Laid down 30 October 2014 Christened 31 October 2015 Launched 1 November 2015 Builder Bath Iron Works | Ordered 26 September 2011 Sponsored by Rosa Maria Peralta Construction started 30 October 2014 Length 156 m | |
Name Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) | ||
Ddg 115 uss rafael peralta
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. 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.
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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 Corps. 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. With 75 ships planned to be built in total, the class has the longest production run for any U.S. Navy surface combatant. 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. 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– ). 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.
Construction
By January 2014, the aft portion of the ship had been completed and had begun outfitting.
The ship was christened on October 31, 2015 at Bath Iron Works. In February 2017, the ship was accepted by the United States Navy.
