US Navy ship arrives in Vietnam

A US Navy ship named USS Curtis Wilbur DDG54 arrived at the Tien Sa Port in Vietnam's central Da Nang city Wednesday morning, starting its six-day visit to the country.

The guided-missile destroyer with 338 officers and sailors on board under the command of commanding officer John P. Lauer will pay visits to local administrative and military authorities and some facilities in the city, and have friendly sports games with local sailors.

The destroyer's officers are scheduled to pay courtesy visits to the Da Nang People's Committee, Vietnam's Zone 5 Military Command, and the country's Region 3 Navy Command on Wednesday afternoon.

Its crew members will play volleyball matches with local sailors and visit a vocational training school designated for street children in the city on Friday.

The 154-meter long ship's armament includes two MK 41 VLS for Standard missiles, Tomahawk and Harpoon missile launchers, one MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun and two Phalanx CIWS, MK 46 torpedoes. It has no aircraft, but its landing deck is equipped with LAMPS 3 electronics for coordinated DDG/helicopter ASW operations.