The future USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) successfully completed acceptance trials on December 9th, returning to General Dynamics Corp’s Bath Iron Works (BIW) Bath shipyard after spending two days at sea. 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. Many of the ship’s onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, were tested to validate performance met or exceeded Navy specifications.
“The future USS Carl M. Levin performed exceptionally at sea and is ready to deliver to the Navy early next year. The Navy is excited to welcome yet another of these multi-mission warships to our Sailors,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.
BIW President Chuck Krugh stated: “The only thing more powerful than a person with a can-do attitude is a team with a can-do attitude. This team made it happen! This ship set a new standard for what to expect from a BIW ship on sea trials. I’m proud of our shipbuilders, who produced another ship we are proud to call Bath-built!”
US Navy Arleigh Burke-class DDG 120 is named for the late Michigan Senator, Carl M. Levin, who served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years from 1979-2015. As the longest serving senator in Michigan state history, Levin became a staunch supporter of the armed services through his work and leadership as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. As a Flight IIA destroyer, DDG 120 is equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9C2 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 shipyard is also continuing production on future destroyers John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126) and William Charette (DDG 130). Bath Iron Works (BIW) is a major United States shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, founded in 1884 as Bath Iron Works, Limited. Since 1995, Bath Iron Works has been a subsidiary of General Dynamics. It is the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2008. As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, boats and craft.
