The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) completed Acceptance trials, Sept. 16, after spending two days at sea.
During trials, the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey inspected the ship performing a series of demonstrations while pier side and underway. Many of the ship’s onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, were tested to validate performance met or exceeded Navy specifications.
“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” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The Navy and our industry team are looking forward to delivering another advanced multi-mission warship to the fleet.”
DDG 121 is named in honor of Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen Jr., the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine general.
As a Flight IIA destroyer, DDG 121 is equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9C2 Combat System, which includes Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability and enhanced Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability against a variety of threats.
The ship is expected to be delivered to the Navy later this year from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The shipyard is also continuing production on future destroyers Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), Ted Stevens (DDG 128) and Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129).