The future destroyer USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), the second Arleigh Burke Flight III-class ship built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, successfully completed its sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of September. Built at the Pascagoula shipyards in Mississippi, the vessel represents one of the most significant milestones in the ongoing modernization of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet.
The Flight III Program is the most advanced evolution of the Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) destroyers, designed to extend the service life of the class while incorporating state-of-the-art air and missile defense capabilities. This year, program milestones have included the launch of the Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) in March—the third Flight III destroyer, currently undergoing systems integration—and the construction order placed in August for an additional destroyer under the multi-year contract signed in 2023, which covers up to 15 units.
Regarding the Ted Stevens, the completion of its sea trials adds to a sequence of achievements during which propulsion, navigation, engineering, and combat systems were tested and verified—including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 air and missile defense radar, the core element of the new Flight III configuration. These trials validated the ship’s capability to counter aerial and ballistic threats in high-demand and contested environments.
Finally, with the delivery of the Ted Stevens expected following acceptance trials, the U.S. Navy continues to strengthen its air and missile defense capabilities. The combination of new Flight III units and the modernization of previous destroyers ensures that the Arleigh Burke class will remain the backbone of the surface fleet well into the 2040s.
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