USS Spruance (DDG-111) is a United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. She is the 61st ship in her class. Spruance is the second ship to be named for Admiral Raymond A. Spruance (1886–1969), who commanded American naval forces at the Battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea. He was later Ambassador to the Philippines. Her keel was laid down on 14 May 2009.[2] She was christened by the admiral's granddaughter, Ellen Spruance Holscher, on 5 June 2010 in Bath, Maine at Bath Iron Works, where the ship was built at a cost of $1 billion.[3][4] The completed ship left Bath on 1 September 2011 for her commissioning in Key West, Florida on 1 October 2011.[5][6]
.jpg) USS Spruance in September 2011
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Spruance |
| Namesake | Raymond A. Spruance |
| Awarded | 13 September 2002[1] |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works[1] |
| Laid down | 14 May 2009[2] |
| Launched | 6 June 2010 |
| Christened | 5 June 2010 |
| Commissioned | 1 October 2011 |
| Homeport | San Diego |
| Identification |
|
| Honors and awards | See Awards |
| Status | in active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer[2] |
| Displacement | 9,200 tons[1] |
| Length | 510 ft (160 m)[1] |
| Beam | 66 ft (20 m)[1] |
| Draft | 33 ft (10 m)[1] |
| Propulsion | 4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW) |
| Speed | over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range | 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement | 260 officers and enlisted[1] |
| Electronic warfare & decoys | AN/SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Warfare System |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters |
Spruance was the first of the U.S. Navy's destroyers to be fitted with the Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS), manufactured by the Boeing Company. GEDMS provides an Internet Protocol (IP) based backbone for video and data services on the ship.[7] The bridge features touch screen controls and color readouts instead of gauges.[8]
Ship history
editShe was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. At her christening on 5 June 2010, the principal address was delivered by Honorable John Baldacci of Maine, and the vessel was christened by Ellen Spruance Holscher as the ship's sponsor. Commander Tate Westbrook was the ship's first commanding officer.
She sailed from San Diego on her maiden deployment on 16 October 2013, heading for Asia under the command of Commander George Kessler who was succeeded by Commander Daniel Cobian.[8] On 18 Jan. 2014, sailors from the Spruance rescued a Filipino mariner who had fallen overboard from his vessel while transiting the Singapore Strait.[9] Spruance returned to Naval Base San Diego on 17 April 2014 following the completion of her maiden deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean.[10]
On 18 April 2019, Spruance arrived in Sri Lanka for the 25th anniversary of CARAT 2019 series[11]
Spruance and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) departed the Port of Seattle 2 Aug. 2019, officially ending Seattle Fleet Week.[12]
On 22 May 2022, Spruance steamed into Tokyo Bay as a part of Destroyer Squadron 2, along with USS Abraham Lincoln and Carrier Strike Group 3.[13]
Spruance participated in RIMPAC 2022.[14]
January 2024, The US Navy reinstalls ODIN Laser on destroyer Spruance. ODIN, a solid-state laser system, is designed primarily to counter and neutralize the sensors on UAS, effectively blinding them without destroying the aircraft. Technical aspects of the ODIN system include its ability to emit a high-intensity laser beam, targeting the optical sensors of enemy drones.[15]
Spruance arrived at the Port of Colombo, situated in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 19 August 2024 on a replenishment visit. The vessel is scheduled to depart the island on 20 August 2024.[16]
On the morning of 27 September 2024, while transiting the Red Sea with the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Stockdale and Freedom class littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis, she was attacked by roughly two dozen missiles and drones launched by Iranian backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. All missiles and drones were intercepted by the flotilla or missed their target outright.[17]
On 11 November 2024, the Houthis again attacked the Spruance and Stockdale, launching eight drones, five ballistic missiles and three cruise missiles at the American destroyers. All of the projectiles were shot down by the destroyers with no damage or casualties to the vessels.[18]
Deployments
editAwards
edit- Battle "E" - (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023)
- Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon with Operational Distinguishing Device - (2017) [1]
- Vice Admiral Thomas H. Copeman III Material Readiness Award - (2016)
- Safety Excellence Award - (2013, 2014, 2016, 2019)
- CNO Afloat Safety Award (PACFLT) - (2020)
- Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group’s (ABECSG) deployment tomahawk strike warfare Award for Thor’s Hammer 2022. [21]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Spruance". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
- ^ a b c "Keel Laid for future USS Spruance". Navy News Service. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
- ^ Sharp, David (6 June 2010). "BIW Destroyer Named For 'Quiet Warrior'". Maine Sunday Telegram. Associated Press.
- ^ Hoey, Dennis (2 September 2011). "Destroyer leaves discord behind". Maine Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "USA: Arleigh Burke-Class Guided-Missile Destroyer Starts Maiden Voyage". Shipbuilding Tribune. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Clark, Cammy (24 September 2011). "Navy Destroyer Debuts In Key West". Miami Herald.
- ^ "Boeing Deploys Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System on USS Spruance" (Press release). Boeing. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ a b Steele, Jeanette (16 October 2013). "SD destroyer takes maiden deployment". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ^ "USS Spruance Rescues Mariner". www.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014.
- ^ "USS Cowpens, USS Spruance Return from Deployment". US Navy. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ "Spruance arrives in Sri Lanka for the 25th anniversary of CARAT 2019 series".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Navy.mil - Local Story Archive". navy.mil. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: May 23, 2022". usni.org. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ "USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker". news.usni.org. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ "US Navy quietly reinstalls ODIN Laser on destroyer USS Spruance". Navy Recognition. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "USS Spruance arrives in Colombo". Sri Lanka Navy. 19 August 2024. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Land, Olivia (27 September 2024). "Navy intercepts Houthi barrage of missiles, drones launched at three US warships in the Red Sea". New York Post. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ "Houthis attack US warships after US strikes in Yemen". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "USS Spruance changes command in San Diego". Naval Today. 30 December 2016. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "USS Spruance, USS Stockdale Return from Deployment". 20 May 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "A Peek behind the Curtain: USS Spruance (DDG 111) Tomahawk Strike Team".
External links
edit
Media related to USS Spruance (DDG-111) at Wikimedia Commons
- Official Ship's Site
- Willshaw, Fred (2010). "USS Spruance (DDG-111)". Destroyer Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 26 June 2010.