SASEBO, Japan - Sailors assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) completed a three-month maintenance availability period, Jan. 21.

"We completed 293 depot-level outside assistance, jobs aboard the ship, in a little over two months," said Chief Warrant Officer Jason VanNoy, Bonhomme Richard's maintenance material officer. "The maintenance couldn't have been completed without the help of our contracting partners."

These contractors assisted Bonhomme Richard in completing an 18-month boiler inspection, in which the ship's number two boiler was disassembled, inspected, and reassembled.

Maintenance also took place on the ship's diesel engines, aircraft and cargo elevators, as well as, repairs to the fuel tanks and piping in the forward and aft main-machinery rooms.

According to VanNoy, BHR Sailors assisted with maintenance operations by conducting operational tests, and inspections.

"I am very happy with all the hard work BHR Sailors invested into our ship," said Capt. Joey Tynch, Bonhomme Richard's commanding officer. "BHR Sailors worked shoulder to shoulder with the outstanding Sasebo Ship Repair Facility (SRF) and the local contracting teams to get these jobs done on schedule. Everyone should take a great deal of pride knowing we attacked the maintenance period effectively and efficiently. This three-month maintenance period has helped make BHR more combat ready and we got underway for sea trials on time due to everyone's effort."

Bonhomme Richard used contractors from: Ship's Repair Facility (SRF) Pro Shop, SRF Fleet Tech Assist, Yamaguchi Machinery, Sumitomo Heavy Machinery, Hosei, Motoyama, and Ship's Engineering Maintenance Assistance Team (SEMAT).

"It took an all-hands, and some outside hands, effort to take a boiler apart and reassemble it," said Machinist's Mate Fireman Chase Owen, Sailor assigned to Bonhomme Richard's forward main-machinery room. "It feels great to see our hard work pay off, with the ship finally being able to get underway again." Approximately 9.3 million dollars was spent on repair, maintenance, assessments over the three-month availability.

Bonhomme Richard is the lead ship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, and is currently underway conducting sea trials.