Kacey Roberts
The shipbuilding division of HII has commenced the production of the U.S. Navy’s newest Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, named in honor of former U.S. Senator Thad Cochran.
HII said Thursday the initiation of the fabrication of the USS Thad Cochran signals the shipyard’s preparedness to progress with construction, with the initial 100 tons of steel already cut.
In a separate announcement, Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager at Program Executive Office Ships, said, “Flight III guided missile destroyers will deliver unparalleled warfighting capabilities to the Fleet, bringing nearly 10,000 tons of American maritime strength across the world’s oceans and seas.”
Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers feature enhanced capabilities, including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System.
In June 2020, HII secured a $936 million contract modification to build an additional DDG-51 vessel.
Currently, Ingalls Shipbuilding has five Flight III destroyers in various stages of construction, including the USS Thad Cochran.
