USS Cole (DDG-67) is a modern American guided missile destroyer, the keel of which was laid down in 1994, launched in February 1995, and commissioned into the US Navy in 1996. The ship has an overall length of 154 meters and a beam of 20 meters. The full displacement is about 9,000 tons, and the maximum speed is just over 30 knots. The destroyer is armed with: 2 VLS Mk. 41 - one with 29-rail and one with 61-rail rails, 2 quadruple Harpoon missile launchers, one 127-mm Mark 45 gun or two 20-mm Vulcan Phalanx kits. The ship can use helicopters in flight, for example, the Sikorsky MH-60R. USS Cole (DDG-67) is one of 65 active Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Destroyers of this type were designed, built and are being built as multi-role destroyers, in which, however, a special emphasis was placed on countering air targets. When building these ships, the British experience of the Falklands War was used, and as a result, Kevlar armor was added to the most viable parts of the ships of this class. At the same time, the Arleigh Burke-class ships have a revolutionary AEGIS network combat system, which interacts with the AN/SPY-1 radar, which provides them with unprecedented airspace control and countering air targets. This is the same system used on the Ticonderoga-class cruisers. One of the ships of this class is the USS Cole (DDG-67). The ship was built at the Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship was built to the Flight I standard. Shortly after commissioning, the USS Cole was attacked by terrorists in Yemen on October 12, 2000. The attack was organized by Al-Qaeda and resulted in the death of 17 US Navy sailors. The destroyer was so severely damaged in the attack that it took several months to repair. The unit was not operational until 2002. After the attack, the unit participated in many naval maneuvers, such as COMPUTEX or BALTOPS exercises. In 2017, the unit operated in the Yemen region. Cole remains in active military service.
