Destroyer contract awarded to BIW Shipyard to build next-generation DDG-1000

BATH – The Navy on Thursday awarded Maine shipyard Bath Iron Works a final $1.4 billion contract to build the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class destroyer, according to members of Maine’s congressional delegation.

The DDG-1000, previously known as DD(X), is the Navy’s next-generation destroyer, according to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In July, the Navy announced that BIW would deliver the first ship of the class to the Navy. BIW, a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp., and Northrop Grumman in Mississippi will alternate completion and delivery of follow-on ships.

“This is historic news for BIW and for Maine,” said U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe in a prepared statement. “This is the single largest investment ever made in surface Navy capabilities. The fact that the Navy is relying on Bath Iron Works to produce the DDG-1000 is a testament to the strong work ethic and ability of their work force.”

Earlier this week, Collins met with the chief of naval operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, to urge him to proceed with the Navy contract and to discuss the Navy’s future shipbuilding plans.

“As I told Admiral Roughead, I will continue to work closely with the Department of Defense to ensure that it continues to benefit from the contributions that BIW and its skilled and talented employees make by building the best Navy ships in the world,” Collins said in a press release Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, a member of the House Budget Committee, said in his own release, “I am especially pleased that BIW will perform 83 percent of the work on this ship, a great tribute to BIW’s work record. On the second DDG 1000 awarded today, Northrup Grumann Shipbuilding will perform just 34 percent of the work at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

“I will continue to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the House Budget Committee to secure funding for Navy shipbuilding,” Allen added.