NAVAIR

Sustainability efforts put forth by one of the Navy’s E-2/C-2 aircraft program teams were recently recognized with the 2012 Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Award.

The CNO’s office announced Feb. 21 the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health (ESOH) team belonging to the E-2/C-2 Airborne Tactical Data System Program Office (PMA-231) received the award for its development of several pollution-preventing and energy-conserving initiatives, including a lighting management, building automation, and water conservation program and several material substitutions.

This is the second time the team has won a CNO Environmental Award.

“The ESOH team has employed innovative, highly effective strategies resulting in dramatic reduction of the environmental footprint of the E-2 platform,” the award narrative states.

The Lighting Management and Building Automation System programs were implemented at the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) St. Augustine Manufacturing Center (SAMC), Fla., the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s final production site.

More efficient lighting, designed to save an estimated 942,969 kilowatt-hours per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 595 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, was installed in 2012. Also, infrared radiant heating systems were installed in manufacturing areas to replace older, less efficient heaters. This change reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The Water Conservation and Quality program brought modifications to plumbing to align with NGC’s best management practices for water. The NGC SAMC facility treated 185,000 gallons of groundwater to reuse in aircraft washing processes.

The ESOH team also worked to promote the substitution of more eco-friendly options for aircraft cleaners, solvents and primers after the team conducted an investigation geared toward reducing environmentally detrimental substances. The new cleaners have a global warming potential that is more than 10 times lower than the previous cleaner. About 1,500 pounds of cleaner are used annually at the NGC SAMC for the E-2 platform.

In addition to the new cleaning solutions, the E-2C was the first carrier-based aircraft to test a non-chromate primer on the entire aircraft exterior at the Navy Fleet Readiness Center Southwest.

“This will ultimately help avoid the use of more than 20,000 pounds of chromated primer on the E-2/C-2 fleet,” said Erin Beck, PMA-231 ESOH coordinator and materials engineer. “After more than a decade of lab-scale development and test, several non-chromate primed E-2C’s have completed carrier deployments, and post-cruise inspections have confirmed the less harmful non-chromated primer performance has been excellent. We’re hoping to implement this in the fleet.”

E-2D windscreen design was improved as part of the sustainability efforts, as well.  A low-hazard polish and redesigned gold layer that is used to protect aircrew from weapon system-generated radiation will save the E-2D fleet an estimated $348,000 annually in reduced windscreen replacement.

“The team continues to work closely with a multi-disciplined sustainability team to provide solutions with significant environmental benefit,” said Christine Brown, PMA-231 ESOH environmental engineer.

The annual CNO Environmental Awards program recognizes Navy ships, installations, and people for outstanding performance in promoting environmental stewardship. Awards were presented this year for accomplishments in Cultural Resources Management, Sustainability, and Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition, Small Program. The program helps the Navy recognize organizations and people who have made significant contributions in environmental stewardship.

NAVAIR press release