Fourth Litton-built Aegis destroyer to join U.S. Navy fleet on May 20

Business Wire, May 18, 1995

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 1995--Russell (DDG-59), the fourth ship in a series of Aegis guided-missile destroyers being built by Litton's Ingalls Shipbuilding division, Pascagoula, Miss., will be commissioned into active service with the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet this Saturday, May 20, at Naval Station Pascagoula.

USS Russell will make Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, her home port.

The new 505-foot, 8,600-ton ship is one of 14 Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)-class Aegis destroyers contracted to date for construction at Ingalls' 800-acre shipyard. Five of these ships, including Russell, have already been delivered to the Navy.

Lead builder of five of the Navy's latest classes of surface combatants, Ingalls has delivered 68 major warships to the Navy over the past 20 years. In addition to its work on nine more Aegis destroyers, the Litton division is constructing the last two of six 40,500-ton Wasp (LHD-1)-class amphibious assault ships it has been contracted to build to date.

Russell is named to honor Rear Adm. John Henry Russell, USN (1827-1897), and his son, Maj. Gen. John Henry Russell Jr., USMC (1872-1947). The elder Russell distinguished himself during the Civil War, and later commanded the Mare Island (CA) Naval Yard. His son was appointed American high commander to Haiti in 1927 and named commandant of the Marine Corps in 1934.

The new Aegis destroyers are the Navy's major ongoing shipbuilding program, and will provide primary protection for the Navy's battle forces well into the 21st century.

Russell and her sister ships are equipped with a computer- controlled Aegis combat system utilizing an advanced electronically scanned radar that can search in all directions simultaneously. The system is able to detect, track and engage hundreds of aircraft and missiles while continuously watching for new targets from wavetop to the stratosphere.

Aegis destroyers mount a below-deck vertical missile-launching system capable of firing up to 90 Standard surface-to-air, Tomahawk surface-to-surface and antisubmarine missiles. Additionally, the ships mount eight Harpoon antiship missile launchers, torpedo tubes, two Phalanx close-in weapon systems and a five-inch rapid-fire deck gun.

The ships are also equipped with an antisubmarine warfare system, a bow-mounted sonar, a towed sonar array and an antisubmarine helicopter.

Litton is a leader in worldwide technology markets for advanced electronic and defense systems, and a major designer and builder of surface combatant ships for the U.S. Navy and allied nations.

CONTACT: Litton Industries Inc., Woodland Hills

Robert Knapp, 818/598-5907 (office)

805/496-2453 (home)