Ingalls completes DDG 128 builder’s sea trials

Photograph: HII

HII (NYSE: HII) reports that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has successfully completed builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), marking a major milestone in the construction of the second Flight III destroyer built at the Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard. The trials were conducted over several days in the Gulf of America, and tested the ship’s engineering, navigation, and combat systems to ensure readiness for the future acceptance trials and eventual delivery to the U.S. Navy.

“The Ingalls and Navy team worked diligently to get DDG 128 ready for sea, and I want to recognize the team’s determination in reaching this major milestone,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG program manager Ben Barnett said. “Their efforts reflect the urgency we all share in delivering these ships with the highest quality and technological advancements needed to support the U.S. Navy fleet and to protect our national security.”

During DDG 128’s builder’s trials, the Ingalls test and trials team completed a full range of hull, mechanical and electrical tests, as well as Flight III AN/SPY-6 (V)1 radar array testing. These tests are designed to validate critical system performance and ensure the ship meets or exceeds Navy requirements.

Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the next generation of surface combatants for the U.S. Navy and incorporate a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability. Upgrades include the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System required to keep pace with the threats well into the 21st century.

Ingalls has delivered 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy including the first Flight III, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), in June of 2023 and currently has five Flight IIIs under construction.

Earlier this month, HII announced that the company would be partnering with several shipyards and fabricators in multiple states to grow its throughput and meet the requirements of increased demand for ships by the U.S. Navy. This effort included Ingalls Shipbuilding selecting outfitted structural units for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to be constructed, inspected and accepted at partner locations and later delivered to Ingalls for final integration.

As the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi, Ingalls Shipbuilding has designed, built and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers for the U.S. Navy for over 86 years.