Ingalls to Repair USS Fitzgerald

Posted by Eric Haun August 24, 2017

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was damaged in a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan (U. S. Navy photo by Peter Burghart)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been selected to repair the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) when it returns to the U.S.

The ship, which suffered heavy damage and nearly sank off the coast of Japan after a fatal collision with a Philippine containership on June 17, will be brought to Ingalls’ facilities in Pascagoula, Miss. for the repairs.

“Ingalls and all of its employees regret the tragic circumstances that will bring the ship to Pascagoula,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias, “but it is an honor and a privilege to work with the Navy to return the ship to the fleet in the shortest time possible.”

Ingalls’ history of repairing damaged Navy ships includes the frigate USS Stark (FFG 31) and USS Cole (DDG 67), a guided missile destroyer in the same class as Fitzgerald.