NASSCO has received a contract valued at up to $23 million for the eight-month extended drydocking and repair availability of USS Mobile Bay - an Aegis guided missile cruiser equipped with vertical launch missile systems - which is changing homeports from Yokosuka, Japan to San Diego, Calif.
On September 1, the U.S. Navy awarded NASSCO a $1 million contract to commence the advance planning for Mobile Bay's maintenance, repair and alteration work package. Actual work on the vessel is scheduled to begin in November for a June 2001 completion. The work, which is expected to reach a value of $23 million, encompasses drydocking, plus alterations to convert the cruiser to all-electric auxiliaries and to install the Navy "Smart Ship" electronic control and automation systems.