CHAPTER 9
SHIP AVAILABILITIES, REPAIR ACTIVITIES, AND
SHIP TRIALS
When you have read and understood this chapter, you should be able to answer
the following learning objectives:
l Describe the kinds of ship availabilities.
intermediate maintenance activities (SIMAs), ship
repair facilities (SRFs), naval shipyards, and private
l Explain the difference between alterations and
shipyards.
repairs.
. Identif y and explain the purpose of the kinds of
. Identify and explain the functions of inter-
ship trials.
mediate maintenance activities (IMAs), shore
A ship’s effectiveness depends on its ability to
function well; therefore, we have to keep it in prime
condition. That means that the ship’s crew routinely
handles normal maintenance and repairs and that we
have a dependable system for those the ship’s crew
cannot handle.
This chapter deals mostly with those jobs the ship’s
crew cannot handle and which are done by the following
repair activities, which we will explain in greater detail
in this chapter:
l An intermediate maintenance activity (IMA) is a
repair ship (AR), destroyer tender (AD), or submarine
tender (AS).
. A shore intermediate maintenance activity
(SIMA) is based on land and offers services similar to
those of an IMA.
l A ship repair facility (SRF) is similar to a naval
shipyard but on a smaller scale and is usually based
outside the continental United States.
. A shipyard is any full service naval shipyard or a
civilian shipyard contracted for Navy work.
The engineering department officers and enlisted
supervisors have an interest in nearly all of the work a
repair activity does on their ship. You should be familiar
with the procedures that will ensure the best job within
the funds available. This chapter will help you
understand what happens when a repair activity works
on your ship.
TYPES OF AVAILABILITIES
An availability is the period of time a ship is
assigned to undergo maintenance or repair by a repair
activity. Only the authority granting the availability can
change the allotted period of time. However, a repair
activity may recommend a completion date to the
granting authority or request an extension of time to
complete work already underway. There are several
types of ship availabilities that we will define in the next
paragraphs. For example, restricted and technical
availabilities differ in whether the ship is or is not ready
to carry out its mission.
l
l
A restricted availability (RA) is used to complete
specific items of work in a shipyard or SRF; the
ship is NOT available to perform its mission
during that time.
A technical availability (TA) is used to complete
specific items of work in a shipyard or SRF; the
ship IS available to perform its mission during
that time.
Other types of availabilities identify the type of
work to be done and where it will be done.
. A regular overhaul (ROH) availability is used to
complete general repairs and alterations in a naval
shipyard or other shore-based repair activity. The
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