USS Hopper facts for kids
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The USS Hopper (DDG-70) is a special kind of warship called a guided missile destroyer. It belongs to the United States Navy. This ship is named after an amazing computer scientist and Rear Admiral named Grace Hopper.
The Hopper is only the second U.S. Navy ship ever named after a woman who served in the Navy herself. It is the 20th ship of its type, known as the Arleigh Burke-class class. Construction of the USS Hopper began on February 23, 1995, at a place called Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship was officially launched and given its name on January 6, 1996. It was put into active service on September 6, 1997, in San Francisco. Commander Thomas D. Crowley was its first leader.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | USS Hopper |
| Namesake | Grace Hopper |
| Ordered | 8 April 1992 |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine |
| Laid down | 23 February 1995 |
| Launched | 6 January 1996 |
| Commissioned | 6 September 1997 |
| Homeport | Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Motto | Aude Et Effice – "Dare And Do" |
| Status | In active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 505 ft (154 m) |
| Beam | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Draft | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Propulsion | 4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower (75 MW) |
| Speed | >30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range |
|
| Complement |
|
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters can be embarked |
The Hopper's Journey and Missions
The USS Hopper has been on many important trips to places like East Asia and the Persian Gulf. These trips are called deployments.
Early Missions and Training
In 1998, the Hopper took part in a big exercise called RIMPAC 98. It also went on three separate PACMEF deployments. In 2004, it joined an Expeditionary Strike Group for a mission in the Persian Gulf. Later, in 2006, it went to Southeast Asia to support a training program called CARAT. The Hopper has also been very important in defending against ballistic missiles.
On April 1, 2002, the Hopper left for a six-month mission to the North Persian Gulf.
Encounter in the Strait of Hormuz
On November 12, 2007, the Hopper set off with the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group. They were heading to the Fifth Fleet and Seventh Fleet areas.
On January 6, 2008, the Hopper was involved in an event with five Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats. The Hopper, along with the cruiser Port Royal and the frigate Ingraham, was entering the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian boats came very close and acted in a way that seemed threatening. The U.S. ships were looking for a sailor who had gone missing from the Hopper.
The U.S. Navy said the Iranian boats came as close as 200 yards (about 183 meters). The U.S. ships heard a radio message saying, "I am coming to you. You will explode after a few minutes." As the U.S. ships got ready to fire, the Iranian boats suddenly turned away. Before leaving, the Iranians dropped white boxes into the water. The U.S. ships did not check these boxes. Officials from both countries had different ideas about how serious the event was.
Recent Deployments and Defense Work
On April 15, 2011, the Hopper left Pearl Harbor for a mission to Asia and the Middle East.
On June 22, 2014, the Hopper used its special Aegis Weapon System. This system helped it find and track a test missile launched from Kwajalein Atoll. The Hopper's radar sent important information to a long-range ground-based interceptor (GBI). This GBI was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. These GBIs help protect the U.S. from missile attacks.
In January 2018, the Hopper sailed close to the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. This was part of a program called "freedom of navigation." China, which controls this area, said the U.S. Navy should have told them before coming so close. China felt this action went against its rights.
The Hopper's Special Design
Every U.S. Navy ship has a unique design called a "coat of arms." This design tells a story about the ship and its purpose.
The Shield's Meaning
The shield on the Hopper's coat of arms is blue. In the middle, there is a gold lion with red claws.
The Crest's Symbols
The crest has a diamond shape with a silver star above a trident. Around this diamond is a wreath with lightning bolts coming from the bottom. The colors blue and gold frame the whole crest.
The Ship's Motto
The ship's motto is written on a white scroll with red edges. The motto is "AUDE ET EFFICE". This means "DARE AND DO" in a way that suggests taking action.
The Official Seal
The full coat of arms is shown in color on a white background. It is inside a dark blue oval border with a gold rope edge. The words "USS HOPPER" are at the top, and "DDG 70" is at the bottom, all in gold.
The Hopper in Movies
The USS Hopper was shown in the 2019 movie Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It was one of the U.S. Navy destroyers at the Monarch's Castle Bravo base. The ship also appeared in an episode of the TV show JAG in 1999.
See also
In Spanish: USS Hopper (DDG-70) para niños
