Tag Archives: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Acceptance trials

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII’s) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced on May 19, 2023 the successful completion of acceptance trials for Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125).

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125)
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) in the Gulf of Mexico during builder’s trials in April 2023

«Collaboration has been the single largest enabler to delivering this new capability to the fleet», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. «Our extended network of Navy, Ingalls and supplier partners got this done through open communication, hard work and tenacity».

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) is the first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer being built for the U.S. Navy by Ingalls and incorporates a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability. DDG-125 contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century. Flight III configured destroyers include the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System that is required to keep pace with the threats of the future.

Ingalls has delivered 34 destroyers to the U.S. Navy, with five Flight IIIs currently under construction including DDG-125, USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129), USS George M. Neal (DDG-131) and USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133). The final Ingalls-built Flight IIA ship, USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), sailed away from Ingalls in April and was commissioned this month in Key West, Florida.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States military strategy and the joint force. Guided missile destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. surface fleet and are capable of fighting multiple air, surface and subsurface threats simultaneously.

USS Jack H. Lucas
HII completes acceptance trials for the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125)

 

CHARACTERISTICS

Length Overall 510 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline 66 feet/20 m
Draft 30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load 9,700 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 AN/SPY-6 AESA 3D radar (Raytheon Company) and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V)12 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)/62 Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46, Mark-50 ASW torpedos or Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight III

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas HIIIS 06-04-21 San Diego, California
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 Thad Cochran HIIIS
DDG-136 Richard G. Lugar GDBIW
DDG-137 John F. Lehman HIIIS
DDG-138 GDBIW
DDG-139 Telesforo Trinidad HIIIS
DDG-140 Thomas G. Kelley

 

Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), during a 10:00 a.m. EDT ceremony on Saturday, May 13, in Key West, Florida.

USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123)
Navy Commissioned Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123)

Rear Admiral Cynthia Kuehner, Commander, Naval Medical Forces Support Command and Director of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, delivered the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Remarks were also been provided by the Honorable Donald Norcross, U.S. Representative, New Jersey’s 1st District and member of the House Armed Services Committee; the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the U.S. Navy; Admiral Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations; the Honorable Teri Johnston, mayor of Key West; and Ms. Kari Wilkinson, president of Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding division. The ship’s sponsors, Ms. Louisa Dixon, Ms. Virginia Munford, and Ms. R. Pickett Wilson, also were in attendance.

The ship’s namesake, Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, served as the second Superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps in 1911, and was also the first woman recipient of the Navy Cross. When she entered naval service in 1908, she was one of the first 20 women, known as the «Sacred Twenty», to join the newly established Navy Nurse Corps and contributed her nursing skills to the U.S. Navy during the First World War. This is the second ship named after Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee. The first ship, USS Higbee (DD-806), was the first combat warship named after a female member of the U.S. Navy.

«Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee was ahead of her time, from being one of the first members of the Navy Nurse Corps, to being its second Superintendent, to being the first woman to earn the Navy Cross», said Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos Del Toro. «I am confident that the crew who will sail USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee will continue to honor and embody her trailblazing legacy».

The ship will be the 73d Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be commissioned, with 17 additional ships currently under contract for the DDG-51 program. The ship is configured as a Flight IIA Technology Insertion destroyer, which enables power projection and delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for anti-air warfare. The future USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) will be 509.5 feet/155.3 m long and 59 feet/18 m wide, with a displacement of 9,496 tons. It will be homeported in San Diego.

 

Ship Characteristics

Length Overall 510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline 59 feet/18 m
Draft 31 feet/9.5 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 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 10-27-19 12-08-21 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
DDG-119 Delbert D. Black HIIIS 09-08-17 09-26-20 Mayport, Florida
DDG-120 Carl M. Levin GDBIW 05-16-21 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr. HIIIS 07-13-18 05-14-22 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
DDG-122 John Basilone GDBIW 06-12-22
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee HIIIS 01-27-20 05-13-23 San Diego, California
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum Jr. GDBIW
DDG-127 Patrick Gallagher GDBIW

 

Christening of Massachusetts

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) on May 6, 2023 christened the Virginia-class submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division.

USS Massachusetts (SSN-798)
HII christens Virginia-class attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798)

«Shipbuilding is a noble calling, and you can see our pride in the craftsmanship before you», NNS President Jennifer Boykin said. «When Massachusetts joins the fleet, she will be the latest in innovation and power, forging ahead in defense of our freedom, just like Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride. As SSN-798 supports the Navy’s critical missions around the world, she will carry with her the patriotism of her shipbuilders».

