USS Thomas Hudner


USS Thomas Hudner is an. The $663 million contract to build her was awarded on 28 February 2012 to Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine. On 7 May 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ship name would be Thomas Hudner in honor of U.S. naval aviator Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.

History

Thomas Hudner is the 66th ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the first of which,, 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, Thomas Hudners roles included 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, Flight II, and Flight IIA. Thomas Hudner is to be a "Technology Insertion" ship with elements of the next generation of Arleigh Burke class destroyers, called Flight III, and Flight III proper is planned to start with
DDG-124.
In 2008, the U.S. Navy decided to restart production of the Arleigh Burke class as orders for the were reduced from ten to three. The first three ships ordered following the product decision are known as the "restart" ships, while "technology insertion" ships are expected to incorporate certain elements of Arleigh Burke class Flight III, which in turn is planned to run from DDG-124 onwards.
Thomas Hudners keel was laid on 16 November 2015. Her christening took place on 1 April 2017, and she was launched three weeks later, on 23 April. She completed acceptance trials 3 May 2018 and on 15 June 2018 the Navy accepted delivery of Thomas Hudner from shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
Hudner was commissioned on 1 December 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts.
, Thomas Hudners home port is Naval Station Mayport, Florida.