USS Mobile Bay Completes Extensive Modernization Upgrades

27.04.2010 USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), the second cruiser to undergo the most comprehensive upgrade and modernization program in the history of the U.S. Navy, completed its 10-month shipyard availability April 19 and will soon be reintegrated back into the fleet.

All Ticonderoga-class cruisers are undergoing extensive structured modernization efforts in order to improve the Navy's warfighting capability by supporting future combat system integration, improving operational availability, increasing capacity and ensuring ships reach their expected service life.

"A key tenet of the Navy's plan to remain deployable and combat ready depends on our ability to upgrade today's fleet to meet tomorrow's requirements," said Rear Adm. James P. McManamon, the Naval Sea Systems Command deputy commander for surface warfare (SEA 21). "The technology insertion and system upgrades received as a part of the Cruiser Modernization Program are necessary to ensure the capability and capacity to pace future threats".

During the ship's modernization availability at BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, Mobile Bay was equipped with the some of the world's most modern warfighting technology, including upgrades to the Aegis weapons system, improved sonar and radar technologies and a full combat systems overhaul.

With a core mission to sustain, modernize and increase the warfighting capabilities of Aegis-equipped cruisers, the targeted efforts of SEA 21's Cruiser Modernization Program strive to keep total ownership costs at a minimum, while keeping the ships mission effective throughout their service lives. The Navy has been able to extend service life on these valuable assets and support the current maritime strategy, while making the surface fleet less expensive to operate and maintain for decades to come.

Over the next several years, the remaining 19 cruisers will undergo this structured modernization to ensure they too are able to reach their projected 35-year service lives.

SEA 21 manages the complete lifecycle support for all non-nuclear surface ships and is the principal interface with the surface warfare enterprise. The directorate is responsible for the maintenance and modernization of non-nuclear surface ships currently operating in the fleet. Through planned modernization and upgrade programs, SEA 21 will equip today's surface ships with the latest technologies and systems to keep them in the fleet through their service lives. Additionally, SEA 21 oversees the ship inactivation process, including ship transfers or sales to friendly foreign navies, inactivation and/or disposal.