USS Hayler (DD-997)

USS Hayler (DD-997) after installing the VLS
Overview
Order	29th September 1979
Keel laying	20th October 1980
Launch	March 2, 1982
1. Period of service
Commissioning	March 5, 1983
Decommissioning	August 25, 2003
Whereabouts	Sunk as a target ship (November 13, 2004)
Technical specifications
displacement	9100 standard tons
length	171.6 meters
width	16.8 meters
Draft	9.8 meters
crew	30 officers, 350 sailors
drive	2 propellers, driven by 4 gas turbines; 80,000 wave horsepower
speed	33 knots
Armament	2 × Mark 45 lightweight guns , 2 x 20 mm Phalanx CIWS , 2 x Harpoon starters , 1 anti-aircraft missile starter, 2 torpedo tubes 324mm, 1  ASROC starter, later replaced by 61-cell VLS

The USS Hayler (DD-997) was a destroyer in the United States Navy and belonged to the Spruance class . It was named after Vice Admiral Robert W. Hayler (1891–1980).

history

In the 1978 budget year, the US Congress approved the construction of two additional Spruance-class destroyers, but only provided the financial means to build one of the two ships. These two ships were originally intended to be built as DDH (helicopter destroyers). The original plan was therefore to move the flight deck aft and enlarge the hangar. The Sea Sparrow starter would have been moved onto the hangar roof. Instead of two SH-2 SeaSprite helicopters, the ships could have carried either two SH-3 SeaKing or up to four SH-2 or SH-60 Seahawk . Since the costs for the necessary construction work would have exceeded the existing budget, Hayler was finally laid down after the standard configuration of the Spruance class on October 20, 1980.

The commissioning took place on March 5, 1983 and the Hayler was assigned to the Atlantic fleet. She was used, among other things, 1988-89 as the flagship of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) of NATO . During this mission, she collided with the German naval tanker Rhön on October 23, 1988 , both ships were severely damaged, but no personal injury occurred.

In 1991 Hayler underwent a comprehensive modernization, in which the ASROC starter on the forecastle was replaced by a Mk-41 VLS (Vertical Launch System) with 61 cells, so that they are now BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles and the extended-range RUM-139 VL-ASROC could carry with them.

Sinking of the Hayler

Sinking of the Hayler

On August 25, 2003 the Hayler was decommissioned. As part of an exercise, she was sunk on November 13, 2004 as a target ship.

literature

• Michael C. Potter: Electronic Greyhounds: The Spruance-Class Destroyers , Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD 1995; ISBN 1557506825
• Stefan Terzibaschitz: Destroyer of the US Navy , 1993; ISBN 378220395X

Web links

Commons : USS Hayler (DD-997)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Hayler the Naval Vessel Register (Engl.)
• Images of Hayler (Engl.)
• navysite.de: USS Hayler

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://navysite.de/dd/dd997.htm Navysite