HII division Ingalls Shipbuilding has launched the US Navy’s third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer, the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129).
This milestone follows the destroyer’s fabrication in 2021, with keel laying taking place in 2022.
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Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG programme manager Ben Barnett said: “The launch of DDG 129 is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Ingalls shipbuilders and a collaborative achievement with our Navy partners.
“The future USS Jeremiah Denton will now undergo final outfitting, systems activation, and testing before entering the fleet.”
This vessel was named in honour of the late US Senator Jeremiah Denton Jr, a Vietnam War veteran who received the Navy Cross for his courage while held as a prisoner of war, notes the company.
The Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers are equipped with AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System.
The DDG 51-class destroyers are designed to perform a variety of offensive and defensive missions for the US Navy.
These vessels have a length of 505 feet (ft), a beam of 66ft, a draft of 36ft, and a height of 153ft.
They have a displacement of 8,558 tonnes, enabling them to handle a range of maritime tasks.
In 2023, HII Ingalls Shipbuilding, alongside General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW), secured contracts for the production of ten Arleigh Burke-class Flight III guided-missile destroyers.
These contracts, spanning a period of five years and collectively worth an estimated $14.5bn, set forth the construction responsibilities between the two shipbuilders.
Over the course of 2023 to 2027, Ingalls is tasked with constructing seven out of the ten vessels, while BIW is set to build the remaining three units.
Currently, Ingalls Shipbuilding is constructing five Flight III destroyers, including Ted Stevens (DDG 128), Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), George M. Neal (DDG 131), Sam Nunn (DDG 133), and Thad Cochran (DDG 135).
