_transits_the_Atlantic_Ocean.jpg) USSRoosevelt, a Flight IIAArleigh Burke–class destroyer at sea | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Arleigh Burke class |
| Builders | |
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by | |
| Succeeded by | |
| Cost | US$2.2 billion per ship (FY2024)[1][N 1] |
| Built | 1988–2011, 2013–present |
| In commission | 1991–present |
| Planned | 99 |
| On order | Flight III: 15 |
| Building | Flight III: 6 |
| Completed | 78 (Active ships + 2 Flight III and 2 Flight IIA Technology Insertion) |
| Active |
|
| Retired | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Guided-missile destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 66 ft (20 m)[2] |
| Draft | 31 ft (9.4 m)[2] |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | In excess of 30knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)[6] |
| Range | 4,400 nmi (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)[2] |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 ×rigid-hull inflatable boats[12] |
| Complement | |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Armor | 130 tons ofKevlar splinter protection around vital areas[17] |
| Aircraft carried |
|
| Aviation facilities |
|
TheArleigh Burke class ofguided-missile destroyers (DDGs) is aUnited States Navyclass of destroyers centered around theAegis Combat System and theSPY-1D multifunctionpassive electronically scanned arrayradar. The class is named afterArleigh Burke, an American destroyer admiral inWorld War II and laterChief of Naval Operations. With an overall length of 505 to 509.5 feet (153.9 to 155.3 m), displacement ranging from 8,300 to 9,700 tons, and weaponry including over 90 missiles, theArleigh Burke–class destroyers are larger and more heavily armed than many previous classes ofguided-missile cruisers.
Thesewarships are multimission destroyers able to conductantiaircraft warfare with Aegis andsurface-to-air missiles; tactical land strikes withTomahawk missiles;antisubmarine warfare (ASW) withtowed array sonar,antisubmarine rockets, andASW helicopters; andantisurface warfare (ASuW) withship-to-ship missiles and guns. With upgrades to their AN/SPY-1 radar systems and their associated missile payloads as part of theAegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, as well as the introduction of theAN/SPY-6 radar system, the class has also evolved capability as mobileantiballistic missile andantisatellite platforms.
Thelead ship of the class,USS Arleigh Burke, was commissioned during Admiral Burke's lifetime on 4 July 1991. With the decommissioning of the lastSpruance-class destroyer,USS Cushing, on21 September 2005, theArleigh Burke–class ships became the U.S. Navy's only active destroyers until theZumwalt class became active in 2016. TheArleigh Burke class has the longest production run of any U.S. Navysurface combatant. As of January 2025,[update] 74 are active, with 25 more planned to enter service.
TheArleigh Burke-class destroyer has four variants, referred to as "flights". Newer flights incorporate technological advancements.[2]
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TheArleigh Burke-class ships are among the largest destroyers built in the United States;[18] only theSpruance,Kidd (563 ft or 172 m), andZumwalt classes (600 ft or 180 m) are longer. TheArleigh Burke class was designed with a new, large, water-plane area-hull form characterized by a wide, flaring bow, which significantly improvesseakeeping ability and permits high speed in highsea states.[2] The class's design incorporatesstealth techniques, such as the angled (rather than traditional vertical) surfaces and the raked tripod mainmast, which make the ship more difficult to detect by radar.[19][20]
Its designers incorporated lessons from theTiconderoga-class cruiser, which the Navy deemed too expensive to continue building and difficult to upgrade further.[21] For these destroyers, the U.S. Navy returned to all-steel construction, except the mast made of aluminum.[22] TheTiconderogas had combined a steel hull with a superstructure made of lighter aluminum to reduce top weight, but the lighter metal proved vulnerable to cracking. Aluminum is also less fire-resistant than steel;[23] a 1975 fire aboardUSS Belknap gutted her aluminum superstructure.[24] Battle damage toRoyal Navy ships exacerbated by their aluminum superstructures during the 1982Falklands War supported the decision to use steel. Other lessons from the Falklands War led to the Navy's decision to protect theArleigh Burke class's vital spaces with double-spaced steel layers, which create a buffer againstanti-ship missiles (AShMs), andKevlarspall liners.[25] A design study called "Cruiser Baseline" was made for a ship that would incorporate the capabilities of the VLS-capableTiconderoga class on a hull and superstructure designed to the same standards as theArleigh Burke, although this study was for analytical purposes only and no such ship was built.[26]
