GD Nassco has been awarded a contract by the US Department of Defense to provide upgrades and maintenance services for the amphibious warship, USS Pearl Harbor.

The contract is a modification to the phased maintenance availability programme, which ensures safe and dependable operation of the dock landing ship.

Services provided include renovation and modernisation of the ship, alterations, repairs, inspection and testing of all ships systems and components.

The 610ft USS Pearl Harbor is a Harpers Ferry Class dock landing ship, with a full displacement capacity of 16,088t, that can cruise at a speed of 20kt.

Work on the $9.2m contract will be carried out at the company’s facility in California, US, and is expected to be complete by May 2011.

The US Southwest Regional Maintenance Center is the contracting activity.