USS Ralph Johnson explained

USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) is an of the United States Navy. Ralph Johnson is the 64th ship of the class and was commissioned on 24 March 2018.

Construction and career

The contract to build the destroyer was awarded on 26 September 2011 to Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Mississippi.[1] [2] On 15 February 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ship was to be named Ralph Johnson in honor of Marine Ralph H. Johnson, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for shielding two fellow Marines from a grenade in March 1968 during the Vietnam War.[3] [4] [5] The contract was worth $697.6 million fixed price, and was also the 30th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer contract issued to Ingalls Shipbuilding.[6]

Ralph Johnson is the 64th ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the first of which,, was commissioned in July 1991.[7] With 75 ships planned to be built in total, the class has the longest production run for any U.S. Navy surface combatant.[8] As an Arleigh Burke-class ship, Ralph Johnsons roles included anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, as well as strike operations.[9] During the 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–).[10] Ralph Johnson is a Flight IIA ship, and as such, features several improvements in terms of ballistic missile defence, an embarked air wing, and the inclusion of mine-detecting ability.[9]

In 2008, the U.S. Navy decided to restart production of the Arleigh Burke class as orders for the was reduced from ten to three.[11] [12] 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) are expected to incorporate certain elements of Arleigh Burke class Flight III, which in turn will run from DDG-124 onwards.[13] As a "restart" ship, Ralph Johnson primarily features upgraded electronics; she was originally scheduled to be delivered in August 2016,[13] but construction was delayed and delivery was rescheduled for late 2017 after sea trials were completed in the middle of the year.[14]

The warship arrived at the Port of Charleston's Columbus Street Terminal on 19 March 2018[15] and was commissioned on 24 March.

In 2019, Ralph Johnsons homeport shifted to Yokosuka, Japan, replacing .[16]

On 4 September 2023, Ralph Johnson conducted a bilateral sail with BRP Jose Rizal of the Philippine Navy in the South China Sea.[17]

Awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=DDG114}} Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) ]. 1 November 2011 . . Navy.mil . 16 February 2012.
  2. DDG 51 Class Ship Construction Contract Awards Announced . . 26 September 2011 . 16 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130302104926/http://www.navsea.navy.mil/PR2011/PressRelease_110926_DDG114-116contractannouncement.pdf . 2 March 2013 .
  3. News: Navy To Name Ships After Servicemen With Local Ties . San Diego News . 10News.com . 15 February 2012 . 16 February 2012.
  4. Navy Names Five New Ships . U.S. Navy . 15 February 2012. 16 February 2012.
  5. News: Navy attack ship to be named for Ralph Johnson . Kropf, Schuyler . . 15 February 2012 . 16 February 2012.
  6. News: U.S. Navy Awards HII USD 697.6 Million Contract for New DDG 114 Destroyer . Shipbuilding Tribune . Shipbuildingtribune.com . 27 September 2011 . 9 February 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331191333/http://shipbuildingtribune.com/2011/09/27/u-s-navy-awards-hii-usd-697-6-million-contract-for-new-ddg-114-destroyer/ . 31 March 2012 .
  7. Web site: [{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=DDG51}} USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) ]. 3 February 2011 . . Navy.mil . 17 February 2012.
  8. News: After 2-plus decades, Navy destroyer breaks record . Sharp, David . . . 31 December 2009 . 17 February 2012.
  9. Web site: DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class . . FAS.org . 17 February 2012.
  10. Web site: Arleigh Burke Class (Aegis), United States of America . Naval-technology.com . Net Resources International . 17 February 2012.
  11. News: Navy: No need to add DDG 1000s after all . Ewing, Philip . . . 31 July 2008 . 21 February 2012.
  12. News: Contractors Agree on Deal to Build Stealth Destroyer . Drew, Christopher . . 8 April 2009 . 21 February 2012.
  13. Web site: DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Burke-Class Destroyer – New Construction Program . Peter C. . Lyle . 2010 . . 21 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120402175035/http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/SAS2010/Lyle_DDGRestart.pdf . 2 April 2012 .
  14. Web site: Ingalls starts fabrication of DDG 123 . Marine Log . 27 January 2017 . 28 January 2017.
  15. Web site: Blakeney. Barney. Navy Destroyer Ralph H. Johnson To Be Commissioned. https://web.archive.org/web/20180321165111/https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2018/03/21/navy-destroyer-ralph-h-johnson-to-be-commissioned/. usurped. 21 March 2018. The Charleston Chronicle. 2018-03-21. 21 March 2018.
  16. Web site: Wilson . Alex . October 4, 2021 . One of the Navy's 'newest and most capable' destroyers joins 7th Fleet in Japan . 2023-11-02 . Stars and Stripes . en.
  17. News: U.S., Philippine Navies Conduct Bilateral Sail to Enhance Interoperability . 24 April 2024 . US Pacific Fleet . 4 September 2023.
  18. Web site: USS Ralph Johnson Change of Command .

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