BAE Systems wins $155M contract to overhaul USS Somerset
BAE Systems – San Diego Ship Repair has been awarded a $155.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for the maintenance, modernization, and repair of the USS Somerset (LPD 25), according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The work will be carried out as part of a Docking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) under fiscal year 2025 funding and will extend through January 2027.
According to the Pentagon’s release, the scope of the contract includes “all labor, supervision, equipment, production, testing, facilities, and quality assurance necessary” to execute the availability. BAE Systems will handle the entire package, ensuring the vessel meets updated performance and readiness standards.
USS Somerset, an amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio class, is designed to support Marine expeditionary operations by transporting troops, landing craft, and helicopters. As part of the Navy’s modernization strategy, maintaining the operational lifespan of these platforms is considered essential for sustaining fleet readiness.
The total potential value of the contract could rise to $178.3 million if all options are exercised, the Department of Defense said.
“This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $178,357,238,” the announcement noted.
Funding for the award is split between procurement and operations accounts. Specifically, $144.7 million (93%) is sourced from fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds, while $11.2 million (7%) is drawn from fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds. The latter portion will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The contract was competitively solicited through the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the Navy said. Only one offer was received.
The USS Somerset is one of 11 ships in the San Antonio class, all of which have seen heavy operational use in forward deployments and amphibious operations since the early 2000s. Scheduled maintenance periods like this are a standard part of the Navy’s lifecycle support for surface combatants and amphibious ships, particularly those with expeditionary roles.
The San Diego-based shipyard has previously handled similar availabilities for other LPD-class vessels. The yard’s proximity to the Pacific Fleet and its infrastructure for dry-docking large amphibious ships makes it one of the Navy’s primary West Coast industrial support locations.