Keel laid for future US Navy destroyer Sam Nunn
The ship is named in honor of United States Senator Samuel Augustus Nunn Jr, who represented the state of Georigia and served as Chairman of both the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The former Senator Nunn was also present at Friday's keel-laying ceremony along with his daughter and ship's sponsor Michelle Nunn.
The future Sam Nunn will be completed as an Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyer, which will feature the AN/SPY-6(V)1 air and missile defence radar and incorporate upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity. Additional associated changes will meanwhile provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet.
The 513-foot (156-metre) destroyer will be powered by four GE LM2500 gas turbines that deliver a speed of 31 knots. Armament will include a 127mm naval gun, 25mm autocannons, a 20mm close-in weapon system, torpedoes, surface-to-air missiles, and land attack cruise missiles.
