HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has completed the second builder’s sea trials for the U.S. Navy’s future guided-missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128).
This follows initial trials in September and marks another step toward delivery of the ship, one of the U.S. Navy’s new Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
Over several days in the Gulf of America, Ingalls and U.S. Navy crews conducted extensive testing of Ted Stevens’ main propulsion, combat systems, and other key components. According to Ingalls, the trials also included hull, mechanical, and electrical evaluations to verify the ship’s readiness for upcoming acceptance trials.
“The Ingalls and Navy team demonstrated tremendous teamwork during this trial and are fully committed to delivering DDG 128 to the fleet,” said Ben Barnett, Ingalls Shipbuilding’s DDG Program Manager.
“As we move forward, our focus remains on ensuring every system is thoroughly tested and fully operational. I extend my gratitude to our test and trials team for their contributions to the ongoing success of the destroyer program.”
The ship’s latest trials featured tests of the Flight III AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar system and Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, both major upgrades that enhance situational awareness, missile defence, and sensor capability.
Ingalls said these systems represent the most advanced integration yet of radar and combat technologies for the Arleigh Burke-class, validating performance ahead of the vessel’s delivery.
The Flight III variant is designed to give the U.S. Navy greater air and missile defence capacity through more powerful radars and upgraded power generation systems. Ingalls has already delivered 35 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the Navy, including the first Flight III, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125).
Five more ships in the series are currently under construction: Ted Stevens, Jeremiah Denton, George M. Neal, Sam Nunn, and Thad Cochran, the last of which authenticated its keel on 23 October.
Probably the single most capable air defence platform globally. Very impressive ship.
Another 13 are approved for construction on top of those listed in the article. Up to 42 Flight IIIs may be built. If that happens at the rate of 2 a year, their current target, then they could still be building them into the mid 2040s.
Remarkable story. Construction of the class could span more than 60 years in total.
Evolutionary approach has succeeded in the animal kingdom, perhaps also in the maritime realm? USN has been less than entirely successful w/ the introduction of recent revolutionary classes of vessels (e.g., LCS, first iteration of Zumwalt class, etc ). Reasonable approach to place a bet on an evolutionary approach when the stakes are existential. 🤔🤞
Compare that to our tied up, U/S Darings and a past procurement mistake is glaringly obvious.
Are you suggesting we could’ve ever bought or operated a Burke class
I think the comparing other nations’ procurement woes to those of the USN is a losing strategy. The USN are procurement ineptitude incarnate.
Besides the LCS and Zumwalt, no they aren’t. The Nimitz class is stellar. Ford is working out fine.
The USN is usually the first adopter of new high tech, they don’t get the benefit of someone else figuring it out first.
Did you forget about the ongoing madness of the Constellation-class frigate programme?
The Ford programme might charitably be called ‘alright’. There have been major problems. The ship still has not operated its F-35C complement. The weapons elevators delayed delivery significantly and contributed to cost increases, for example. With the recently announced intentions to return to steam-powered catapults on the future Ford-class carriers, there’s a procurement nightmare in the waiting, even if Trump is ultimately talked down.
The incredibly slow submarine production is another failing in the Virginia submarine procurement, for example. There are countless other examples.
Yes, the US frequently introduces new technology. However, that shouldn’t come at cost to procurement.
The latest from Trumpton, is that he will sign an executive order to make sure the next carriers in the production line use “steam catapults”, as they work on the Nimitz class!
Must be nice to have the capital to halt a build schedule and implement a redesign, along with standing up a new logistics tail!
The Cousins build very impressive ships but mama mia, the names…
Gulf of America? When did we start calling it that!?
Isn’t it the Gulf of Mexico?
I have to admit that I laughed when I read that part of the article.