USS Simpson (FFG-56)

USS Simpson (FFG-56)

USS Simpson in April 2007
History
United States
Namesake:	Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson
Awarded:	22 March 1982
Builder:	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down:	27 February 1984
Launched:	31 August 1984
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Grace Fowles-Simpson
Acquired:	13 September 1985
Commissioned:	21 September 1985
Decommissioned:	29 September 2015
Homeport:	N.S. Mayport, Florida
Identification:	Hull symbol:FFG-56 Code letters:NRWS
Motto:	"Attaquer en Vigueur" ("Attack with Vigor")
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate
Displacement:	4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length:	453 ft (138 m)
Beam:	45 feet (14 m)
Draft:	22 feet (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed:	over 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range:	5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h)
Complement:	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus air detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare & decoys:	AN/SLQ-32V5 with Sidekick Mark 36 SRBOC AN/SLQ-25 Nixie
Armament:	As built: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes 1 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 4 × .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. 1 × Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class. Currently: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 mod 2 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 12.75 in (324 mm) triple-torpedo-tube launchers for Mark 46, Mark 50, and Mark 54 torpedoes 1 × Block 1B Mk 15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS 2 × Mk 38 25 mm cannons (only while deployed overseas) 8 × mounts for crew served weapons
Aircraft carried:	2 × SH-60B LAMPS III helicopter
Aviation facilities:	2 × Hangars RAST helicopter hauldown system

USS Simpson (FFG-56) was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson.

Simpson was laid down at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, on 27 February 1984, launched on 31 August 1984 sponsored by Mrs. Grace Fowles-Simpson widow of Rodger W. Simpson and commissioned on 21 September 1985 in Newport, Rhode Island, with Cmdr. H. Wyman Howard Jr. in command. The ship was delivered 13 September 1985. Bath Iron Works plans called for delivery to occur 9 August 1985, but that date slipped due to an extended strike at BIW that began 30 June 1985.Simpson was homeported at Naval Station Newport until switching to Naval Station Norfolk on 31 March 1994. Simpson moved to Naval Station Mayport in July 2001.

On 28 January 1986, the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launched space shuttle mission STS-51L utilizing the orbiter vehicle Challenger at 1138 EST. Escaping propellant combustion products cut into the craft’s solid rocket booster, however, and 73 seconds after launch a massive explosion destroyed Challenger, killing all seven astronauts on board. Simpson took part in the ensuing search and rescue effort, and subsequently received the Coast Guard Unit Commendation with Operational “O” for her participation.