USS Donald Cook Completes Availability Ahead of Schedule

ROTA, Spain — The Forward-Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) detachment Rota recently completed a surface incremental availability (SIA) for USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) five days ahead of schedule, returning the ship for continued operational tasking, the Navy’s Team Ships Public Affairs said in a Sep. 30 release. 

The USS Donald Cook is one of the Navy’s four forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers homeported in Rota, Spain. These ships serve a vital role by supporting NATO’s regional security and ballistic missile defense efforts through regular patrols and exercises in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility.   

“With the early delivery of USS Donald Cook, the Rota team has successfully completed all four of its FY20 availabilities on time,” said Capt. Gustavo Vergara commanding officer for FDRMC. “FDRMC is committed to returning ships on time in order to provide the fleet with the stability and operational readiness needed to achieve their mission.”  

An SIA is part of the planned maintenance cycle that keeps Navy ships ready and responsive by allowing numerous depot and intermediate level work items to be completed.  The government and industry team completed the SIA in 55 days with the average time to complete being 60 days. FDRMC Rota managed to streamline and improve their typical SIA plan of execution to deliver the ship ahead of schedule.  

“Finishing the availability ahead of schedule is a testament to the maintenance strategy FDRMC Rota is executing to maintain alignment with the requirements of the operational commander,” said Cmdr. Luis Socias, officer in charge with FDRMC det Rota. 

FDRMC provides contract management oversight, fleet technical assistance, voyage repair and diving and salvage to Forward Deployed Naval Forces in Europe and the Middle East and for Deployed ships in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.