US Navy accepts future USS Paul Ignatius
The US Navy received its 67th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls shipbuilding division on 22 February 2019.
Prior to delivery, the vessel conducted a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to demonstrate its material and operational readiness.
The DDG-51 class ships currently being constructed are Aegis Baseline 9 Integrated Air and Missile Defense destroyers. The vessels feature increased computing power and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against air warfare and ballistic missile defence threats.
HII's Pascagoula shipyard is also currently in production on the future destroyers Delbert D. Black, Frank E. Peterson Jr., Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee and Jack H. Lucas, the first Flight III ship.
HII is under contract for an additional six Arleigh Burke class destroyers that will be constructed in the Flight III configuration with enhanced air and missile defence capabilities.
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