USS Thomas Hudner

USS Thomas Hudner
History
United States
Namesake: Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.
Ordered: 28 February 2012
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: November 2015[1][2]
General characteristics
Class and type: Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement: 9,217 tons (full load)[3]
Length: 513 ft (156 m)[3]
Beam: 66 ft (20 m)[3]
Propulsion: 4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 100,000 shp (75,000 kW)[3]
Speed: 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)[3]

USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) is a planned Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The $663 million contract to build her was awarded on 28 February 2012 to Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine.[4][5] On 7 May 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ship name is to be Thomas Hudner in honor of U.S. naval aviator Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.[6]

Thomas Hudner is to be the 66th ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the first of which, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was commissioned in July 1991.[7] With 75 ships planned to be built in total, the class has the longest production run for any U.S. Navy surface combatant.[8] As an Arleigh Burke-class ship, Thomas Hudner's roles included anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, as well as strike operations.[3] During its long production run, the class was built in three flights—Flight I (DDG-51–DDG-71), Flight II (DDG-72–DDG-78), and Flight IIA (DDG-79– ).[9] Thomas Hudner is to be a "Technology Insertion" ship with elements of the next generation of Arleigh Burke class destroyers, called Flight III, and Flight III proper is planned to start with DDG-124.

In 2008, the U.S. Navy decided to restart production of the Arleigh Burke class as orders for the Zumwalt-class destroyer were reduced from ten to three.[10][11] The first three ships (DDG-113—DDG-115) ordered following the product decision are known as the "restart" ships, while "technology insertion" ships (DDG-116—DDG-121) are expected to incorporate certain elements of Arleigh Burke class Flight III, which in turn is planned to run from DDG-122 onwards.[12]

The Hudner's keep was laid on 16 November 2015 and it is expected to be commissioned in late 2018.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Navy Awards General Dynamics Bath Iron Works $2.8 Billion Contract for Four DDG 51 Destroyers, with Option for Fifth" (PDF) (Press release). General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. 4 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "COMNAVSURFLANT Prepares to Welcome USS Thomas Hudner". US Navy. 18 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class". Federation of American Scientists. FAS.org. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "General Dynamics Bath Iron Works Awarded Contract to Build Additional DDG 51-class Destroyer" (PDF). General Dynamics Bath Iron Works Press Release. gdbiw.com. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "DDG 51 Class Ship Construction Contract Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Naval Sea Systems Command. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "Secretary of the Navy Announces DDG 116 to Be Named Thomas Hudner". America's Navy (Department of Defense Public Affairs). 8 May 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)". Naval Vessel Register. Navy.mil. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  8. ↑ Sharp, David (31 December 2009). "After 2-plus decades, Navy destroyer breaks record". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Associated Press. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Arleigh Burke Class (Aegis), United States of America". Naval-technology.com. Net Resources International. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  10. ↑ Ewing, Philip (31 July 2008). "Navy: No need to add DDG 1000s after all". Navy Times (Gannett Government Media). Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  11. ↑ Drew, Christopher (8 April 2009). "Contractors Agree on Deal to Build Stealth Destroyer". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  12. ↑ Lyle, Peter C. (2010). "DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Burke-Class Destroyer – New Construction Program" (PDF). Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  13. ↑ "COMNAVSURFLANT Prepares to Welcome USS Thomas Hudner". US Navy. 18 November 2015.


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