General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW), Bath, Maine, delivered the guided-missile destroyer USS John Basilone (DDG-122) to the U.S. Navy on July 8. In March, the vessel traveled the Kennebec River to the Atlantic Ocean for four days of at-sea trials to demonstrate the ship’s readiness.
“The future USS John Basilone will bring significant capability to the fleet and strengthen our advantage at sea,” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 Class program manager, Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships). “DDG 122 and all of its Sailors will be a living reminder of the perseverance and sacrifice exhibited by its remarkable namesake.”
The ship is named after United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, who received the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Basilone was the namesake for the former Gearing-class destroyer USS Basilone (DD-824) that was decommissioned in 1977.
The USS John Basilone (DDG-122) is one of the last Flight IIA configurations of the Burke class, outfitted with the older AN/SPY-1D(v) air search radars before the Navy will transition to the Flight III destroyers that are built around the AN/SPY-6 air and missile defense radar. As a Flight IIA destroyer, DDG 122 will serve as a multi-mission surface combatant capable of conducting Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare.
The 513’x66’ Arleigh Burke-class destroyer displaces 9,217 tons. Four GE LM2500 gas turbines produce a total of 75,000 kW, which generate a speed of 31 knots. The vessel accommodates 380 officers, as well as two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters inside a double hanger and helipad.
The vessel’s armament is extensive. Onboard guns include one 5-inch (127 mm)/62 Mk 45 Mod 4 (lightweight gun), one 20 mm (0.8 in) Phalanx CIWS, two 25 mm (0.98 in) Mk 38 machine gun systems, and four 0.50 inches (12.7 mm) caliber guns.
Missiles include one 32-cell, and one 64-cell Mk 41 vertical launching system (VLS). Additionally, the vessel is equipped with two Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes containing Mark 46, 50, and 54 lightweight torpedoes.
The current destroyer is part of a 2013 multi-year contract award between the Navy, BIW and HII Ingalls Shipbuilding.
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has six additional future Arleigh Burke-class destroyers under construction, 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, one of the Department of Defense’s largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships.
