Navy Awards Bath Iron Works $66 Million Contract

  WASHINGTON, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics a contract totaling more than $66million for planning yard services in support of the DDG-51 and FFG-7 classes to be completed at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.   Planning yard services include expert design, planning, and material support services for themaintenance and modernization of both classes of ships.  This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to more than $371 million.    Since 1975, Bath Iron Works has built 24 FFG-7 class frigates and 34 DDG-51 class destroyers for the Navy.  It is currently building all three of the Navy's DDG-1000 class destroyers, and it has been awarded contracts for two additional DDG-51 destroyers.   "BIW workers are the most skilled workers in the world. Since 1975, when the USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7) was laid down, to this year's launch of the USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), Bath has produced the larger portion of the U.S. surface combatants now in commission.  These ships have consistently been on the cutting edge of technology and have operated forward to secure our country's defense," said Senator Collins.  "With this contract, BIW will continue to plan for how these ships, which are critical to our national security, will be maintained and repaired so that they reach the end of their planned service-lives."