Aug 12, 2014 ASDNews Source : Naval Air Systems Command

The Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard in Newport News, Virginia is all abuzz as below deck-testing of the Navy’s newest aircraft launch system begins aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

Following months of large-scale hardware deliveries containing critical components of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and shipboard installation by HII, teams from the government and industry partner General Atomics completed installation of the software — the brains of the new system. Below deck-testing began Aug. 11 with the Launch Control Subsystem, the first of many subsystem assessments on the path toward EMALS shipboard certification.    

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16 September 2013 naval-technology.com

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has begun fabrication of the US Navy's Aegis-equipped Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, US.

More than 100t of steel has been cut for the fabrication of the vessel.

USS Ralph Johnson, which was named after Marine Pfc. Ralph Henry Johnson, who received the medal of honour for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War.

HII's DDG 51 programme manager, George Nungesser, said: "We have talented, experienced shipbuilders working on this programme, and they have provided excellent quality on Aegis destroyers since the programme's inception."

In September 2011, the US Navy had awarded a contract to HII for the construction of DDG 114, as a flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer.

Powered by four gas-turbine propulsion engines, the Arleigh Burke-class ship will feature a SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar to support a variety of operations.

The 509ft-long Arleigh Burke-class vessels have a displacement capacity of 9,500t. They can cruise at a speed of 30k and are equipped with advanced sensors, as well as weapons systems to engage anti-ship missile threats.

Scheduled to be delivered to the navy in the first half of 2017, the USS Ralph Johnson multi-mission ship can support missions ranging from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the US military strategy.

USS John Finn (DDG 113), the first of the DDG 51-class programme continuation ships, is scheduled for delivery to the US Navy in the third quarter of 2016.

The third and fourth ships of the Flight IIA programme, USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) respectively are currently undergoing construction.

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI)

Huntington Ingalls Industries and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works will build nine DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers for the U.S. Navy.

The two separate, multiyear procurement contracts are together worth more than $5.1 billion.

The Navy said General Dynamics Bath Iron Works will design and build four DDG 51 class ships beginning this year and continuing into 2017. The contract includes an option for a fifth ship.

Huntington Ingalls Industries will construct five ships, one each year until 2017.

"These contract awards represent great value to the taxpayer and will ensure our warfighters have the ships and systems they need to prevail in any situation," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "By leveraging competition in the DDG 51 class shipbuilding program, these shipbuilders will continue their proud histories in delivering these highly capable ships to the fleet while meeting critical operational requirements for integrated air and missile defense capability."

The Navy said the destroyers will be in a Flight III configuration in which Aegis AN/SPY-1D radar is replaced with Air and Missile Defense Radar, and improved weapons and sensor suites are installed.