Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree announced today that the Navy is exercising its option under the fiscal years (FY) 2018-2022 multiyear procurement contract awarded in September to build an additional DDG-51 destroyer at Bath Iron Works (BIW) for $910,723,811. This FY 2019 option ship is in addition to four ships the Navy awarded the shipyard under the multiyear contract.  U.S. Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer called Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree to inform them of the award.

“The Navy’s decision to build an additional DDG-51 at BIW is great news for the hardworking men and women at the shipyard. They can now spend the holidays with their families knowing that this additional ship will help keep the workload stable in the months and years ahead,” said Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree in a joint statement.  “The Navy’s latest contract decision is a testament to the quality work being done at BIW to produce the backbone of today’s Navy.  We are extremely proud to represent the best shipbuilders in the world right here in Maine and work together to support them in Congress."

In addition to the five DDG-51s already funded in FY 2018 and FY 2019, the delegation will seek to ensure that Congress provides the necessary funding and statutory authority for the Navy to procure the six additional DDG-51s called for under the multiyear contract and up to three additional option ships.

Senator Collins is a senior member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator King is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  In September, Senators Collins and King both advocated for the passage of the FY 2019 Defense Appropriations bill, which included funding for three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in FY 2019, while also including $250 million in advanced procurement funding for an additional destroyer in FY 2020.  The legislation was signed into law.