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.