Sheryl Sandberg, founder and chair of the Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation, and former chief operating officer of Meta (formerly Facebook), serves as the ship’s sponsor. Sandberg performed the traditional honor of breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the submarine’s bow during the ceremony.

«I was raised to be deeply grateful for our freedom and all those who risk their lives to defend it», Sandberg said. «So, it was an honor when then Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus asked me to sponsor Massachusetts eight years ago. I couldn’t be more excited to be in Newport News to celebrate this boat with the shipbuilders who have worked so hard to bring her to life. Today is more than just a christening of a vessel. It is also a celebration of progress. This is one of the first submarines intentionally built to allow both men and women to serve and it will make our military stronger. It is an honor to christen Massachusetts and spend the day with service members, shipbuilders and their families. They are a living legacy of all that America represents».

The ceremony took place outside of Module Outfitting Facility at NNS and was attended by more than 2,000 guests, including NNS employees who are building Massachusetts, members of the submarine’s crew, Navy personnel and other government officials.

Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven provided the keynote address.

«From design, to delivery, to employment, each person here is making their vital contribution to maintaining our nation’s maritime dominance and the freedom that we all cherish», Raven told the crowd. «We are able to deploy exquisite capabilities across the globe in great part to our dedicated shipbuilders. These talented women and men are able to turn raw steel into the world’s most sophisticated undersea capabilities».

Massachusetts is the 25th Virginia-class submarine and the 12th to be delivered by NNS.

«The crew and I are excited to share in this historic event with our sponsor, the shipbuilder, and all our families», said Commander Mike Siedsma, commanding officer of the pre-commissioning unit. «We look forward to operating Massachusetts in support of our nation’s defense. We are honored to establish the ‘Iron Patriots’ legacy as an enemy to tyrants».

NNS is one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy. The advanced capabilities of Virginia-class submarines increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth.

 

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 IV

Ship Yard Christening Commissioned Homeport
SSN-792 Vermont EB 10-20-18 04-18-20 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-793 Oregon EB 10-05-19 05-28-22 Groton, Connecticut
SSN-794 Montana NNS 09-12-20 06-25-22 Norfolk, Virginia
SSN-795 Hyman G. Rickover EB 07-31-21
SSN-796 New Jersey NNS 11-13-21
SSN-797 Iowa EB Under Construction
SSN-798 Massachusetts NNS 05-06-23
SSN-799 Idaho EB Under Construction
SSN-800 Arkansas NNS Under Construction
SSN-801 Utah EB Under Construction

 

Long-lead-time material

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) announced on April 11, 2023 that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has been awarded a $567.6 million subcontract modification from General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

USS Columbia (SSBN-826)
HII is awarded contract modification for Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines

HII is currently under contract for construction of submarine modules for Build I, the first two submarines in the class: USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) and USS Wisconsin (SSBN-827). The advance procurement funds from this subcontract modification, awarded April 4, will allow NNS to purchase major components and commodity material and to begin advance construction on Build II, the next five submarines in the class.

«This contract modification underscores the critical manufacturing work our shipbuilders do for the U.S. Navy, as major contributors to the Columbia-class», said Brandi Smith, NNS vice president for Columbia-class construction. «When delivered to the fleet, these submarines and their crews will protect peace and freedom around the world, in service of the nation. Our shipbuilders understand the responsibility, commitment and discipline required of them each day, and take great pride in supporting this mission».

The U.S. Navy has designated the Columbia class its top acquisition priority. Ultimately, the Columbia class will replace the fleet of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, and take over the role of the nation’s sea-based strategic deterrent, providing the most survivable leg of the nation’s strategic triad.

NNS is a major shipbuilding partner in the Columbia-class program, constructing and delivering six module sections per submarine under contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat.

 

Ship statistics

Type Ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)
Displacement (submerged) 20,810 long tons/metric tons 21,144
Length 560 feet/170.7 m
Hull Diameter 43 feet/13.1 m
Speed 20+ knots/23+ mph/37 km/h
Diving Depth 800+ feet/244+ m
Range Unlimited
Complement 155 (accommodation)
Propulsion Nuclear, Electric Drive
Missile Tubes 16
Weapons System Trident II D5 (LE)

 

Nuclear Submarine Lineup

Name Laid down Christened Commissioned Homeport
USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) 06-04-2022
USS Wisconsin SSBN-827
SSBN-828
SSBN-829
SSBN-830
SSBN-831
SSBN-832
SSBN-833
SSBN-834
SSBN-835
SSBN-836
SSBN-837

 

Amphibious transport

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on March 31, 2023 that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $1.3 billion modification to a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Navy for the procurement of the detail design and construction of amphibious transport dock LPD-32. The resulting fixed-price-incentive contract totals $1.54 billion. The ship will be the 16th in the San Antonio class and the third Flight II LPD.

