USS Carl M. Levin joins fleet at Pearl Harbor

Aug. 10—The Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class guided- missile destroyer, the USS Carl M. Levin, arrived at its home port of Pearl Harbor on Monday.

The ship was christened Oct. 2, 2021, at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, where it was built, and was commissioned June 24 in Baltimore. The ship is named for the late Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, who chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee from 2001-2003 and again from 2007 until his retirement in 2015.

"USS Carl M. Levin honors the legacy and achievements of a great American senator who always placed service of others above self," said Cmdr. Kelly Craft, the destroyer's commanding officer, in a Navy news release. "Symbolized in U.S. steel, the crew has worked tirelessly to bring her to life and sail her to our home port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. We are proud to join our comrades in the defense of Hawaii, ready to take on any challenge and always remain tenacious in the fight."

According to the news release, the ship conducted training along the way to Hawaii, with its crew earning certifications in underway refueling and resupply at sea, supporting aircraft operations, gun shoots, small-boat operations, and other areas. It also made port calls at naval bases in Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida and San Diego, and stopped in Oranjestad, Aruba, before continuing through the Panama Canal and visiting Manta, Ecuador.

In Hawaii, the Levin joins Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, part of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, and is expected to largely support operations in the region.