The US Navy has placed orders with General Dynamics (GD) Electric Boat to plan and carry out maintenance and modernisation work on the Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine, USS Providence (SSN 719).
Under the $25.7m firm-fixed-priced contract, GD Electric Boat will perform dry-docking continuous maintenance availability to maintain full operation on the submarine.
GD will also provide maintenance work, upgrades and modernisation related support work as part of the contract to ensure the submarine operates at full technical capacity.
The US Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines have been designed to support missions such as anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, show-of-force and strike missions, as well as mining and search-and-rescue operations.
Armed with the land-attack and anti-ship version of the Tomahawk missile, the Los Angeles-class submarine is powered by a 26MW GE PWR S6G nuclear-pressure water reactor.
Additional weaponry includes Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as 533mm torpedo tubes and Mk117 torpedo fire control systems.
The submarines also feature electronic support measures (ESM), which include a BRD-7 direction finding system, the WLR-1H and WLR-8(v)2 interceptors and the WLR-10 radar warning device.
In addition to an AN/ WLY-1 acoustic interception and countermeasures system, Los Angeles-class submarines are integrated with Sperry Marine BPS 15 A/16 surface search, navigation and fire control radar.
Scheduled to be completed by April 2014, work under the contract will be carried out in Groton, Connecticut, US.
The Naval Sea Systems Command will serve as the contracting activity.
Image: USS Providence (SSN 719) stationed at Naval Submarine Base New London. Photo: US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jason J. Perry/Released.
