Bath Iron Works begins construction on another ship

BATH, Maine (AP) - Bath Iron Works has begun construction on another destroyer, the future USS William Charette.

The start of construction was celebrated Monday at the shipyard’s metal fabrication facility in Brunswick.

The shipyard has fallen behind on its construction schedule, and the pandemic and a strike over the summer haven’t helped. But the shipyard and union are working together to get back on track.

“The Navy is counting on us to get the shipyard back on schedule and starting construction of DDG-130 is an important step in that direction,” Bath Iron Works President Dirk Lesko said.

The Charette is the 43rd Arleigh-Burke class destroyer and second Flight III version optimized for ballistic missile defense to be built in Bath.

The ship bears the name of a Navy master chief hospital corpsman who was awarded the Medal of Honor for valor during the Korean War.