“The DDG modernisation effort is based off of lessons learnt from the cruiser modernisation effort,” Capt. Tim Moore, Program Manager, Destroyer Modernization 2.0 (DDG MOD 2.0), told the audience at the NAVSEA briefing. His programme office’s effort is focused on providing an integrated air and missile defence capability by adding four key components to the ships:
- The AN/SLQ-32(V)7 surface electronic warfare equipment programme (SEWIP) block 3;
- The SPY-6 V4 air and missile defence radar;
- Associated combat system for the radar;
- The 350t high efficiency super capability chiller (FC) that provides the extra cooling needed when adding both the SLQ and SPY array to the legacy hulls.
“This modernisation effort is focused on a ‘Crawl, Walk, Run’ effort using four ships the USN give the programme office to do part of the modernisation authorisation,”
Capt. Moore
USS Pinckney (DDG 91 based in San Diego) has already received some of the upgrades. USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93 based in San Diego), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95 based Norfolk), and USS Halsey (DDG 97 based in San Diego) are next. The key to using these four first ships is to be able to already identify lessons learnt in order to apply them in 2029 when the modernisation effort for the whole fleet will begin. The choice of FY2029 for the beginning of the modernisation was so that it could fit with the destroyer fleet’s mid-life availability.
Within this first part of the mod 2.0 process, the programme office is leveraging existing technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness. “For instance, the scale model of the SLQ-32 (V)7, which was 3D printed, allows us to see how we can get maintenance enveloppe and accessibility done right,” Capt. Moore said. In other words, because maintenance crew will need to work in tight spaces, the scale model is an opportunity to work out the best way for sailors to safely access the systems during maintenance.
LiDAR scanning, another technology at the office’s disposal, was used to get the actual shape dimensions of the ship hull in order to accurately work out how the SPY-6 V4 would fit onto the legacy hulls. On that basis, an adaptor plate was developed to better identify any potential critical flaws with the design. “This adaptor plate demo allows us to see where bold tolerance may be on or off and provide a more effective and efficient way to put the Spy 6 radar onto the destroyers,” Capt. Moore commented.
These efforts focus on doing as much work off the ships as possible so that, when the time comes to integrate the new systems onto the destroyers, most of the design flaws have already been worked out. As such, DDG 91 is done and has achieved her initial availability. There is a little more work to be done with continuous availability but she has been fitted with the SLQ-32 (V)7. The two following ships (USS Chung-Hoon and USS James E. Williams) are currently in the yard to undergo the same work, and USS Halsey will be right behind.
