American destroyer in CARAT 2014, one of the most capable in the US Navy in PHL June 26

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): American destroyer in CARAT 2014, one of the most capable in the US Navy in PHL June 26

The USS Halsey (DDG-97), one of the four American ships participating in CARAT 2014, is one of the most capable surface combatants of the US Navy.

CARAT refers to "Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training" between the Philippine and US Navies. It is slated for June 26 to July 1.

For starters, the USS Halsey is armed with Mark 45 Model 4 5-inch caliber which is capable of engaging any air and surface targets with a high rate of fire (around 120 rounds per minute) ensuring its neutralization.

The American vessel is expected to be in Philippine waters by June 26.

Aside from this, the ship is also equipped with a 20mmm Phalanx CIWS (closed-in weapon system) which is capable of firing 4,500 rounds per minute, literally creating a cloud of lead impossible for any missile, rocket and aircraft to penetrate.

This weapon is located in the ship's stern.

CIWS acts as the ship's last line of defense against threats emanating from the air.

It operate independent from the ship's other weapon systems.

Other armaments of the USS Halsey are two Mark 41 VLS (vertical launching systems) which are capable of firing a mixture of Standard and Tomahawk missiles, anti-submarine rockets and the evolved Sea Sparrow missile.

The two Mark 41 VLS is equivalent to 96 cells (firing tubes).

Adding more punch to the USS Halsey is it's two MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III which is capable of detecting and destroying submarines.

These aircraft uses sonobouys to locate submarine threats and once determined hostile, it can sink at will using its Mark 46 anti-submarine torpedoes.

The MH-60s has a loiter time of three hours and is capable of conducting aerial and rescue missions.

The USS Halsey is named in honor of Fleet Admiral William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. She was commissioned July 30, 2005 at Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, California.

The USS Halsey is expected to take part in a gunnery exercise that will take place 39 nautical miles southwest off Sampaloc Point, which is located on the lower tip of Zambales this coming June 29.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=655316