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May 4 (UPI) -- The USS Milius recently completed sea trials and certification, wrapping a 12-month restricted availability four days early, the U.S. Navy said on Tuesday. The restricted availability took place at Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Yokosuka, Japan.
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"The accomplishment of this project is a testament to the problem-solving attitude, hard work and teaming across all production shops and codes at SRF-JRMC," Capt. Neil Sexton, SRF-JRMC's commanding officer, said in a Navy press release.
"This availability began at the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic and we overcame incredible odds to complete the ship, not only early, but under budget while maintaining a safe working environment," Sexton said.
The obstacles included a 50% reduction in workforce that lasted several months, as well as supply chain delays and travel restrictions, according to Navy officials.
The project team, production shops and ship's force carried out more than 79,000 man-days of repairs at Fleet Activities Yokosuka and neighboring prefectures, the Navy said.
The Milius is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer commissioned in 1996 and has been homeported in Yokosuka since 2018.
In July of that year the Milius, as part of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group, conducted an air defense exercise in the Philippine Sea.
SRF-JRMC is tasked with maintaining, modernizing and repair 21 forward-deployed naval forces ships homeported in Yokosuka and Sasebo.
In January, the Navy announced that Coast Guard National Security Cutter Waesche was back in operational condition after several months under repair at SRF-JRMC due to a fire in September 2020.
