USS Higgins (DDG-76)

8315 tons

154 m

20 meters

9.5 meters

26 officers, 315 teams

Two propellers, each driven over 4 gas turbines; 100,000 shaft horsepower

31 knots

90 VLS cells, 2 triple torpedo launchers, 1 artillery 127 mm

The USS Higgins (DDG -76 ) is a destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class. The United States Navy, the ship according to the U.S. Navy William Richard Higgins named, who was tortured and murdered in 1990 in a hostage of a pro-Iranian group in Lebanon.

History

DDG -76 was ordered in 1993 and laid in November 1996 at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine on Kiel. In October of the following year, the unit was able to walk from the stack. After the final outfitting and sea trials, the shipyard Higgins was officially put into service in April 1999.

2000 Higgins moved the first time in the Pacific, visited during this trip, among other things Sydney. 2002, the destroyer of exercises with the carrier USS Constellation ( CV-64 ) in part, the end of the year they relocated to the battle group on their second drive, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2003, the ship was involved in Tomahawk attacks on targets in Iraq, also 2004, Higgins was in the Persian Gulf. In 2005 she moved to the USS Nimitz (CVN -68 ) in the context of the war on terrorism, also was an exercise with the Indian Navy on the plan. 2006, the destroyer was a member of the Fleet Week Sea and Air Parade in San Diego.

In 2007 moved the Higgins in the Middle East, she was again assigned as escort the Nimitz. On May 8, was their commander, Cmdr. Jeffrey P. Menne, relieved of his command, as the reason a lack of confidence due to an administrative matter ( "administrative matter" ) was specified. As escort the Nimitz Higgins was involved in August in the exercise Valiant Shield, in September then in Exercise Malabar. Again with Nimitz moved the destroyer in early 2008 in the western Pacific, where the Battle Group, the USS Kitty Hawk (CV -63 ) replaced the decency to overhaul. With their battle group presented the Higgins in April for the port visit in Hong Kong.

Beginning of 2010, supported the Higgins to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN -70) side the humanitärischen use off the coast of Haiti, where an earthquake had caused serious damage.