Article Posted on : - Jul 28, 2010

An Arleigh Burke class destroyer. A US Navy photo

NORFOLK, US (BNS): British defence company BAE Systems has won a contract worth $365 million from the US Navy to upgrade 11 Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class guided missile destroyers.

The company received the multi-ship, multi-option drydock contract to service the ships home-ported or visiting Norfolk.

The contract consists of an initial one-year award plus four option years. If all of the options are exercised, the total value of the engagement could reach between $350 million and $500 million, BAE said.

A leading player in repair, modernisation and conversion of US navy's non-nuclear ships, BAE Systems Ship Repair will start executing the contract in August.

“We already will be well into the DDG modernisation process on the  (DDG 53) in San Diego when the USS Arleigh Burke comes into Norfolk for the same work.

“This will allow us to leverage our experience in San Diego to provide an enhanced final product to the Navy,” Bill Clifford, president of BAE Systems' Ship Repair business, said.