US Navy holds keel laying ceremony of Flight III Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Louis H. Wilson.

According to information published by the US DoD on May 17, 2023, the keel for the future USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was ceremonially laid at Bath Iron Works.
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Artist rendering of the future destroyer USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. (Picture source: US Navy)

The modern keel laying ceremony signifies the assembly of a ship's principal modular components at ground level, marking a substantial milestone in a ship's production.

The ship sponsors' initials are inscribed into a ceremonial keel plate for authentication, which is subsequently integrated into the ship. Dr. Susan Rabern and Mrs. Janet Wilson Taylor, Gen. Louis H. Wilson's eldest daughter, co-sponsor the DDG 126.

This occasion marks the ceremonial laying down of the first Flight III ship at Bath Iron Works.

The DDG 51 Flight III upgrade revolves around the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar. It involves enhancements to the ship's electrical power, cooling capacity, and other related modifications to significantly improve its combat capability for the fleet.

At full load, USS Louis H. Wilson has a displacement of 9,217 tons. Its dimensions include a length of 510 ft (160 m), and a beam of 66 ft (20 m).

The vessel is powered by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, generating a total of 100,000 shp (75,000 kW). This enables the ship to achieve a maximum speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph). She has a complement of 380 officers and enlisted personnel, indicating a sizable crew for operations.

The USS Louis H. Wilson is protected by Kevlar-type armor with a steel hull and features numerous passive survivability measures. The ship has the capacity to carry two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, with a double hangar and helipad for aviation facilities.

Bath Iron Works currently has contracts to construct 10 destroyers. Presently, it is at different stages of building the future John Basilone (DDG 122), Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), William Charette (DDG 130), and Quentin Walsh (DDG 132).