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Sunday 14 July 2019

American destroyer USS David R. Ray (DD-971) 1974-2009


Building ordered on 15 january 1971, laid down by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoual, Mississippi, USA on  23 September 1974, launched on 23 August 1975, handed over on 31 October 1977, commissioned on 19 November 1977, decommissioned on 28 February 2002, stricken on 6 November 2002 and sunk while used as a target in fleet training exercises on 11 July 2008.

Part of the Spruance-class destroyers, sub-class Kidd-class, preceded by the Charles F. Adams-class and succeeded by the Arleigh Burke-class. General class specifications. Full load displacement 8.040 tons and as dimensions  61 (waterline)-172 (over all) x 16,8 x 8,8 metres or 529-563 x 55 x 29 feet. The machinery consisted of 4 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines supplying via 2 shafts allowing a speed of 32,5 knots. The range was 6.000 respectively 3.300 nautical miles with a sped o 20 respectively 30 knots. The crew numbered 334 men including 19 officers. Able to carry 2 Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters for which a flight deck and an enclosed hangar were available. The armament consisted of 2-12,7cm/5” cal 54 Mark 45 dual purpose guns, 2-2cm Phalanx CIWS Mark 15 guns, 1-8 cell ASROC launcher or 1-61 cell Mark 41 VLS Tomahawk/ASROC missiles launcher, 1-8 cell NATO Sea Sparrow mark 29 missile launcher, 2-quadruple Harpoon missile canisters, 2x3 32,4cm/12.75” Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mk46 torpedoes,  2-quadruple ABL Mark 43 Tomahawk missile launchers or 1-21 cell Rolling Airframe Missile launcher.