Matthew Nelson
Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has cut the first 100 tons of steel of the future USS Jeremiah Denton to mark the start of the fabrication phase for the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
Named in honor of late Sen. Jeremiah Denton, DDG 51 is planned to carry out various missions including crisis management, sea control, power projection and peacetime operations, HII said Thursday.
The ship will house offensive and defensive weaponry to support maritime missions and simultaneously perform air, surface and subsurface battles.
“The start of fabrication for one of the U.S. Navy’s most critical assets is always a significant milestone for our shipbuilders,” said Brian Cuccias, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding.
HII delivered 32 Arleigh Burke-class vessels to the Navy and is currently building the future USS Frank E. Peterson Jr., Jack H. Lucas, Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee and Ted Stevens destroyers.