Arleigh Burke destroyers are equipped withAN/SLQ-32electronic warfare (EW) suites that provideelectronic support.[2] Vessels with the SLQ-32(V)3, SLQ-32(V)6, or SLQ-32(V)7 variant canjam radars.[27][28]
The destroyers haveMark 36 infrared andchaff decoy launchers, as well asNulka decoy launchers, for spoofing incoming AShMs.[29][30] For defeating incoming torpedoes, the class has twoAN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed countermeasures.[31] The ships'Prairie-Maskers can reduce their radiated noise.[32]
A collective protection system makes theArleigh Burke class the first U.S. warships designed with an air-filtration system againstnuclear, biological, and chemical warfare (NBC).[33] Other NBC defenses include double air-locked hatches, pressurized compartments, and an external countermeasure washdown system.[34] The class's electronics are hardened againstelectromagnetic pulses.[35] Fire suppression equipment includes water sprinklers in the living quarters andcombat information center (CIC).[25]
TheArleigh Burke class are multi-mission ships[13] with numerous combat systems, including anti-aircraft missiles, land attack missiles, ship-to-ship missiles, and ananti-submarine warfare (ASW) system.[25] Missiles are stored in and fired fromMark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) cells; with 90 cells on Flights I–II and 96 cells starting with Flight IIA,[36] theArleigh Burkes are more heavily armed than many precedingguided-missile cruiser classes.[18] TheArleigh Burke-class destroyer is equipped with theAegis Combat System, which combines information from the ship's sensors to display a coherent image of the environment and guides weapons to targets using advanced tracking and fire control.[37]
Their main radar differs from traditional mechanically rotating radars. Instead, Aegis uses theAN/SPY-1Dpassive electronically scanned array (or theAN/SPY-6active electronically scanned array on Flight III ships), which allows continual tracking of targets simultaneous to area scans. The system's computer control also allows centralization of the previously separate tracking and targeting functions. The system is resistant toelectronic countermeasures.[38][39][40]
%2c_and_the_guided_missile_destroyers_USS_Roosevelt_(DDG_80)%2c_USS_Carney_(DDG_64)_and_USS_The_Sullivans_(DDG_68)_launch_a_coordinated_volley_of_missiles_d.jpg)
TheStandard MissileSM-2MR/ER andSM-6 provide area air defense, though they may also be used in a secondary anti-ship role.[41] The SM-2 usessemi-active radar homing (SARH); up to three targets may be simultaneously intercepted as theArleigh Burkes have threeAN/SPG-62 fire-control radars for terminal target illumination.[42][13] The SM-6, which provides over-the-horizon defense,[43] and the SM-2 Block IIIC feature a dual-mode seeker withactive radar homing (ARH) capability; they do not have to rely on external illumination, so more targets may be intercepted simultaneously.[44][45]
Flights IIA and III—and modernized Flight I and II ships—can carryRIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSMs),[46][47][48] which provide medium-range air defense and are also capable of targeting other ships. ESSM is small enough to be quad-packed into a single Mk 41 VLS cell. ESSM Block 1 uses SARH, guided similarly to older SM-2s. ESSM Block 2, which achievedinitial operating capability (IOC) in 2021, features a dual-mode seeker with ARH capability.[49]
TheSM-3, SM-6, and SM-2ER Block IV provide Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), the SM-3 being an exoatmospheric interceptor[50] and the latter two having terminal phase anti-ballistic capability.[51][43] So vital has theAegis BMD role become that all ships of the class are being updated with BMD capability.[52] By January 2023, there were 51 BMD-capableArleigh Burke-class destroyers.[53] Flight III ships have been delivered since 2023 with AN/SPY-6(V)1 radars and improved BMD capabilities; Flight IIA ships are also planned to receive these upgrades with AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar retrofits.[54]
Flights I and II carry two stand-aloneHarpoon anti-ship missile launchers for a total of four or eight Harpoons,[55] providing an anti-ship capability with a range in excess of 65nautical miles (120 km; 75 mi).[2] DuringExercise RIMPAC 2024,DDG-62, a Flight I ship, launched aNaval Strike Missile (NSM); the launchers for the Harpoons were removed to make room for the NSM's proprietary launch boxes.[56][57] TheLong Range Anti-Ship Missile could be used from the class's VLS, as it has been tested with theSelf Defense Test Ship.[58]
