The Kidd class guided missile destroyers (DDGs) were a series of four warships based upon the hull of the Spruance class destroyers. These ships were originally ordered by the Shah of Iran for service in the Persian Gulf in an air defense role. The Shah of Iran was overthrown prior to Iran accepting delivery of the ships, causing the United States Navy to integrate the vessels into its own fleet. Each ship in the class was named after a U.S. Navy Admiral, each of whom died in combat in the Pacific in World War II:
- USS Kidd (DDG-993) was named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who died on the bridge of his flagship, the USS Arizona (BB-39), during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
- USS Callaghan (DDG-994) was named after Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan who was killed during a surface action at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942, aboard the USS San Francisco (CA-38).
- USS Scott (DDG-995) was named after Rear Admiral Norman Scott, who was killed during the same surface action that killed Admiral Callaghan at the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, aboard the USS Atlanta (CL-51).
- USS Chandler (DDG-996) was named after Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler, who died on 7 January 1945, as a result of burns received from a kamikaze crashing into his flagship, the USS Louisville (CA-28), the previous day.
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kidd class destroyer |
| Builders: | Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi |
| Operators: |  United States Navy Republic of China Navy (as Kee Lung class) |
| Preceded by: | Spruance-class destroyer |
| Succeeded by: | Arleigh Burke class destroyer |
| Built: | 1978 |
| In commission: | 1981-1999 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Active: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Destroyer |
| Displacement: | Light: 7,289 t (7,174 long tons; 8,035 short tons) Full: 9,783 t (9,628 long tons; 10,784 short tons) Dead Weight: 2,494 t (2,455 long tons; 2,749 short tons) |
| Length: | 563 ft (172 m) |
| Beam: | 55 ft (17 m) |
| Draught: | 32.8 ft (10.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | 4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 80,000 shp (60 MW) |
| Speed: | 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) 3,300 nautical miles (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Sensors and processing systems: | • SPS-48E Air Search Radar • SPG-60 Gun Fire Control Radar • SPS-55 Surface Search Radar • SPQ-9A Gun Fire Control Radar • SQS-53 Sonar |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: | AN/SLQ-32(V)3 OUTBOARD II EW Suite |
| Armament: | • 2× 5-inch (127mm) 54 calibre Mark 45 dual purpose guns • 2× Mk 26 launchers for RIM-66 Standard Missile • 2× 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Mark 15 cannons (Varies from ship to ship, Block 0/1/1A/1B) • 2× MK 141 quadruple Harpoon missile canisters • 2× Mark 32 triple 12.75 in (324 mm) torpedo tubes (Mk46 torpedoes) |
| Aircraft carried: | 2 SH-60B/S-70C(M)-1/2 LAMPS III helicopters |
| Aviation facilities: | Flight deck and enclosed hangar for up to two medium-lift helicopters |
