General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has officially delivered USS John Basilone to the U.S. Navy, reaching a milestone of capability in naval forces. This Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer is named in honor of the heroic Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone and is expected to enhance operational strength for the Navy.
In March, USS John Basilone got underway onto the Kennebec River to conduct a series of rigorous at-sea trials. The trials lasted four days and were primarily aimed at testing the ship’s readiness and operational capabilities. After these important evaluations, the vessel returned to the shipyard, where it had completed them.
According to Captain Seth Miller, the DDG 51 Class program manager at PEO Ships, the ship is of strategic importance. “The future USS John Basilone will bring tremendous capability to the fleet and further our advantage at sea,” he said. He added that the ship itself and its crew would serve in honor as a living tribute, reflecting the name bearer’s perseverance and sacrifice.
The USS John Basilone is one of the last Flight IIA configurations of the Burke class featuring the AN/SPY-1D(v) air search radars. This configuration will soon give place to the much-upgraded Flight III destroyers that will be fitted with the AN/SPY-6 air and missile defense radar. DDG 122 is a multi-mission surface combatant equipped to conduct Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Anti-Surface Warfare.
The 513-foot-long destroyer displaces 9,217 tons and is powered by four GE LM2500 gas turbines producing 75,000 kW for a top speed of 31 knots. It is capable of carrying a total of 380 officers and crew members with two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
The armament of the ship is quite long-reaching: one 5-inch Mk 45 Mod 4 lightweight gun, one 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, two 25 mm Mk 38 machine gun systems, and four .50 caliber guns. In addition, it hosts one 32-cell and one 64-cell Mk 41 VLS for missiles, besides two Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes with Mark 46, 50, and 54 lightweight torpedoes.
The USS John Basilone was awarded as part of a 2013 multi-year contract between the Navy, BIW, and HII Ingalls Shipbuilding. Currently, BIW has six additional Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in construction: the Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), William Charette (DDG 130), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), and John E. Kilmer (DDG 134).
PEO Ships is one of the largest acquisition organizations in the Department of Defense, responsible for developing and procuring all destroyers, amphibious ships, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships, and support ships.