The class can perform tactical land strikes with VLS-launchedTomahawks.[2] With the development of the Tomahawk Block V, all existing Block IV Tomahawks carried will be converted to the Block V. The Tomahawk Block Va version is called the Maritime Strike version, and it provides anti-ship capability in addition to its land attack role. The Block Vb version features the Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System for hitting a wider variety of land targets.[59][60]
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Arleigh Burke-class ships have theAN/SQQ-89 ASW combat system, which is integrated with Aegis. It encompasses theAN/SQS-53C bow-mounted sonar and a towed array sonar, though several Flight IIA ships do not have a towed array.[61] The towed array is either the AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) or the newer TB-37U Multi-Function Towed Array (MFTA). The ships can carrystandoffRUM-139 vertical launchanti-submarine rockets. AMark 32 tripletorpedo tubes mount on each side of the ship can fireMark 46,Mark 50, orMark 54 lightweight torpedoes for short-range ASW. The ships can detect anti-shipmines at a range of about 1,400 meters.[62][63]
All ships of the class are fitted with at least onePhalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), which providespoint defense against air and surface threats. Eight ships (DDG-51,DDG-64,DDG-71,DDG-75,DDG-78,DDG-80,DDG-84,DDG-117) are equipped with oneSeaRAM CIWS for improved self-defense.[64][65][66][67][68]Arleigh Burkes can also carry two 25 mmMk 38 machine gun systems, one on each side of the ship, designed to counter fast surface craft.[69] There are numerous mounts forcrew-served weapons like theM2 Browning.[70]
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Located on the forward deck is the5-inch (127 mm) Mark 45 gun. Directed by theMark 34 Gun Weapon System, it can be used in anti-ship, anti-air, andnaval gunfire support (NGFS) roles. It can fire 16–20 rounds per minute and has a range of 13 nautical miles (24 km).[N 4][73]Arleigh Burkes can stow 680 5-inch rounds.[74][71]
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As of 2023, six destroyers (DDG-100,DDG-104,DDG-105,DDG-106,DDG-111,DDG-113) are equipped with theOptical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN), adirected energy weapon that can target unmanned vehicles.[75][76][77][78]DDG-88 is equipped with the higher-powerHigh Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS).[79]
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Flights IIA and III have two hangars for stowingMH-60 helicopters. TheirLight Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter system improves the ship's capabilities by enabling the MH-60 to monitor submarines and surface ships, launch torpedoes and missiles against them, and provide fire support during insertions/extractions with machine guns andHellfire anti-armor guided missiles. The helicopters also serve in a utility role, able to performvertical replenishment,search and rescue,medical evacuation, communications relay, and naval gunfire spotting and controlling.[80]
In March 2022, anArleigh Burke destroyer was deployed with anAAI Aerosondeunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The aircraft is under demonstration for Flight I and II ships, which do not have accommodations for permanently storing helicopters. The Aerosonde has a small enough footprint to be stowed on those destroyers. It can perform missions such asintelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at a much lower cost than manned helicopters.[81]
TheChief of Naval Operations (CNO) from 1970 to 1974, AdmiralElmo Zumwalt, sought to improve the U.S. Navy through modernization at minimal cost. Zumwalt's approach to the fleet was a "high-low mix"—a few high-end, high-cost warships supplemented by numerous low-end, low-cost warships. The introduction of the Aegis-equippedTiconderoga-class cruiser in the early 1980s filled the high end. The Navy started work to develop a lower-cost Aegis-equipped vessel to fill the low end and replace the agingCharles F. Adams[82][83][84] andFarragut class destroyers, along with theLeahy andBelknap class cruisers.[85]
In 1980, the U.S. Navy initiated design studies with seven contractors. By 1983, the number of competitors had been reduced to three:Bath Iron Works,Ingalls Shipbuilding, andTodd Shipyards.[33] On 3 April 1985, Bath Iron Works received a US$321.9 million contract to build the first of the class, USSArleigh Burke.[86]Gibbs & Cox was awarded the contract to be the lead ship design agent.[87] The Navy contracted Ingalls Shipbuilding to build the second ship.[88]
