Navy prepares to take delivery of BIW-built destroyer

U.S. Navy The Rafael Peralta, the first Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at Bath Iron Works after a four-year break in the Navy's DDG 51 program, successfully completed its acceptance trials and is ready to be delivered to the Navy in February.

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Bath Iron Works reported the Rafael Peralta, the first Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built at the Bath shipyard after a four-year break in the Navy’s DDG 51 program, successfully completed its acceptance trials and is ready to be delivered to the Navy in February.

“The ship looked great and performed well. It’s a ship Bath Iron Works can be proud of,” BIW President Dirk Lesko said in a statement announcing the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey’s recommendation that DDG 115 join the U.S. Navy’s fleet.

After the Navy takes delivery of the ship in February, it will depart Bath later this spring to join the other 34 active Bath-built DDG 51-class destroyers in active service, including DDG 51 itself, USS Arleigh Burke.

DDG 115 is named for Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta who was killed in Iraq in the second battle of Fallujah, falling on an enemy grenade thereby shielding other members of his squad from the blast. He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.

There are currently three other DDG 51 destroyers in production at Bath Iron Works: Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) and Carl M. Levin (DDG 120).

A Dec. 30 article posted on the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s website reported that the trials included testing the ship's onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications and propulsion applications. All “met or exceeded Navy specifications,” according to the article.