HII launches USS Delbert D Black
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has launched the future US Navy destroyer USS Delbert D Black at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
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.
USS Delbert D Black will be equipped with the navy’s Aegis Combat System, and will incorporate cooperative engagement capability. When combined with the Aegis Combat System, it will permit groups of ships and aircraft to link their radars to provide a composite picture of the battle space, effectively increasing the theatre space.
HII’s Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the future destroyers Ralph Johnson, Paul Ignatius, Frank E Petersen Jr and Lenah H Sutcliffe Higbee.
HII is also contracted for one additional ship, Jack H Lucas, as part of the five-ship multi-year procurement for fiscal years 2013-2017. This will be the first ship to be configured in the FLT III design.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![From Chokepoints to the Deep: ASELSAN’s Naval Vision at EURONAVAL]()
From Chokepoints to the Deep: ASELSAN’s Naval Vision at EURONAVAL
From deployable ship defence to autonomous sea and underwater vehicles, ASELSAN is preparing for a new era of naval security.
-
![Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift]()
Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift
The 50m, six-person ship from the Italian shipbuilder carries swappable, containerised payloads instead of a fixed mission, reflecting a shift that is becoming increasingly evident.
-
![Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties]()
Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties
HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor could return from their current deep maintenance, but unconfirmed operational timelines leave questions over patrol capacity before the first CPSP arrives.