LPD-32
LPD-32 Mockup

«Our shipbuilders are dedicated to delivering these ships to our Navy and Marine Corps partners, having done so for over two decades», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. «This program is strong and has enabled the Department of Navy and Ingalls to establish a formidable capability based on a mature design, an ever-increasingly efficient production line, and a team of shipbuilders that keep the Navy’s critical industrial base network across the country strong».

In June 2022, Ingalls Shipbuilding was awarded a $240 million advance procurement contract for LPD-32 from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities. The funds from this contract allowed Ingalls to begin purchasing long-lead time material and major equipment across a supplier network of nearly 400 companies in 30 states.

Ingalls Shipbuilding is the sole builder of the entire San Antonio class of ships and currently has three LPDs under construction, including USS Richard M. McCool (LPD-29); USS Harrisburg (LPD-30), the first Flight II LPD; and USS Pittsburgh (LPD-31), which began fabrication in September 2022. LPD Flight II is the next generation amphibious ship to replace Whidbey Island (LSD-41) and Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) classes of dock landing ships.

Amphibious transport docks are a major part of the Navy’s 21st century expeditionary force, deployed with a U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force for amphibious and expeditionary crisis response operations that range from deterrence and joint-force enablement to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

The U.S. Navy announced on February 3, 2023 a significant milestone in the delivery of unmanned undersea warfighting capability to the fleet. Production of the MK 18 Mod 2 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) program of record has completed.

MK 18 Mod 2 UUV
U.S. Navy and Industry Partners Complete Production Mk 18 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Systems

Managed by the Expeditionary Missions program office under the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), the MK 18 Mod 2 UUV program began production in 2012 through competitively awarded contracts with Hydroid, Inc. in Pocasset, Massachusetts (now owned by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)). Since the initial production lot, more than 90 MK 18 Mod 2 UUV vehicles have been provided to the fleet.

«The Department’s long-standing partnership with HII and their subcontractors demonstrates how mature technologies coupled with innovative acquisition approaches can speed the delivery of critical mission-enabling capabilities to our warfighting forces», said Captain Jon Haase, program manager of the Expeditionary Missions program office (PMS 408).

The MK 18 Mod 2 UUVs form a critical component in the U.S. Navy’s suite of Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) Company’s mission capabilities. ExMCM forces provide a rapid, world-wide mine countermeasure response capability that supports Joint Force maneuver in various maritime mission areas. In July 2022, the U.S. Navy awarded the Medium Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (MUUV) contract to Leidos to design, test, and manufacture the next generation ExMCM MUUV, known as Viperfish. Viperfish will improve upon the current MK 18 Mod 2 UUVs by providing increased ExMCM capabilities.

The modernization period

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division was awarded a $10.5 million contract on January 6, 2023 for the modernization period planning of Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers, USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001).

USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000)
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding awarded advanced planning contract for Zumwalt-class ships

«Ingalls is honored to have been selected to deliver this new capability with our Navy and industry partners», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. «Our shipbuilders stand ready to do what is necessary to enable our fleet in the protection of peace around the world».

HII has invested nearly $1 billion in the infrastructure, facility and toolsets at Ingalls Shipbuilding enabling the work of Ingalls’ shipbuilders, improving product flow and process efficiency, and enhancing product quality.

Zumwalt-class destroyers feature a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, stealth design and is equipped with the most advanced warfighting technology and weaponry. These ships will be capable of performing a range of deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions while allowing Navy to evolve with new systems and missions.

Ingalls has delivered 34 Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyers, with five currently under construction including USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129), USS George M. Neal (DDG-131) and USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133). Additionally, the third of the Zumwalt-class ships, USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) arrived in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in January 2022 for a combat systems availability.

 

Ship Characteristics

Length 610 feet/186 m
Beam 80.7 feet/24.6 m
Draft 27.6 feet/8.4 m
Displacement 15,761 long tonnes/16,014 metric tonnes
Speed 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h
Installed Power 104,600 hp/78 MW
Crew Size 158 – Includes Aviation Detachment

 

Ships

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) 11-17-2011 10-28-2013 10-15-2016 San Diego, California
USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) 05-23-2013 06-21-2016 01-26-2019 San Diego, California
USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) 01-30-2017 12-09-2018

 

Fallujah

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division started fabrication of the U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship USS Fallujah (LHA-9) on Monday. The start of fabrication signifies that the first 100 tons of steel have been cut for the ship and that the shipyard is ready to move forward with the construction of the ship.

