Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS William P. Lawrence

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (NNS) -- The Navy officially accepted delivery of the future USS William P. Lawrence from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding during a ceremony in Pascagoula, Miss, Feb. 23.

Designated DDG 110, William P. Lawrence is the 60th ship of the Arleigh Burke class.

Delivery of DDG 110 follows the successful completion of combined "super trials" in the Gulf of Mexico, Jan. 21. Throughout the three-day evolution, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey tested the ship and its systems, including the communications, combat and propulsion systems, to demonstrate the ship's operational capability.

DDG 110 exhibited significant improvements in the level of completion, final finish and performance compared to previous ships of the class.

"DDG 110 proved her operational worth last month in a rigorous round of sea trial evolutions, so we know she can perform as designed," said Capt. Pete Lyle, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships DDG 51 Class program manager. "Delivering William P. Lawrence marks a great success for the Navy and will provide the fleet with a highly capable combatant to guarantee freedom of the seas."

Accepting delivery of DDG 110 represents the official transfer from the shipbuilder to the Navy and is a major milestone in William P. Lawrence's transition to operational status.

William P. Lawrence is a multi-mission guided-missile destroyer designed to operate in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments. The ship is equipped with the Navy's Aegis Combat System, the world's foremost integrated naval weapon system. The class provides outstanding combat capability and survivability characteristics while minimizing procurement and lifetime support costs due to the program's maturity. The DDG 51 program continues to reinforce affordability and efficiency, with a commitment to deliver ships at the highest possible quality.

As one of DoD's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships, an affiliated PEO of the Naval Sea Systems Command, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all major surface combatants, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.

Currently, the majority of shipbuilding programs managed by PEO Ships are benefiting from serial production efficiencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule.