 USS Thomas Hudner on 30 October 2018 | |
| Career (United States) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Thomas Hudner |
| Namesake: | Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. |
| Ordered: | 28 February 2012 |
| Builder: | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down: | 16 November 2015 |
| Launched: | 23 April 2017 |
| Sponsored by: |
|
| Christened: | 1 April 2017 |
| Acquired: | 15 June 2018 |
| Commissioned: | 1 December 2018 |
| Homeport: | Mayport, Florida |
| Identification: |
|
| Motto: | Above all Others |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2025[update] |
| Badge: |
 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type: | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 9,217 tons (full load) |
| Length: | 513 ft (156 m) |
| Beam: | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Draft: | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Propulsion: | 4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 100,000 shp (75,000 kW) |
| Speed: | In excess of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)[2] |
| Complement: | 380 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
| Aircraft carried: | 2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters |
| Aviation facilities: | Double hangar and helipad |
USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) is the first Flight IIA Technology Insertion variant of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.[3] The $663 million contract to build her was awarded on 28 February 2012, to Bath Iron Works, of Bath, Maine.[4][5] On 7 May 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ship name would be named Thomas Hudner in honor of U.S. naval aviator Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, in the Korean War.[6]
Construction and design[]
  The Thomas Hudner commissioning ceremony (2018). |
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Thomas Hudner is the 66th ship of the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers, the first of which, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was commissioned in July 1991.[7] As an Arleigh Burke-class ship, Thomas Hudner's roles include anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, as well as strike operations.[1] During its long production run, the class was built in three flights—Flight I (DDG-51–DDG-71), Flight II (DDG-72–DDG-78), and Flight IIA (DDG-79– ).[8] Thomas Hudner was to be a "Technology Insertion" ship with elements of the next generation of Arleigh Burke class destroyers, called Flight III, and Flight III proper is planned to start with DDG-125.
In 2008, the U.S. Navy decided to restart production of the Arleigh Burke class as orders for the Zumwalt-class destroyer were reduced from thirty-two to three.[9][10] The first three ships (DDG-113—DDG-115) ordered following the product decision are known as the "restart" ships, while "technology insertion" ships (DDG-116—DDG-123) were expected to incorporate certain elements of Arleigh Burke class Flight III, which in turn was planned to run from DDG-125 onwards.[3]
Thomas Hudner's keel was laid on 16 November 2015.[11][12] Her christening took place on 1 April 2017,[13][14] and she was launched three weeks later, on 23 April.[15] She completed acceptance trials 3 May 2018,[16] and on 15 June 2018, the Navy accepted delivery of Thomas Hudner from shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.[17] Thomas Hudner was commissioned on 1 December 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts.[18]
Service history[]
2018–2022[]
As of 2018[update], Thomas Hudner's home port was Naval Station Mayport, Florida.[19]
From July to August 2020, Thomas Hudner participated in Operation Nanook alongside vessels from the Canadian, French, & Danish navies.[20]
On 20 February 2021, Thomas Hudner embarked on her maiden deployment, traveling over 45,000 nautical miles (83,000 km) before returning to her home port on 17 July 2021.[21] During her deployment, she made transits to the Black Sea,[22] operated in the Mediterranean Sea with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and her battlegroup,[23] and also took part in the annual BALTOPS exercise with NATO allies.[24]
In September 2021, Thomas Hudner, along with her sister ship Forrest Sherman, participated in "Operation Cutlass Fury" with the Canadian and French navies.[25] Later that month, she became a part of the newly formed Task Group Greyhound.[26]
In November 2022, Thomas Hudner joined the new super-carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) as part of Carrier Strike Group Four operating in the Atlantic Ocean with multiple other nations, this was the carrier's first time leading a Strike Group. The Strike Group also included the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), and her sister ships USS Ramage (DDG-61) and USS McFaul (DDG-74). CSG 4 participated in a NATO Task Force Exercise along with ships from other NATO nations including the HMCS Fredericton (FFH-337), a Halifax-class frigate of the Royal Canadian Navy, the FGS Hessen (F-221) a Sachsen-class frigate of the German Navy and the Spanish frigate Spanish frigate Álvaro de Bazán, the lead ship for a class of air defense frigate.[27] They arrived at Portsmouth, England, on 14 November 2022.[28]
2023–present[]
On 8 October 2023, the day after the Hamas attack on Israel, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, directed the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in response. Along with the carrier, the group also included the cruiser Normandy, and the destroyers Ramage, Carney, Roosevelt and Thomas Hudner.[29]
On 15 November 2023, Thomas Hudner shot down a drone that was headed toward the ship, which was launched from Yemen.[30][31]
On 23 November 2023, Thomas Hudner shot down multiple attack drones launched from Yemen.[32]
On 4 January 2024, Thomas Hudner returned to Mayport after an eight-month deployment and sailing more than 60,000 miles.[33]
Awards[]
- Combat Action Ribbon - (October 2023 - April 2024)
- Navy Unit Commendation - (2021 (IKE CSG), Oct 2023 - May 2024)
- Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Award - (2023)
- CNO Afloat Safety Award (LANTFLT)- (2020, 2023)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class". Federation of American Scientists. FAS.org. 2 November 2016. https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/ddg-51.htm.
- ↑ "Destroyers (DDG 51)". United States Navy. https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169871/destroyers-ddg-51/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lyle, Peter C. (2010). "DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Burke-Class Destroyer – New Construction Program". Naval Sea Systems Command. http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/SAS2010/Lyle_DDGRestart.pdf.
- ↑ "General Dynamics Bath Iron Works Awarded Contract to Build Additional DDG 51-class Destroyer". Bath Iron Works. 28 February 2012. https://www.gdbiw.com/sites/default/files/docs/Press%20Releases/GDBIW%20DDG%20116%20Option%20Exercise-02-28-12%20FINAL.pdf.
- ↑ "DDG 51 Class Ship Construction Contract Awards Announced". Naval Sea Systems Command. 26 September 2011. http://www.navsea.navy.mil/PR2011/PressRelease_110926_DDG114-116contractannouncement.pdf.
- ↑ "Secretary of the Navy Announces DDG 116 to Be Named Thomas Hudner". United States Navy. 8 May 2012. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=67034.
- ↑ "USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)". Naval Vessel Register. United States Navy. 3 February 2011. http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/DETAILS/DDG51.HTM.
- ↑ "Arleigh Burke Class (Aegis), United States of America". Naval-technology.com. Net Resources International. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/burke/.
- ↑ Ewing, Philip (31 July 2008). "Navy: No need to add DDG 1000s after all". Gannett Government Media. http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/navy_hearing_073108w/.
- ↑ Drew, Christopher (8 April 2009). "Contractors Agree on Deal to Build Stealth Destroyer". https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/business/09defense.html?_r=1&em.
- ↑ "General Dynamics Bath Iron Works Lays Keel of DDG 116". Bath Iron Works. 19 November 2015. https://www.gdbiw.com/general-dynamics-bath-iron-works-lays-keel-of-ddg-116/.
- ↑ "COMNAVSURFLANT Prepares to Welcome USS Thomas Hudner". United States Navy. 18 November 2015. NNS151118-05. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=92067.
- ↑ "General Dynamics Bath Iron Works Christens Future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116)". Bath Iron Works. 3 April 2017. https://www.gdbiw.com/general-dynamics-bath-iron-works-christens-future-uss-thomas-hudner-ddg-116/.
- ↑ "General Dynamics Christens Future USS Thomas Hudner". Marine Link. 5 April 2017. http://www.marinelink.com/news/christens-dynamics423884.
- ↑ "USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116)". Naval Vessel Register. United States Navy. 3 December 2018. https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_DDG_116_3969.HTML.
