The Navy awarded General Dynamics [GD] NASSCO a contract worth potentially $210 million to modernize San Diego-homeported LSD-41 and LSD-49-class amphibious assault ships, the company said yesterday.
Under the contract, NASSCO will perform as many as six scheduled availabilities in San Diego. The work to be performed includes routine maintenance as well as shipboard alterations that are intended to extend the service lives of the ships. The initial value of the modernization contract is approximately $100,000 for the preparatory work leading to the maintenance availability aboard USS Germantown (LSD 42), which is scheduled to begin in December, according to NASSCO.
NASSCO was awarded a seven-year contract for maintenance and emergent repair of LSD-41 and LSD-49-class ships, as well as LPD-4-class ships, in December 2005. The San Diego shipyard also leads the repair and maintenance work conducted aboard all San Diego-homeported LHA and LHD-class amphibious assault ships and FFG-7-class frigates and participates in the upkeep of other ship classes.
Work on the LSD-41- and LSD-49-class ships will run through 2014, the company added.
NASSCO is also building the Navy’s Lewis and Clark-class fleet of supply ships. In June the yard was awarded a $100 million contract to purchase long-lead materials for construction of the 12th T-AKE.
Under that contract, NASSCO will place orders for the ship’s engines and other components that have significant manufacturing lead times. A contract that funds construction of T-AKE-12 is expected to be awarded by February 2009. Construction of the ship will begin in the first quarter of 2011, with delivery scheduled to occur in the fourth quarter of 2012.
NASSCO has delivered five T-AKE ships to the Navy and is currently building the sixth through ninth ships of the class. With 12 ships under contract, the Navy has options to build two additional T-AKEs at NASSCO for a total class of 14 ships, the company reported.