On this page, I will place any information that I locate or receive concerning the construction and commissioning of  USS Preble (DDG-88).    

DDG 88 USS PREBLE

 

 

 

 


PAC FLT (HP) San Diego
Contract awarded 12-31-96
 

Start FAB

Lay Keel

Launch Float Off

Christening

AEGIS Light Off

Sail Away

Commissioning

SCN Cut Off

P

9-20-99

7-10-00

6-23-01

TBD

6-18-00

TBD

TBD

11-30-03

C

9-24-99

6-23-00

6-01-01

 06-09-01

9-21-00

 10-16-02

11-09-02

  

P denotes shipbuilder planning data.
C denotes contractor date.

05/17/00 - The Next Major Milestone for the Preble will be the "Laying of the Keel" on the 19th of June 2000 at Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.  She will be a Flight II version of the DDG-51 Class. The major difference is the addition of a helo hanger. The start construction date of the Preble (DDG-88) was 26 July 1999. This was when the shipyard put the first pieces of metal to begin the construction of the ship. I have a piece of the first plate used. - MMCM (SW) Mark Davidson.

06/22/00 - PREBLE's keel is officially laid.  To quote Mark Davidson - "For your info: Ships are now built in sections and then welded together vice the old way of laying a keel and building up from the keel."

01/16/00 - New pictures added courtesy of Ron Elias of Ingalls Shipbuilding.

02/01/01 - The PCO of DDG-88, CDR Timothy Batzler has contacted me and says that the current schedule for Float-off is 01 Jun 2001 and Christening is 09 Jul 2001.

03/13/01 - I have received an email from Ingalls Shipbuilding which says that the Christening date for DDG-88 is now Saturday 09 Jun 2001.  Stay tuned for more info.

05/30/01 - Received an invitation to the Christening Ceremony which confirms the June 9 date.

06/09/01 - USS PREBLE (DDG-88) is Christened.

05/02/02 - Received confirmation that the Commissioning Ceremony will be 09 November 2002 in Boston, MA.  Location of the ship will be the World Trade Center Pier and guests across the water at Pier Four.
Contributed by Mark Davidson. MMCM (SW/AW) Mark Davidson at the Keel Laying ceremony for the new PREBLE DDG-88. Contributed by Mark Davidson. 53k
Contributed by Mark Davidson. The Keel Laying ceremony for the new PREBLE DDG-88. Contributed by Mark Davidson. 51k
Contributed by Mark Davidson. RADM William Cobb, Jr (center), MMCM (SW/AW) Mark Davidson (right) and 3 shipyard workers displaying the plaque in the previous picture. Contributed by Mark Davidson. 64k
Contributed by Mark Davidson. A Group photograph at the Keel Laying ceremony for PREBLE DDG-88. Contributed by Mark Davidson. 58k
? Ingalls Shipbuilding The deckhouse being put in place. ? Ingalls Shipbuilding. 74k
? Ingalls Shipbuilding RADM William Cobb, Jr. signs the Keel Laying plaque. ? Ingalls Shipbuilding. 53k
? Ingalls Shipbuilding The start of fabrication. ? Ingalls Shipbuilding. 79k
? Ingalls Shipbuilding The bow being attached. ? Ingalls Shipbuilding. 86k
Photo taken at the 6/3 press conference.  Announcement made by Sen Ted Kennedy (D-MA).  Photo (l to r) Committee Members Reid Oslin and John Macdonald, Sen. Kennedy, CDR Batzler (CO), LCDR Steve Lorentzen (XO), and Commissioning Chairman Ivan Samuels. Contributed by Ivan Samuels. 168k
CNO, Admiral Clark's wife "Connie Rae Clark" breaking the traditional bottle of Champagne on the bow of the PREBLE.  Contributed by Frank Bellais. 95k
Bow view of PREBLE at the launching ceremony.  Contributed by Frank Bellais. 105k

The Preble is the thirty eighth ship of the Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class of guided missile destroyers and the tenth in the Flight IIA configuration.  The Flight IIA version has been lengthened about five feet, fitted with two helicopter hangers (two SH-60R Helicopters) and the aft SPY-1D radar faces are raised one deck level.  The raising of the aft SPY-1D Radar arrays lowers the interference to the SPY-1 radar by deck material movements and operations. 

Bow(81k)             Stern(90k)           Overhead(66k)            Profile(105k)

To download larger, easier to view copies of these images (Warning, the file is 1.2mb) click HERE. These files are zipped.  If you don't have Winzip to expand them, you can find it HERE.

Draft: 9,217 tons (fl)
Speed: 30+ kts
Dimensions: 
Length: 155.29 meters (143.56 meters wl)
              (509' 6")           (471')
Width:    20.27 meters  (18.0 meters wl)
              (66' 6")             (59')
Draft:     6.35 meters    (9.39 meters over sonar dome)
              (20' 10")          (30' 10")
Armament:
Two Mk 41 Mod 0 vertical-launch groups (1/64 cell, 1/32 cell) Carrying; Standard SM-2 MR  SAMs, Vertical Launch ASROC and Tomahawk missiles
One 127-mm (5") 54 Cal dual purpose gun.
Two 20-mm Mk15 Mod 1 Phalanx CIWS
Two 25-mm Chain Guns
Inboard Mounted Mk 32 Mod 14 ASW TT with Mk 46 and Mk50 Torpedoes
Two SH-60R Helicopters with Penguin and Hellfire missiles and Mk 46 Torpedoes
Electronics:
Radar: One SPS-73(V) Nav radar
           One SPS-67(V)3 Surface Search radar
           One SPY-1D 3-D search/weapons control radar
           Three SPG-62 illuminators
           Two Mk 90 Phalanx f.c. on mounts
Sonar: SQQ-89(V)10 suite: SQS-53C(V)1 hull-mounted with Kingfisher HF mine avoidance set
EW:  SLQ-32(V)3 active/passive
         SRS-1A combat D/F
         Mk 53 Mod (?) SRBOC RL system and NULKA Mk234 system with four Mk 137 Mod 7 launchers
         SLQ-25A Nixie towed torpedo decoy
         SLQ-39 decoy buoy (Rubber Ducky)launching system
TACAN: URN-25
IFF: UPX-29
E/O: Kollmorgen Mk 46 Mod 1 director
Engineering:
Main Propulsion: Four G. E. LM-2500-30 gas turbines
                         Two five bladed CP propellers
                         105,000 shp (90,000 sustained)
Electric Generation: Three Allison 501-K34 gas turbines
                              7,500 kw total
Range: 4,400/20 knots
Manning:
32 Officers, 348 enlisted (including helo detachment of 4 officers and 14 enlisted)

Thanks to Loren Dixon for getting this information.

[ Quarterdeck ]

Please send comments/questions gmm1@usspreble.org
Copyright 1997 - 2022 Tom Bateman
This page was last updated on 02/19/05.