USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) Wins ASW Bloodhound Award

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) was awarded the prestigious 2012 Bloodhound Award for the Atlantic Fleet on March 20, 2013.

This award is presented to one Atlantic Fleet and one Pacific Fleet ship each year for exceptional performance in the areas of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) proficiency, preparedness, and training.

To begin the year, Roosevelt received an upgrade to its sonar suite including the addition of a towed array. The hard work and attention to detail demonstrated by Roosevelt's sonar team ensured a seamless transition to the new system.

The team experienced a minor setback when it came to software installation. Due to software certification issues Roosevelt received Advanced Capabilities Build (ACB) 09 and certified fully with this software version.

Just two weeks later at a port visit to Fleet Week New York, Roosevelt received and tested a completely different version, ACB 11. Because of the sonar team's flexibility and dedication, Roosevelt conducted follow-on testing with this new software, and later was selected as one of only two ships with ACB 11 installed to participate in developmental testing and system certification with Combat Systems Ship Quality Testing (CSSQT).

As Roosevelt progressed through CSSQT, test directors noted the ship was best, most engaged and ready-for-tasking ship seen in a CSSQT. While hosting experts from John Hopkins University, University of Texas Advanced Research Laboratory and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Roosevelt's team simultaneously verified system functionality and helped define the operational requirements of the system.

Upon completion of CSSQT, the ship's ASW team set their sights on the upcoming training cycle and ASW Qualification. Due to a compressed training cycle, they set an aggressive training schedule, often working late into the night to train and prepare. To wrap up ASW certification for the year, Roosevelt successfully completed the first certification event with a score of 87.6 percent, and scored 90.5 percent on the second.

Upon learning of the award, Roosevelt Commanding Officer Commander Jay Clark said it highlighted the ship's capabilities. "We're very honored," he said, adding that, "our ASW team's dedication to maximum material readiness and ability to adapt rapidly truly earned us this award as the best ASW team in the Atlantic Fleet."

USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) is homeported in Mayport, Fla.

For more information on USS Roosevelt, please check out their command website: http://www.ddg-roosevelt.navy.mil/ or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USS-Roosevelt-DDG80/106325562771643

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