Aegis destroyer Sejong the Great. Photo courtesy of the Navy
The South Korean Navy has signed a maintenance, repair and overhaul contract with Hanwha Ocean (042660) for the depot-level overhaul of the 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer Sejong the Great, the Navy said on the 28th.
Hanwha Ocean will begin work on the destroyer next month and carry out repairs for about six months through March of next year.
A depot-level overhaul is the highest tier of maintenance for military equipment. It involves the complete disassembly, inspection and repair of equipment that field units cannot service, effectively restoring the asset to as-new condition.
Overhauls of surface ships had previously been performed at Navy shipyards. This marks the first time the Navy has contracted out a surface ship overhaul to a private company.
The overhaul will also include renovation of living quarters aboard the ship, including sleeping berths and washrooms, to improve conditions for the crew.
“This overhaul brings in private-sector expertise so that we can deploy military maintenance personnel more efficiently and sustain the combat readiness of our ships,” said Brig. Gen. Shin Yu-chan, head of the logistics staff division at Navy Headquarters.