NORFOLK — The amphibious assault ship Bataan headed out to sea on Tuesday, following a brief return to port to fix some minor mechanical glitches after an extensive overhaul, officials said.
“The ship is pulling into port for maintenance,” Capt. Greg Leland, Bataan’s commanding officer posted Sunday on the warship’s official Facebook page.
“We still have evolutions that need to be completed underway in order to prepare for our upcoming deployment. Flexibility is key to our success and I am confident that the team will remain focused on the tasks ahead to stay mission ready.”
Naval Surface Forces Atlantic spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson told Navy Times that Bataan returned to port for “routine maintenance” that involved “minor repairs to various systems.”
She said Bataan didn’t suffer a mechanical casualty or system breakdown but just needed “routine adjustments to equipment and systems” that had been modernized over a long maintenance session that began in late 2017.
On Nov. 6, 2017, shortly after returning to Norfolk from a seven-month deployment, tugboats hauled the warship to BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair yard so workers could begin a yearlong $45.8 million overhaul of the vessel.
After the modernization work, Bataan left for sea on Feb. 20 for sea trials and to get the crew started on the basic phase of training to prep for an upcoming deployment, Hillson said.
During the recent underway period, the vessel’s flight and well decks were certified again and the crew has been conducting offshore operations with Marines, Hillson said.
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Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
