How Much Does the US Navy Destroyer Fitzgerald Cost? The Shocking Price Tag
Today the Navy Destroyer the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan. Reportedly, the ship suffered damage, which produced flooding that staff have been working hard to reverse.
The destroyer was a guided missile destroyer than had participated in a training exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. But another point brought up by the incident is the question of what is the cost of the Navy Destroyer?
US Navy Destroyer Fitzgerald, History
A navy destroyer is a particularly fast warship that defends others ships in a fleet against attackers. A navy destroyer is technically a “torpedo boat destroyer.” Early destroyers were particularly cramped. But during the World War I era, destroyers were a particularly important part of defense strategy.
In the 1930s, Germany was particularly fond of destroyers and built a huge fleet as part of their armament. Since World War II, destroyers have become larger ships.
The USS Fitzgerald was named after the William Charles Fitzgerald, a US Navy officer. She is part of US Destroyer Squadron 15. The Fitzgerald is deployed to counter ballistic missile threat worldwide.
In 2011, the USS Fitzgerald assisted with relief efforts after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
It’s not clear why the USS Fitzgerald collided with another immense, modern ship. As a result of the collision, the ship suffered damage to its starboard size both above and below deck.
US Navy Destroyer Fitzgerald Cost
Given the resources that go into building a USS Navy destroyer, it’s clear that the costs can truly accumulate. But you’ll never believe just how much destroyers costs: Despite the fact that USS Fitzgerald Navy destroyer was built quite some years ago, it’s estimated that in 2018, the cost is approximately $1.5 billion.
So what does this mean for the US defense budget? Hopefully, the USS Fitzgerald will be able to be salvaged, given the costs that can accumulate in building these.
