There are currently two DDG 51 destroyers in production at Bath Iron
Works, Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) and Thomas Hudner (DDG 116). The shipyard
began fabrication on DDG 115 in November 2011, and delivery to the Navy
is scheduled for 2016. Fabrication on DDG 116 began in November 2012,
and that ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2017.
Bath Iron Works is
also building the three ships in the planned three-vessel Zumwalt-class
of destroyers, Zumwalt (DDG 1000), Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) and Lyndon
Johnson (DDG 1002). All three ships are progressing in construction
with the christening of Zumwalt (DDG 1000) scheduled for April 12, 2014,
in Bath, Maine.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is a multi-mission combatant that
offers defense against a wide range of threats, including ballistic
missiles. It operates in support of carrier battle groups, surface action
groups, amphibious groups and replenishment groups, providing a complete
array of anti-submarine (ASW), anti-air (AAW) and anti-surface (SuW)
capabilities. Designed for survivability, the ships incorporate all-steel
construction and have gas turbine propulsion. The combination of the
ships’ AEGIS combat system, the Vertical Launching System, an
advanced ASW system, two embarked SH-60 helicopters, advanced anti-aircraft
missiles and Tomahawk anti-ship and land-attack missiles make the Arleigh
Burke class the most powerful surface combatant ever put to sea. |
