I just want to say that the Arleigh Burke class destroyer as a class of military vessels is quite amazing. When you look at the numbers it is simply staggering. The US Navy has 51 Arleigh Burke class destroyers in service and about 20 on order or being constructed (assuming 8-11 additional hulls with cancellation of DDG-1000).

That 51 in service constitutes about 445,900 tons of displacement, 4728 VLS tubes, and about 16,500 enlisted personnel and officers. That is more men, tonnage, as well as firepower than most navies of the world.

Just wow!

They really are amazing machines. Some of the spookier details are pretty incredible, too - if you ever get the chance to go in the CIC of either a Tico or a Burke, take it.

I agree..a beautiful machine it is indeed.

I worked on Spruance class destroyers at the ingalls shipyard in mississippi when i was young. Those were complicated ships. The arliegh burkes make the spruance seem a little dated.

And yes, we did buzz a soviet submarine during sea trials of the spruance: they were very astonded of the speed recovery of a jet turbined powered ship. kinda like 0 to 45 in a couple of minutes.

But their biggest advance is the electronics systems.

yes its truly an awesome ship. It has the aegis system from the ticonderogas and a helicoper for ASW.