The future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS
Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) finished its acceptance trials on Sept. 16, the Navy said on Friday.
During the trials, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) inspected the ship while performing a set of demonstrations both pier side and while underway at sea for two days. The systems tested to validate performance included navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications. The Navy said many of the systems “met or exceeded Navy specifications.”
DDG-121 was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss.
“Following an impressive performance during Builder’s trials in August, the ship continued to demonstrate her readiness to join the fleet through successful completion of Acceptance trials. The Navy and our industry team are looking forward to delivering another advanced multi-mission warship to the fleet,” Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, said in a statement.
The ship successfully completed builder’s trials on Aug. 27 (Defense Daily, Aug. 27).
“The successful completion of acceptance trials is an extremely rewarding accomplishment for Ingalls and for our partners who work closely with us to ensure we achieve this milestone together. We are proud of our shipbuilders for working as a team to move DDG 121 one step closer to delivery,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said.
DDG-121 is named in honor of the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and Marine general.
The Petersen is a Flight IIA destroyer and thus equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9C2 combat system that includes integrated air and missile defense capabilities.
The Navy expects the ship to be delivered to the Navy later this year.
The HII Pascagoula shipyard is also in production on future destroyers Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123), the first Flight III destroyer Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), Ted Stevens (DDG-128) and Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129).