SASEBO, Japan – Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) Detachment Sasebo recently completed Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, USS Pioneer’s (MCM 9) seven-month-long docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) three days early, July 13, 2021. This marks the completion of the third consecutive mine countermeasure DSRA to be completed on time or early for the detachment.
As a part of the Expeditionary Strike Group 7, Task Force 76, four mine countermeasure ships are assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, upholding the maritime interests of its allies to prevent conflict in the Indo-Pacific region. Within the past 16 months, three of these four ships have undergone extensive work in Sasebo’s dry dock.
Prior to Pioneer, SRF-JRMC Det. Sasebo completed DSRAs on USS Warrior (MCM 10) and USS Chief (MCM 14). Warrior’s DSRA completed six days early, and Chief’s DSRA completed on time.
SRF-JRMC Det. Sasebo’s project teams and production shop jointly managed the planning and execution of over 46,870 man-days of maintenance, modernization and repairs, valued at over $31.4 million onboard Pioneer, Chief and Warrior.
Critical path work on all three availabilities included: shafting removal and reinstallation; preservation and repair to the rudders, main reduction gear work, and main propulsion diesel engine; and replacements of the wooden decks throughout the ships. Proper planning, coupled with several safety restrictions and mitigations, enabled the team to continue work while preventing the spread of COVID-19.
“With everyone’s diligent planning, resourcefulness and combined efforts, we did it again,” said Cmdr. Mollie Bily, SRF-JRMC Det. Sasebo’s officer in charge. “Thank you to the SRF-JRMC team for your consistent hard work to keep the fleet fit and ready. Also, thank you to our industry partners for their first-time quality and the crews of each of the ships who took ownership and were involved throughout the process.”
During this time, SRF-JRMC Det. Sasebo also completed selected restricted availabilities onboard USS Ashland (LSD 48), and USS Green Bay (LPD 20), as well as USS America’s (LHA 6) first forward-deployed surface incremental availably (SIA). Each of these amphibious ship availabilities completed on time.
SRF-JRMC’s mission is to keep the U.S. 7th Fleet operationally ready by using advanced industrial techniques to maintain, modernize and repair 21 forward-deployed naval forces ships homeported in Yokosuka and Sasebo.