BATH, Maine — Bath Iron Works has secured a $78.6 million contract modification to provide planning of maintenance and upgrades for the DDG 51 destroyers and FFG 7 class of frigates.
The DDG 51 line — or Arleigh Burke-class — was due to be replaced by a new line of so-called “stealth destroyers.” But after the cost of building the new line spiked, Navy officials resumed construction of the DDG 51 class.
Work will be performed in Bath, as well as the home ports of some ships. The upgrades are due to be completed by December 2016, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Last week, BIW held a ceremonial keel-laying for the DDG 115, the future USS Rafael Peralta, which is part of the restored Arleigh Burke-class construction schedule.
BIW’s 35th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was named for a U.S. Marine killed Nov. 15, 2004, in Fallujah.
The following day, BIW held a ceremonial “cutting of steel” for the DDG 118, the next Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer due to be built in Bath..
The future USS Daniel Inouye is named for the late U.S. senator from Hawaii, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Tuscany, Italy, during World War II.
On Wednesday morning, members of Maine’s congressional delegation joined Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert at Bath Iron Works to tour the DDG 1000, the first of the Navy’s Zumwalt class of stealth guided missile destroyers.