Navy Regional Maintenance Centers Continuing Work Amid COVID-19 Crisis

A docking team from the Japan Regional Maintenance Center (RMC) collaborates with port operations workers to close a caisson. The RMCs are continuing to maintain Navy ships amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sea service says. U.S. Navy/Ryo Isobe

WASHINGTON — In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Navy’s Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs) are continuing to maintain the Navy’s ships, even in countries where the pandemic is especially severe, the Navy said.

“Our priority is the protection of our workforce, [and] our commanders have the flexibility to respond to conditions in their areas to effectively carry out their missions while meeting the critical needs of their people,” said Colleen O’Rourke, spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command, in response to a query from Seapower. “Our RMCs continue to maintain the readiness of our fleet.”

The Navy has RMC activities in two countries hardest hit by the virus, at Rota, Spain, and Naples, Italy.

“We are committed to taking every measure possible to protect the health of our force,” O’Rourke said. “We remain in close coordination with host nation authorities, U.S. Embassy and public-health authorities to ensure the well-being of our personnel and local population.”