The USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), the latest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was officially commissioned by the US Navy, June 24.
After the christening ceremony in October last year, US Navy commissioned USS Carl M. Levin in Baltimore.
The DDG 120 was delivered to the Navy at the beginning of this year, representing the official transfer of the ship from the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
Before the delivery, the ship underwent a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to showcase its materiel and operational readiness.
DDG 120, a Flight IIA destroyer, is equipped with the latest Aegis Baseline 9 combat system. The system provides large area defense coverage against air and ballistic missile targets, and also delivers superior processing of complex sensor data to allow for quick-reaction decision making, high firepower, and improved electronic warfare capability against a variety of threats.
The ship is named in honor of the former Michigan senator who remains the longest-serving senator in the state’s history.
During the ceremony, Sen. Levin’s daughters, Kate, Erica, and Laura, participated and gave the order to “Man our ship and bring her to life!”
Deputy Mayor Justin Williams said, “From the days of clipper ships traversing the high seas during the revolutionary war…our city’s legacy has been long intertwined with the Navy’s legacy.”
He continued, “as we commission the USS Carl Levin, we pay homage to the generations of sailors and shipbuilders who call Baltimore home. This mighty vessel will carry the torch of Baltimore’s naval legacy.”
Last month US Navy commissioned USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, the 73rd Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG 123), honoring Navy nurses.
