New US Navy Destroyer Now Afloat

Final outfitting has begun on the future USS Jeremiah Denton after Ingalls Shipbuilding, part of HII, successfully floated off the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer at its shipyard in Mississippi.

The new Flight III vessel was launched for the first time last week, according to a recent HII press statement. The ship was moved into a dry dock at the Pascagoula facility using railcars, then floated off and hauled into position pierside by tugboats.

DDG programme manager Ben Barnett commented: “The launch of DDG 129 is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Ingalls shipbuilders and a collaborative achievement with our Navy partners.”

He added: “The future USS Jeremiah Denton will now undergo final outfitting, systems activation, and testing before entering the fleet.”

In total Ingalls has so far delivered no fewer than 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy, including the first Flight III ship in the class, USS Jack H. Lucas, which was launched in June 2021 and commissioned into service in October 2023.

In August 2023 Ingalls also successfully launched the U.S. Navy’s third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the future USS Ted Stevens.

Named after a former U.S. Senator and Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross, Jeremiah Denton is the third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the Pascagoula shipyard.

The Flight III destroyers boast the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System.

Ingalls Shipbuilding currently also has three other Flight IIIs under construction: the future USS George M. Neal, USS Sam Nunn, and USS Thad Cochran.

• You can read more details on the HII website