General Dynamics (GD) Bath Iron Works has been awarded a modification contract by the US Navy to provide support services for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class ships construction programme.
Under the $38.9m follow-on contract, awarded as part of a previous contract in September 2011, GD will carry out detail design and construction related class and engineering services for all the three Zumwalt-class ships, which are currently under construction.
Under the deal, the company will provide manufacturing support services such as engineering, design, production and accuracy control and information technology.
Additional responsibilities will include programme management, contract and financial management, as well as procurement and configuration/data management for the Zumwalt-class vessels.
Bath Iron Works president Jeff Geiger said: "The contract enables us to continue supporting the construction of DDG 1000-class ships and allows us to maintain the critical shipyard skills needed to efficiently produce them."
Technical and industrial engineering, in support of ship design construction and maintenance, will also be provided by the company.
Currently more than 60% complete, the Zumwalt (DDG 1000)-class destroyer will feature a low radar profile, an integrated power system and a total ship computing environment infrastructure.
The US Navy’s next-generation, multi-mission, guided-missile naval destroyer, DDG 1000-class ships are armed with an array of weapons to provide defensive capabilities in support of forces onshore.
Work will be carried out in Bath, Maine, US, and is scheduled to be complete by October 2013, with the Naval Sea Systems Command overseeing the contracted work.
The Zumwalt-class DDG 1000 vessels are due to be operational with the US Navy in April 2013.
Image: US Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers will operate as part of a joint maritime fleet. Photo: courtesy of US Navy, photo illustration.
