WASHINGTON D.C. - The Navy is partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to execute a Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) on up to five of the Yard Patrol (YP) 676 Class Training Craft.
The maintenance and modernization work will be performed at the USCG Yard in Baltimore, Maryland, and will allow the midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) to continue training onboard these craft for years to come, as well as provide economic benefits to the Baltimore-Annapolis region.
The craft were originally delivered to the USNA located in Annapolis, Maryland from 1986-1988 and are continuously utilized to train midshipmen on piloting, seamanship, navigation, and engineering.
"It's a win-win cooperative effort between the Navy and USCG," said Mike Kosar, program manager, Support Ships, Boats, and Craft, Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships). "It provides an opportunity to partner with the U.S. Coast Guard Yard and utilize their resources while developing a workforce experienced in YP craft repair and overhaul local to the USNA to support future in-service needs of the vessels."
YP 688 is the first craft to arrive for modernization and will be followed by up to four additional craft through early 2020. Planned work will impact nearly every portion of the craft from wooden hull repair work to overhaul and modernization of the propulsion and electric generating equipment. The SLEP will enable the craft to remain in service for another ten years.
USNA has used the 108-foot wooden-hulled YP craft to teach familiarization with water craft, basic damage control, and provide underway instruction of basic to advanced seamanship and navigation. The training is designed to develop within midshipmen the abilities of an officer-of-the-deck, a proficiency in navigation, and a working knowledge of afloat operations in a safe shipboard environment equipped with modern systems essential to seamanship and navigation.
"The staff and Sailors of the Dept. of Waterfront Readiness at USNA have been actively involved in the pre-planning and identification of the scope of work for two years with the planning yard," said Cmdr. Ethan Mitchell, director of the Waterfront Readiness Dept. "The staff and Sailors look forward to the delivery of the first craft as well as working with PEO Ships and the USCG Yard throughout the SLEP period. This process will significantly contribute to the continued safe and effective training of future naval officers."
Since 1899, the USCG Yard has served as the service's only shipyard and largest industrial facility. Modernization of YP 676 Class craft will continue to reinforce the essential role the Yard has in providing fleet support operations.
"The men and women of the Yard are excited to support the USNA through the SLEP of the YP 676 Class," said Capt. Matt Lake, commanding officer, USCG Yard. "Renovation projects such as this fit squarely within the Yard's business niche. Our craftspeople are the best in the world at this type of work, and our facility is uniquely designed to support it."
As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.
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