USS Fallujah (LHA-9)
HII begins fabrication of amphibious assault ship USS Fallujah (LHA-9)

«Our shipbuilders are proud of the work they do for the security of our nation and for our Navy and Marine Corps customers», said Eugene Miller, Ingalls Shipbuilding LHA program manager. «The start of fabrication on Fallujah is a significant milestone in the construction of this large-deck amphibious ship and demonstrates our ability to maintain a sustained LHA production line at Ingalls».

For nearly 50 years, Ingalls has built large-deck amphibious assault ships and is the sole shipbuilder for amphibious ships. Ingalls has delivered 15 large-deck ships, including the Tarawa-class, LHA 1-5; the Wasp-class, LHD 1-8; and most recently the America-class, LHA-6 and LHA-7. The third of the America class, USS Bougainville (LHA-8), is currently under construction.

The America class is a multi-functional and versatile ship that is capable of operating in a high density, multi-threat environment as an integral member of an expeditionary strike group, an amphibious task force or an amphibious ready group.

In October, Ingalls was awarded the $2.4 billion U.S. Navy fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of Fallujah. Similar to Bougainville, Fallujah will retain the aviation capability of the America-class design while adding the surface assault capability of a well deck and a larger flight deck configured for F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft. These large-deck amphibious assault ships also include top-of-the-line medical facilities with full operating suites and triage capabilities.

Builder’s sea trials

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced on December 19, 2022 the successful completion of builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125). The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer spent several days in the Gulf of Mexico with Ingalls’ test and trials team operating the ship and performing an extensive list of test events.

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125)
HII successfully completes builder’s sea trials for destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125)

During the sea trials, the team successfully accomplished the hull, mechanical, and electrical tests, conducted the first in class Flight III events with the SPY-6 arrays and tested the machinery control system to ensure remote operability of the new electric plant.

«Getting DDG-125 underway is a significant milestone in keeping this first Flight III ship on schedule, and reflects the hard work and dedication of our combined Ingalls and Navy team to ensure successful sea trials», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. «We are all very happy with how DDG-125 performed, and we look forward to delivering this highly advanced ship to the Navy».

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) is the first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer being built for the U.S. Navy by Ingalls. DDG-125 features enhanced detection and engagement of targets, as well as ballistic missile defense capability. The Flight III upgrade incorporates a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability.

Ingalls has delivered 34 destroyers to the U.S. Navy, with five currently under construction including DDG-125, USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129), USS George M. Neal (DDG-131) and USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133). USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) was delivered to the Navy by Ingalls on November 30 and will leave the shipyard early next year.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States military strategy. Guided missile destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

 

CHARACTERISTICS

Length Overall 510 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline 66 feet/20 m
Draft 30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load 9,700 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 AN/SPY-6 AESA 3D radar (Raytheon Company) and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V)12 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)/62 Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46, Mark-50 ASW torpedos or Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight III

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas HIIIS 06-04-21 San Diego, California
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 Thad Cochran HIIIS
DDG-136 Richard G. Lugar GDBIW
DDG-137 John F. Lehman HIIIS
DDG-138 GDBIW
DDG-139 Telesforo Trinidad HIIIS

 

Start of Fabrication

The Navy and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) marked the start of fabrication for the future USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133) with a ceremony at HII’s shipyard on December 12.

USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133)
Future USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133) Marks Start of Fabrication

The USS Sam Nunn (DDG-133) will be a DDG-51 Flight III guided missile destroyer centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and will provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. The Flight III baseline begins with DDGs 125-126 and continues with DDG-128 and follow on ships.

The ship is named for Samuel Augustus Nunn Jr., a United States Senator who represented Georgia from 1972 to 1997 and served as Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

«The future USS Sam Nunn will provide 21st Century offensive and defensive warfighting capabilities for decades to come», said Captain Seth Miller, DDG-51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

In addition to Sam Nunn, HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on future destroyers USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129), and USS George M. Neal (DDG-131).

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.

 

CHARACTERISTICS

Length Overall 510 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline 66 feet/20 m
Draft 30.5 feet/9.3 m
Displacement – Full Load 9,700 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 AN/SPY-6 AESA 3D radar (Raytheon Company) and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V)12 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)/62 Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46, Mark-50 ASW torpedos or Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight III

Ship Yard Launched Commissioned Homeport
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas HIIIS 06-04-21 San Diego, California
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 Thad Cochran HIIIS
DDG-136 Richard G. Lugar GDBIW
DDG-137 John F. Lehman HIIIS
DDG-138 GDBIW
DDG-139 Telesforo Trinidad HIIIS