PASCAGOULA, Miss., July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
| What: | HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division will host the christening ceremony for the future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131), the fourth Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the shipyard, Sat., July 11. This event is NOT open to the public but will be livestreamed at the following link: https://www.hii.com/events/DDG131. |
| Who: | Media members are invited to the christening event and to attend the media preview day on Friday, July 10. The media preview day will include a visit to the christening site for media to capture b-roll of ceremony preparations. Media will also have opportunities to speak with the ship’s sponsor and daughter of the namesake, Kelley Neal Gray, as well as Ingalls shipbuilders and leadership. |
| Where: | Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi Media will park at the Human Resource Building located at 1000 Jerry St. Pé HWY, Pascagoula, MS 39567 both days and will be escorted to and from the event site. |
| When: | Media Preview Day Friday, July 10, 2026 Media check-in: 8:30 a.m., Event begins at 9:00 a.m., Concludes by 11:30 a.m. |
| Christening Ceremony Saturday, July 11, 2026 Media check-in: 8:15 a.m., Event begins at 9:00 a.m. Interviews will take place post-ceremony. |
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| Why: | The christening milestone marks a significant step in the construction of the U.S. Navy’s next Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. The preview day will provide media with background, access, and interviews to help tell the story of the ship, its namesake, and the Ingalls shipbuilders who built it. |
| RSVP: |
Confirmation of media attendance is required for both events. Please RSVP by noon on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. You must present a photo ID and be a U.S. citizen to be admitted to the events. Please RSVP to: Kimberly Aguillard, [email protected], 228-355-5663. |
| Details: |
DDG 131 is named for George M. Neal, a Korean War veteran and an aviation machinist’s mate third class who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions while attempting to rescue a fellow service member under enemy fire.
As a Flight III Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer, DDG 131 represents the next generation of surface combatants for the U.S. Navy, featuring the Flight III AN/SPY-6 (V)1 radar system and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, designed to counter threats well into the 21st century. Ingalls Shipbuilding currently has five Flight III destroyers under construction, with seven more in early pre-planning and material procurement phases. For more information about the George M. Neal (DDG 131) christening visit, https://www.hii.com/events/DDG131. |
About HII
HII is America’s largest shipbuilder, delivering the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain mission technologies, including unmanned systems, to U.S. and allied defense customers. HII is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.
With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII builds and integrates defense capabilities extending from the core fleet to C6ISR, AI/ML, EW and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d69e066f-ecc3-428f-ba3d-0688ea169ebb