Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) hosted a ceremonial first-cut-of-steel event on May 23, 2019, at its Newport News Shipbuilding division to mark the start of advance construction for the Columbia-class submarine program.
Newport News Shipbuilding officially began advance construction of the first Columbia-class submarine on Thursday – three weeks ahead of schedule. Pictured (left to right) are Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president for Columbia-class construction; John Lennon, vice president of the Columbia-class submarine program at General Dynamics Electric Boat; Captain Jon Rucker, the Navy’s Columbia program manager; Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, the Navy’s Columbia program executive officer; and Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)
With the press of a button, a plasma-burning machine cut the first steel plate that will be used to build USS Columbia (SSBN-826), the lead ballistic missile submarine. As Newport News continues its digital transformation, the event also marked the first class of submarines that will be built using fully digital blueprints.
«Today is a historic day», said Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president for Columbia-class construction. «It has been a half century since Newport News Shipbuilding has constructed a ballistic submarine. Today, we celebrate the decade-plus effort spent working with Electric Boat on the design of this new class of submarine as we formally transition from design to material procurement and now to construction execution».
Newport News is a major contractor and shipbuilding partner in the Columbia-class program and is performing advance construction activities under a contract the shipyard received from General Dynamics Electric Boat. The Columbia-class boats will replace the fleet of Ohio-class nuclear ballistic submarines. Newport News is starting its work three weeks ahead of schedule to support its advance construction efforts.
«The first cut of steel is a major construction milestone that signifies our shipyard and submarine industrial base are ready to move forward with production», Ward said. «We have worked to engage the submarine industrial base and leveraged lessons learned from the successful Virginia-class program to building the Columbia-class submarines in the most efficient and affordable manner to provide the best value to the Navy».
Ceremony participants included Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin; Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, Columbia’s program executive officer; Captain Jon Rucker, Columbia’s program manager; Will Lennon, vice president of the Columbia-class submarine program for General Dynamics Electric Boat; and shipbuilders.
Construction of the 12-boat Columbia class will take place in Virginia, Rhode Island and Connecticut, with Electric Boat assembling and delivering all of the submarines. The lead boat is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2027.
The future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117) successfully completed acceptance trials December 20, returning to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Pascagoula shipyard after spending two days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.
Future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117) successfully completes acceptance trials
During acceptance trials, the ship and its crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). These demonstrations are used by INSURV to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy specifications and requirements prior to delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy.
«The ship performed very well, which is a testament to the preparation and commitment of the Navy-shipbuilder team», said Captain Casey Moton, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The ship also previously performed a successful SM-2 shoot during builder’s trials, further demonstrating the readiness of the ship’s Aegis weapon system and ship’s force. These trials put the ship on a solid path towards delivery to the U.S. Navy».
The DDG-51 class ships currently being constructed are Aegis Baseline 9 Integrated Air and Missile Defense destroyers with increased computing power and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air warfare and Ballistic Missile Defense threats. When operational, USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117) and her sister ships will serve as integral assets in global maritime security.
The future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117) is expected to be delivered to the Navy early next year. HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the future destroyers USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), USS Frank E. Peterson Jr. (DDG-121), USS Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) and USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), the first Flight III ship. HII was recently awarded a contract for the design and construction of six additional DDG-51 class Flight III ships.
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft.
Ship Characteristics
Length Overall
510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline
59 feet/18 m
Draft
30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load
9,217 tons/9,363 metric tons
Power Plant
4 General electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 CRP (Contra-Rotating) propellers; 100,000 shaft horsepower/75,000 kW
SPY-1D Phased Array Radar and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V) Navigation; SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search; 3 SPG-62 Illuminator; SQQ-89(V)6 sonar incorporating SQS-53C hull mounted and SQR-19 towed array sonars used with Mark-116 Mod 7 ASW fire control system
Electronics/Countermeasures
SLQ-32(V)3; Mark-53 Mod 0 Decoy System; Mark-234 Decoy System; SLQ-25A Torpedo Decoy; SLQ-39 Surface Decoy; URN-25 TACAN; UPX-29 IFF System; Kollmorgen Mark-46 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Director
Aircraft
2 embarked SH-60 helicopters ASW operations; RAST (Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse)
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has launched the recently christened Virginia-class submarine USS Delaware (SSN-791) into the water for the first time at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.
