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“The purpose of the ship’s whistle is to notify other ships in
the area of our intentions and warn other ships in the event of a
problem,” said Lt. Patrick Miller, Ford’s assistant navigation
officer. “We can communicate with other ships strictly by using our
whistle.”
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November 17, 2013 - The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R.
Ford (CVN-78) transits the James River during the ship's launch and
transit to Newport News Shipyard pier three for the final stages of
construction and testing. Ford was christened on November 9, 2013
and was under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport
News Shipyard, Virginia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist Second Class Aidan P. Campbell)
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Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is
outfitted with electric whistles rather than the steam
whistles that are found on Nimitz-class carriers. Ford’s
whistles are constructed from two Kahlenberg KPH-130C
electric piston horns that have an audibility range of two
nautical miles and produce an audio level of 143 decibels at
1 meter. That’s greater than the sound a jackhammer creates
(115 decibels) and greater than a jet taking off (130 db).
“The first time I heard one whistle I didn’t think
it was too loud, but when both whistles were tested it’s
really loud. It’s like having an air horn right next to
you,” said Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Alexander Rios, an
engineering department Sailor, and one of the electricians
that maintains the ship’s whistles.
The ship’s whistle
system is comprised of multiple manual controls and one
automatic selector that is programmed to automatically
deliver maneuvering signals. There are two different types
of whistle blasts: a “short” whistle blast, which is one
second long, and a “prolonged” blast, which is four to six
seconds long. Different combinations of blasts represent
different messages. For example, one short blast means, “I
am altering my course to starboard,” whereas two short
blasts mean “I am altering my course to port.”
Whistles are also used to render “passing honors” between
military ships and on occasions when ships, officials, or
officers pass in boats or have passed. Passing honors
between ships consists of sounding “attention” with the
ship’s whistle and all persons on exposed decks rendering a
hand salute.
Rios said there are many benefits of
having an electric whistle compared to a steam whistle, but
the biggest benefit is that it’s easier to troubleshoot and
operate than the traditional steam whistle.
“Electrically wise it’s not a really complicated system and
I see it as a simple system for us to use,” said Rios. “It’s
just another example of the advanced technology that makes
Ford a first in class ship.”
By U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kristopher Ruiz
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
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