Tag Archives: USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121)

Navy

Guided Missile Destroyer

May 15, 2022 Dmitry Shulgin

The Navy commissioned USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, during a 10:00 a.m. EDT ceremony on Saturday, May 14, in Charleston, South Carolina.

USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. is the first ship to honor Marine Corps Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen, Jr., the first Black Marine Corps aviator and the first Black Marine Corps officer promoted to brigadier general. When Petersen retired in 1988 after 38 years of service, he was, by date of designation, the senior-ranking aviator in the Department of the U.S. Navy.

The principal speaker is The Honorable Carlos Campbell, Naval aviator and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Additional speakers include The Honorable Nancy Mace, U.S. Representative from South Carolina’s 1st District; The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy; General David Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps; Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations; The Honorable John Tecklenberg, Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina; Mr. George Nungesser, Vice President of Program Management, Ingalls Shipbuilding; and Ms. Gayle Petersen, daughter of the ship’s namesake.

The ship’s sponsors are Mrs. D’Arcy Ann Neller, wife of former Commandant of the Marine Corps, retired General Robert «Bob» Neller, and the late Dr. Alicia J. Petersen, Lieutenant General Petersen’s wife at the time of his passing in 2015. Dr. Petersen passed away in September 2021. Both sponsors participated in the keel laying, mast stepping, and christening ceremonies. Mrs. Neller gave the order to «man our ship and bring her to life».

«This ship honors the life and legacy of Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen, Jr., a pioneer not just for Marine Corps aviation but for our entire naval force», said Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos Del Toro. «I have no doubt the crew will be a cornerstone of the Surface Force carrying his legacy forward and strengthening the bond between our Navy and Marine Corps team».

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet providing protection to America around the globe. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface domains. These elements of seapower enable the Navy to defend American prosperity and prevent future conflict abroad.

The nearly 9,500-ton USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. is 510 feet/156 m in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet/18 m, and a navigational draft of 31 feet/9.5 m. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h. USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. will homeport at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

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
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee	HIIIS	01-27-20
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum Jr.	GDBIW
DDG-127 Patrick Gallagher	GDBIW

Navy

Frank E. Petersen Jr.

December 6, 2021 Dmitry Shulgin

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division delivered the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) to the U.S. Navy during a signing ceremony held on Tuesday, November 30. This milestone officially transfers custody from HII to the U.S. Navy.

«I am again very proud of our DDG team today», said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls Shipbuilding president. «Not only have they completed another major program milestone, but they have done so in the face of a pandemic. This team, and all of our shipbuilders across our entire portfolio, are what shipbuilding is all about».

Delivery of USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) marked the 33rd destroyer Ingalls has built for Navy, with four more currently under construction, including USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128) and USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129).

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 myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

DDG-121 is named for Frank E. Petersen Jr., who was the U.S. Marine Corps’ first African-American aviator and general officer. After entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1950, Petersen would go on to fly more than 350 combat missions during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

CHARACTERISTICS

Length Overall	525 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline	65.6 feet/20 m
Draft	32.8 feet/10 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	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		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
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr.	HIIIS	07-13-18
DDG-122 John Basilone	GDBIW
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee	HIIIS	01-27-20
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum Jr.	GDBIW
DDG-127 Patrick Gallagher	GDBIW

Navy

Builder’s Trials

September 1, 2021 Dmitry Shulgin

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), the U.S. Navy’s 71st Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, completed Builder’s sea trials, August 26.

The trials were conducted by the shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division.

Builder’s trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the shipbuilder to assess the ship’s systems and readiness for Acceptance Trials prior to delivery.

«Completion of these trials gives us confidence that USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) will be able to conduct successful Acceptance Trials in mid-September», said Captain Seth Miller, DDG-51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The U.S. Navy and industry team continues to work diligently to ensure the ship is ready to operate at its peak performance and can provide capability and capacity to the fleet».

USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), a Flight IIA destroyer, will be equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which includes Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability and enhanced Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability against a variety of threats.

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division is currently in production on future destroyers USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128) and USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129).

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.

