The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded Huntington Ingalls Inc. [HII] its largest modification yet, $125 million, for the contract repairing the heavily damaged USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), the Pentagon said on Friday.

The modification covers “the additional collision repairs as well as maintenance and modernization” in the contract for Fitzgerald emergent repair and restoration.

The work is expected to be finished by January 2020.

The USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) arrives in the port of Pascagoula, Miss.on Jan. 19 aboard the heavy lift vessel MV Transself as it heads to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ shipyard for repairs and upgrades. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
The USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) arrives in the port of Pascagoula, Miss.on Jan. 19 aboard the heavy lift vessel MV Transself as it heads to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ shipyard for repairs and upgrades. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

This is the latest of several modifications to an initial September 2017 HII contract to repair the damaged Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. NAVSEA initially awarded Huntington Ingalls a $29 million contract for initial planning of Fitzgerald emergent repair and restoration (Defense Daily, Sept. 29).

Then, in December, NAVSEA awarded HII a $63 million modification covering the initial collision ripout phase, expected to last through September 2018 (Defense Daily, Dec. 22).

Congress and President Trump approved a continuing resolution in December that provided $673.5 million to repair the Fitzgerald and the similarly damaged USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) (Defense Daily, Dec. 22, 2017).

The Fitzgerald first arrived in Pascagoula on Jan. 19. It was expected to spend “several days” in the port while the heavy lift vessel unloaded it into the water and guided off the platform before being taken to its pier space at the HII shipyard (Defense Daily, Jan. 19).

Repair and upgrade work is expected to take about two years once work begins after the ship reaches the shipyard.