By: Ben Werner January 29, 2019 12:23 PM
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) transits the Arctic Circle Sept. 5, 2017. US Navy PhotoThe Navy still doesn’t know how badly a November fire damaged guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) while it was undergoing a $41.6 million modernization.
The Navy still doesn’t know how badly a November fire damaged guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) while the ship was in a yard for a $41.6-million modernization period.
The year-long upgrade at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair yard in Virginia was initially expected to finish in February, according to the company and the Navy. However, more than two months after the fire, the incident is still being investigated by U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command. The Navy has yet to release estimates on the cost or time required to repair the fire damage.
Work on Oscar Austin paused after an electrical fire occurred at about 8 p.m. on Nov. 10, according to a Norfolk Fire Marshal’s incident report obtained by USNI News. When Norfolk Fire Department crews arrived on the scene, Navy crew were already fighting the fire.
“They advised they had an electrical fire in a forward space and ships force damage control teams were engaged with fighting the fire. They also had a damage control element from the USS Cole on board assisting with their efforts, in total about 30 personnel,” the Norfolk Fire Marshal’s incident report states.
Crew members from Oscar Austin and USS Cole (DDG-67) had the fire well under control when Norfolk firefighters arrived at the shipyard. Cole is undergoing its own $36.6-million upgrade period and is berthed nearby at BAE’s yard.
Norfolk Fire Department crews assisted the Navy personnel in ensuring there were no remaining hotspots and clearing smoke from the ship’s spaces. One sailor was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment and was later released, according to the Norfolk Fire Department and the Navy.
By 10:10 p.m., the ship was secured and the Norfolk Fire Department left the scene.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer was set to receive an Aegis Combat System Baseline 9 upgrade. This upgrade would allow the ship to handle both ballistic missile and traditional air warfare threats at the same time.
The Navy’s contract with BAE included other modernization options, which, if exercised, would bring the total value of upgrading Oscar Austin to $117.1 million, according to a statement previously released by the company. BAE officials referred questions about the fire to the Navy.
The new Baseline 9 upgrade had not been installed aboard Oscar Austin when the fire occurred, but existing hardware needed to for the update may have been severely damaged by the fire or fire control efforts, according to Navy and defense contractor officials.
The following is the BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair contract award to upgrade USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79)
FROM CONTRACT AWARD: BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $41,654,174 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) fiscal 2018 depot modernization period. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS Oscar Austin. This is a long-term availability and was competed on a coast-wide (East and Gulf coast) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel’s homeport. BAE will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating, and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $117,186,557. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by February 2019. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $41,654,174 will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,020,836 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website with two offers were received in response to solicitation number N00024-17-R-4428. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-18-C-4428). (Awarded on Dec. 22, 2017)
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS OSCAR P. AUSTIN
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Assistant Machine Gunner with Company E, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division in connection with operations against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early morning hours of February 23, 1969, Private First Class Austin’s observation post was subjected to a fierce ground attack by a large North Vietnamese Army force supported by a heavy volume of hand grenades, satchel charges and small arms fire. Observing that one of his wounded companions had fallen unconscious in a position dangerously exposed to the hostile fire, Private First Class Austin unhesitatingly left the relative security of his fighting hole and, with complete disregard for his own safety, raced across the fire-swept terrain to assist the Marine to a covered location. As he neared the casualty, he observed an enemy grenade land nearby and, reacting instantly, leaped between the injured Marine and the lethal object, absorbing the effect of its detonation. As he ignored his painful injuries and turned to examine the wounded man, he saw a North Vietnamese Army soldier aiming a weapon at his unconscious companion. With full knowledge of the probable consequences and thinking only to protect the Marine, Private First Class Austin resolutely threw himself between the casualty and the hostile soldier and, in so doing, was mortally wounded. Private First Class Austin’s indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
/S/RICHARD M. NIXON
Dang computers - - -
My new Lincoln Hybrid is a computer on wheels.
Service mgr said I have 42 (or 43) computers in my car.
Tranny acted up.
Warranty covered $9K!
And I am trying not to submit myself to the borg.
Very surprised a civilian fire department truck, men, or anything was called to fight a fire inside the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Each of the five shipyards (EB, Norfolk NSY, Vallejo - Mare ISland NSY, Norfolk Naval base, SubBase NLON, San Diego, Newport News SY), I served in had their internal fire department-rescue squad on alert for fires and industrial rescue. Ship’s force also of course, but an outside fire dept was not considered in rescue planning or immediate response.
I would think the contractor, or the shipyard, would be required to have insurance to cover the loss, during the upgrade work.