Arleigh Burke class destroyer

USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
Class overview
Name: Arleigh Burke class destroyer
Operators: Naval flag of United States United States Navy
Preceded by: Kidd-class guided missile destroyer
Succeeded by: Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer
General characteristics
Class and type: guided missile destroyer
Displacement: 8,315 tons full load (Flight I)
8,400 tons full load (Flight II)
9,200 tons full load (Flight IIA)
Length: 505 feet (154 m) (Flights I and II)
509 feet (155 m) (Flight IIA)
Beam: 59 feet (18 m)
Draft: 30.5 feet (9.3 m)
Propulsion: 4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines;
two shafts,
108,000 total shaft horsepower (4 x 27,000 horsepower) (75 MW)
Speed: 30+ knots (56+ km/h)
Range: 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Boats and landing
craft carried:		 2 Rigid hull inflatable boats
Complement: 23 officers, 250 enlisted
Armament: • 90 cells Mk 41 vertical launch systems
• BGM-109 Tomahawk
• RGM-84 Harpoon SSM (not in Flight IIa units)
• SM-2 Standard SAM (has an ASuW mode)
•SM-3 Standard Ballistic missile defense missile for AEGIS BMD (DDG 61, DDG 55 and expanding)
• RIM-162 ESSM SAM (DDG-79 onward)
• RUM-139 Vertical Launch ASROC
• one 5 inch (127 mm/54) Mk-45 (lightweight gun) (DDG-51 through -80)
• one 5 inch (127 mm/62) Mk-45 mod 4 (lightweight gun) (DDG-81 on)
• two 20 mm Phalanx CIWS (DDG-51 through -83, several later units)
• two Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes (six Mk-46 or Mk-50 torpedoes, Mk-54 in the near future)
Aircraft carried: • None, but LAMPS III electronics installed on landing deck for coordinated DDG-51/helo ASW operations (Flights I and II)
• two SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helos (Flight IIA)

The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers, one of the destroyer classes of the United States Navy, is built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The first ship was commissioned on 4 July 1991. After the decommissioning of the last Spruance-class destroyer, USS Cushing, on September 21, 2005, the Arleigh Burke class ships became the U.S. Navy's only active destroyers.

The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of World War II. Admiral Burke was alive when the class leader was commissioned, and his words to the plankowners echo in the class' distinguished service to date: "This ship is built to fight; you had better know how."

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force operates four modified Flight I vessels as the Kongo class. Three more will be commissioned by 2010, these will be upgraded to Flight IIA standard.

Contents

Characteristics

The Arleigh Burke class are among the largest and most powerful destroyers ever built, both larger and more heavily armed than many previous cruisers. (The larger Ticonderoga class were constructed on Spruance class hullforms, but are designated as cruisers.) The Arleigh Burke class breaks with previous American construction practices, by being built entirely of steel, rather than having a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. (An aluminum mast is used to reduce topweight). A 1975 fire aboard USS Belknap that gutted her aluminum superstructure and observation of battle damage to British ships during the Falklands War prompted the decision to employ a steel superstructure.

The Arleigh Burke class were the first U.S. warships designed with an air-filtration system against nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.[1]

Development

In 1980 the United States Navy initiated design studies with seven contractors. By 1983 the number of competitors had been reduced to three; Bath Iron Works, Todd Shipyards and Ingalls Shipbuilding.[1] On 3 April 1985 Bath Iron Works received a US$321.9 million contract to build the first of class, USS Arleigh Burke.[2] The total cost of the first ship was put at US$1.1 billion, the other US$778 million being for the ship's weapons systems.[2]

Profile of Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The "Flight IIA Arleigh Burke" ships have several new features, which has led some to suggest that they be renamed the "Oscar Austin" class after the first ship, Oscar Austin (DDG-79). Among the changes are the addition of two hangars for ASW helicopters, and a new, longer Mark 45 Mod 4 5-inch/62-caliber naval gun (fitted on Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) and later ships). Later Flight IIA ships starting with USS Mustin have a modified funnel design that buries the funnels within the superstructure as a signature-reduction measure. TACTAS Towed array sonar was omitted from flight IIA ships and they also lack Harpoon launchers. Ships from DDG-68 to DDG-84 have AN/SLQ-32 antennas that resemble V3 configuration similar to those deployed on Aegis cruisers, while the remainder appear to have V5 variants externally resembling ones deployed on Oliver Hazard Perry frigates. V3 has an active electronic countermeasures component while V5 is passive only. In 2007, images of some flight IIA units, (Preble[3], Mustin[4]), show an aft CIWS had been added, though they were constructed without a CIWS.

USS Pinckney, USS Momsen, USS Chung-Hoon, USS Nitze, USS James E. Williams and USS Bainbridge[5] have superstructure differences to accommodate the Remote Mine-hunting System (RMS). Mk 32 torpedo tubes were moved to the missile deck from amidships as well.

