10.20.2022 –
Three Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division employees received the AEGIS Excellence Award during a program review held at NSWCPD on Aug. 9, 2022.
The Arleigh Burke Class (DDG 51) Destroyer Shipbuilding Program Manager Capt. Seth Miller presented the award to Jamie Gates, program manager of the DDG 51 Flight III (Flt III) Land Based Engineering Site (LBES); Miles Frangenberg, the Flt III lead electrical controls engineer; and Toni Checchio, the Flt III lead electrical engineer, for their outstanding individual performance during the development of the Flight III Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) systems.
Checchio began working on the Flight III electric plan design concepts in 2011. Her efforts led to the ship’s design being approved in 2015.
In August 2020, she became the lead engineer managing various sections of the program including the concept architecture design, equipment vendor testing oversight for the 4160VAC Switchboards, Ship Service Gas Turbine Generators, and Ship Service Transformers. Additionally, she partook in planning and administering the training of the first crew assigned to USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125).
“The Land Based Engineering Site test program has proven to be invaluable in formally identifying, documenting, and correcting installation procedures, software problems, and hardware deficiencies. Hundreds of LBES documented problems have been adjudicated and corrected with the Tech Warrants, Shipbuilders, and Original Equipment Manufacturers before and through the ship activation window,” Checchio said, explaining how this program has been helpful to the U.S. Navy.
Frangenberg’s involvement with Flight III stems from his role in developing the 4160VAC switchboard electric plant controls design and creating solutions as needed with the project from 2014 – 2021. In 2021 Frangenberg was given a leadership position in the Flight III Machinery Control Systems software development section. He coordinated the resolution of issues to mitigate risk and delivered expectations ahead of due dates, further contributing to the ship’s on-time delivery.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the dedicated and talented team here at the DDG 51 Land Based Engineering Site on such an important program. I am grateful to be recognized, but this has been a team effort from the very beginning,” Frangenberg said.
“I am honored to receive this award. Receiving this award is a nice recognition of not only the hard work I put in, but the hard work of the entire team from various organizations. Working on the Flight III program was a challenge, but there was a great team behind all the hard work to ensure the program met its milestones,” Gates said.
After being assigned as the DDG 51 Flight III LBES Program Manager in August 2020, Gates demonstrated outstanding leadership during the development of the DDG 51 Flt III destroyer class ships. Her efforts helped prevent critical setbacks to the ship’s on-time delivery. Gates’ navigation of this team also garnered attention from high-level naval officials.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.