Inside the USS Laboon
The USS Laboon is a US Navy destroyer that was built between 1993-1995.
The ship gets its name from Father John Francis Laboon (1921–1988), who was a captain in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Navy and awarded the silver medal during World War 2.
She became the first Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to engage in combat in 1996 when missiles were fired from the ship at targets in Iraq.
In September 2012, the ship was sent to the coast of Libya as part of a “contingency” mission in case it was needed to strike in response to the 2012 diplomatic missions attacks.
The ship can carry 210 enlisted personnel as well as 33 commissioned officers and 38 chief petty officers.
What weapons does the USS Laboon carry?
USS Laboon is no stranger to the Red Sea, having been deployed there in 2018 as part of a campaign against the Syrian government after its use of chemical weapons against its people.
The ship is over 500 ft in length, can reach speeds of 35mph, and holds numerous radars, sensors, and processing systems,
The Laboon also carries a wide range of firepower. It is armed with lightweight guns as well as 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns.
It also carries two Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, surface-to-air missiles, and tomahawk missiles.
On top of this, the Laboon possesses Mark 32, 46, 50, and 54 torpedoes.