The United States Navy has begun a modernization program for the Arleigh Burke class aimed at improving the gun systems on the ships in an effort to address congressional concerns over the retirement of the U.S. Iowa-class battleships. Among other things this modernization includes is the extension of the range of the 5-inch (130 mm) guns on the Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (USS Arleigh Burke to USS Ross) with extended range guided munitions (ERGMs) that would enable the ships to fire projectiles about 40 nautical miles (74 km) inland.[6][7][8]However the ERGM has been cancelled.[9]

Modernization

The U.S. Navy recently launched a modernization program that is designed to provide a comprehensive mid-life upgrade to ensure that the class remains effective. Reduced manning, increased mission effectiveness, and a reduced total cost of ownership are the goals of the modernization program. Modernization technologies will be integrated during new construction of DDG 111 and 112, then retrofitted into DDG Flight I and II ships during in service overhaul periods.[10] They are ultimately scheduled to be replaced by the 11,000 ton DDG(X) class in the mid 2020s.[11]

Operational History

One Arleigh Burke class ship has been damaged by enemy action: Cole was damaged by an improvised explosive device delivered by suicide bombers on a boat in October 2000 in Aden, Yemen (see USS Cole bombing). The ship was repaired and returned to action in 2001.

Contractors

Ships

 Name   Number   Builder   Launched   Commissioned   Home port   Status 
Flight I
Arleigh Burke DDG-51 Bath Iron Works 16 September 1989 4 July 1991 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Barry DDG-52 Ingalls Shipbuilding 8 June 1991 12 December 1992 Norfolk, Virginia Active
John Paul Jones DDG-53 Bath Iron Works 26 October 1991 18 December 1993 San Diego, California Active
Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 Bath Iron Works 16 May 1992 19 March 1994 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Stout DDG-55 Ingalls Shipbuilding 16 October 1992 13 August 1994 Norfolk, Virginia Active
John S. McCain DDG-56 Bath Iron Works September 26 1992 2 July 1994 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Mitscher DDG-57 Ingalls Shipbuilding 7 May 1993 10 December 1994 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Laboon DDG-58 Bath Iron Works 20 February 1993 18 March 1995 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Russell DDG-59 Ingalls Shipbuilding 20 October 1994 20 May 1995 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Paul Hamilton DDG-60 Bath Iron Works 24 July 1993 27 May 1995 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Ramage DDG-61 Ingalls Shipbuilding 11 February 1994 22 July 1995 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Fitzgerald DDG-62 Bath Iron Works 29 January 1994 14 October 1995 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Stethem DDG-63 Ingalls Shipbuilding 17 July 1994 21 October 1995 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Carney DDG-64 Bath Iron Works 23 July 1994 13 April 1996 Mayport, Florida Active
Benfold DDG-65 Ingalls Shipbuilding 09 November 1994 30 March 1996 San Diego, California Active
Gonzalez DDG-66 Bath Iron Works 18 February 1995 12 October 1996 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Cole DDG-67 Ingalls Shipbuilding 10 February 1995 08 June 1996 Norfolk, Virginia Active
The Sullivans DDG-68 Bath Iron Works 12 August 1995 19 April 1997 Mayport, Florida Active
Milius DDG-69 Ingalls Shipbuilding 01 August 1995 23 November 1996 San Diego, California Active
Hopper DDG-70 Bath Iron Works 06 January 1996 06 September 1997 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Ross DDG-71 Ingalls Shipbuilding 22 March 1996 28 June 1997 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Flight II
Mahan DDG-72 Bath Iron Works 29 June 1996 02 February 1998 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Decatur DDG-73 Bath Iron Works 10 November 1996 29 August 1998 San Diego, California Active
McFaul DDG-74 Ingalls Shipbuilding 18 January 1997 25 April 1998 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Donald Cook DDG-75 Bath Iron Works 3 May 1997 4 December 1998 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Higgins DDG-76 Bath Iron Works 4 October 1997 24 April 1999 San Diego, California Active
O'Kane DDG-77 Bath Iron Works 28 March 1998 23 October 1999 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Porter DDG-78 Ingalls Shipbuilding 12 November 1997 20 March 1999 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Flight IIA ships: 5"/54 variant
Oscar Austin DDG-79 Bath Iron Works 7 November 1998 19 August 2000 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Roosevelt DDG-80 Ingalls Shipbuilding 10 January 1999 14 October 2000 Mayport, Florida Active
Flight IIA ships: 5"/62 variant
Winston S. Churchill DDG-81 Bath Iron Works 17 April 1999 10 March 2001 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Lassen DDG-82 Ingalls Shipbuilding 16 October 1999 21 April 2001 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Howard DDG-83 Bath Iron Works 20 November 1999 20 October 2001 San Diego, California Active
Bulkeley DDG-84 Ingalls Shipbuilding 21 June 2000 8 December 2001 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Flight IIA ships: with 5"/62 no 20mm CIWS variant[12]
McCampbell DDG-85 Bath Iron Works 2 July 2000 17 August 2002 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Shoup DDG-86 Ingalls Shipbuilding 22 November 2000 22 June 2002 Everett, Washington Active
Mason DDG-87 Bath Iron Works 23 June 2001 12 April 2003 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Preble DDG-88 Ingalls Shipbuilding 1 June 2001 9 November 2002 San Diego, California Active
Mustin DDG-89 Ingalls Shipbuilding 12 December 2001 26 July 2003 Yokosuka, Japan Active
Chafee DDG-90 Bath Iron Works 2 November 2002 18 October 2003 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Pinckney DDG-91 Ingalls Shipbuilding 26 June 2002 29 May 2004 San Diego, California Active
Momsen DDG-92 Bath Iron Works 19 July 2003 18 September 2004 Everett, Washington Active
Chung-Hoon DDG-93 Ingalls Shipbuilding 15 December 2002 18 September 2004 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Active
Nitze DDG-94 Bath Iron Works 3 April 2004 5 March 2005 Norfolk, Virginia Active
James E. Williams DDG-95 Ingalls Shipbuilding 25 June 2003 11 December 2004 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Bainbridge DDG-96 Bath Iron Works 13 November 2004 12 November 2005 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Halsey DDG-97 Ingalls Shipbuilding 9 January 2004 30 July 2005 San Diego, California Active
Forrest Sherman DDG-98 Ingalls Shipbuilding 2 October 2004 28 January 2006 Norfolk, Virginia Active
Farragut DDG-99 Bath Iron Works 23 July 2005 10 June 2006 Mayport, Florida Active
Kidd DDG-100 Ingalls Shipbuilding 22 January 2005 9 June 2007 San Diego, California Active
Gridley DDG-101 Bath Iron Works 28 December 2005 10 February 2007 San Diego, California Active
Sampson DDG-102 Bath Iron Works 16 September 2006 3 November 2007 San Diego, California Active
Truxtun DDG-103 Ingalls Shipbuilding 2 June 2007 Norfolk, Virginia
Sterett DDG-104 Bath Iron Works 19 May 2007 9 August 2008 San Diego, California Active
Dewey DDG-105 Ingalls Shipbuilding 26 January 2008
Stockdale DDG-106 Bath Iron Works
Gravely DDG-107 Ingalls Shipbuilding Authorized
Wayne E. Meyer DDG-108 Bath Iron Works San Diego, California Authorized
Jason Dunham DDG-109 Bath Iron Works Authorized
William P. Lawrence DDG-110 Ingalls Shipbuilding
Spruance DDG-111 Bath Iron Works Authorized
Michael Murphy DDG-112 Bath Iron Works

