The Navy’s nearly brand-new littoral combat ship USS Augusta is already headed back into dry dock in San Diego, with taxpayers on the hook for at least $33.5 million in overhaul work before the trimaran has even completed a major deployment.
Commissioned and homeported in 2023, the Independence-variant warship will undergo a docking availability to scrutinize its hull and propulsion systems, a move that puts a spotlight back on long-running maintenance headaches for a class that was supposed to shine in fast, near-shore operations.
Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded a $33,513,369 firm-fixed-price contract to BAE Systems’ Maritime Solutions in San Diego, with options that could push the total to about $35.7 million. The deal is funded with fiscal 2026 Navy dollars and covers a Fiscal 2026 Docking Selected Restricted Availability that will run into August 2027, according to ClearanceJobs.
Shipyard crews plan to haul Augusta into dry dock at BAE Systems’ San Diego yard in Barrio Logan for inspection, cleaning, painting and any repairs that emerge once the hull is out of the water. Teams will inspect the hull for cracks and the propulsion system for problems. The ship has been based in San Diego since delivery and commissioning in 2023 and has not yet completed a major deployment, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Classwide Problems and Costs
The Independence-variant littoral combat ships have repeatedly run into sustainment and structural issues that have driven up maintenance needs and long-term costs. A 2022 Government Accountability Office report found the LCS program “has not demonstrated the operational capabilities it needs” and pegged seaframe costs near $478 million per ship.
Separate reporting and internal Navy records have documented hull cracks on multiple Independence hulls that can trigger speed caps and sea-state limits, undercutting the fast, agile image originally sold to Congress, according to Navy Times.
Where the Work Will Be Done
BAE Systems’ Maritime Solutions unit will carry out Augusta’s availability at its Barrio Logan facility, listed in state regulatory filings at 2205 East Belt Street in San Diego. The work package was competitively procured through the federal System for Award Management and formally awarded on April 9, 2026, with Naval Sea Systems Command managing the contract, according to GovTribe.
What It Could Mean for Readiness
If inspectors find problems that require plate replacement or other structural fixes, the work could come with strings attached in the form of reduced top transit speeds or sea-state restrictions that blunt Augusta’s near-shore mission profile.
Earlier Navy guidance and reporting described similar limits on other Independence-variant ships, in some cases holding vessels below 15 knots while crews monitored crack growth. NAVSEA has said affected hulls have been inspected and can still meet operational requirements, according to Navy Times.
For now, the new contract keeps Augusta parked in San Diego while shipyard teams work through mechanical and structural checks so the ship can eventually return to fleet duties. Federal records indicate the job is funded with fiscal 2026 Navy procurement and operations-and-maintenance accounts, and the extended availability window is intended to give crews time for inspections, any needed repairs and post-fix testing, per ClearanceJobs.