Political restraints led to design restrictions, including the absence of helicopter hangars, a displacement limit of 8,300 tons, and a 50-foot shorter hull than theTiconderoga's. To compensate for the limited length, a wide flaring bow was incorporated to maintain favorable seakeeping characteristics, and the originally planned 80,000-shaft-horsepower (shp)LM2500 gas turbines were upgraded to 100,000 shp.[82] No main gun was included in the original design, later amended to include anOTO Melara 76 mm, before finally selecting the 5-inch/54-caliber Mark 45.[17][84] Despite their constraints, the designers benefited from insight gained from previous classes; for example, they chose an all-steel superstructure to improve survivability.[25]
The total cost of the first ship was $1.1 billion, the other $778 million being for the ship's weapons systems.[86] USSArleigh Burke was laid down by the Bath Iron Works atBath, Maine, on 6 December 1988, and launched on 16 September 1989 by Mrs. Arleigh Burke. The Admiral himself was present at her commissioning ceremony on 4 July 1991, held on the waterfront in downtownNorfolk, Virginia.[82] Orders for Flight I ships continued through 1995.[citation needed]
The Flight II iteration of the class was introduced in FY1992.[2] The incorporation of the AN/SRS-1A(V)Combat Direction Finding enhanced detection of signals.[89] TheTADIX-B,JTIDS Command and Control Processor, andLink 16 improved communication with other assets.[90] The SLQ-32 EW suite was upgraded to (V)3, and theSPS-67(V)3 surface search radar was upgraded to (V)5.[91] Flight II also gained the capability to launch and control the SM-2ER Block IV.[92] An expansion of fuel capacity slightly increased the displacement.[22]
Work on a much improved design known as Flight III began in 1988, to be first procured in FY 1994. This design had a 40 foot plug amidships to provide greater volume for combat systems,[93] and was of aflush deck configuration.[94] Its main improvements were in ASW performance, with hangars and support facilities for twoSH-60B LAMPS III helicopters and compatibility with the under developmentRUM-125 Sea Lance. The ship'sAAW performance was also enhanced, with 32 additional VLS cells forwards,Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), integrated Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD) systems, and air warfare commander facilities to coordinate the actions of aCSG in air defense, as was found on theTiconderoga-class cruisers.[95] The new AN/SAR-8 also provided the ship with aninfrared search and track capability, andfiber optical cables replaced copper to improve bandwidth and reduce weight gain.[96] To power the increased equipment load, theAG9130 ship service gas turbine generator sets were replaced with the newer AG9140, increasing power generation from 2,500 kW to 3,000 kW each.[94] Incorporating lessons learned with the attacks onUSSStark in 1987 andUSSSamuel B. Roberts in 1988, five blast-resistantbulkheads were incorporated into the ship to improve damage containment.[97] The ship was designed with several upgrades to be added on later ships, including theAN/SQQ-89I Block III hull and towed sonar,intercooled recuperated gas turbines, and an improved fire control system. As tensions decreased throughout 1989 and 1990 however, there became less of a need for such a high performance ship, and Flight III was canceled in December 1990 as a cost reduction measure.[98]
Work on Flight IIA began shortly after Flight III's demise, with the Destroyer Variant (DDV) study beginning in mid 1991. These designs were intended to be far more economical than Flight III in light of the less intense warfare they were expected to be used in while still retaining Flight III's helicopter facilities. Due to the expectation of lower intensity warfare, the Harpoon missile launchers[N 5] and AN/SQR-19 TACTAS[61] were to be removed, with reinstallation possible given two years notice.[99] The Phalanx CIWS systems were to be deleted as well, pending the availability ofRIM-162 ESSM.[100] Most of the resultant designs from this study placed an increased emphasis on land attack, littoral warfare, and reduced operating costs. Almost all featured a reduced cell count and some even using a smaller hull.[101] Despite this emphasis during the study phase, the selected design was one that did not compromise on the ship's existing performance beyond the mandated deletion of Harpoon and TACTAS.[citation needed]