- ↑ Miller, Kevin (5 May 2018). "BIW-built destroyer passes Navy 'acceptance trials'" (in en). https://www.pressherald.com/2018/05/05/biw-built-destroyer-passes-navy-acceptance-trials/.
- ↑ "Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Thomas Hudner". United States Navy. 16 June 2018. NNS180616-03. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=106020.
- ↑ "USS Thomas Hudner brought to life in Boston". United States Navy. 3 December 2018. NNS181203-14. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=107984.
- ↑ Derby, Kevin (4 December 2018). "USS Thomas Hudner Heads to Mayport". Sunshine State News. http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/uss-thomas-hudner-heads-mayport.
- ↑ "U.S. Forces Participate in Canadian Operation NANOOK > United States Navy > display-news". https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/display-news/Article/2299799/us-forces-participate-in-canadian-operation-nanook/.
- ↑ "USS Thomas Hudner Returns from Deployment". dvidshub.net. 17 July 2021. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/401137/uss-thomas-hudner-returns-deployment.
- ↑ "UPDATED: USS Monterey, USS Thomas Hudner Enter Black Sea for 'Multi-Domain' Operations". 19 March 2021. https://news.usni.org/2021/03/19/cruiser-uss-monterey-enters-black-sea-for-multi-domain-operations.
- ↑ "U.S. Navy destroyer joins French CSG in the Mediterranean". 29 May 2021. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/05/u-s-navy-destroyer-joins-french-csg-in-the-mediterranean/.
- ↑ "After NATO Baltic Sea exercises, USS Thomas Hudner stops in Germany". https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/06/23/hudner-ussthomashudner-kiel-germany-baltops/9221624470979/.
- ↑ "Forrest Sherman and Thomas Hudner Participate in Canadian Led Cutlass Fury 2021". https://www.dvidshub.net/news/405438/forrest-sherman-and-thomas-hudner-participate-canadian-led-cutlass-fury-2021.
- ↑ "Navy Creates New Atlantic Destroyer Task Group to Hunt Russian Submarines". 27 September 2021. https://news.usni.org/2021/09/27/navy-creates-new-atlantic-destroyer-task-group-to-hunt-russian-submarines.
- ↑ "Carrier Strike Group 4 Exercise Enhances Beginning of Gerald R. Ford Inaugural Deployment with NATO Allies". Carrier Strike Group Four Public Affairs. United States Department of the Navy. 24 October 2022. https://www.usff.navy.mil/Press-Room/News-Stories/Article/3197394/carrier-strike-group-4-exercise-enhances-beginning-of-gerald-r-ford-inaugural-d/.
- ↑ Mongillo, Heather (8 November 2022). "Ford Carrier Strike Group Teams with Atlantic Allies in Silent Wolverine Exercise". USNI News. United States Naval Institute. https://news.usni.org/2022/11/08/ford-carrier-strike-group-teams-with-atlantic-allies-in-silent-wolverine-exercise.
- ↑ "Statement From Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Force Posture Changes in the Middle E" (in en-US). https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3551716/statement-from-secretary-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-us-force-posture-changes-in-the/.
- ↑ "US Navy warship shoots down drone from Yemen over the Red Sea". 15 November 2023. https://apnews.com/article/us-yemen-houthi-drone-red-sea-3f7cc856f608d0e963e82effbac328f6.
- ↑ Britzky, Haley (15 November 2023). "US warship shoots down drone believed to have been launched from Yemen | CNN Politics" (in en). https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/15/politics/us-warship-shoots-down-drone/index.html.
- ↑ Casianio, Louis (22 November 2023). "US Navy warship shoots down multiple one-way attack drones launched from Yemen, officials say" (in en). https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/november-22-israel-hamas-war.
- ↑ Lundy, Jonathan (4 January 2024). "Welcome home! USS Thomas Hudner returns to Mayport after eight-month-long deployment". News 4 Jax. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/01/04/welcome-home-uss-thomas-hudner-returns-to-mayport-after-eight-month-long-deployment/.
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
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