USS Stethem (DDG-63)

History of USS Stethem (DDG-63)

USS Stethem (DDG-63) is a modern guided missile destroyer in service with the United States Navy (USN). It is part of the larger Arleigh Burke class that forms the bulk of the US Navy's destroyer force, which initially consisted of about 76 planned warships, of which about 64 are currently in service (2017). Stethem was ordered on 22 February 1990 and built by Ingalls Shipbuilding on 11 May 1993.

The ship was commissioned on October 21, 1995, based in Yokosuka, Japan, and has played an active deterrent role in China and North Korea's operations in the Asia-Pacific region.

Stethem was known by the nickname "The Iron Worker" and fought under the motto "Strong and Brave".

USS Stethem by the name of Robert Dean Stethem, a USN Seabee diver who was assassinated by Hezbollah elements in Beirut, Lebanon on June 15, 1985, on a passenger plane taken over by the Iranians Flight 847, became the Hezbollah hijacker.

The USS Stethem was built to the original Arleigh Burke base standard known as "Flight I" (there are currently four recognized "Flights" including Flight II, Flight IIA and Flight III). The Flight I ship has a displacement of approximately 9,165 tons and a length of 505 feet. The crew complements 300 employees.

Future flights have incorporated various improvements in their systems and subsystems to further expand their tactical value at sea. All ships in the series are based on the AEGIS combat system with a multifunctional PESA radar that provides uncompromising situational awareness.

Beyond specified dimensions, the USS Stethem has a beam length of 66 feet and a draft of up to 31 feet.

Power comes from 4 GE LM2500-30 marine gas turbines with 100,000 hp and 2 shafts under the stern. This enables the vessel to sail at speeds in excess of 30 knots and reach a range of 4,400 nautical miles.

Processing systems include AN/SPY-1D 3D radar, AN/SPS-67(V)2 surface search radar, and AN/SPG-62 fire control (FC) radar system. Sonar is handled by AN/SQS-53C series units and AN/SQR-19 tactical towed arrays. The ship is also equipped with LAMPS III through the AN/SQQ-28 system.

LAMPS is a "Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System" that can perform an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role with Navy helicopters. USS Stethem operates up to 2 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from the aft helipad and full service airborne hangar.

The Arleigh Burke class ships are designed to deal with a variety of naval threats and are therefore equipped with conventional and missile-guided weapons. There are 1 x 29 cells and 1 x 61 cell groups (Mk 41 Vertical Launch System = VLS) mounted on the bow and stern and up to 90 surface-to-air missiles (SAM), sea-launched cruise missiles (Tomahawk variant). and ASROCs (anti-submarine rockets). Missile installations are at the heart of this level's offensive and defensive capabilities. 1 x 127mm/54 caliber Mark 45 with turret deck gun, 2 x 25mm Bushmaster chain gun, 2 x 20mm Phalanx Digitally Controlled Closed Weapon System (CIWS) and 4 x 12.7mm Heavy Brownings for more conventional weapons to supplement the available weapons.

In addition, there are 2 x Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes for submarine hunting.

The USS Stethem made its first official call in November 1996, when the ship was used to find survivors of the crash of a US Air Force C-130 off the coast of California. She has since been stationed at various ports in the Pacific and the Middle East and participated in several major exercises.

Her second mission, which began in April 1999, took her to the waters of the Persian Gulf. To date (2017), USS Stethem has completed a total of four deployments and continues to serve as a deterrent and friendly port of call, mainly in the Pacific Ocean.

August 2017 - On August 1, 2017, the US Navy was searching for a missing sailor.

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