Arthur McMiler 
HII‘s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has completed the second builder’s sea trials on the U.S. Navy’s guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), following initial tests on the vessel in September. Ingalls collaborated with the Navy in the multi-day follow-up tests in preparation for the destroyer’s acceptance trials, HII said Friday.
Additional Destroyer Trials Performed
Conducted in the Gulf of America, the recent trials covered the combat vessel’s main propulsion, battle systems and other systems. Additional tests were performed on the ship’s hull, mechanical, electrical and combat systems. Included in the evaluation were the second-in-class Flight III AN/SPY-6 (V)1 radar and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system.
“The Ingalls and Navy team demonstrated tremendous teamwork during this trial and are fully committed to delivering DDG 128 to the fleet,” said Ben Barnett, Ingalls Shipbuilding’s DDG program manager.
“As we move forward, our focus remains on ensuring that every system is thoroughly tested and fully operational as we progress toward readiness for acceptance trials,” the company executive added.
As a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Ted Stevens is designed as one of the Navy’s next-generation surface combatant vessels. Ingalls is building five of the destroyer class at its Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard, which delivered the Navy’s first Flight III vessel in June 2023.
