US Navy USS Chung-Hoon destroyer fires SM-2 surface-to-air missile during naval exercise RIMPAC 2020


According to a picture released by the U.S. Navy Twitter account on August 29, 2020, the USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer has fired SM-2 RIM-66 Standard MR surface-to-air missile during RIMPAC 2020, the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held in August.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 U.S. Navy USS ChungHoon Arleigh Burke-class destroyer fires SM-2 missile during international naval exercise RIMPAC 2020. (Picture source U.S. Navy)


The U.S. Navy USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer was launched on 11 January 2003, sponsored by Michelle Punana Chung-Hoon of Honolulu, Hawaii, Chung-Hoon's niece, and commissioned on 18 September 2004. She is part of the Pacific Fleet and homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The Arleigh Burke-class DDG 51 is a guided missile destroyer that provides multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of Carrier Strike Groups, Surface Action Groups, and Expeditionary Strike Groups.

The Arleigh Burke class employs all-steel construction and comprises four separate variants or "Flights." DDG 51-71 represent the original design and are designated as Flight I ships; DDG 72-78 are Flight II ships; DDGs 79-116 are Flight IIA ships in service, and will continue through DDGs 124 and 127.

The Flight IIA design includes the addition of the Kingfisher mine-avoidance capability, a pair of helicopter hangars which provide the ability to deploy with two organic Lamps MK III MH-60 helicopters, blast-hardened bulkheads, zonal electrical distributed system, and advanced networked systems. Additionally, DDGs 91-96 provide accommodations for the A/N WLD-1 Remote Mine-hunting System. The first Flight IIA, USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), was commissioned in August 2000.

The armament of the USS Chung-Hoon one 5 inches (127 mm)/62 caliber Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun, two 25 mm Mk 38 automatic cannons, four .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns, one 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Close-In Weapon Systems, two Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk 46 torpedoes, 96-cell Mk 41 VLS Vertical Launching Systems able to launch RIM-66 Standard SM-2 surface-to-air Missile 2, RIM-162 ESSM anti-ship missiles, BGM-109 Tomahawk long-range subsonic cruise missile used to conduct land attack operations and RUM-139 VL-ASROC anti-submarine missiles

The Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) family was developed to provide air and cruise missile defense as part of the Aegis Combat System on U.S. Navy ships. The SM-2 Blocks II, III, and IV each uses semi-active radar homing and has a blast-fragment warhead with a radar and contact fuse. It has a firing range from 74 to 167 km.