Leftwich (DD 984) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS LEFTWICH DD-984 USS LEFTWICH (DD 984) is the twenty-second SPRUANCE Class Destroyer to be designed and built by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Homcported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, LEFTWICH is assigned to Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Five. SPR UANCE Class Destroyer is unique among todays warships in that it is the first major class to be powered strictly by gas turbine engines. LEFTWICH, as her sister ships, is powered by four General Electric LM-2500 engines. Designed originally for large aircraft (C-5A 747), these engines have been modified for marine use and produce 20,000 horsepower each. Her engines, in conjunction with twin controllable-reversible pitch propellers, arc capable of moving LEFTWICH through the water at speeds in excess of 30 knots and give her a degree of maneuverability unequalled by any other warship her size. LEFTWICH'S electrical generation plant is also driven by gas turbine engines (three Allison 501’s) which are designed to output 200 KW each. Crew comfort and habitability were also of prime consideration in LEFTWICH’S design. Berthing areas are spacious and considerable care was taken to equip the ship with features uncommon to most destroyers. Such features include a ship’s library, crew lounge, a well equipped gymnasium and many other items at crew’s comfort. As a highly versatile multi-mission destroyer, LEFTX'ICH is capable of operating independently or in company with amphibious or carrier task forces. Although equipped to handle a wide variety of mission areas, LEFTWICH’S primary missions are Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Strategic Strike Operations. LEFTW ICH possesses some of the most advanced -45VI equipment coupled with extensive sound silencing features to facilitate her accomplishment of these complex and demanding tasks. The ship is equipped with a sophisticated bow-mounted sonar, the SQS-53A, that is capable of active or passive detection and tracking of submarine contacts. In addition to her sonar, LEFTWICH'S ASW weapons suite consists of one or two helicopters, an Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC) launching system and two triple barreled Mark 32 torpedo tubes. All of these systems integrate with a digital computer system, the Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS). For the Strategic Strike mission area, LEFTWICH is equipped with TOMAHAWK, the Navy’s latest cruise missile system. This integrated combat system with its enhanced target information processing capability and resultant reaction time provides LEFTWICH with an accurate, long-range strike capability against surface targets unprecedented in destroyer-sized ships. LEFTWICH also boasts two 5-inch 54 caliber Mark 45 fully automatic gun mounts controlled by the digital Mark 86 Fire Control System. Additionally, the Harpoon antiship cruise missile, NATO Scasparrow consolidated into the weapons suite providing offensive and defensive firepower. Integrated with NTDS, these systems allow LEFTWICH to excel in her secondary missions of Naval Gunfire Support, Surface Warfare, and Anti-Air Warfare.