By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Riley McDowell
USS Gerald R. Ford Public Affairs
ATLANTIC OCEAN — Combat Systems divisions assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) have helped the ship earn its Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) certification November 17 while underway in the Atlantic Ocean.
The certification, ensures that the shipboard electromagnetic compatibility improvement program (SEMCIP) has been implemented post- Chief of Naval operations (CNO) availability.
Information Systems Technician Second Class Ryan St. John, from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, assigned to Ford’s combat systems department, works out of the radio transmission room and was an integral member of the certification team.
“This was an initial exercise,” said St. John. “Enabling a series of further exercises to qualify [the Ford] to compete for the “Battle E”. The “Battle E” is an award given to ships that surpass a maintenance standard in nine functioning categories.
The Ford had to meet optimal EMC posture in-port and underway, by verifying that EMC control measures are installed and to ensure that the ship is not deploying with systems that may be degraded due to fixable Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) occurrences.
While in-port and at sea the crew verified that all available EMI patches were installed, all unresolved EMI occurrences to include degraded EMI were identified and reported to Capt. J. J. Cummings, the ship’s commanding officer. The crew also had to verify that the High Frequency (HF) intermodulation interference did not exceed certification requirements.
“[Ford] radio passed the initial exercise which ensures the frequencies are free from distortion,” said St. John. “Allowing [Ford] to communicate effectively.”
Published on November 19, 2020.
Featured photo: ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 19, 2020) An F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, lands on USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) flight deck. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Riley McDowell)