US Navy to name next two Arleigh Burke-class ships

28 May 2013 naval-technology.com

The US Navy will name its next Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers (DDGs) USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) and USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), navy secretary Ray Mabus has announced.

"For decades to come, the future USS Paul Ignatius and USS Daniel Inouye will represent the United States and enable the building of partnerships and projection of power around the world," Mabus said.

USS Paul Ignatius will be named to honour Paul Ignatius, who served as secretary of the navy from 1967 to 1969 and as assistant secretary of defence under US President Lyndon Johnson, while USS Daniel Inouye will be named to honour former senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.

As part of the US Navy's DDG 51-class programme continuation ships, the 509ft-long DDG 117 and DDG 118 ships will support a variety of missions ranging from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection.

Capable of conducting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously, the vessels will be armed with weapon control systems, including Mk99 mod 3 missile fire control systems, GWS34 mod 0 gun fire control system and Mk116 mod 7 fire control system for anti-submarine systems.

The ships, powered by four GE LM 2500 gas turbines, will have a beam of 59ft and feature Aegis combat system, which combines the ship's sensors and weapons systems to engage anti-ship missile threats, as well as a SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar.

The ships will also be armed with Raytheon Tomahawk cruise missiles, evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM), Boeing Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, and Lockheed Martin ASROC vertical launch anti-submarine systems.