DDG-80 named Roosevelt
by Secretary of the Navy
Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 1996 — Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton today named the 30th ship of the Arleigh Burke-class Roosevelt in honor of both the 32nd U.S. President and his wife. Mr. Dalton made the announcement at an event marking Roosevelt History Month at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as President from March 1933 to his death in April 1945, just months prior to the conclusion of World War II. As he led the country in that war, he helped lead the Navy during World War I. He served seven years (1913 to 1920) as the twelfth Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the administration of President Woodrow Wilson. "Naval commanders found an ardent ally and vocal supporter in FDR," Mr. Dalton said. "As Commander-in-Chief during the most trying period of our nation's history, he maintained a clear sense of the mission at hand."
Mr. Dalton also noted that DDG-81 was named Churchill by President Clinton last November, honoring the famous World War II British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. "It is no coincidence that these two ships of the same class and sequential numbers will honor the memories of World War II's Allied leaders, who, together, helped save the world from the rule of hate, tyranny and oppression. These two warships -- the newest and most capable our nation has ever built -- will sail side by side in defense of freedom and democracy around the world," he said.
Roosevelt will be built by Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., beginning in the spring of 1997 and will join the U.S. fleet in the year 2000.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are equipped with the Navy's modern Aegis combat weapons system which combines space-age communication, radar and weapons technologies in a single platform for unlimited flexibility. As force multipliers, these new destroyers will replace older, less capable ships that are
being taken out of service as the Navy reduces spending but maintains quality. These versatile ships are designed to operate independently or in support of aircraft carrier and amphibious operations.
Roosevelt will be equipped to carry Standard surface-to-air missiles and tomahawk cruise missiles launched from forward and aft vertical launching systems; two fully automated, radar-controlled Phalanx close-in weapon systems; Harpoon anti-ship missiles; one five-inch gun; and, electronic warfare systems.
-USN-
Related pages:
Biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt - from the White House web site
Biography of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt - from the White House web site
Fact sheet on Aegis weapon system
Fact sheet on Phalanx CIWS
Fact sheet on Harpoon missile
Fact sheet on Standard missile
Fact sheet on the 5-inch gun
Return to Fact File sheet on destroyers