BAE Systems has received a $90.2 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernisation of the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego.
According to the firm, under the docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) contract awarded, BAE Systems will dry-dock the 684-foot-long ship, perform work on the underwater hull, repair its system of ballast tanks, preserve its amphibious well deck area, and refurbish the living spaces for as many as 800 sailors and Marines that can be carried aboard.
The work is expected to begin in September 2021 at the company’s San Diego shipyard and take more than a year to complete.
“The upcoming USS San Diego project is a major event in the service life of the ship, expanding its capability to execute a wide range of naval missions for many years to come,” said David M. Thomas Jr., vice president and general manager of BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair.
“Our team of employees, subcontractors and Navy personnel look forward to ushering USS San Diego into its next phase of fleet readiness. We also recognize the unique and special opportunity to work aboard a ship named for our hometown.”
USS San Diego is the sixth ship of the San Antonio class and was commissioned in May 2012.
The ship is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named after the southern California city.
Can anyone offer some capability information on this US vessel LHD versus the RN Bulwark/Albion class? The US vessels seem to have heavier defensive armament including RAM.
The biggest difference is they are armed to the teeth and x3 the cost
And some. Last one cost > $2b in 2012.
I’m not sure how these ships fit into the new lighter, more dispersed approach now being adopted by the USMC.
The most important difference is the hanger on the San Antonio’s and ability to carry 2 LCAC which means they can launch troops much further out that Albion or Bulwark. I’m sure they have better radar, self defense and command facilities you could prob get 10 Albion for the cost of 1 San Antonio.
I was working on a San An recently.
Albion= 2 x 20mm cannon and 2 x Phalanx that don’t need a command sytem input
San An = 2 x 30mm and Ram… Ram needs a command system to point it in the right direction of the threat.
Hangar is a bonus allowing for undercover maint but it will only take one (big!) aircraft at a time. The rest are kept on deck. That was 2x Osprey, CH 53 and a Huey. It’s a 2 spot deck for Osprey.
Albion no hangar but a 2 spot deck for Chinook and you could range aircraft on deck if needed .
2 x LCAC as opposed to 4 x LCU and 4 x LCVP…. LCAC is a quicker ship to shore connector but there is a lot less redundancy with only having 2 LCAC.
LCU have plenty of range and can act as mother ships to smaller vessels such as ORC raiders. As the change to a raiding posture for the RM becomes more prevelent the LCU is probably a better fit for the RM and a shed load quieter.
Albion and Bulwark are designed from scratch to command and control a landing group. The ship fighting ops room is small… less than 6 consoles and an EW set sat in a corner. The landing force ops room is huge with massive projection screens, comms, network computers, and there is another large control room on the next deck up as well.
San An I cannot comment on the Ops Room as it was hard enough just getting on board and working around the hangar during covid restrictions let alone getting a tour!
“docking selected restricted availability”. What? Can anyone translate for me, please?
It means that it isn’t going to be going to sea anytime soon when it gets into the dock.
If a vessel has say a 72 hrs notice for sea it needs to be back in the water within 72 hrs. If they are going to blast the Hull, paint it, do the ballast tanks that’s going to take weeks not days to complete.
If your bored read this 650 page classic from Navsea
JOINT FLEET MAINTENANCE MANUAL
http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/SUBMEPP/Volume%20II.pdf
Its what I spend a lot of time working to to try to keep the customer (USN and FRDRMC) happy… And they are rarely happy because they have 650 pages and also all of the referenced documents within it to hold against you. They will always find something wrong!
Blimey, I actually loved policies and procedures related to governance and quality assurance and I’ve written a few mind benders myself. But that document many Just be a step to far.