabinets across 6 AEGIS spaces.
- Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments
While the removal plan was exceptionally aggressive and structurally complex, its execution was an overwhelming success. This level of technical achievement and logistical agility is only possible when there is complete, aligned buy-in across the entire organization.
The team’s dedication, adaptability, and unwavering focus on milestone achievement—within an inactivation schedule completely outside of direct program control—are remarkable accomplishments. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the entire team for the professionalism, hard work, and technical dedication demonstrated in support of the SPY-1 Harvest Mission.