The 7,800-ton Virginia-class submarine USS Delaware (SSN-791) was moved out of a construction facility into a floating dry dock using a transfer car system (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)
During a three-day process that began last Wednesday, the 7,800-ton submarine was moved out of a construction facility and into a floating dry dock using a transfer car system. The floating dry dock was submerged, and the submarine was launched into the James River. Once in the water, the boat then was moved to the shipyard’s submarine pier for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.
«Successfully launching Delaware into the water, the first time is a proud moment for the Virginia-class submarine team and the thousands of dedicated shipbuilders involved in constructing the ship», said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. «With this significant key event behind us, we look forward to completing construction and sea trials next year so this great warship can join the fleet and defend our nation».
USS Delaware (SSN-791) is the 18th Virginia-class submarine built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat and the ninth to be delivered by Newport News. More than 10,000 shipbuilders from Newport News and Electric Boat have participated in Delaware’s construction since the work began in September 2013. The submarine was christened by Jill Biden, the former Second Lady of the United States and the ship’s sponsor, during a ceremony in October.
Virginia-class submarines, a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines, are built for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions to replace the Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines. Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations that increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth and significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities. These 377-foot/114.8-meter long submarines are capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at submerged speeds of more than 25 knots/28 mph/46.3 km/h for months at a time.
Following testing, USS Delaware (SSN-791) is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. Navy next year.
Huntington Ingalls launches Virginia Class submarine Delaware
General Characteristics
Builder
General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. – Newport News Shipbuilding
Date Deployed
October 3, 2004
Propulsion
One GE PWR S9G* nuclear reactor, two turbines, one shaft; 40,000 hp/30 MW
Length
377 feet/114.8 m
Beam
33 feet/10.0584 m
Hull Diameter
34 feet/10.3632 m
Displacement
Approximately 7,800 tons/7,925 metric tons submerged
Speed
25+ knots/28+ mph/46.3+ km/h
Diving Depth
800+ feet/244+ m
Crew
132: 15 officers; 117 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles
Two 87-in/2.2 m Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs), each capable of launching 6 Tomahawk cruise missiles
Armament: MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes
4 torpedo tubes
Weapons
MK-60 CAPTOR (Encapsulated Torpedo) mines, advanced mobile mines and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles)
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the National Security Cutter USCGC Stone (WMSL-758) on September 14, 2018. It is the ninth Legend-class cutter built at Ingalls for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Demetrica Hawkins, a structural welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding, welded ship sponsor Laura Cavallo’s initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of NSC 9 as being «truly and fairly laid». The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout its lifetime (Photo by Derek Fountain/HII)
«NSCs are essential to the Coast Guard and play a significant role in making America safer and stronger», said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls’ vice president, program management. «As Americans and as shipbuilders, this team understands that every day is an important day in completing and delivering this asset to the Coast Guard. It is a mission we hold close and that drives the NSC team to raise the bar from ship to ship».
Laura Cavallo, the great niece of the namesake, will serve as the ship’s sponsor.
Demetrica Hawkins, a structural welder at Ingalls, welded Cavallo’s initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of NSC 9 as being «truly and fairly laid». The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout its lifetime.
«As I’ve stated previously, the National Security Cutter is game-changing», said U.S. Coast Guard Captain Travis Carter, commanding officer, Gulf Coast. «The entire Coast Guard team is appreciative of the hard work and dedication of the men and women at Ingalls Shipbuilding. The Coast Guard and the nation depend on your skills to provide the ships we use to complete our missions around the world. I look forward to seeing the continued example of your hard work in the next great ship».