Flight IIA was first procured in FY 1994,[102] and featured numerous improvements used on Flight III. The two hangars and support facilities for LAMPS helicopters remained, albeit located differently in two hangars outboard of the aft VLS module. To accommodate the hangars, the length was increased to 509.5 ft (155.3 m), and the rear-facing SPY-1D arrays are mounted one deck (eight feet) higher to prevent a blind spot,[103] as had been done on Flight III for the same reason.[104] CEC, fiber optical data cables,[105] blast-resistant bulkheads,[36] and AG9140 ship service generators[8] were also carried over from Flight III. New to Flight IIA was the Kingfisher mine detection system, the deletion of the onboard missile reloading cranes and their replacement with six additional VLS cells, and redesigned propellers to reducecavitation.[106] Phalanx was temporarily kept due to developmental issues with ESSM, the forward system being removed starting withUSS McCampbell (DDG-85).[107] While these ships initially lacked a towed sonar array, some have been refitted with them after production of the class restarted in the 2010s.[103]
Starting withUSS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), the longer 5-inch/62-caliber (127 mm) Mark 45 Mod 4 gun was installed.[36] Later Flight IIA ships starting withUSS Mason (DDG-87) use the BridgeMaster E as their navigation radar instead of the AN/SPS-73(V)12.[108] Subsequent Flight IIA ships employ additional signature-reduction measures: the hangars ofDDG-86 onwards are made ofcomposite materials, and the exhaust funnels of DDG-89 onwards are shrouded by the superstructure.[36] The use of the improved SPY-1D(V) radar, starting withUSS Pinckney (DDG-91), enhances the ships' ability to filter outclutter and resist electronic attack.[109]
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Several Flight IIA ships were constructed without any Phalanx CIWS because of the planned Evolved SeaSparrow Missile; the Navy had initially decided that ESSM made Phalanx redundant.[36] However, the Navy later changed its mind and decided to retrofit all IIA ships to carry at least one Phalanx CIWS by 2013.[107]
DDGs 91–96 (USSPinckney,USS Momsen,USS Chung-Hoon,USS Nitze,USS James E. Williams, andUSS Bainbridge) were built with superstructure differences to accommodate theAN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS).[110] However, onlyPinckney,Momsen,James E. Williams, andBainbridge were installed with the system before the RMS program was canceled.[31]
Efforts to modernize theArleigh Burke class began amidcongressional concerns over the retirement of theIowa-classbattleship. In 1996, the Navy began a program to field theExtended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) for the DDG-51 class.[111] The ERGM was to extend the class's 5-inch Mark 45 gun range to 63 nautical miles (117 km). It necessitated a modification of the gun; the 62-caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 was created and installed on DDG-81 and onwards in anticipation of the ERGM.[112][36] However, the ERGM was canceled in 2008.[113]
The current DDG-51 modernization program is designed to provide mid-life upgrades to ensure the destroyers remain effective with service lives of at least 35 years.[114] Modernization of existing ships provides commonality with in-production ships. The program's goals are reduced manning, increased mission effectiveness, and reduced total cost.[13] Mid-life modernization of Flight I and II ships is done in two phases: the first phase updates the hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) systems, while the second phase focuses on Aegis Combat System upgrades and introduces anOpen Architecture Computing Environment (OACE).[48] By 2017, modernization technologies were introduced to production ships, and the Navy started modernization of Flight IIA ships through a single process combining both phases of upgrading.[114] The capabilities of modernized destroyers include CEC, Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD),[N 6] ESSM support, improved electronic support with Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2, improved data processing withBoeing's GigabitEthernet Data Multiplex System,[115] and improvements tolittoral warfare.[116][48]
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In July 2010,BAE Systems announced it had been awarded a contract to modernize 11 ships.[117] In May 2014, USNI News reported that 21 of the 28 Flight I and IIArleigh Burke-class destroyers would not receive the full mid-life upgrade that included electronics and Aegis Baseline 9 software for SM-6 compatibility; instead, they would retain the basic BMD 3.6.1 software in a $170 million upgrade concentrating on HM&E systems, and on some ships, their anti-submarine suite.[118][119] Seven Flight I ships—DDGs 51–53, 57, 61, 65, 69—received the full $270 million Baseline 9 upgrade.[118] Deputy of surface warfare Dave McFarland said that this change was due to the budget cuts in theBudget Control Act of 2011.[120]
