US Warship John Finn Passes Acceptance Trials
The five-inch MK 45 naval gun system aboard the destroyer John Finn (DDG 113) was tested during the second of three planned sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo by Andrew Young/HII)
The guided missile destroyer John Finn (DDG 113) recently completed the last of three planned sea trials and is scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Navy in December. (Photo by Andrew Young/HII)
The U.S. Navy’s new guided missile destroyer John Finn (DDG 113) has completed its third and final round of sea trials following two days testing various systems in the Gulf of Mexico.
“The success of DDG 113 acceptance trials moves us one step closer to delivering a quality, state-of-the-art surface combatant to the U.S. Navy,” said Brian Cuccias, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries and builder of the new Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer.
“For nearly three decades, the DDG 51 program has served as the backbone of our shipyard, and today we are proud to continue that legacy,” Cuccias said. “Our shipbuilders are eager to show our U.S. Navy customer the positive impact of a skilled workforce and a hot production line can have on the DDG 51 program.”
The Navy required three rounds of sea trials as part of the restart effort on the DDG 51 program. For the third and final set, the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) spent time onboard evaluating the ship’s overall performance. Now Ingalls will put the final finishing touches on the ship for its delivery in December.
“The shipbuilders are ready to get back to work on DDG 113,” said George Nungesser, Ingalls’ DDG program manager. “They know acceptance trials are a vital part of the process, but it’s not the end of the road. Our shipbuilders take pride in what they do every day because they know how important these ships are to the defense of the nation and to the safety of sailors serving aboard them.”
DDG 113 is named in honor of the Navy’s first Medal of Honor recipient of World War II. Finn received the honor for machine-gunning Japanese warplanes for over two hours during the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, despite being shot in the foot and shoulder and suffering numerous shrapnel wounds. He retired as a lieutenant after 30 years of service and died at age 100 in 2010.
Ingalls has delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy. Other destroyers currently under construction at Ingalls include Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) and Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121). Construction of Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2017.
