The US Navy and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) formally named the future flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS George M. Neal during a ceremony at HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding facilities in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Saturday, July 11.
The ship is named for US Navy Petty Officer Third Class George M. Neal, a Korean War veteran and Navy Cross recipient. The ship's sponsor during Saturday's ceremony was Kelley Neal Gray, the late Petty Officer Neal's daughter.
As with other Arleigh Burke-class flight III destroyers, the future George M. Neal will have improved capability and capacity to perform anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defence in support of the integrated air and missile defence mission.
Arleigh Burke-class flight III destroyers all feature the AN/SPY-6(V)1 air and missile defence radar and incorporate upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes.
Ingalls Shipbuilding is also in production on Neal's sister ships the future USS Jeremiah Denton, USS Sam Nunn, USS Thad Cochran, and USS John F. Lehman.