The future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) successfully completed Builder’s Trials on March 31 after spending four days underway.
Builder’s Trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the shipbuilder, Bath Iron Works (BIW), and the U.S. Navy to assess the ship’s systems and its readiness for delivery.
«With the successful completion of these trials, we move closer to adding DDG-116 and her exceptional capabilities to the Fleet», said Captain Casey Moton, DDG-51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The Navy and Industry team worked diligently to ensure the ship operates at peak performance».
The DDG-51 class ships currently being constructed are Aegis Baseline 9 Integrated Air and Missile Defense destroyers with increased computing power and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air warfare and Ballistic Missile Defense threats. The Aegis Combat System will enable USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) to link radars with other ships and aircraft to provide a composite picture of the battle space. When operational, USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) and her sister ships will serve as integral players in global maritime security.
The future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) will return to sea to conduct Acceptance Trials with the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey later this spring. During Acceptance Trials, all systems and gears will be inspected and evaluated to ensure quality and operational readiness prior to the U.S. Navy accepting delivery.
BIW is currently in production on the future Arleigh Burke class destroyers USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), USS Carl M. Levin (DDG-120) and USS John Basilone (DDG-122), as well as future Zumwalt class destroyers USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002).
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft.
Ship Characteristics
| Length Overall | 510 feet/156 m |
| Beam – Waterline | 59 feet/18 m |
| Draft | 30.5 feet/9.3 m |
| Displacement – Full Load | 9,217 tons/9,363 metric tons |
| Power Plant | 4 General electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 CRP (Contra-Rotating) propellers; 100,000 shaft horsepower/75,000 kW |
| Speed | in excess of 30 knots/34.5 mph/55.5 km/h |
| Range | 4,400 NM/8,149 km at 20 knots/23 mph/37 km/h |
| Crew | 380 total: 32 Officers, 27 CPO (Chief Petty Officer), 321 OEM |
| Surveillance | SPY-1D Phased Array Radar and Aegis Combat System (Lockheed Martin); SPS-73(V) Navigation; SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search; 3 SPG-62 Illuminator; SQQ-89(V)6 sonar incorporating SQS-53C hull mounted and SQR-19 towed array sonars used with Mark-116 Mod 7 ASW fire control system |
| Electronics/Countermeasures | SLQ-32(V)3; Mark-53 Mod 0 Decoy System; Mark-234 Decoy System; SLQ-25A Torpedo Decoy; SLQ-39 Surface Decoy; URN-25 TACAN; UPX-29 IFF System; Kollmorgen Mark-46 Mod 1 Electro-Optical Director |
| Aircraft | 2 embarked SH-60 helicopters ASW operations; RAST (Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse) |
| Armament | 2 Mark-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) with 90 Standard, Vertical Launch ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) & Tomahawk ASM (Air-to-Surface Missile)/LAM (Loitering Attack Missile); 5-in (127-mm)/54 (62) Mark-45 gun; 2 (1) CIWS (Close-In Weapon System); 2 Mark-32 triple 324-mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46 or Mark-50 ASW torpedos |
Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup
Flight IIA: Technology Insertion
| Ship | Yard | Launched | Commissioned | Homeport |
| DDG-116 Thomas Hudner | GDBIW | 04-01-17 | ||
| DDG-117 Paul Ignatius | HIIIS | 11-12-16 | ||
| DDG-118 Daniel Inouye | GDBIW | |||
| DDG-119 Delbert D. Black | HIIIS | 09-08-17 | ||
| DDG-120 Carl M. Levin | GDBIW | |||
| DDG-121 Frank E. Peterson Jr. | HIIIS | |||
| DDG-122 John Basilone | GDBIW | |||
| DDG-123 Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee | HIIIS |