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 | The Sullivans | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-68 | |||
| 29 May | Grafton | Type 23 frigate | F80 | |||
| 28 June | Ross | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-71 | |||
| 30 June | Scott | Scott-class ocean survey vessel | H131 | |||
| 4 July | Sutherland | Type 23 frigate | F81 | |||
| 6 September | Hopper | Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | DDG-70 | |||
| 20 September | Bataan | Wasp-class amphibious assault ship | LHD-5 |