BAE Systems began construction this week on a new pier at its San Diego shipyard intended to increase the capacity for ship repairs and to accommodate some of the Navy’s newest vessels like the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the company said.
Scheduled for completion in 2014, the BAE shipyard will be able to accommodate up to seven ships, two more than its current capacity. The company said it’s spending $15 million on the project.
“The construction will completely transform approximately 35 percent of our shipyard’s waterfront, so that we can accommodate and work on the newest Navy ships,” said Bob Kilpatrick, vice president and general manager for ship repair at the southern California facility.
The roughly 600-foot pier will include two berths, and enable pier-side repairs and modifications of large commercial and military ships. This includes the Navy’s Ticonderoga-class (CG-47) cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyers, as well as LCS.