page_title: USS Arthur W. Radford
section_title: Later career and collision
hierarchical_section_title: USS Arthur W. Radford / Later career and collision
caption_attribution_description: English: The U.S.Navy&#8217;s nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and guided missile destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford (DDG 968) conduct replenishment at sea operations in the western Mediterranean Sea, July 11, 1996. Both vessels are nearing the completion of a scheduled six-month deployment. George Washington&#8217;s battle group has sustained operations in support of the NATO-led peace keeping efforts in Bosnia under Operation Decisive Endeavor in the Adriatic Sea, and UN sponsored sanctions against Iraq, under Operation Southern Watch in the Arabian Gulf. 中文（简体）‎: 美国海军华盛顿号航空母舰 - 华盛顿号航空母舰(USS George Washington CVN-73)是美国尼米兹级核动力航空母舰的六号舰。在图中华盛顿号正与僚舰亚瑟·瑞德福号导向导弹驱逐舰(USS Arthur W. Radford DDG-968)并排航行于西地中海上，作为北约主导的“果断奉献行动”(Operation Decisive Endeavor)与联合国支持的“南方守望行动”(Operation Southern Watch)之武力支援。照片摄于1996年7月11日。 中文（繁體）‎: 美國海軍華盛頓號航空母艦 - 華盛頓號航空母艦(USS George Washington CVN-73)是美國尼米茲級核動力航空母艦的六號艦。在圖中華盛頓號正與僚艦亞瑟·瑞德福號導向飛彈驅逐艦(USS Arthur W. Radford DDG-968)併排航行於西地中海上，作為北約主導的「果斷奉獻行動」(Operation Decisive Endeavor)與聯合國支持的「南方守望行動」(Operation Southern Watch)之武力支援。照片攝於1996年7月11日。
context_page_description: USS Arthur W. Radford was a Spruance-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Admiral Arthur W. Radford USN, the first naval officer to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  Arthur W. Radford was laid down 31 January 1974 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi and launched on 1 March 1975, sponsored by Mrs. Arthur Radford, the admiral's widow. Arthur W. Radford was commissioned on 16 April 1977, and decommissioned on 18 March 2003, after serving 26 years. On 10 August 2011, her hull was scuttled off the coast of Delaware, to form part of an artificial reef.
context_section_description: As of 31 August 1995, Arthur W. Radford was to become part of Destroyer Squadron 26.
  In May 1997, Arthur W. Radford received the first shipboard installation of the Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor System which fully integrates advanced materials, structures, and manufacturing technologies with sensor technology, electromagnetics, and signature reduction to achieve improved warfighting capabilities.
  On 4 February 1999 at about 23:34, Arthur W. Radford collided with the Saudi Riyadh, (IMO number: 7900053) a 29,259-ton, 656-foot (200 m)-long, roll-on/roll-off container ship, which was preparing to enter the Chesapeake Bay bound for Baltimore. According to the Navy, Arthur W. Radford was conducting calibration tests on electronic warfare equipment at the time of the collision. As a part of that test, the ship had been sailing in circles around an electronic buoy for six hours prior to the collision. Saudi Riyadh, meanwhile, was approaching the Chesapeake Bay from the northeast, preparing to line up in the shipping lanes before taking on a marine pilot for its eventual trip to Baltimore.
  When the two ships collided, Saudi Riyadh's bow struck the starboard side of Arthur W. Radford, about 30 feet (9 m) behind its bow. Saudi Riyadh sustained a four-foot-high, 30-foot (9 m)-long gash along the port and starboard sides of its bow, with most of the damage to its port side. Arthur W. Radford, more heavily damaged, sustained a deep gash on its starboard side, penetrating nearly 25 feet (8 m) into the main deck, ripping a pie-shaped gash and penetrating into the centerline of Arthur W. Radford. A hole ran from the deck to the waterline. The collision toppled its 5-inch 54-caliber gun and damaged Tomahawk cruise missile tubes. One sailor aboard suffered a broken arm, and 12 more had various injuries. The ship entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard Drydock #3 25 February 1999.
  Arthur W. Radford sustained an estimated $32.7 million in damages and the damage prevented the ship from leaving 26 March on a scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea with the carrier Theodore Roosevelt battle group. Repairs aboard Arthur W. Radford were completed on 13 September and the destroyer then deployed with the Eisenhower battle group. As a result of the collision, the commanding officer was relieved 13 February 1999. In June 2000, a US court affixed liability at 65% Saudi Riyadh / 35% Arthur W. Radford. Neither the US Navy commanding officer nor the cargo ship's master were on the bridge or consulted prior to the collision.
  Arthur W. Radford deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf 3 April to 1 October 2000.
caption: Arthur W. Radford replenishes from USS George Washington (CVN-73) in the Mediterranean in 1996.
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