Keel laid for US Navy destroyer Patrick Gallagher

The keel for the future US Navy destroyer USS Patrick Gallagher was ceremonially laid at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Maine on Wednesday, March 30.

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 navy said the keel laying on Wednesday marks the 55th anniversary of Corporal Gallagher’s death.

As the final Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built in the Flight IIA configuration, the future Patrick Gallagher will be equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9C2 Combat System, which provides crucial ballistic missile defence capabilities in addition to the ship’s primary missions of anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and strike warfare.