BATH
Bath Iron Works received the go-ahead Tuesday from the U.S. Navy to begin spending $663 million on construction of a second destroyer in the restarted DDG-51 line.
BIW was notified in September that the shipyard had secured an option to build the next Arleigh Burke- class destroyer, known as DDG-116. The General Dynamics subsidiary bid $665 million, besting competitor Huntington Ingalls.
Construction of the $ 680 million DDG-115 is already under way at the Bath shipyard, with a 2016 delivery date planned.
“This funding is great news for BIW, its dedicated work force and for the state of Maine,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement Tuesday. “It demonstrates the importance of these ships to the Navy, the confidence the Navy has in BIW’s skilled work force, and the tremendous value of these ships to the American taxpayer. As always, Bath- built is bestbuilt.”
BIW spokeswoman Dixie Stedman said today that review of the ship’s design, planning and documentation will begin “ to see where changes or updates are required,” and the company will begin ordering materials for the new ship, which is due to be completed in 2018.
Stedman said she is not aware of any immediate plans to increase the company’s work force.
Bath Iron Works also is in the midst of building three Zumwalt class destroyers. That line was supposed to replace the DDG-51 class, but the Department of Defense in 2009 shifted shipbuilding strategy to contract for more of the less costly Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
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