BAE Systems has received a $78.8 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernization of USS Shoup (DDG 86), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG), the company announced on Wednesday. Work to modernize USS Shoup, will take place at BAE’s facilities in San Diego. The Pentagon had in early December announced work on the Shoup would be completed by February 2020, although BAE said Wednesday that work was due to start in March 2019 and be finishing up by May 2020.
“The Shoup availability is a large, complex repair job. Our team is experienced with the DDG class and ready to get to work to ready the Shoup for service in the fleet for many years to come” David M. Thomas Jr., vice president and general manager of BAE Systems‘ San Diego Ship Repair, said in a statement.
The USS Shoup is the 36th ship in the Arleigh Burke class and was commissioned in June 2002. The ship is named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient and former Commandant of the Marine Corps General David M. Shoup. The DDG-class vessel, commissioned in 2002, returned to its home port of Naval Station Everett, Wash., in November after support of the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative. The initiative combats transnational illegal activity in the Pacific Ocean.The vessel had previously conducted joint operations with the U.S. Air Force during 2018’s Valiant Shield, a Pacific Ocean anti-submarine warfare exercise.
Under the depot maintenance availability contract awarded, BAE Systems will dry-dock the ship, perform underwater hull preservation work, upgrade the ship’s Aegis combat system and its command and control equipment, and rehabilitate crew habitability spaces. The work is expected to begin in March 2019 and be completed in May 2020. The cumulative value of the contract, if all options for modernization are exercised, will be $87.6 million, according to the Department of Defense. BAE Systems operates four full-service shipyards in California, Florida, Hawaii, and Virginia, and offers a highly skilled, experienced workforce, eight dry-docks/railways, and significant pier space and ship support services
I have a signed poster of This Commandant of The Marine Corps from members of his platoon when he was a 2nd Lt onTarawa during WWII, and an autographed book on this subject on why he was awarded the MOH.
What a great Marine ,Semper Fidelis !