CNRMC Sets Up Maintenance Detachment in Spain

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CNRMC Sets Up Maintenance Detachment in Spain

The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has formally established a Regional Maintenance Center detachment in Rota, Spain, to support the destroyers scheduled to be homeported in the area, the command announced Nov. 7.

The detachment will provide management, industrial, engineering, technical and contractor oversight services for the maintenance and modernization of the four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers scheduled to be forward deployed in Rota starting in 2014.

 “[The Norfolk Ship Support Activity] currently oversees maintenance detachments in Naples, Italy, and Bahrain, and is now in the process of hiring for detachment Rota with the goal of having a [team] on site by the end of the year,” said Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center Rear Adm. Bill Galinis.

The detachment is scheduled to be fully functional by January 2014 in preparation for the arrival of the first ship in February—USS Donald Cook (DDG 75). Donald Cook will be followed by USS Ross (DDG 71) later in 2014, and the final two ships, USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Carney (DDG 64), are scheduled to arrive in fiscal year 2015.

Preliminary plans are for two ships to be in port in Rota at any given time, with availabilities running concurrently. The detachment is scheduled to conduct its first availability next summer on Donald Cook, performed by a local contractor in Rota.

Depot- and intermediate-level maintenance will be contracted out to the local ship repair industrial base, with the staff at the detachment providing oversight of the work. The detachment will also be staffed with a technical division that will focus on maintaining the ships’ Aegis and ballistic missile defense systems.

These Rota-based ships will support NATO’s missile defense efforts and will provide a support shield for NATO’s European interests and assets.

[mappress]
Press Release, November 8, 2013; Image: