The U.S. Department of Defense announced May. 17 that the Navy and America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries have successfully renegotiated a modification to the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) contract for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

The Army has awarded Huntington Ingalls a $187,1 million contract modification to cover the USS John C. Stennis RCOH.

The contract modification extends the period of performance for continued advance planning efforts including material forecasting, long lead time material procurement, purchase order development, technical document and drawing development, scheduling, resource forecasting and planning, development of cost estimates for work to be accomplished, data acquisition, pre-overhaul tests and inspections, pre-overhaul preparations, refueling preparations and other technical studies as required to prepare and make ready for the CVN 74 RCOH accomplishment.

The statement noted that work is expected to complete by January 2021.

Stennis is the nuclear-powered flagship of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSSG).

The seventh Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier has a flight deck of about 4.5 acres and towers nearly seven stories above the sea. The ship is capable of carrying a crew of about 5,600 sailors, more than 3.5 million gallons of fuel, 70 aircraft, and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment.

Stennis’ embarked air wing consists of the F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye 2000, C-2A Greyhound and MH-60R/MH-60S. The aircraft can be used to conduct strikes, support land battles, protect the CSG or other friendly ships, and implement a sea or air blockade.