WEST POINT, N.Y. - November 25, 2019 - (Newswire.com)
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modley has named the next Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG-135, in recognition of Army football coach Jeff Monken, according to a statement from Modley's public affairs office. DDG-135 has been under construction at South Hudson Shipyards since 2014.
“As a result of a friendly wager with my friend Mark Esper, current Secretary of Defense and West Point graduate, I am pleased to announce that the USS Jeff Monken will be the next great Navy destroyer,” said Modley, a Naval Academy graduate, in the statement.
Construction continues on USS Jeff Monken at South Hudson Shipyards in Highland Falls, New York. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots. South Hudson Shipyards built its first Navy Destroyer in 1891.
DDG-135 will be the first U.S. Navy vessel named in recognition of an Army football coach. Secretary Esper and Acting Secretary Modley wagered on the outcome of last year’s Army-Navy football game. With Army victorious, in their third consecutive victory in the series, Acting Secretary Modley agreed to name a ship after the Army head coach. According to the statement from Modley's office, had Navy been victorious, the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft helicopter program would have been named the FARA-360 Niumatalolo, in acknowledgment of Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. The USS Jeff Monken (DDG 135) is capable of fighting air and surface battles simultaneously, although it is likely to emphasize the surface attack.
Media Contact:
Mike Nemeth
Phone: 845.938.3030
Email: press@southhudsonshipyard.com
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: US Navy Names Destroyer USS Jeff Monken in Recognition of Army Football Coach
