The USS John S. McCain, a destroyer built by Bath Iron Works that in August was damaged in a collision, will be repaired in Japan.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was damaged when it struck a commercial vessel near Singapore on Aug. 21. An investigation is ongoing.
The McCain is currently in Singapore, but it will be transported to the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility-Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Yokosuka, Japan, aboard a heavy lift vessel later this month. Repairs will begin en route.
A statement released Wednesday by U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs cited costs and the desire to return the McCain to service as quickly as possible as the main reasons they selected Japan as the repair location.
Another Bath-built Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald, is also at Yokosuka, awaiting transport to BIW competitor Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. That destroyer also collided with a commercial vessel, causing extensive damage and killing several sailors.
During a tour of BIW last Friday, Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer explained that the damage to the McCain was more limited to the hull than the Fitzgerald.
“(The McCain is) different than the (Fitzgerald) in that it doesn’t have the extent of damage that the Fitzgerald had,” Spencer said. “The Fitzgerald had both hull damage and combat system damage. McCain is more hull damage. The primary driver though, is how can we get it back into the fleet as soon as possible. This is a critical part of the ballistic missile defense system, and getting it out there as quickly as possible is gonna be the driver.”
Spencer also confirmed that there are two ongoing investigations of the collisions.
According to USNI News, repairs are estimated to cost $223 million and take a year to complete.
nstrout@timesrecord.com
2nd BIW ship
• ANOTHER BATH-BUILT Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the USS Fitzgerald, is also at Yokosuka, awaiting transport to BIW competitor Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. That destroyer also collided with a commercial vessel.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less