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Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Ralph Johnson completes builders trials

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Ralph Johnson has completed its builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico, Huntington Ingalls announced this week.

By Stephen Carlson
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer Ralph Johnson spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico for its builder's sea trials, which includes tests of the main propulsion, combat and other systems on the vessel. Photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer Ralph Johnson spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico for its builder's sea trials, which includes tests of the main propulsion, combat and other systems on the vessel. Photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries

July 27 (UPI) -- The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Ralph Johnson has completed its builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico, Huntington Ingalls announced this week.

The Johnson underwent basic testing of its main propulsion, controls, and other ships systems in the Gulf out of Pascagoula, Miss. It is expected to be home-ported at Naval Station Everett, Wash, following its commissioning later this year. The ship draws its name from Medal of Honor recipient PFC Ralph Johnson who died protecting fellow Marines during the Vietnam War.

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"There is still work to be done," George Nungesser, Ingalls' DDG 51 program manager, said in a press release.

"Completing another successful sea trial puts us one step closer to delivering the Navy another state-of-the art guided missile destroyer to help in our nation's defense. Now it's time for our team to get back to work so they can have DDG 114 ready for acceptance trials and then ready for the fleet."

Huntington Ingalls has delivered 29 Arleigh Burke destroyers and currently has four under construction.

The Arleigh Burke destroyer class is equipped with the AEGIS Weapons System that integrates radar, sonar, and other sensor data with the ships missiles and torpedoes to detect, track and engage enemy threats.

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Some in the class are capable of anti-ballistic missile defense using the Standard Missile-3 and it's AN/SPY-1 radar.

The Arleigh Burke-class serves as the primary surface warfare ship of the of the U.S. Navy alongside the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers. There are 63 of the destroyers currently in service.

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