The latest oral history interview in our History Project is now posted – interview with Andy Summers.
Andy Summers was a key leader in DDG-51 design from initial concept studies, becoming Ship Design Manager as construction was completed and the ship commissioned. If there is anyone who knew why the ship was designed the way is was, it is Andy. And that design has stood the test of time.
The fact that it cost what we said it was going to cost, the fact that it weighed what we said it would, the fact that it actually worked, is for the US Navy not easy on new ships.
You could see there’s still problems, new carriers, LCSs and other ships, all kinds of problems. New classes are tough, really tough. And a lot of these guys that work the 25th ship and they’re tweaking things; it’s not that much risk. But when you’re on the new ship, everything’s a risk.
Andy Summer Interview, page 42
Andy also provided some key historical documents for the association archives, including:
DDG51 Guided-Missile Destroyer Contract Design History – Naval Sea Sysems Command – Jan 1985
DDG51 Guided·Missle Destroyer Preliminary Design History – Naval Sea Systems Command – June 1984 (Rev Aug 1985)
USS Arleigh Burke Association 