The USS Michael Murphy was originally intended to be the last of the Arleigh Burke class, however with cancellation of the Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class after the first three ships are completed, 8-11 new vessels are now planned to be added to the Arleigh Burke class.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Biddle, Wayne (1984-02-28). "The dust has settled on the Air Force's Great Engine", The New York Times, The New York Times Company. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Maine shipbuidler gets Navy contract for a new destroyer", The New York Times, The New York Times Company (1985-04-03). Retrieved on 2007-07-19. 
  3. ↑ Home - USS PREBLE (DDG 88)
  4. ↑ 070319-N-2638R-002 DN-SD-07-24693
  5. ↑ DN-SD-07-24674 (up to DDG-96)
  6. ↑ Taken from the National Defense Authorization Act of 2007, pages 67-68
  7. ↑ Taken from the National Defense Authorization Act of 2007, page 193
  8. ↑ Federation of American Scientists report on the MK 45 5-inch gun and ammunition payload for the US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
  9. ↑ Navy ends ERGM funding - Navy Times
  10. ↑ The US Navy - Fact File
  11. ↑ Resource Implications of the Navy’s 2008 Shipbuilding Plan, Congressional Budget Office, 2007-03-23, http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=6985 
  12. ↑ Some units had a CIWS added aft, as noted above (DDG-88 and DDG-89 are two examples with an aft Phalanx CIWS added after commissioning)

Further reading

External links

Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Flight I ships

Arleigh Burke · Barry · John Paul Jones · Curtis Wilbur · Stout · John S. McCain · Mitscher · Laboon · Russell · Paul Hamilton · Ramage · Fitzgerald · Stethem · Carney · Benfold · Gonzalez · Cole · The Sullivans · Milius · Hopper · Ross
Flight II ships

Mahan · Decatur · McFaul · Donald Cook · Higgins · O'Kane · Porter
Flight IIA ships

5"/54 variant: Oscar Austin · Roosevelt
5"/62 variant: Winston S. Churchill · Lassen · Howard · Bulkeley · McCampbell · Shoup · Mason · Preble · Mustin · Chafee · Pinckney · Momsen · Chung-Hoon · Nitze · James E. Williams · Bainbridge · Halsey · Forrest Sherman · Farragut · Kidd · Gridley · Sampson · Truxtun · Sterett · Dewey · Stockdale · Gravely · Wayne E. Meyer · Jason Dunham · William P. Lawrence · Spruance · Michael Murphy
List of destroyers of the United States Navy · List of destroyer classes of the United States Navy
Groundbreaking destroyers
   

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