In 2016, the Navy announced it would begin outfitting 34 Flight IIAArleigh Burkes with a hybrid-electric drive (HED) to lower fuel costs. The four LM2500 gas turbines of the class are most efficient at high speeds; an electric motor was to be attached to the main reduction gear to turn the drive shaft and propel the ship at speeds under 13 knots (24 km/h), such as during BMD or maritime security operations. Use of the HED for half the time could extend time on station by 2.5 days before refueling.[121] In March 2018, the Navy announced the HED would be installed onUSS Truxtun (DDG-103) to test the technology, but upgrades of further destroyers would be halted due to changed budget priorities.[122]
Also in 2016, four destroyers of theU.S. 6th Fleet based inNaval Station Rota, Spain (USSCarney, USSRoss, USSDonald Cook, and USSPorter) received self-protection upgrades, replacing one of their two Phalanx CIWS with a SeaRAM CIWS, which combines the Phalanx sensor dome with an 11-cellRIM-116 launcher. This was the first time the system was paired with an Aegis ship.[123] Another four ships (USSArleigh Burke, USSRoosevelt, USSBulkeley, and USSPaul Ignatius) have since been forward-deployed to Rota and also received a SeaRAM.[65][66][67][68]
In February 2018, Lockheed Martin received a contract to deliver itsHigh Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system for installation onto anArleigh Burke destroyer. HELIOS is a "60+ kW"-class laser, scalable to 120 kW, that can "dazzle" or destroy small boats and UAVs up to 8.0 km (5 mi) away.[124][125] It would be the first laser weapon put on a warship.[126][127] In November 2019,USS Dewey (DDG-105) had theOptical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) system installed. ODIN differs from theXN-1 LaWS previously mounted onUSS Ponce in that ODIN functions as a dazzler, which blinds or destroys optical sensors on drones rather than shooting down the aircraft.[128][129] HELIOS was delivered to the Navy in August 2022 and installed onUSS Preble (DDG-88).Preble was expected to begin at-sea testing of the HELIOS in FY2023.[79]
Also by 2018, allArleigh Burke-class ships homeported in the Western Pacific were scheduled to have upgraded ASW systems, including the TB-37U MFTA replacing the AN/SQR-19 TACTAS.[130][131]
In FY2019, the Navy started a program to procure the Mod 4 variant of the Mark 38 machine gun system[132] to address "unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and high speed maneuverableunmanned surface vehicle (USV) threats."[133] Mod 4 will incorporate the 30 mmMk44 Bushmaster II instead of the 25 mmM242 Bushmaster of previous variants.[134] The Mk 38 Mod 4 is planned to be fielded on Flight IIA and IIIArleigh Burke-class destroyers.[135]
In October 2020,National Security AdvisorRobert C. O'Brien said that all three Flights of theArleigh Burke-class destroyer would field theCommon-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) missile developed under theConventional Prompt Strike program. However, the C-HGB is expected to be around 3 ft (0.91 m) wide, making it too large to fit in Mk 41 VLS tubes or on deck launchers. Installing them onArleigh Burke destroyers would require removing some Mk 41 cells to accommodate the larger weapon, an expensive and time-consuming process.[136][137] There is criticism of this idea: the oldest Flight I ships would need a service life extension to justify refit costs that would only prolong their service lives a short time when they are already more expensive to operate, and the newest Flight III ships that are optimized for BMD would be given a new, complex mission requiring a major refit shortly after introduction.[138]
About 20 Flight IIA destroyers will undergo further modernization under the DDG MOD 2.0 program.[139] DDG MOD 2.0 will backfit SPY-6(V)4 and Aegis Baseline 10 to provide similar capabilities to Flight III ships,[N 7] as well as upgrade cooling systems to support the new radar. DDG MOD 2.0 will also deliver the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 EW suite, which adds the SEWIP Block 3 electronic attack subsystem.[28][141] In May 2021, the Navy approved a "Smart Start Plan" for four ships—DDGs 91, 93, 95, 97—to make a gradual transition to DDG MOD 2.0. These ships will undergo a DDG MOD 1.5 phase that provides the SLQ-32(V)7; in 2023, DDG-91 became the first destroyer to receive SLQ-32(V)7.[142] They will then receive the SPY-6(V)4, Aegis Baseline 10, and cooling system upgrades during a later depot modernization period.[141]
