BATH

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $38.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract to work on a class of Navy destroyers.

BIW will perform class and engineering services associated with the detail design and construction of DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class ships.

Jim DeMartini, communications manager at the shipyard, said this morning the Navy award amounts to “incremental financing.”

“It allows us to continue what we’ve been doing,” DeMartini said. “It doesn’t mean more jobs.”

BIW will continue to provide manufacturing support services such as engineering, design, production control, accuracy control and information technology. Other class-support efforts include program management, contract and financial management, procurement and configuration/ data management.

The original contract was awarded last September. Work is expected to be completed by October 2013.

“With all three Zumwaltclass ships now under construction, this award demonstrates the Navy’s continued confidence in Bath Iron Works,” said Jeff Geiger, president of BIW. “The contract enables us to continue supporting the construction of DDG 1000-class ships and allows us to maintain the critical shipyard skills needed to efficiently produce them.

“Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is over 60 percent complete and we are leveraging what we’ve learned in building the lead ship to support our DDG 1001 and 1002 construction efforts. We remain focused on delivering high-quality, affordable Bath-built ships to the U.S. Navy.”

The DDG 1000 Zumwaltclass destroyers is the Navy’s next-generation, guided-missile naval destroyer, leading the way for a new generation of advanced multi-mission surface combat ships.