The Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers of the modern United States Navy (USN) is ultra-critical to American enforcement and protection of its interests and allies overseas. The series numbers some 76 planned vessels with over sixty-five already having been completed (across three distinct "flights"). On February 28th, 2012, the design of what would become the USS Thomas Hudner was ordered with construction to be handled by Bath Iron Works of Maine. Her keel was laid down on November 16th, 2015 and the warship was officially launched on April 23rd, 2017 with commissioning scheduled for some time in late-2018.
USS Thomas Hudner fights under the motto of "Above All Others". The warship represents the next step in the evolution of the Arleigh Burke-class, known under the designation of "Flight III" (three total flights dot the Arleigh Burke fleet), forced upon the USN after the reduction-in-number of the technologically-laden Zumwalt-class destroyer group.
The warship takes on the same form and function already established by the Arleigh Burke destroyer design standard. A singular turreted deck gun is featured over the forecastle with a bank of vertically-launched missiles just aft. Aft of this is the command bridge embedded within the forward superstructure. Atop this structure are the various critical communications, sensors and radar fits as well as a pole-type exposed mast. The first set of funnels is integrated as part of the forward superstructure. At midships is a gap dividing the forward funnel set from the aft funnel set and the latter is integrated into the aft superstructure which houses the aft-missile bank as well as a full-service helicopter hangar. The hangar opens out to the heli-deck at the stern. Two medium-class navy helicopters can be handled by the warship (typically 2 x Sikorsky MH-60R types). 2 x Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) are carried.
Power is served from 4 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbines developing a combined 100,000 horsepower and helping to drive the vessel to speeds of 31 knots. Range is out to 4,400 nautical miles.
Dimensions include an overall length of 513 feet, a beam of 66 feet and a draught of 30.5 feet. Displacement will be in the range of 9,220 tons under full load.
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December 2018 - USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) was formally commissioned into service with the United States Navy on December 1st, 2018.
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51); USS Barry (DDG-52); USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53); USS Curtis Wilber (DDG-54); USS Stout (DDG-55); USS John S. McCain (DDG-56); USS Mitscher (DDG-57); USS Laboon (DDG-58); USS Russell (DDG-59); USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60); USS Ramage (DDG-61); USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62); USS Stethem (DDG-63); USS Carney (DDG-64); USS Benfold (DDG-65); USS Gonzalez (DDG-66); USS Cole (DDG-67); USS The Sullivans (DDG-68); USS Milius (DDG-69); USS Hopper (DDG-70); USS Ross (DDG-71); USS Mahan (DDG-72); USS Decatur (DDG-73); USS McFaul (DDG-74); USS Donald Cook (DDG-75); USS Higgins (DDG-76); USS O'Kane (DDG-77); USS Porter (DDG-78); USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79); USS Roosevelt (DDG-80); USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81); USS Lassen (DDG-82); USS Howard (DDG-83); USS Bulkeley (DDG-84); USS McCampbell (DDG-85); USS Shoup (DDG-86); USS Mason (DDG-87); USS Preble (DDG-88); USS Mustin (DDG-89); USS Chafee (DDG-90); USS Pinkney (DDG-91); USS Momsen (DDG-92); USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93); USS Nitze (DDG-94); USS James E. Williams (DDG-95); USS Bainbridge (DDG-96); USS Halsey (DDG-97); USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98); USS Farragut (DDG-99); USS Kidd (DDG-100); USS Gridley (DDG-101); USS Sampson (DDG-102); USS Truxtun (DDG-103); USS Sterett (DDG-104); USS Dewey (DDG-105); USS Stockdale (DDG-106); USS Gravely (DDG-107); USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108); USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109); USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110); USS Spruance (DDG-111); USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112); USS John Finn (DDG-113); USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114); USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115); USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116); USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117); Daniel Inouye (DDG-118); Delbert D. Black (DDG-119); Unnamed (DDG-120); Unnamed (DDG-121); Unnamed (DDG-122; Unnamed (DDG-122); Unnamed (DDG-123); Unnamed (DDG-124); Unnamed (DDG-125); Unnamed (DDG-126)
United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Offshore Bombardment
Offshore bombardment / attack of surface targets / areas primarily through onboard ballistic weaponry.
✓Land-Attack
Offshore strike of surface targets primarily through onboard missile / rocket weaponry.
✓Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.
✓Airspace Denial / Deterrence
Neutralization or deterrence of airborne elements through onboard ballistic of missile weaponry.
✓Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.
Length
513.0 ft 156.36 m
Beam
66.0 ft 20.12 m
Draught
30.5 ft 9.30 m
Displacement
9,215 tons
Installed Power:
4 x General Electric LM2500 gas turbines developing 100,000 horsepower to 2 x shafts.
Surface Speed
31.0 kts (35.7 mph)
Range
4,375 nm (5,035 mi | 8,103 km)
kts = knots | mph = miles-per-hour | nm = nautical miles | mi = miles | km = kilometers
1 kts = 1.15 mph | 1 nm = 1.15 mi | 1 nm = 1.85 km
1 x 5" (127mm) turreted deck gun.
1 x 32-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS).
1 x 64-cell VLS.
2 x 25mm chain guns.
2 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).
2 x 12.7mm Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs).
2 x 7.62mm M240B Medium Machine Guns (MMGs).
2 x Mk 32 Mod 11 triple torpedo tubes.
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
2 x Sikorsky SH-60 "Sea Hawk" navy helicopters.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.
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