Two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, undergoing their final stages of construction, successfully conducted the first-ever DDG 51 class Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) testing during the week of April 8-12, 2002.
On April 10, USS Shoup (DDG 86) conducted a two-way transfer of radar data with USS Cape St. George (CG 71). Cape St. George was in the Gulf of Mexico near Pascagoula preparing for a joint exercise.
On April 11, USS McCampbell (DDG 85), while finishing initial outfitting at
Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, successfully established a CEC link with a CEC capable E-2C Hawkeye from Naval Air Station, Patuxtent River, Md.
"This is a significant step forward for both the CEC and AEGIS shipbuilding programs," said Capt. David Lewis, Program Manager for AEGIS Shipbuilding.
"While CEC has been successfully deployed on several AEGIS cruisers, this represents the first successful installation of CEC on AEGIS destroyers."
The CEC installation on Shoup and McCampbell demonstrated a highly integrated approach between the CEC Program, the AEGIS Shipbuilding Program, and the two shipbuilders.
Naval Sea Systems Command's Program Executive Officer for Theater Surface Combatants manages the Navy's CEC program.
Source: NAVSEA News Wire