Article Posted on : - Apr 11, 2015

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89). A U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bryan Reckard

BATH, MAINE (BNS): The U.S. Navy has awarded funding for the construction of DDG 122, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, under contract at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.

This $610.4 million contract modification fully funds this ship which was awarded in 2013 as part of a multi-ship competition for DDG 51 class destroyers. The total value of the five-ship contract is approximately $3.4 billion, GD said.

There are currently three DDG 51 destroyers in production at Bath Iron Works, Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) and Daniel Inouye (DDG 118).

The shipyard began fabrication on DDG 115 in November 2011, and delivery to the Navy is scheduled for 2016. Fabrication on DDG 116 began in November 2012, and that ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2017. Fabrication has just begun on DDG 118, the first ship of the 2013 multi-ship award.

Bath Iron Works is also building the three ships in the planned three-vessel Zumwalt-class of destroyers, Zumwalt (DDG 1000), Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) and Lyndon Johnson (DDG 1002).

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is a multi-mission combatant that offers defence against a wide range of threats, including ballistic missiles.

It operates in support of carrier battle groups, surface action groups, amphibious groups and replenishment groups, providing a complete array of anti-submarine (ASW), anti-air (AAW) and anti-surface (ASUW) capabilities.

Designed for survivability, the ships incorporate all-steel construction and have gas turbine propulsion. The combination of the ships' AEGIS combat system, the Vertical Launching System, an advanced ASW system, two embarked SH-60 helicopters, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and Tomahawk anti-ship and land-attack missiles make the Arleigh Burke class the most powerful surface combatant ever put to sea.