DDG 121 fabrication begins

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Wednesday marked the start of fabrication for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) for the U.S. Navy. The start of fabrication signifies that 100 tons of steel have been cut. DDG 121 is the third of five DDG 51 destroyers the company was awarded in June 2013. The five-ship contract, part of a multi-year procurement in the DDG 51 program, allows Ingalls to build ships more efficiently by buying bulk material and moving the skilled workforce from ship to ship. (Source: HII, 04/27/16)