Tag Archives: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Navy

The 10th NSC

Leave a comment

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division officially started fabrication of the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) USCGC Calhoun (WMSL-759) on November 12, 2019. The start of fabrication signifies that the first 100 tons of steel have been cut.

Paul Bosarge, a burner work leaderman at Ingalls Shipbuilding, starts fabrication of steel for the newest Legend-class national security cutter (NSC) USCGC Calhoun (WMSL-759). Also pictured, from left, are Cmdr. Jason Dunn, U.S. Coast Guard program manager representative; Braxton Collins, Ingalls’ NSC hull superintendent and Amanda Whitaker, Ingalls’ NSC ship integration manager (Photo by Derek Fountain/HII)

«Each new ship in this class has been an exciting opportunity to build on our legacy», said Jay Boyd, Ingalls’ NSC program manager. «This is the 10th cutter in the class and a steady production line has allowed our shipbuilders to continually improve on how we build and deliver these technologically advanced cutters to the nation».

NSC 10 is named for Master Chief Petty Officer Charles L. Calhoun, who was the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard (MCPOCG). He served in the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II and was honorably discharged on February 21, 1946, as a Torpedoman Second Class. He enlisted in the Coast Guard on September 20, 1946, and over the course of 14 years held varying positions of leadership. He served as the MCPOCG from August 27, 1969 until August 1, 1973.

Ingalls has delivered eight Legend-class NSCs, two more are under construction and one additional is under contract. USCGC Stone (WMSL-758), the ninth NSC, is scheduled for delivery in 2020.

NSCs are capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. They include 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. The Legend class is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the Coast Guard, with robust capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions. NSCs play an important role 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)

 

Ship list

Ship Hull Number Laid down Launched Commissioned
Bertholf WMSL-750 03-29-2005 09-29-2006 08-04-2008
Waesche WMSL-751 09-11-2006 07-12-2008 05-07-2010
Stratton WMSL-752 07-20-2009 07-23-2010 03-31-2012
Hamilton WMSL-753 09-05-2012 08-10-2013 12-06-2014
James WMSL-754 05-17-2013 05-03-2014 08-08-2015
Munro WMSL-755 10-07-2013 09-12-2015 04-01-2017
Kimball WMSL-756 03-04-2016 12-17-2016 08-24-2019
Midgett WMSL-757 01-27-2017 11-22-2017 08-24-2019
Stone WMSL-758 09-14-2018 10-04-2019
Calhoun WMSL-759
WMSL-760

 

Navy

Flight III Destroyer

Leave a comment

In an historic milestone for the DDG 51 program, the keel of the first Flight III destroyer, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), was ceremoniously laid and authenticated at Huntington Ingalls Shipyard, November 7.

Ingalls Shipbuilding welder James Ellis welds Ship Sponsors Ruby Lucas and Catherine B. Reynolds’ initials into a steel plate during a keel authentication ceremony for the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) at Huntington Ingalls Industries Pascagoula shipyard November 7, 2019. DDG-125 is the first ship to be named for Jack H. Lucas. During World War II, Lucas, then a private first class in the Marine Corps, received the Medal of Honor at age 17 for heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Iwo Jima (Photo by Samantha Crane)

Ruby Lucas and Catherine B. Reynolds, ship sponsors, authenticated the keel by etching their initials into the keel plate. Although the official start of fabrication began in May 2018, authenticating the ship’s keel symbolically recognizes the joining of modular components and represents the ceremonial beginning of the ship.

«This destroyer was named after an American hero, Medal of Honor recipient Jack Lucas, and I am humbled and honored to be here today as we authenticate the keel on his namesake ship», said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The Flight III ships will bring increased lethality and warfighting capacity to our warfighters, and today’s milestone is the first of many to come as we work to deliver this highly capable ship to the Fleet», he added.

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) will be the first Arleigh Burke class destroyer built in the Flight III configuration with improved capability and capacity to perform Anti-Air Warfare and Ballistic Missile Defense in support of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense mission.

The Flight III design contains modifications from the earlier DDG-51 class, to enable the SPY-6 radar, in association with Aegis Baseline 10, which includes larger electronically scanned arrays and the power generation and cooling equipment required to operate the powerful new radar.

These multi-mission surface combatants serve as integral assets in global maritime security, engaging in air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense, as well as providing increased capabilities in anti-submarine warfare, command and control, and anti-surface warfare.

HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the guided missile destroyers USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), and USS Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), amphibious assault ships USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and USS Bougainville (LHA-8), and amphibious transport dock ships USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29).

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, boats and craft.

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight III

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas HIIIS
DDG-126 Louis H. Wilson, Jr. GDBIW
DDG-128 Ted Stevens HIIIS
DDG-129 Jeremiah Denton HIIIS
DDG-130 William Charette GDBIW
DDG-131 George M. Neal HIIIS
DDG-132 Quentin Walsh GDBIW
DDG-133 Sam Nunn HIIIS
DDG-134 John E. Kilmer GDBIW
DDG-135
DDG-136
DDG-137
DDG-138

 

Navy

Floods Dry Dock

Leave a comment

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) on October 29, 2019 began flooding the dry dock at its Newport News Shipbuilding division where the keel of aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) was laid in 2015.

JThe flooding of Dry Dock 12, which began on Tuesday at Newport News Shipbuilding, was the first time the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) touched water. The ship will be christened in December (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)

The controlled process of slowly filling the dry dock with more than 100 million gallons/379 million liters of water takes place over several days, and marks the first time the ship has been in water.

«The flooding of the dry dock is truly a historic event in the construction of the ship and a special moment for the men and women who have worked to get the ship to the point», said Mike Butler, program director for Kennedy. «We have made remarkable progress with Kennedy’s construction, and are pleased to get to this phase of construction three months ahead of the original schedule and fewer man hours. We look forward to the upcoming christening and launch as we prepare to start our testing program».

The flooding of the dry dock takes place in phases during which various tests are conducted. The dock initially was flooded about 10 feet high to its keel blocks, wood-capped concrete pads on which the ship has been supported during construction. Once the dock is fully flooded and initial testing is complete, the ship will be floated to the west end of the dry dock. Next month, additional tests will take place prior to Kennedy’s christening on December 7.

More than 3,200 shipbuilders and 2,000 suppliers from across the country are supporting the construction of Kennedy. Following the christening, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) will undock into the James River where outfitting and testing of the ship’s systems will continue until the ship is delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2022.

More than 100 million gallons/379 million liters of water began flowing into Newport News Shipbuilding’s Dry Dock 12, where the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is being constructed (Photo by Matt Hildreth/HII)

 

General Characteristics

Builder Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Propulsion 2 A1B* nuclear reactors, 4 shafts
Length 1,092 feet/333 m
Beam 134 feet/41 m
Flight Deck Width 256 feet/78 m
Flight Deck Square 217,796 feet2/20,234 m2
Displacement approximately 100,000 long tons full load
Speed 30+ knots/34.5+ mph/55.5+ km/h
Crew 4,539 (ship, air wing and staff)
Armament ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile), RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile), Mk-15 Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System)
Aircraft 75+

* – Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. serves the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program

 

Ships

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) 11-13-2009 11-09-2013 07-22-2017 Norfolk, Virginia
USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) 08-22-2015 10-29-2019
USS Enterprise (CVN-80)

 

Newport News Shipbuilding Floods Dry Dock for the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79)

Navy

Acceptance Trials

Leave a comment

The future USS Tripoli (LHA-7) completed acceptance trials when she returned to the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) – Ingalls Shipbuilding Division’s shipyard following three days underway in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ingalls Shipbuilding announces the successful completion of acceptance trials aboard the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7)

During the underway, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey performed a rigorous evaluation on all of the ship’s major systems including propulsion, communications, navigation, combat systems, and aviation capabilities.

«The capability that our large deck amphibs bring to the fight is tremendous», said Tom Rivers, amphibious warfare program manager for Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «Their ability to embark Joint Strike Fighters and MV-22 Osprey enable this versatile platform to increase the lethality of our expeditionary warfighters».

USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is the second ship of the USS America (LHA-6) class, built to facilitate forward presence and power projection. USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is the last Flight 0 ship planned for construction and features an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, an increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity. USS Bougainville (LHA-8) will be the first Flight I ship, reincorporating a well deck to enhance expeditionary warfighting capabilities while maintaining the principal aviation characteristics of the Flight 0 ships.

«There’s been a lot of hard work accomplished to get LHA-7 to this point», said Captain Nathan Schneider, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair Gulf Coast. «The team’s focus is now on delivering the LHA-7 to the fleet in the best possible condition, fully capable and ready to deploy if called upon».

