Destroyer USS Forrest Sherman completes repairs

March 5 (UPI) -- The destroyer USS Forrest Sherman will return to the sea, on schedule, following trials after six months of repairs, the Navy announced on Friday.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer underwent a Scheduled Restricted Availability, repairs and selected alterations required to sustain the ship's condition between overhauls.

The ship received repairs to major hull, mechanical, and engineering systems, including to two gas turbine generators, the flight deck, attachment points known as sliding padeyes and other upgrades, the U.S. Naval Seas Systems Command reported on Friday.

The repairs, conducted by Marine Hydraulics International in Norfolk, Va., are an integral part of the life cycle of the ship, which was commissioned in 2006.

"This is a win," said Capt. Tim Barney, commanding officer of Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center. "Thanks to MHI and their subcontractors. Fixing ships is a team effort and the Forrest Sherman team did exceptionally well ensuring an on-time delivery."

In November 2019, the destroyer was involved in a seizure of a boat containing weapons, including 21 anti-tank guided missiles and five Iranian-made surface-to-air missiles, destined for Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In January 2021, Cmdr. Frank Azzarello was relieved of his post on the ship, a week before his planned departure, for using one confiscated weapon, an AK-47 assault rifle, in an onboard, morale-boosting plaque.

"They had a couple of items left over, including a rusty AK-47. When one of the crew asked what they should do with it, he said let's make a plaque," attorney Tim Parlatore, Azzarello's attorney, said at the time.

While commemoration of a noteworthy naval action is within Navy guidelines, Azzarello did not follow the proper procedure in seeking permission to do so.