Jane Edwards
The Ingalls Shipbuilding unit of Huntington Ingalls Industries has started the fabrication process for the Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), named after the first U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer during World War II.
HII said Tuesday the process marks the beginning of the modular construction phase for the pre-fabricated components of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
Black’s wife Ima served as the ship’s sponsor during the fabrication ceremony held Tuesday in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class program manager at the Navy, and George Nungesser, DDG 51 program manager at Ingalls, were also in attendance.
HII has already handed 28 Arleigh Burke-class vessels to the service branch for use in crisis management, power projection and maritime defense operations.
