Navy awards $77 million contract mod to fix the Fitz

The Navy awarded Ingalls Shipbuilding a roughly $77.6 million contract modification to repair, maintain and modernize the guided missile destroyer Fitzgerald (DDG-62), which was damaged in a collision last year.

In late January, the Fitz arrived at the Port of Pascagoula in Mississippi and then made its way to Ingalls. The Navy anticipates the repairs will take about two years, according to a March 8 contracts announcement.

"Work on the ship is expected to occur on a land level facility throughout 2018 and one to two quarters of 2019," according to a Jan. 19 Navy statement.

The Fitzgerald will then undergo testing and trials to "ensure all systems and spaces are restored to full functionality and operational capability," according to the Navy.

On June 17, 2017 the ship was involved in a collision with the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal. Seven sailors died, and the ship was damaged on the starboard side above and below the waterline.

"Due to the extent and complexity of the restoration, both repair and new construction procedures will be used to accomplish the restoration and modernization efforts," the Jan. 19 statement reads. "Various Hull Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E), C4I and Combat System equipment, including the electronic warfare suite, radar, switchboard, gas turbine generator, and air condition plant, require repair and/or replacement."

The ship will also receive upgrades originally planned for installation during a fiscal year 2019 availability.