USS Tripoli (LHA-7) incorporates gas turbine propulsion plant, zonal electrical distribution, and fuel-efficient electric auxiliary propulsion systems first installed on USS Makin Island (LHD-8). USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is 844 feet/257.3 m in length, has a displacement of approximately 45,000 long tons/45,722 metric tons and is capable of operating at speeds of over 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h.

HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on USS Bougainville (LHA-8), the guided missile destroyers USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG-121) USS Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), and amphibious transport dock ships, USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29).

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, boats and craft.

Pascagoula, Mississippi. (October 23, 2019) The future USS Tripoli (LHA-7) transits through the Gulf of Mexico in the early morning hours of October 23, 2019 at the beginning of Acceptance Trials. During the underway, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey performed a rigorous evaluation on all of the ship’s major systems including propulsion, communications, navigation, combat systems, and aviation capabilities (Photo by Samantha Crane)

 

General Characteristics

Builder Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Date Deployed Delivered to the fleet in on April 10, 2014
Propulsion Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower/52,199 kW, two 5,000 horsepower/3,728 kW auxiliary propulsion motors
Length 844 feet/257.3 m
Beam 106 feet/32.3 m
Displacement Approximately 45,000 long tons full load /45,722 metric tons
Speed 20+ knots/23+ mph/37+ km/h
Crew 1,059 (65 officers)
Load 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge)
Armament 2 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) launchers
2 NATO Sea Sparrow launchers with ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile)
2 20-mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) mounts
7 twin 12,7-mm/.50 cal. machine guns
Aircraft 9 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) aircraft
4 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters
4 CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters
12 MV-22B Osprey VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) tiltrotors
2 MH-60S Sea Hawk Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters
UH-1Y Huey helicopters

 

Ships

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS America (LHA-6) 07-17-2009 06-04-2012 10-11-2014 Sasebo, Japan
USS Tripoli (LHA-7) 06-22-2014 05-01-2017
USS Bougainville (LHA-8)

 

Navy

Mission-ready sub

Leave a comment

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division on Friday, October 28, 2019, delivered the newest fast-attack submarine to the U.S. Navy.

The Virginia-class submarine USS Delaware (SSN-791) sails the open waters after departing Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division during sea trials in August (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)

USS Delaware (SSN-791), which successfully completed sea trials earlier this month, is the ninth Virginia-class submarine to be delivered by Newport News and the 18th built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.

«Like the last two submarines we delivered to the Navy, Delaware has received some of the highest quality scores since the Virginia-class program began», said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. «Our team of shipbuilders continues to perform at a high level, and nothing makes us prouder than delivering one of the most mission-ready submarines to the fleet».

The submarine is the second ship to be named for the country’s first state, the first being the dreadnought battleship USS Delaware (BB-28), which was delivered by Newport News in 1910.

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 2018.

The future USS Delaware (SSN-791) will be commissioned next year.

Newport News Shipbuilding has delivered USS Delaware (SSN-791) to the U.S. Navy

 

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)

* – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories

 

Nuclear Submarine Lineup

 

Block III

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-784 North Dakota EB 11-2-13 10-25-14 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-785 John Warner NNS 09-06-14 08-01-15 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-786 Illinois EB 10-10-15 10-29-16 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
SSN-787 Washington NNS 03-05-16 10-07-17 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-788 Colorado EB 12-03-16 03-17-18 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-789 Indiana NNS 04-29-17 09-29-18 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-790 South Dakota EB 10-14-17 02-02-19 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-791 Delaware NNS 10-20-18

 

Dave Bolcar, vice president of Virginia-Class Submarine Construction at NNS, thanks shipbuilders for their hard work and congratulates them on delivering one of the most mission-ready submarines to the fleet

Navy

Initial Sea Trials

Leave a comment

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division successfully completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class submarine, USS Delaware (SSN-791).

The submarine USS Delaware (SSN-791) returns to the Newport News Shipbuilding division following its first set of sea trials with three HII-built aircraft carriers visible in the distance at Norfolk Naval Station (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)

The submarine, in the final stages of construction, spent three days at sea proving all of its systems, components and compartments. Delaware submerged for the first time and performed high-speed maneuvers on the surface and underwater.

«Delaware performed well during sea trials, which is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the incredible team of shipbuilders who are working to uphold our high standards of quality», said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction. «We look forward to continuing our testing program to deliver the submarine to the U.S. Navy later this year».

The submarine is scheduled to undergo a round of acceptance trials before it is delivered. More than 10,000 shipbuilders from Newport News and teaming partner General Dynamics Electric Boat and thousands of companies across 48 states have participated in Delaware’s construction since the work began in September 2013.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Mission Driven Innovative Solutions, Nuclear & Environmental, and Oil & Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 41,000 people operating both domestically and internationally.

The U.S. Navy’s newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, USS Delaware (SSN-791), submarine successfully completed the initial sea trials

 

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)

* – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories

 

Nuclear Submarine Lineup

 

Block III

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-784 North Dakota EB 11-2-13 10-25-14 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-785 John Warner NNS 09-06-14 08-01-15 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-786 Illinois EB 10-10-15 10-29-16 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
SSN-787 Washington NNS 03-05-16 10-07-17 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-788 Colorado EB 12-03-16 03-17-18 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-789 Indiana NNS 04-29-17 09-29-18 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-790 South Dakota EB 10-14-17 02-02-19 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-791 Delaware NNS 10-20-18

 

Navy

Paul Ignatius

Leave a comment

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, July 27, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Navy commissioned guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117)

The ship is named in honor of Paul Robert Ignatius, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and later during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration as assistant secretary of defense for installations and logistics from 1964-1967, and secretary of the Navy from 1967-1969.

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer, who is also performing the duties of deputy secretary of defense, delivered the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Ignatius’ wife, Nancy, who passed away earlier this year, is the ship’s sponsor. Dr. Elisa Ignatius, granddaughter to the late Mrs. Nancy Ignatius, served as the ship sponsor representative. Dr. Ignatius honored naval tradition when she gave the first order to «man our ship and bring her to life»!

«The future USS Paul Ignatius stands as proof of what the teamwork of all our people – civilian, contractor and military – can accomplish together», said Spencer. «From the start of the acquisition process, to the keel laying and christening, to today’s commissioning and the many missions she will fulfill going forward, this destroyer enhances our capabilities for air, undersea, surface, strike and ballistic missile defense».

The future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117) will be the 67th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and is one of 21 ships currently under contract for the DDG-51 program. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of missions from peacetime presence and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief to sea control and power projection. Built in the Flight IIA configuration, the ship delivers rapid reaction time, high firepower, and improved electronic warfare capabilities.

 

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
Speed in excess of 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h
Range 4,400 NM/8,149 km at 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h
Crew 380 total: 32 Officers, 27 CPO (Chief Petty Officer), 321 OEM
Surveillance 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)
Armament 2 Mark-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) with 96 Standard, Vertical Launch ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) & Tomahawk ASM (Air-to-Surface Missile)/LAM (Loitering Attack Missile); 5-in (127-mm)/54 (62) Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46 or Mark-50 ASW torpedos

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-116 Thomas Hudner GDBIW 04-23-17 12-01-18 Mayport, Florida
DDG-117 Paul Ignatius HIIIS 11-12-16 07-27-19 Mayport, Florida
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye GDBIW Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
DDG-119 Delbert D. Black HIIIS 09-08-17
DDG-120 Carl M. Levin GDBIW
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr. HIIIS 07-13-18
DDG-122 John Basilone GDBIW
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee HIIIS
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum Jr. GDBIW

 

Navy

Builder’s Trials

Leave a comment

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on July 22, 2019 the successful completion of builder’s trials on the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7). The second ship in the America class spent four days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, testing the ship’s main propulsion, combat and other systems before returning to HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division.

The Ingalls-built amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) sailed the Gulf of Mexico for four days last week on builder’s sea trials (Photo by Derek Fountain/HII)

«Congratulations to the Navy and Ingalls team for a solid LHA 7 builder’s trials», said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. «We have an excellent leadership team, and they will now be focusing on getting the ship ready for acceptance trials and delivery to the Navy. The flight deck modifications to support the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft provide an increased aviation capacity and demonstrate how an experienced team can evolve the platform to meet the current threats across the globe».

Ingalls is currently the sole builder of large-deck amphibious warships for the U.S. Navy. The shipyard delivered its first amphibious assault ship, the Iwo Jima-class USS Tripoli (LPH-10), in 1966. Ingalls has since built five Tarawa-class ships, eight Wasp-class ships and the first in a new class of ships, USS America (LHA-6). The third ship in the America class, USS Bougainville (LHA-8), is currently under construction at the shipyard and will be the 16th large-deck amphibious ship built at Ingalls.

