BAE Systems lands $237.7M Navy contract

The U.S. Navy awarded BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, a business unit of Arlington-based defense contractor BAE Systems Inc., a potential $237.7 million contract to drydock and perform maintenance and modernization work on the USS Wasp assault ship, the company announced Tuesday. 

Under the contract, BAE Systems will begin working on the 843-foot-long USS Wasp in February 2021, performing hull, tank and mechanical work. The company last performed maintenance work on the ship from December 2016 to May 2017 and added modifications to support Joint Strike Fighter operations onboard.

“BAE Systems is very familiar with USS Wasp, performing substantial upgrade work onboard before its forward deployment to Japan three years ago,” Mark Whitney, deputy general manager of BAE Systems Ship Repair and general manager of Norfolk Ship Repair, said in a statement. “Our team of skilled tradespeople and subcontractors look forward to executing another long sustainment period on Wasp, to ensure the ship retains its sharp warfighting capability.”

BAE’s floating drydock, Titan, returned to Norfolk earlier this month after five months of maintenance at a Baltimore-based shipyard. The Titan is able to lift up to 52,500 long tons and the company anticipates it could be in active use until 2045.

BAE Systems Inc. is an independent U.S. subsidiary of England-based BAE Systems plc, one of Europe’s top defense contractors. BAE Systems Inc. employs approximately 35,100 people across the U.S., U.K., Sweden and Israel. The company generated $11.4 billion in sales last year.

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