USS Rafael Peralta

USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115)
General John Toolan with the Peralta family at the naming ceremony
History
Name: Rafael Peralta (DDG-115)
Namesake: Rafael Peralta
Ordered: 26 September 2011
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: 30 October 2014
Launched: 1 November 2015
Christened: 31 October 2015
General characteristics
Class and type: Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) will be an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The $679.6 million contract to build her was awarded on 26 September 2011 to Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine.[1][2] On 15 February 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ship's named to be Rafael Peralta in honor of Marine Rafael Peralta, who was petitioned for the Medal of Honor for shielding several Marines from a grenade in November 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom; however, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross instead after doubts regarding the exact sequence of events prior to his death were raised.[3][4]

Namesake

Rafael Peralta was born in Mexico City and immigrated to United States as a child. Peralta joined the United States Marine Corps when he received his green card in 2000 and became an American citizen while serving in the Marine Corp. Peralta was killed during the Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq when he was wounded by gun fire while clearing houses with his fellow marines. The insurgents threw a hand grenade into the room, despite being wounded Peralta pulled the grenade under his body (absorbing most of the blast) killing him instantly and saving his fellow marines. For his actions, Peralta was recommended for the Medal of Honor but was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross instead.

Design

Rafael Peralta will be the 65th ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the first of which, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was commissioned in July 1991.[5] With 75 ships planned to be built in total, the class has the longest production run for any U.S. Navy surface combatant.[6] As an Arleigh Burke-class ship, Rafael Peralta's roles will include anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, as well as strike operations.[7] During its long production run, the class was built in three flights—Flight I (DDG-51–DDG-76), Flight II (DDG-72-DDG-78), and Flight IIA (DDG-79– ).[8] Rafael Peralta will be a Flight IIA ship, and as such, will feature several improvements in terms of ballistic missile defence, an embarked air wing, and the inclusion of mine-detecting ability.[7]

Construction

By January 2014, the aft portion of the ship had been completed and had begun outfitting.[9]

The ship was christened on October 31, 2015 at Bath Iron Works.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Rafael Peralta (DDG 115)". Naval Vessel Register. Navy.mil. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "DDG 51 Class Ship Construction Contract Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Naval Sea Systems Command. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Navy Names Five New Ships" (Press release). U.S. Navy. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  4. ↑ Cavas P., Christopher (15 February 2012). "Five New U.S. Navy Ship Names Announced". Defense News. Gannett Government Media. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)". Naval Vessel Register. Navy.mil. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  6. ↑ Sharp, David (31 December 2009). "After 2-plus decades, Navy destroyer breaks record". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Associated Press. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  7. 1 2 "DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class". Federation of American Scientists. FAS.org. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Arleigh Burke Class (Aegis), United States of America". Naval-technology.com. Net Resources International. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  9. ↑ Captain Mark Vandroff (13 January 2014). "Navy Benefits from Stable DDG 51 Program". Navy Live. United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  10. ↑ http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/10/31/warship-honoring-marine-rafael-peralta-christened-maine-shipyard/74939116/



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