Jane Edwards
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has begun the fabrication process for the U.S. Navy’s Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) ship named after the first African-American pilot and U.S. Marine Corps general officer.
HII said Wednesday the process suggests that the company has already cut 100 tons of steel for integration with the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
George Nungesser, DDG 51 program manager at Ingalls Shipbuilding, said the company has handed 28 Arleigh Burke-class vessels to the service branch.
DDG 121 is the third DDG 51 destroyer under a five-ship contract awarded to the company in June 2013.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are designed for use in power projection, crisis management and maritime defense operations.
