BAE Systems Wins $81 Million Navy Contract for USS St. Louis Repairs and Modernization

BAE Systems Maritime Solutions Jacksonville LLC won a Navy contract worth up to $80.7 million to maintain, modernize and repair USS St. Louis (LCS 19) during its fiscal 2027 Docking Selected Restricted Availability. Awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command on Oct. 28, 2026, the contract covers the labor, facilities, equipment, testing and quality assurance needed to complete the ship’s scheduled depot maintenance. Work will take place in Mayport, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2027.

USS St. Louis Docking Selected Restricted Availability Details

BAE will carry out dry-dock and pier-side repairs and alterations, coordinating work across the ship so it can return to the fleet in a satisfactory state of readiness. The Navy’s sources-sought notice identified anticipated propulsion work including waterjet and shaft assembly change-outs, replacement of the No. 1 main propulsion diesel engine, and a main propulsion diesel engine casting-plate change-out.

The notice also outlined complete underwater-hull preservation, superstructure painting, tank preservation and repairs, and structural welding and fabrication in aluminum and steel. Because St. Louis is a Freedom-variant ship, the Navy identified compliance with applicable aluminum-welding standards as a requirement for the planned work.

Planned modernization includes a MK 87 MOD 0 hardware installation and multiple ship alterations, including zonal upgrades. BAE will also support the integration of work performed by alteration installation teams and manage contractor-furnished and government-furnished material needed for the availability. The Navy’s presolicitation notice described the intended deliverable as a repaired, mission-ready ship.

Littoral Combat Ship Background

St. Louis is a Mayport-based Freedom-variant littoral combat ship. The Navy describes the LCS class as designed for near-shore and open-ocean operations, with mission packages supporting surface warfare, mine countermeasures and other missions. St. Louis returned from an eight-month deployment in February 2025 after counter-illicit-drug operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, and returned to Mayport from another deployment that November. The new availability is scheduled depot work on a ship already in service.

Award and Contractor Background

The Navy awarded the contract following a full-and-open competition that received two offers. The initial award was valued at $66.5 million. An early Navy notice had projected an availability ending in August 2027; the award notice now gives December 2027 as the expected completion date.

BAE has other Navy work involving littoral combat ships. A fiscal 2026 docking availability for USS Wichita, another Freedom-variant ship, has a potential value of $61.9 million and covers repairs and alterations including propulsion and underwater-hull work. BAE also holds a Mayport post-shakedown availability contract for Freedom-variant ships with a potential value of $203.3 million; that work addresses deficiencies and incorporates approved engineering changes following ship delivery.

This award was disclosed by the DoW in its daily press release. Additional contract details will be available on HigherGov in approximately 90 days under N0002427C4405 after the contract is formally disclosed by the government.