Category Archives: History

Andy Summers Oral History

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Andy also provided some key historical documents for the association archives, including: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)

Rough Seas

Some of Andy’s memorabilia
More memorabilia to be scanned for DDG51.org archives
Andy Summers and Kenyon Hiser

Loss of a Success Contributor – William Haggett

Former Bath Iron Works President William “Bill” Haggett, who led the shipyard from 1981 to 1992, passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Haggett led BIW through some of its most significant program changes, including the successful competition to become the follow yard in producing Ticonderoga-class cruisers and the critical competition to become the lead yard for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the DDG 51s that have become the longest running Navy shipbuilding program.

https://x.com/GDBIW/status/1897043252760436846

Kevin J Brennan, PhD

Memories of a key contributor to AEGIS Ashore.

Kevin Brennan, Jul 1953 – Aug 2022 

Kevin was a key contributor to the success of two major DoD programs, one of the quiet heroes that deliver effective capability to the warfighter, and that have made AEGIS BMD an enduring, operationally relevant capability.

Read more about Kevin.

Change of Command

Commander Ethan Reber relieved Commander Tyrchra Bowman as Commanding Officer on December 19, 2024.

Fair Winds and Following Seas to Commander Bowman, who led the ship through two successful FDNF-E deployments, including the first SM-3 operational employment. We look forward to continued success of Arleigh Burke under the leadership of Commander Reber.

  • NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Dec. 19, 2024) Cmdr. Tyrchra Bowman, the commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), gives remarks at the ship’s change of command ceremony onboard Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, Dec. 19, 2024. As the “Gateway to the Mediterranean,” NAVSTA Rota provides U.S, NATO and allied forces a strategic hub for operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. NAVSTA Rota is a force multiplier, capable of promptly deploying and supporting combat-read
  • NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Dec. 19, 2024) Cmdr. Tyrchra Bowman, the commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), left, shakes hands with Cmdr. Ethan Reber, the prospective commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke, after giving remarks during the ship’s change of command ceremony onboard Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, Dec. 19, 2024. As the “Gateway to the Mediterranean,” NAVSTA Rota provides U.S, NATO and allied forces a strategic hub for operations in Europe, Africa a

AEGIS BMD – SM-3 First Combat Use Coin Presented to Program Executive

Rob Jobrack, Paul Mann, Rick Easton

Aegis BMD Program Executive, Mr. Paul Mann, was presented the Arleigh Burke commemorative coin on 30 Sept by CAPT (Ret) Rick Easton. The coin commemorates the ship’s April 2024 combat events in the Mediterranean Sea. The events marked the first use of Standard Missile 3 in combat to achieve successful intercepts of ballistic missiles in defense of our Allies.

The presentation was on the 20th anniversary of initial deployment of AEGIS BMD on 9-30-04.

Mr. Mann was a project engineer during successful preparation of the Arleigh Burke for Development and Operational Test.

Continue reading “AEGIS BMD – SM-3 First Combat Use Coin Presented to Program Executive”

AEGIS BMD – 20 Years on Patrol

Long Range Surveillance and Track Capability

Ballistic Missile Defense System Initial Defensive Operations commenced on September 30, 2004, in response to National Security Presidential Directive 23.

Two destroyers, USS Curtis Wilbur and USS John S. McCain were outfitted with the long range surveillance and track capability, supporting defense of the homeland by providing radar track data to the Ground-Based Midcourse system.

Later in October 2004, the initial deployment SM-3 Block I missiles were transferred to the US Navy.

SM-3 Initial Deployment Rounds

Since then, AEGIS BMD, hosted in AEGIS Cruisers and Destroyers has been on patrol, with continuously advancing levels of combat system performance supporting more capable missiles: SM-3 Blocks I, IA, IB, and IIA, and SM-6.

Continue reading “AEGIS BMD – 20 Years on Patrol”