The ship is named in honor of former U.S. Coast Guard commander Elmer «Archie» Fowler Stone. Stone was born in Livonia, New York, and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He became a cadet at the Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction on April 28, 1910. On April 10, 1917, Stone became the Coast Guard’s first aviator upon graduating from flight training at Pensacola, Florida. In 1919 Stone was one of two pilots to successfully make a transatlantic flight in a U.S. Navy seaplane, NC-4. Stone died of a heart attack on May 20, 1936, while inspecting a new patrol plane at the Air Patrol Detachment in San Diego.
Ingalls has delivered six NSCs, the flagship of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, designed to replace the 12 Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters that entered service in the 1960s.
NSCs are 418 feet/127 m long with a 54-foot/16-meter beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h, a range of 12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.
The Legend-class NSC is capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. The cutter includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft. It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. This class of cutters plays an important role in enhancing the Coast Guard’s operational readiness, capacity and effectiveness at a time when the demand for their services has never been greater.
Facts
Displacement
4,500 long tons
Length
418 feet/127 m
Beam
54 feet/16 m
Speed
28 knots/32 mph/52 km/h
Range
12,000 NM/13,809 miles/22,224 km
Endurance
60 days
Crew
120
Equipped with
Mk-110 57-mm turret mounted gun
6 × 12.7-mm/.50 caliber machine guns
3D air search radar
2 level 1, class 1 aircraft hangers
A stern launch ramp for mission boats
Aviation carried
(2) MCH, or (4) Vertical-Launch Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (VUAV) or (1) MCH and (2) VUAV
Stern launch
Two cutter boats (Long Range Interceptor and/or Short Range Prosecutor)
Electronic Warfare and Decoys
AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare System, Two Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC)/2 NULKA countermeasures chaff rapid decoy launcher
Communications
HF, VHF & UHF
Sensors and Processing Systems
X and S band radar, 3D air search radar, AN/SPQ-9 radar, Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF)
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on August 03, 2018, that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $165.5 million, cost-plus-fixed-fee advance procurement contract from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for LPD-30, the first Flight II LPD.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $165.5 million contract to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for LPD-30, the first Flight II LPD (HII rendering)
«This is a significant milestone as we embark toward a new flight of LPDs», said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. «The Flight II LPDs will be highly capable ships meeting the requirements and needs of our Navy-Marine Corps team. We look forward to delivering this series of affordable LPDs to our nation’s fleet of amphibious ships».
The funds from this contract will be used to purchase long-lead-time material and major equipment, including main engines, diesel generators, deck equipment, shafting, propellers, valves and other systems.
Ingalls has a vendor base of 400 companies in 30 states that will be involved in the LPD Flight II program.
Ingalls has delivered 11 San Antonio-class (LPD-17) ships to the U.S. Navy and has two more ships under construction. The keel for USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) was laid last October, and fabrication has begun on the 13th ship in the class, USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29). Start of fabrication on LPD-30 is scheduled for 2020.
The U.S. Navy’s requirement to replace the retiring LSD-41/49 class of amphibious ships will be met by developing and acquiring the second flight of the current LPD-17 class, beginning with LPD-30. The additional capabilities of LPD Flight II will support new and emerging U.S. Marine Corps and Navy requirements such as the Ship-to-Shore Connector, CH-53K Stallion helicopter and improved troop armory/weapons stowage.
The San Antonio class is a major part of the Navy’s 21st century amphibious assault force. The 684-foot/208-meter-long, 105-foot/32-meter-wide ships are used to embark and land Marines, their equipment and supplies ashore via air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey.
The ships support a Marine Air Ground Task Force across the spectrum of operations, conducting amphibious and expeditionary missions of sea control and power projection to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions throughout the first half of the 21st century.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) started fabrication of the 13th LPD-17 San Antonio class ship, USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29), July 30, at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The start of fabrication signifies that the first 100 tons of steel have been cut.
A graphic illustration of the future San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond D. Diaz III/Released)
«We are excited to commence fabrication on the 13th and final ship of the LPD-17 Flight I class», said Captain Brian Metcalf, LPD-17 class program manager for Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «We continue to benefit from the maturity of this program and look forward to achieving future production milestones as we work to deliver this versatile and capable warship to the fleet».
