The USS Nitze (DDG-94) is an Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer and is based in Naval Station Norfolk, which is the largest naval base in the world. From here, the ship has deployed on numerous missions and operations. The Nitze forms part of Destroyer Squadron 26 and was deployed with USS Farragut (DDG-99), USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), USS Truxtun (DDG-103) as part of Carrier Strike Group 10 led by USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). This deployment started on July 17, 2022, and is expected to last till next July, bringing the total time the Nitze will have spent deployed to around 1 year before returning to its home port.
The Nitze was commissioned in 2005 and is scheduled for a two-year upgrade when in the home port of Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The upgrades are expected to extend the ship’s service life for a total of approximately 40 years. The ship has a crew of 350 highly trained sailors who operate the ship’s advanced weapons and systems.
The USS Nitze is currently under the command of Commander Katie Jacobson. In a recent interview, Commander Katie Jacobson talked about the importance of Women’s Month and the contributions that women have made to the US Navy. The Nitze is a great example of how women are serving in all capacities within the US military.
The Nitze is equipped with two MH-60R helicopters, which are used for a variety of missions including search and rescue, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. The ship has used MH-60R helicopters to evacuate sailors to land for medical reasons and to the carrier. The helicopters are equipped with dipping sonars for submarine warfare, which can detect submarines hiding underwater. Both helicopters are part of HSM-48 which stands for Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48. It is a United States Navy helicopter squadron that specializes in anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.
The squadron is based at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. Its primary mission is to operate the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in support of the US Navy’s carrier strike groups and other naval assets. The MH-60R is a highly advanced helicopter that is equipped with a variety of sensors and weapons systems, including radar, sonar, and torpedoes.
The military serials of the helicopters observed on board USS Nitze (DDG-94) are the following:
- MH-60R 168092/HR-513 HSM-48
- MH-60R 168145/HR-516 HSM-48
As a guided missile destroyer, the Nitze is armed with a variety of weapons including surface-to-air missiles, defense missiles, and depth charges. These weapons allow the ship to defend itself against incoming threats from the air, surface, and underwater. The Nitze’s advanced technology and highly trained crew make it a valuable asset to the US Navy and a key component of the country’s defense strategy.
Military Aviation Reachout would like to thank the United States Embassy and the United States Navy for the opportunity to visit and tour USS Nitze (DDG-94). It was an incredibly informative and enjoyable experience, and we learned a lot about the ship’s capabilities and its recent work in the Mediterranean.
