US Navy’s future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) successfully completed builder’s trials on December 19 after spending four days at sea off the coast of Bath, Maine.
Builder’s trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the shipbuilder, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW), and the Navy to assess the ship’s systems and its readiness for delivery.
“The successful completion of these trials is a critical step to ensuring full combat-readiness of the ship,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The Navy and Industry team is dedicated to adding DDG 118’s critical warfighting capabilities to the fleet and strengthening the Navy’s readiness.”
Daniel Inouye is a Flight IIA destroyer, equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9 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 future USS Daniel Inouye will return to sea to conduct acceptance trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey early next year. During acceptance trials, all systems will be inspected and evaluated to ensure quality and operational readiness prior to the Navy accepting delivery.
BIW is also in production on the future Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum (DDG 124), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), and their first Flight III ship, Louis H. Wilson, Jr. (DDG 126), as well as the future Zumwalt-class destroyer, Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002).
