The list of ship commissionings in 1997 includes a chronological list of all ships commissioned in 1997.
| Operator | Ship | Flag | Class and type | Pennant | Other notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 April |  United States Navy | The Sullivans | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-68 | ||
| 29 May |  Royal Navy | Grafton | Type 23 frigate | F80 | ||
| 28 June | United States Navy | Ross | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-71 | ||
| 30 June | Royal Navy | Scott | Scott-class ocean survey vessel | H131 | ||
| 4 July | Royal Navy | Sutherland | Type 23 frigate | F81 | ||
| 6 September | United States Navy | Hopper | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-70 | ||
| 20 September | United States Navy | Bataan | Wasp-class amphibious assault ship | LHD-5 |