The US Navy’s latest guided-missile destroyer, Ted Stevens (DDG 128), has officially departed from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division and is en route to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia. This vessel, the third in the Arleigh Burke-class Flight III configuration, carries the name of former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, who was a notable advocate for military modernization and a pivotal figure in Alaska’s statehood. Stevens, a decorated veteran of World War II Army Air Corps, is honored through this advanced naval platform.
The Ted Stevens recently completed its final trials in November 2025 and is set to be commissioned later this year in Whittier, Alaska. Designed principally to protect carrier strike groups, the destroyer is equipped to carry out a range of missions such as anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and electronic warfare.
One of the ship’s significant features is its advanced AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar system, paired with the sophisticated Aegis Baseline 10 combat system. This technological integration positions the destroyer to effectively confront contemporary threats, including intricate cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as emerging hypersonic challenges.
Chris Brown, the program manager for the Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG 51 program, noted that the sail-away of the Ted Stevens underscores the ongoing momentum in the delivery of Flight III destroyers, emphasizing the team’s commitment to providing the fleet with capable and combat-ready ships.
In the broader context, the US Navy has placed orders for a total of 24 Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers. HII Ingalls Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works are the primary contractors driving this program. The inaugural Flight III destroyer, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), was delivered in June 2023. Currently, five more Flight III ships are under construction: Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), George M. Neal (DDG 131), Sam Nunn (DDG 133), Thad Cochran (DDG 135), and John F. Lehman (DDG 137).
Additionally, several other destroyers, including Telesforo Trinidad (DDG 139), Ernest E. Evans (DDG 141), Charles French (DDG 142), Richard J. Danzig (DDG 143), Intrepid (DDG 145), Robert Kerrey (DDG 146), and Ray Mabus (DDG 147), are currently in early pre-planning and material procurement stages. The ongoing development of these advanced destroyers highlights the US Navy’s commitment to modernizing its fleet in response to evolving defense needs.