LPD-29 is named in honor of Navy veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, Captain Richard M. McCool, Jr., and will be the first vessel to bear the name. McCool served in defense of the nation for 30 years, spanning three wars. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 for heroism, after his ship was attacked by kamikaze aircraft and he led efforts to save the ship and rescue injured Sailors.
The principal mission of LPD-17 San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ships is to transport and deploy the necessary combat and support elements of Marine expeditionary units and brigades. The ship will carry approximately 720 troops, have the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion or amphibious assault vehicles, and accommodate virtually every size of Marine Corps helicopter and its tilt-rotor MV-22 Ospreys. These ships will support amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.
The U.S. Navy awarded the detail design and construction contract for USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) to HII on February 16, 2018. Eleven San Antonio class ships have been delivered, the most recent being USS Portland (LPD-27), which was commissioned April 21, 2018. USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) will serve as transition ships to LPD-30, the first ship of the LPD-17 Flight II class. LPD Flight II class ships will be the replacement for the U.S. Navy’s aging LSD-41/49 class ships.
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs managed by PEO Ships are benefiting from serial production efficiencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.
General Characteristics
Builder
Huntington Ingalls Industries
Propulsion
Four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick Diesels, two shafts, 41,600 shaft horsepower
Length
684 feet/208 m
Beam
105 feet/32 m
Displacement
Approximately 24,900 long tons (25,300 metric tons) full load
Two Bushmaster II 30-mm Close in Guns, fore and aft; two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers, fore and aft: ten .50 calibre/12.7-mm machine guns
Aircraft
Launch or land two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters or two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft or up to four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, AH-1 or UH-1 helicopters
Landing/Attack Craft
Two LCACs or one LCU; and 14 Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles/Amphibious Assault Vehicles
The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) was launched on July 13 at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard.
U.S. Navy Launches Future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr.
The method for launching a ship includes a multi-day process that involves moving the ship from the land level facility to the dry dock which is then slowly flooded until the ship is afloat. With the ship in the water, final outfitting and production can commence.
«Serial production efforts on our Arleigh Burke class destroyers will benefit both the Navy and our industry partners as we meet the increasing need for operational assets», said Captain Casey Moton, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «DDG-121 will be the 70th destroyer of its class to join the fleet».
The ship is being configured as a Flight IIA destroyer, which enables power projection, forward presence, and escort operations at sea in support of Low Intensity Conflict/Coastal and Littoral Offshore Warfare as well as open ocean conflict.
Equipped with the world’s foremost integrated naval weapon, the Navy’s Aegis Combat System Baseline 9, DDG-121 will provide Cooperative Engagement Capability, allowing for Integrated Air and Missile Defense. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for Anti-Air Warfare.
HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the future destroyers Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) and Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) that were awarded as part of the five-ship multi-year procurement for fiscal years 2013-2017.
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.
Ship Characteristics
Length Overall
510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline
59 feet/18 m
Draft
30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load
9,217 tons/9,363 metric tons
Power Plant
4 General electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 CRP (Contra-Rotating) propellers; 100,000 shaft horsepower/75,000 kW
SPY-1D Phased Array Radar (Lockheed Martin)/AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar (Raytheon Company) and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V) Navigation; SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search; 3 SPG-62 Illuminator; SQQ-89(V)6 sonar incorporating SQS-53C hull mounted and SQR-19 towed array sonars used with Mark-116 Mod 7 ASW fire control system
Electronics/Countermeasures
SLQ-32(V)3; Mark-53 Mod 0 Decoy System; Mark-234 Decoy System; SLQ-25A Torpedo Decoy; SLQ-39 Surface Decoy; URN-25 TACAN; UPX-29 IFF System; Kollmorgen Mark-46 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Director
Aircraft
2 embarked SH-60 helicopters ASW operations; RAST (Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse)
