Navy Welcomes Ted Stevens, A Next-Gen Destroyer for a New Era

PASCAGOULA, MS – December 29, 2025 – HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division today delivered the guided-missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128) to the U.S. Navy, marking a significant milestone in the nation's naval modernization efforts. The vessel is the second Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer delivered by the shipyard, representing a major technological leap forward for the surface fleet with capabilities designed to counter the most advanced threats of the 21st century.

The delivery comes at a critical time, as the Navy pushes an ambitious fleet expansion plan in response to a complex global security environment. The Ted Stevens and its sister ships are the new backbone of America's maritime power projection.

“The delivery of Ted Stevens reflects the strong momentum of our destroyer program as we accelerate Flight III production and bring enhanced capabilities to the fleet,” said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president, in a statement. “We are honored to deliver DDG 128 to the Navy knowing that it will stand as a powerful asset in strengthening U.S. maritime security for decades to come.”

A New Era of Naval Warfare: The Flight III Advantage

What sets the Flight III destroyers apart is not merely an upgrade, but a fundamental redesign of the ship's combat systems. At the heart of the Ted Stevens lies the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system. This combination provides a monumental increase in detection and engagement capability.

The SPY-6 radar is a true game-changer. Compared to the venerable SPY-1 radar on earlier destroyers, it offers a 30-fold improvement in sensitivity. This allows it to detect and track targets that are half the size at twice the distance, a critical advantage against the growing threat of smaller, faster, and more maneuverable weapons, including hypersonic missiles. Built with advanced gallium nitride (GaN) technology, the radar can simultaneously perform long-range ballistic missile defense and anti-air warfare—a capability that previously required multiple platforms or systems.

Paired with the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, the ship can process this vast amount of sensor data to create a detailed, real-time picture of the battlespace. Its open-architecture design allows for faster software updates and integration of new weapons, ensuring the destroyer can evolve to meet future threats. This technological pairing transforms the destroyer from a fleet escort into a theater-level air and missile defense asset, capable of protecting not just carrier strike groups but entire regions from complex attacks.

Reinforcing the Fleet Amidst Global Tensions

The arrival of the Ted Stevens is a tangible result of the U.S. Navy's urgent push to modernize and expand its fleet. The Navy's long-term shipbuilding plan aims for a future battle force of 381 manned ships, a significant increase intended to maintain an edge over the rapidly growing naval power of potential adversaries, particularly China. The Arleigh Burke-class program, the longest-running destroyer production line in Navy history, is the cornerstone of this strategy.

However, the path to a larger fleet is not straightforward. The Navy projects a temporary dip in its total ship count to as low as 283 vessels by 2027 as older ships are retired faster than new ones can be built. This makes the timely delivery of highly capable platforms like the Flight III destroyers more critical than ever. These multi-mission warships are designed for a wide array of operations, from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to land-attack strikes, making them indispensable assets in any theater of operations.

Building Faster, Smarter: HII's Industrial Strategy

Meeting the Navy's demand requires not just advanced technology, but also a robust and efficient industrial base. Faced with production bottlenecks and a tight labor market, HII has embarked on a 'distributed shipbuilding initiative' to accelerate its production schedule. This strategy involves partnering with other shipyards and fabricators across the country to build and outfit large structural units of the destroyers.

These modules are then transported to the main Ingalls facility in Pascagoula for final assembly and integration. This approach spreads the workload, taps into a wider pool of skilled labor, and aims to increase overall throughput. HII has reported a significant increase in outsourced work hours and is leveraging this model for several ship classes, including the Ted Stevens. This initiative is complemented by internal investments in automation, lean manufacturing processes, and even artificial intelligence to optimize work schedules, all aimed at building ships more efficiently.

To date, Ingalls has delivered 36 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. With four more Flight III ships, including the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), already under construction and another seven in pre-planning stages, the shipyard's production line is a central engine of the Navy's future fleet.

Overcoming Headwinds in a Challenging Industry

Despite the successful delivery, the broader U.S. naval shipbuilding enterprise faces significant headwinds. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports have consistently highlighted systemic issues of cost overruns and production delays across major defense acquisition programs. The price tag for a single Flight III destroyer has climbed to an estimated $2.5 billion, reflecting the immense complexity and advanced materials required.

Furthermore, the entire industry is grappling with a severe workforce shortage. Projections indicate a need for an additional 100,000 skilled shipyard workers in the coming years to meet the Navy's goals, a daunting recruitment and training challenge. While companies like HII have ramped up hiring and improved retention, the gap between demand and supply for experienced labor remains a primary constraint on production capacity.

As the Ted Stevens prepares to join the fleet, it represents both a monumental achievement in naval engineering and a single, critical step in the long and arduous journey to rebuild and modernize America's maritime force for the uncertain decades ahead.