Ammunition handling and work-up extend the refit cycle

Major warship refits require ammunition to be removed before docking, then reloaded before the ship passes the certifications needed to use its weapons. Mechanical and safety certification only establish that a ship can return to sea. A captain on a ship undergoing Flag Officer Sea Training expected those checks to take about a month, followed by another two or three months of work-up. His crew needed to prepare for a dozen or more missions, including air defence and disaster relief. That breadth matters because a navy cannot swap the whole crew when the task changes mid-deployment.