The future USS John Finn (DDG 113) successfully completed acceptance trials and returned to Pascagoula, Miss. Nov. 3.
Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the Navy later this year. During acceptance trials, the ship and its crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). These demonstrations are used by INSURV to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy specifications and requirements prior to delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy.
The tests were conducted pier-side and while underway to ensure successful and functional operation of all the ship's onboard systems including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications. Completion of the trial process is a significant milestone in delivering a critical warfighting capability to the Fleet.
"This has been an extremely rigorous set of trials, and I am confident that we will deliver a highly capable warfighting platform to our Sailors and the fleet," said Capt. Casey Moton, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office Ships. "John Finn's performance as the first restart ship has been exemplary, and we're looking forward to maintaining that high quality of construction and performance as we continue to build and deliver Arleigh Burke destroyers."
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers provide a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments. The ship's Integrated Air and Missile Defense radar will provide increased computing power and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air warfare threats as well as Ballistic Missile Defense. The Aegis Combat System will enable the ship to link radars with other ships and aircraft to provide a composite picture of the battlespace and effectively increase the theater space.
John Finn is the 63rd Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyer and the first of the DDG 51 Flight IIA restart ships. Also in production at Huntington Ingalls Industries Pascagoula shipyard are future destroyers Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Delbert Black (DDG 119) and Frank E. Petersen Jr (DDG 121). Two additional destroyers are under contract as part of the five-ship multi-year procurement for FY13-17. Another seven Arleigh Burke class destroyers are either under construction or contract at General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine.
As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, Program Executive Office Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft.