Sophia Elliott 
- USS Lyndon B. Johnson is the third and final Zumwalt-class destroyer
- The ship is being upgraded to become the Navy’s second Conventional Prompt Strike-equipped platform
- DDG 1002 has been at Ingalls since January 2022 for combat systems work
The U.S. Navy’s third and final Zumwalt-class destroyer, the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson, is a step closer to sea trials after the service awarded Ingalls Shipbuilding, a unit of HII, a $99 million contract modification to conduct the at-sea testing, HII said Monday.
The ship, designated DDG 1002, has been at Ingalls’ Pascagoula, Mississippi, shipyard since January 2022 for completion of its combat systems installation, activation and testing.
What Work is Ingalls Doing on DDG 1002?
According to HII, sea trials are part of the Navy’s phased approach to delivering the destroyer. Alongside the combat systems work, Lyndon B. Johnson is undergoing modernization upgrades at Ingalls, including integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike, or CPS, weapon system. The destroyer is set to become the Navy’s second CPS-equipped platform.
Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette said the award “reflects the Navy’s continued confidence” in the shipyard’s workforce to carry out system testing and sea trials.
“Our shipbuilders are proud to help deliver DDG 1002 and prepare her for future fleet operations,” Blanchette added.
What is the Zumwalt Class?
Zumwalt-class destroyers are designed with an electric propulsion system, a wave-piercing tumblehome hull and a stealth profile, and carry advanced weapons and warfighting systems. According to HII, the ships are intended to perform deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions while allowing the Navy to add new systems and capabilities over time.
What Other Zumwalt-Class Work Has Ingalls Received?
The sea trials award builds on earlier Navy contracts for Ingalls’ work on the class. In August 2022, the company received a $41.6 million cost-incentive-fee contract to complete combat systems installation, activation and testing on Lyndon B. Johnson so the ship could join the fleet with a functional combat system.
In January 2023, the Navy awarded Ingalls a $10.5 million contract to plan modernization work for the first two ships in the class, USS Zumwalt and USS Michael Monsoor. The planning work was to be performed in Pascagoula and was expected to wrap up by the end of 2023, with $9.7 million in fiscal 2023 other procurement funding allocated.
