Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), has successfully launched the first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125). This milestone event took place on Tuesday, heading towards the ship’s commissioning on October 7, 2023, at a ceremony in Tampa, Florida, before setting sail to its homeport in San Diego.

In this significant achievement, Ingalls Shipbuilding delivered 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy, including the USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), this year. Furthermore, Ingalls has four other Flight III destroyers currently under construction, namely the USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), George M. Neal (DDG 131), and Sam Nunn (DDG 133).

“Witnessing Jack H. Lucas sail away is a proud moment for our entire DDG shipbuilding team,” stated Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG Program Manager Ben Barnett. “Our shipbuilders will follow this first Flight III destroyer with honor as it joins the fleet as one of the most highly capable destroyers we have ever delivered.”

The Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers incorporate a range of design modifications that significantly enhance their operational capabilities. DDG 125 includes the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System, designed to keep pace with the evolving challenges of the 21st century. These destroyers are highly adaptable, multi-mission ships, capable of executing various operations, from peacetime presence and presence to combat and crisis management. Their guided missile destroyers are at the forefront of safeguarding U.S. national security and are capable of engaging multiple air, surface, and subsurface threats simultaneously.Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is a global leader in delivering advanced solutions and all-domain defense capabilities for the nation. With a mission to provide the world’s most powerful ships and enduring solutions, HII’s workforce of over 43,000 professionals is committed to ensuring the nation’s security. HII’s contributions extend from ships to unmanned systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII plays a pivotal role in advancing U.S. national security by providing critical capabilities, extensive expertise, and unwavering dedication to excellence.