Tag Archives: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Navy

Paul Ignatius

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Navy

Acceptance trials

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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
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
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
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye GDBIW
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

HII launches Delaware

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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)
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)

* – 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
SSN-791 Delaware NNS 10-20-18

 

Navy

Keel Authentication

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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)
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)

 

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
Midgett WMSL-757 01-27-2017 11-22-2017
Stone WMSL-758 09-14-2018
WMSL-759
WMSL-760

 

Navy

LPD Flight II

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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)
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.

Navy

Transitional ship

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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)
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
Draft 23 feet/7 m
Speed In excess of 22 knots/24.2 mph/38.7 km/h
Crew Ship’s Company: 374 Sailors (28 officers, 346 enlisted) and 3 Marines. Embarked Landing Force: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge capacity to 800
Armament 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

 

San Antonio-class

Ship Builder Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS San Antonio (LPD-17) Avondale 07-12-2003 01-14-2006 Norfolk, Virginia
USS New Orleans (LPD-18) Avondale 12-11-2004 03-10-2007 San Diego, California
USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) Ingalls 11-19-2004 12-15-2007 Norfolk, Virginia
USS Green Bay (LPD-20) Avondale 08-11-2006 01-24-2009 San Diego, California
USS New York (LPD-21) Avondale 12-19-2007 11-07-2009 Norfolk, Virginia
USS San Diego (LPD-22) Ingalls 05-07-2010 05-19-2012 San Diego, California
USS Anchorage (LPD-23) Avondale 02-12-2011 05-04-2013 San Diego, California
USS Arlington (LPD-24) Ingalls 11-23-2010 02-08-2013 Norfolk, Virginia
USS Somerset (LPD-25) Avondale 04-14-2012 05-01-2014 San Diego, California
USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) Ingalls 11-02-2014 10-08-2016 San Diego, California
USS Portland (LPD-27) Ingalls 02-13-2016 12-14-2017 San Diego, California
USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) Ingalls
USS Richard M. McCool (LPD-29) Ingalls
LPD-30

 

Navy

Petersen was launched

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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.
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
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 (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)
Armament 2 Mark-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) with 90 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 04-01-17
DDG-117 Paul Ignatius HIIIS 11-12-16
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye GDBIW
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
DDG-127 Gallagher GDBIW