The US Navy took delivery of its 77th overall Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in a ceremony on Thursday, May 28.
The future USS Patrick Gallagher is also the 41st Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works of Maine.
The ship is named for US Marine Corps Corporal Patrick Gallagher, who received the Navy Cross for heroism during the Vietnam War when he managed to jump on and throw an enemy grenade into a river. He was killed in action just one year afterwards.
The delivery, which marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the navy, was accelerated by more than two months, due to what the navy said were "exceptional builder’s sea trials." The trials executed hull, mechanical, electrical and combat systems at sea testing in series, during a single accelerated effort.
The future Patrick Gallagher belongs to the Flight IIA variants of the Arleigh Burke-class. Each Flight IIA destroyer is equipped with improved integrated air and missile defence capabilities, increased computing power, and radar upgrades that improve detection range and reaction time against modern air warfare and ballistic missile threats.