According to pictures released by the U.S. Navy on September 1, 2020, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) of the U.S. Navy has conducted live-fire training exercises using its Mark 45, 5-inch gun.
According to pictures released by the U.S. Navy on September 1, 2020, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) of the U.S. Navy has conducted live-fire training exercises using its Mark 45, 5-inch gun.
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The guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) fires a training round from the Mark 45, 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise, September 1, 2020.(Picture source U.S. Navy)
The USS Paul Hamilton is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.
The USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy. Constructed at Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine, Paul Hamilton was commissioned in May 1995, in Charleston, South Carolina.
The 127 mm (5")/54 caliber (Mk 45) lightweight gun is a U.S. naval artillery gun mount consisting of a 127 mm (5 in) L54 Mark 19 gun on the Mark 45 mount. It was designed and built by United Defense, a company later acquired by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, which continued manufacture.
The Mark 45 gun is designed for use against surface warships, anti-aircraft, and shore bombardment to support amphibious operations. The gun mount features an automatic loader with a capacity of 20 rounds. These can be fired under full automatic control, taking a little over a minute to exhaust those rounds at maximum fire rate. For sustained use, the gun mount would be occupied by a six-man crew (gun captain, panel operator, and four ammunition loaders) below deck to keep the gun continuously supplied with ammunition.
The Arleigh Burke class is a guided-missile destroyer built for the United States Naby. She employs all-steel construction and comprises four separate variants or "Flights." DDG 51-71 represent the original design and are designated as Flight I ships; DDG 72-78 are Flight II ships; DDGs 79-116 are Flight IIA ships in service, and will continue through DDGs 124 and 127.
