Future US Navy destroyer ‘Rafael Peralta’ completes Alpha trials

October 20, 2016

The U.S. Navy said its future guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) successfully completed Alpha trials on October 18, after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine.

The trials were conducted by shipbuilder Bath Iron Works (BIW), a subsidiary of General Dynamics.

Alpha trials, the initial set of builder’s trials, is the first of three underway periods the ship will conduct to test and demonstrate the ship’s systems are properly installed and operational. Rafael Peralta successfully conducted a series of test events to demonstrate the operational capability of key communication, damage control, navigation, and propulsion systems.

“Rafael Peralta is the first Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) destroyer that BIW has taken to sea since the program restarted in 2010,” said Capt. Casey Moton, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The ship performed tremendously well, and that’s a testament to the hard work and commitment of our Navy team and industry partners.”

Rafael Peralta is equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9 combat system, which includes an integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) capability incorporating ballistic missile defense 5.0 capability upgrade and naval integrated fire control-counter air.

The ship’s IAMD radar will provide increased computing power, and radar upgrades that improve detection and reaction capabilities against modern air warfare threats. The Aegis combat system will enable the ship to link radars with other ships and aircraft to provide a composite picture of the battlespace and effectively increase the theater space.

DDG 115 is the 65th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the first of the DDG 51 Flight IIA restart ships to be built at BIW. The shipyard is currently in production on future destroyers Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), and Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), and under contract for three additional ships awarded as part of the five-ship multi-year procurement for fiscal years 2013-2017.