Official U.S. Navy website - Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

SASEBO, Japan - USS AVENGER (MCM 1) completed its move from India Basin in Sasebo, Japan to Akasaki Dry Dock 2 on the 6th of September to begin its Designated Ship Repair Availability (DSRA).

The ship was maneuvered without the usage of its own propulsion systems, commonly referred to as a “deadstick” move. Tugboats, placed in strategic positions around the ship were able to maneuver the ship into the drydock.

"There are months of preparation involving a dry-docking maneuver; however we just returned from deployment. Our crew worked incredibly hard to pull off months of preparation in just a few weeks…" said LCDR Patrick L. German, Commanding Officer of the USS AVENGER, “the crew worked long hours and really came together to make this evolution a successful one.”

Now that the ship has been placed on blocks inside the drydock, the local Ship Repair Facility in Sasebo will work with Japanese contractors to begin upgrading critical systems in USS AVENGER. “The hardest part’s over,” said QMC(SW) Christopher Denton. We maneuver the ship into the drydock and the contractors repair and upgrade the ship.”

LCDR Patrick J. Sullivan, Executive Officer of the USS AVENGER (MCM 1) has plans for the crew during dry dock. “We’ll be in a stand down, but we won’t be sitting down…” said the XO, “we’re going to train as much as we can and as often as we can. We won’t be taking this dry dock lightly.”

"I'm excited about being in the drydock," EM3(SW) Jon M. Lugo said. "I don’t know anyone who I went to A-school with whose been in a drydock. This is going to be a unique experience.”

During its DSRA period, AVENGER will receive major upgrades to its combat, navigation, networking, and engineering systems. After completion of DSRA, AVENGER will continue workups in preparation for Spring Exercises and a Deployment. The USS AVENGER is a mine countermeasures ship, home ported in Sasebo, Japan.