Ceasing the suds: Triverus LLC is developing a deck-cleaning vehicle for the U.S. Navy.

• Author: Braund, Susan

Sudsy deck swabbing and FOD Walking are becoming outdated activities for the country's sailors as technology and environmental requirements alter how the U.S. Navy manages the business of cleaning aircraft carrier decks.

Currently, swarms of sailors scrupulously scrub the decks, working eight-hour shifts removing sand, oil, grease, grit, nuts, bolts, water and other foreign objects that could damage jet engines or slicken the deck-not a simple scrub job. Then, before each flight, another team walks the deck, searching for any errant foreign objects, or FODS.

Because aircraft readiness is critical to national security, the Navy is preparing to mechanize this essential cleaning activity and has chosen Triverus LLC, an Alaska design and engineering firm, to build a prototype deck-cleaning vehicle.

"One of two contracts nationwide for the design phase went to us, and for the last nine months we have been working on virtual product design of the Mobile Cleaning and Reclaim Re cycle System," says Triverus co-owner Hans Vogel.

The Navy has budgeted $20 million for 70 of the vehicles. Triverus received a $750,000 phase-two contract in August to manufacture a prototype. "If all goes well and the product is accepted, our plans are to manufacture the vehicles in Alaska. We want to ship them out of here completed."

Just back from an external design review in Washington, D.C., Vogel learned that the pace to put the vehicle into service has been stepped up due to readiness issues for current long-duration deployments.

READINESS, SAFETY AND COSTS

A carrier deck is a small piece of real estate, dense with people and equipment. Recurring contaminants can compromise the surface and the high activity can cause readiness and safety problems and clean-water concerns.

The deck surface is covered with a substance known as Non-Skid, which is impregnated with extremely hard particles-good for 10,000 landings.

"Non-Skid is a superstar," says Vogel, "still, it has to be clean to work. A flight deck is a turbulent environment. If the Non Skid is not performing, 40,000 pound Tomcats could be skidding around near forklifts, people and other equipment."

Currently, the crews are on a 7-10 day "Scrubex" cycle that leaves them in a non-battle-ready condition, according to the Navy.

"But, given the recent deployments and the experience gained in the Persian Gulf, the Navy has re-prioritized the need for a cleaning vehicle they can rely on," says Vogel.

Without interrupting...