GD BIW bags $910m for Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer construction

The US Navy Sea Systems Command has awarded General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works a $910,723,811 contract modification for the construction of the yet unnamed Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer DDG 132.

DDG 132 is the fifth DDG 51 awarded to GDBIW as part of a multi-year contract which was announced in September this year.

The fiscal years (FY) 2018 – 2022 multiyear procurement (MYP) contracts awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (GDBIW) four ships, and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) six ships.

The navy held a separate competition for an option ship which will now be built in Bath, Maine, and funded in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.

“Bath Iron Works is privileged to continue producing state-of-the-art surface combatants for the longest running naval shipbuilding program in our nation’s history,” said Dirk Lesko, president of Bath Iron Works. “This award demonstrates the vital role the DDG 51 plays in the security posture of the United States and the confidence the Navy has in our shipyard to produce these important assets.”

There are currently five DDG 51 destroyers in production at Bath Iron Works: Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124) and Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127).

The shipyard’s backlog includes Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126) and the five ships that are part of the multi-year contract awarded this fall. BIW also is building the third Zumwalt-class destroyer, Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002).

Work under the latest contract is expected to be completed by 2026.