USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)

USS Vella Gulf (CG-72)

USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) underway in March 2002.
History
United States
Name:	USS Vella Gulf
Namesake:	Battle of Vella Gulf
Ordered:	25 February 1988
Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down:	22 April 1991
Launched:	13 June 1992
Acquired:	12 July 1993
Commissioned:	18 September 1993
Homeport:	Norfolk, Virginia
Motto:	Move Swiftly, Strike Vigorously
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Ticonderoga-class cruiser
Displacement:	9,600 long tons (9,800 t)
Length:	567 feet (173 m)
Beam:	55 feet (16.8 meters)
Draft:	34 feet (10.2 meters)
Propulsion:	4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engines, 80,000 shaft horsepower (60,000 kW) 2 × controllable-reversible pitch propellers 2 × rudders
Speed:	32.5 knots (60 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Complement:	33 officers, 27 Chief Petty Officers, and approx. 340 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPY-1A/B multi-function radar AN/SPS-49 air search radar AN/SPG-62 fire control radar AN/SPS-73 surface search radar AN/SPQ-9 gun fire control radar AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare Suite AN/SQQ-89(V)1/3 - A(V)15 Sonar suite, consisting of: AN/SQS-53B/C/D active sonar AN/SQR-19 TACTAS, AN/SQR-19B ITASS, & MFTA passive sonar AN/SQQ-28 light airborne multi-purpose system
Armament:	2 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems containing 122 × mix of: RIM-66M-5 Standard SM-2MR Block IIIB RIM-156A SM-2ER Block IV RIM-161 SM-3 RIM-162A ESSM RIM-174A Standard ERAM BGM-109 Tomahawk RUM-139A VL-ASROC 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon missiles 2 × Mk 45 Mod 2 5-in/54-cal lightweight gun 2 × 25 mm Mk 38 gun 2–4 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) gun 2 × Phalanx CIWS Block 1B 2 × Mk 32 12.75-in (324 mm) triple torpedo tubes for lightweight torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	2 × Sikorsky SH-60B or MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters.

USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) is the second-last American Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser built, in active service as of 2016^[update]. She is named for the Battle of Vella Gulf, a naval engagement in the Solomons campaign of World War II.

This ship is the second named for the Battle of Vella Gulf, following a 1945 escort carrier. She was laid down on 22 April 1991 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Litton Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding Division; launched on 13 June 1992; sponsored by Mary A. McCauley, wife of Vice Admiral William F. McCauley (Ret.); and commissioned alongside Pier 12, Naval Operating Base (NOB) Norfolk, Virginia, on 18 September 1993, Captain Constantine L. Xefteris in command. A multi-mission ship, Vella Gulf is designed to be capable of sustained combat operations in Anti-Air, Anti-Submarine, Anti-Surface, and Strike warfare environments. Vella Gulf is employed in support of carrier battle groups, amphibious assault groups, as well as in interdiction and escort missions. Vella Gulf's diverse combat capability is orchestrated by the Aegis Combat System, a fully integrated electronic detection, engagement, and fire control system. Aegis enables Vella Gulf to detect, evaluate, and engage an enemy with great firepower and accuracy.

Vella Gulf successfully completed sea trials during the month of February 1998. In the months of May and June, the Vella Gulf completed a two-month BALTOPS Cruise, taking part in the 26th annual maritime exercise U.S. Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) '98 in the Western Baltic Sea from 8 – 19 June 1998. During the exercise, the commander, Carrier Group Eight, commanded the exercise from the ship. Also, the ship completed an AMMO onload, LAMPS moved aboard, completed a successful C2X, and had made a port call at St.John, U.S. Virgin Island. Upon the completion of C2X, Vella Gulf continued pre-deployment work-ups.