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USS ''Paul F. Foster'' (DD-964), named for Vice Admiral Paul F. Foster USN (1889–1972), was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. She commissioned on 21 February 1976 and decommissioned on 27 March 2003. She now serves as a test ship for experimental U.S. Navy weapons and sensors. == History == As the initial ''Spruance''-class destroyer assigned to the Pacific Fleet, ''Paul F. Foster'' had many milestone firsts, including successfully firing a NATO Sea Sparrow missile, demonstrating the feasibility of landing H-46 helicopters, and determining the operational limits of the SH-3 helicopter. Operating out of San Diego, ''Paul F. Foster'' became the first ''Spruance''-class destroyer to deploy to the Western Pacific in March 1978. The ship deployed again in 1979 and 1982, serving in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.〔 ''Paul F. Foster'' joined Destroyer Squadron Nine and moved to its new home port of Long Beach, California, in August 1983. She became the Navy's first "all electric destroyer" after major modifications at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which included the addition of a fourth ship's service gas turbine generator.〔 On 29 August 1984, ''Paul F. Foster'' began its fourth Western Pacific deployment as Destroyer Squadron Nine's flagship, with then Desron Nine Commodore, T.O. Gabriel and his staff embarked aboard, leading a five-ship surface action group and participating in several major allied fleet exercises.〔 During a fifth deployment beginning in August 1986 with Desron Nine as part of the Battle Group, ''Paul F. Foster'' was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her performance in Operation Kernel Potlatch in the North Pacific and Bering Sea.〔 From July 1987 through July 1988, ''Paul F. Foster'' completed a regular overhaul at Northwest Marine Iron Works in Portland, Oregon. During the overhaul the ship received over 55 major ship alterations, including installation of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System for Tomahawk cruise missiles, the AN/SQQ-89 Anti-Submarine Warfare Detection System, and facilities to employ the Navy's most sophisticated submarine helicopter, the LAMPS MkIII.〔 ''Paul F. Foster'' departed on its sixth Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment on 24 February 1989 in company with the Battle Group. Conducting North Arabian Sea operations, the ship was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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