«We work with an amazing team of individuals who are committed to making each LHA better than the last», said George S. Jones, Ingalls’ vice president of operations. «From our shipbuilders, test and trials crew, and our Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding partners, there is never a doubt that when these warships go to sea for trials they go out with the confidence and dedication of our team behind them. We build these state-of-the-art warships for the men and women of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and that is a responsibility our shipbuilders take great pride in, and that pride really showed during this trial».

Like the lead ship in the class, USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is designed for survivability with increased aviation capacity, including an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage for parts and support equipment, and increased aviation fuel capacity. Similar to its predecessors, the ship will be able to operate as the flagship for an expeditionary strike group.

Tripoli will be the third ship to bear the name that commemorates the capture of Derna in 1805 by a small force of Marines and approximately 370 soldiers from 11 other nations. The battle, memorialized in the Marines’ Hymn with the line «to the shores of Tripoli», brought about a successful conclusion to the combined operations of the First Barbary War.

 

General Characteristics

Builder Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Date Deployed Delivered to the fleet in on April 10, 2014
Propulsion Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower/52,199 kW, two 5,000 horsepower/3,728 kW auxiliary propulsion motors
Length 844 feet/257.3 m
Beam 106 feet/32.3 m
Displacement Approximately 43,745 long tons full load/44,449 metric tons
Speed 20+ knots/23+ mph/37+ km/h
Crew 1,059 (65 officers)
Load 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge)
Armament 2 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) launchers
2 NATO Sea Sparrow launchers with ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile)
2 20-mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) mounts
7 twin 12,7-mm/.50 cal. machine guns
Aircraft 9 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) aircraft
4 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters
4 CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters
12 MV-22B Osprey VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) tiltrotors
2 MH-60S Sea Hawk Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters
UH-1Y Huey helicopters

 

Ships

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS America (LHA-6) 07-17-2009 06-04-2012 10-11-2014 San Diego, California
USS Tripoli (LHA-7) 06-22-2014 05-01-2017
USS Bougainville (LHA-8)

 

Navy

Upper Bow Lift

Leave a comment

The installation of the final piece of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy’s (CVN-79) flight deck is yet another example of how Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is using transformative construction methods and the latest industrial technology to improve the way the ship is being built.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Completes Flight Deck on Aircraft Carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)

The addition of the upper bow section at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division is one of the last steel structural units, known as a superlift, to be placed on Kennedy. It was built using digital technology, such as visual work instructions to install piping in the upper bow on the final assembly platen instead of on the ship.

«We are very pleased with the progress being made on Kennedy as we inch closer to christening the ship later this year», said Mike Butler, Newport News’ CVN-79 program director. «The upper bow is the last superlift that completes the ship’s primary hull. This milestone is testament to the significant build strategy changes we have made – and to the men and women of Newport News Shipbuilding who do what no one else in the world can do».

Weighing 780 tons, the superlift took 18 months to build.

Kennedy is being built with an improved build strategy that includes the increased use of digital tools to build superlifts that are much larger and more complete at ship erect than on prior carriers. Leveraging lessons learned and key build strategy changes, Kennedy is on track to be built with considerably fewer man-hours than the first ship in its class, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).

More than 3,200 shipbuilders and 2,000 suppliers from across the country are supporting the construction of Kennedy. The ship is in the early stages of its testing program and is on schedule to launch during the fourth quarter.

The christening is planned for late 2019.

The 780-ton upper bow unit was lowered into the dry dock on Wednesday and placed on the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) (Photo by Ashley Cowan/HII)

 

General Characteristics

Builder Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Propulsion 2 A1B* nuclear reactors, 4 shafts
Length 1,092 feet/333 m
Beam 134 feet/41 m
Flight Deck Width 256 feet/78 m
Flight Deck Square 217,796 feet2/20,234 m2
Displacement approximately 100,000 long tons full load
Speed 30+ knots/34.5+ mph/55.5+ km/h
Crew 4,539 (ship, air wing and staff)
Armament ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile), RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile), Mk-15 Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System)
Aircraft 75+

* – Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. serves the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program

 

Ships

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) 11-13-2009 11-09-2013 07-22-2017 Norfolk, Virginia
USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) 08-22-2015
USS Enterprise (CVN-80)
CVN-81

 

Navy

Inception

Leave a comment

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.