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Future USS William P. Lawrence Successfully Completes "Super Trials"

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110127-12
1/27/2011

From Commander, Naval Sea Systems Public Affairs

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (NNS) -- The future USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) successfully completed combined "super trials" Jan. 21 while underway in the Gulf of Mexico.

These trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the Navy. Due to the maturity of the DDG 51 class, the Navy holds only one round of trials on each ship prior to delivery, instead of separate builder's and acceptance trials, thus requiring less time, fuel and manpower.

William P. Lawrence is expected to be delivered to the Navy in March 2011.

"DDG 110 performed extremely well for INSURV, and the success of this trial reinforces the advantages realized when a program is well into serial production," said Capt. Pete Lyle, DDG 51 class program manager for the Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "This class continues to provide leading capabilities designed to support current and future operational needs."

Throughout the three days underway, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) tested several ship components, including the communications and propulsion systems.

A full-power run was conducted successfully and the communications suite performed exceptionally well, fully supporting all sea trial events. Overall, William E. Lawrence exhibited significant improvements in the level of completion, final finish and performance compared to previous ships of the class.

William E. Lawrence's combat and weapons system also underwent thorough testing and evaluation, and the utility and reliability of the Aegis Combat System - was demonstrated successfully. While underway, the ship completed all planned trial evolutions, including the successful firing of the vertical launch system, the MK 45 main gun, the Phalanx close-in weapon system, and the MK 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures Chaff and Decoy Launching System.

The DDG 51 class ship is a multi-mission guided-missile destroyer designed to operate in air, surface and subsurface threat environments. 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 in its shipbuilding program, with a commitment to delivery ships at the highest possible quality allowing seamless transition to the fleet.

William E. Lawrence is named in honor of the late Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, who spent six years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships 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.