CHARACTERISTICS

Length Overall	525 feet/160 m
Beam – Waterline	65.6 feet/20 m
Draft	32.8 feet/10 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	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		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
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr.	HIIIS	07-13-18
DDG-122 John Basilone	GDBIW
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee	HIIIS	01-27-20
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum Jr.	GDBIW
DDG-127 Patrick Gallagher	GDBIW

Navy

Christening of Frank

October 7, 2018 Dmitry Shulgin

The U.S. Navy christened the newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) Saturday, October 6, during a 10:00 a.m. CDT ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Christening of Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121)

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) is the first ship named in honor of Marine Corps Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Jr., the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps officer promoted to brigadier general. When he retired in 1988 after 38 years of service, he was, by date of designation, the senior-ranking aviator in the Marine Corps and the United States Navy.

At the ceremony, the principal speaker was General Alfred Gray, 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. D’Arcy Neller, wife of General Robert Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Dr. Alicia J. Petersen, widow of Frank E. Petersen Jr., served as ship’s sponsors. In a time-honored Navy tradition, the two sponsors christened the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

«The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. will serve for decades as a reminder of Lt. Gen. Petersen’s service to our nation and Navy and Marine Corps team», said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. «This ceremony honors not only Petersen’s service but also the service of our nation’s industrial partners, who, for centuries, have helped make our Navy the greatest in the world».

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) will be the 71st Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and is the 5th of 21 ships currently under contract for the DDG-51 program. The ship will be 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.

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) will be equipped with the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System, the world’s foremost integrated naval weapon. The ship will also incorporate Cooperative Engagement Capability that when combined with the Aegis Combat System, will permit groups of ships and aircraft to link radars to provide a composite picture of the battle space – effectively increasing the theater space. The capability is designed to provide the U.S. Navy with a 21st century fighting edge.

The nearly 9,500-ton Frank E. Petersen Jr. is 510 feet/156 m in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet/18 m, and a navigational draft of 31 feet/9.5 m. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h.

Ship Characteristics

Length Overall	510 feet/156 m
Beam – Waterline	59 feet/18 m
Draft	31 feet/9.5 m
Displacement – Full Load	9,500 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

Navy

Petersen was launched

July 20, 2018 Dmitry Shulgin

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) was launched on July 13 at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard.

U.S. Navy Launches Future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr.

The method for launching a ship includes a multi-day process that involves moving the ship from the land level facility to the dry dock which is then slowly flooded until the ship is afloat. With the ship in the water, final outfitting and production can commence.

«Serial production efforts on our Arleigh Burke class destroyers will benefit both the Navy and our industry partners as we meet the increasing need for operational assets», said Captain Casey Moton, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «DDG-121 will be the 70th destroyer of its class to join the fleet».

The ship is being configured as a Flight IIA destroyer, which enables power projection, forward presence, and escort operations at sea in support of Low Intensity Conflict/Coastal and Littoral Offshore Warfare as well as open ocean conflict.

Equipped with the world’s foremost integrated naval weapon, the Navy’s Aegis Combat System Baseline 9, DDG-121 will provide Cooperative Engagement Capability, allowing for Integrated Air and Missile Defense. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for Anti-Air Warfare.

HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the future destroyers Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) and Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) that were awarded as part of the five-ship multi-year procurement for fiscal years 2013-2017.

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

Navy

Keel For Destroyer

February 25, 2017 Dmitry Shulgin

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the guided missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) on February 21, 2017. The ship, named in honor of the U.S. Marine Corps’ first African-American general, will be the 33rd Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyer Ingalls has built for the U.S. Navy.

Jeremy Lally, a structural welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding, welds the initials of ship sponsor D’Arcy Neller (left) onto the keel plate of the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) (Photo by Lance Davis/HII)

«DDGs are traditionally named after great men and women in the history of our Navy, and the namesake of DDG-121 is a true trailblazer and an American hero», Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said at a shipyard ceremony. «Like her namesake, DDG-121 will be strong and capable. She can be no other way, because our men and women in the Navy – and General Petersen’s legacy – deserve nothing less».

D’Arcy Neller, the wife of Marine Corps Commandant General Robert Neller, is the ship’s sponsor. Jeremy Lally, a structural welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding division, welded her initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of DDG-121 to be «truly and fairly laid». The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout the ship’s lifetime.

«I appreciate the opportunity to be here with you today and the effort that goes on in this shipyard», General Neller said. «We’re being contested everywhere in the world right now, especially on the sea. We need ships like this one, and we need them to go fast and in harm’s way, every day. So, I know Ingalls will put great care, talent and skill into building this ship, and I appreciate your effort».

The guided missile destroyer honors Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr., who was the Marine Corps’ first African-American aviator and general officer. After entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1950, Petersen would go on to fly more than 350 combat missions throughout the Korean and Vietnam wars.

«This is such an honor for General Petersen and our family, particularly with this month being Black History Month», said Doctor Alicia Petersen, widow of General Petersen. «He wasn’t a man who wanted a lot of praise or recognition; however, if he could see this great ship being built for other young men and young women to see and look up to, he would be very proud».

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships that 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. They are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ships contain myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

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 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: Restart

Ship	Yard	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDG-113 John Finn	HIIIS	03-28-15
DDG-114 Ralph Johnson	HIIIS	12-12-15
DDG-115 Rafael Peralta	GDBIW	10-31-15

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Ship	Yard	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDG-116 Thomas Hudner	GDBIW
DDG-117 Paul Ignatius	HIIIS	11-12-16
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye	GDBIW
DDG-119 Delbert D. Black	HIIIS
DDG-120 Carl M. Levin	GDBIW
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr.	HIIIS
DDG-122 John Basilone	GDBIW
DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee	HIIIS

Flight III

Ship	Yard	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDG-124 Harvey C. Barnum, Jr.	GDBIW
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas	HIIIS
DDG-126 Louis H. Wilson, Jr.	GDBIW

Navy

DDG-121 Start Fab

May 3, 2016 Dmitry Shulgin

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division on April 27 marked the start of fabrication for the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) for the U.S. Navy. The start of fabrication signifies that 100 tons of steel have been cut.

Commander Dave Murray, production officer for the U.S. Navy's DDG-51 program, presses the button to start fabrication of the Ingalls-built destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) (Photo by Lance Davis/HII) — Commander Dave Murray, production officer for the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 program, presses the button to start fabrication of the Ingalls-built destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) (Photo by Lance Davis/HII)

«This is a significant day for our shipbuilders and for the U.S. Navy as Ingalls once again begins fabrication of another destroyer», said George Nungesser, Ingalls’ DDG-51 program manager. «We have delivered 28 of these ships to the U.S. Navy, and our experienced and talented shipbuilders are more than ready to produce another high-quality destroyer. This is our fourth destroyer started in three years, and we are seeing the efficiencies that come from building these ships back-to-back».

DDG-121 is the third of five DDG-51 destroyers the company was awarded in June 2013. The five-ship contract, part of a multi-year procurement in the DDG-51 program, allows Ingalls to build ships more efficiently by buying bulk material and moving the skilled workforce from ship to ship.

The guided missile destroyer honors Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr., who was the first African-American aviator and general officer in the United States Marine Corps. After entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1950, Petersen would go on to fly more than 350 combat missions throughout the Korean and Vietnam wars.

The highly capable, multi-mission ship 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. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

The launch of USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114). This milestone brings the ship even closer to the big christening event

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 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

The latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System – Baseline 9.C1 – was certified for the U.S. Destroyer fleet, which will one day include the USS John Finn (DDG-113), now under construction

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Ship	Yard	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDG-116 Thomas Hudner	GDBIW
DDG-117 Paul Ignatius	HIIIS
DDG-118 Daniel Inouye	GDBIW
DDG-119 Delbert D. Black	HIIIS
DDG-120 Carl M. Levin	GDBIW
DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr.	HIIIS
DDG-122	GDBIW
DDG-123	HIIIS

Modern weapons

Tag Archives: USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121)

Guided Missile Destroyer

Ship Characteristics

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Frank E. Petersen Jr.

CHARACTERISTICS

GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYERS LINEUP

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Builder’s Trials

CHARACTERISTICS

GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYERS LINEUP

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Christening of Frank

Ship Characteristics

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Petersen was launched

Ship Characteristics

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Keel For Destroyer

Ship Characteristics

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

Flight IIA: Restart

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

Flight III

DDG-121 Start Fab

Ship Characteristics

Flight IIA: Technology Insertion

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