Starting in 2025, the Navy will replace Phalanx CIWS on the destroyers withRIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers to improve their point defense capability.Arleigh Burkes with the latest Aegis baselines will receive the 21-cell Mk 49 RAM launcher;Arleigh Burkes with older Aegis software will receive the 11-cell SeaRAM.[143][144] It is unclear if ships with two Phalanx CIWS or ships already in a Phalanx-SeaRAM configuration will retain one Phalanx.[145]
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USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) was originally intended to be the last of theArleigh Burke class. The Navy planned to shift production to theZumwalt-class destroyer focusing onnaval gunfire support and littoral operations.[146] However, at a July 2008 hearing, Navy officials announced intentions to restartArleigh Burke production in place of additionalZumwalts, testifying to the latter's inability to counter emerging ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles, andblue-water submarines.[147]Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have been in production for longer than any othersurface combatant class in the U.S. Navy's history.[148]
In April 2009, the Navy announced a plan limiting theZumwalt class to three units while ordering another threeArleigh Burke-class ships from both Bath Iron Works and Ingalls Shipbuilding.[149] In December 2009, Northrop Grumman received a $170.7 million letter contract forUSS John Finn (DDG-113) long lead-time materials.[150] Shipbuilding contracts for DDG-113 toDDG-115 were awarded in mid-2011 for $679.6 million–$783.6 million;[151] these do not include government-furnished equipment such as weapons and sensors, which took the average cost of the FY2011/12 ships to about $1.843 billion per vessel.[152]
DDGs 113 through 115 are "restart" ships, similar to previous Flight IIA ships, but including modernization features such as OACE and the TB-37U MFTA, which are being backfit onto previous ships.[153]
The U.S. Navy was considering extending the acquisition ofArleigh Burke-class destroyers into the 2040s, according to revised procurement tables sent to Congress, with the procurement of Flight IV ships from 2032 through 2041.[154] This was canceled to cover the cost of theColumbia-classsubmarines, with the air defense commander role retained on one cruiser percarrier strike group.[155]
In April 2022, the Navy proposed a procurement plan for nine ships, with an option for a tenth, to build two ships a year from 2023 to 2027. Some lawmakers pushed to add a third ship to be built in 2023, bringing the total of the proposed deal to eleven ships. This would follow the Navy's two-ship per year procurement from 2018 to 2022.[156]
DDG-116 toDDG-124 andDDG-127 will be "Technology Insertion" ships with elements of Flight III.[157][158] For example,USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119) and onwards have theAN/SPQ-9B, a feature of Flight III, instead of the AN/SPS-67.[159] Flight III proper began with the third ship procured in 2016,[160]USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125).[161]
In place of the canceledCG(X) program, the U.S. Navy began detailed design work on a DDG-51 Flight III design in FY2013.[162] The Navy planned to procure 24 Flight III ships from FY2016 to FY2031.[163] In June 2013, it awarded $6.2 billion in destroyer contracts.[164] Costs for the Flight III ships increased as requirements for the program grew, particularly related to the planned Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) needed for the IAMD role.[165] An AMDR with a mid-diameter of 22 feet (6.7 m) had been proposed for CG(X), while the DDG-51 Flight III design could carry an AMDR with a mid-diameter of only 14 feet (4.3 m).[166] TheGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) found that the design would be "at best marginally effective" because of the "now-shrunken radar". The U.S. Navy disagreed with the GAO findings, stating that the DDG-51 hull was "absolutely" capable of fitting a large enough radar to meet requirements.[167]
The Flight III's AN/SPY-6 AMDR with a mid-diameter of 14 feet (4.3 m) uses an active electronically scanned array with digitalbeamforming, compared to the previous passive electronically scanned array AN/SPY-1D with a mid-diameter of 12 feet (3.7 m).[166][168][169] According to the SPY-6's contractorRaytheon, the 37-RMA SPY-6(V)1 is 30 times more sensitive and capable of detecting objects "half the size at twice the distance" compared to the SPY-1D.[170] The Flight III's SPY-6 is integrated with Aegis Baseline 10.[171] The new radar also requires more power; the three-megawatt, 450 V AG9140 generators were upgraded to four-megawatt, 4,160 V AG9160 generators.[9][10] Additionally, the air conditioning plants were upgraded to increase the ships' cooling capacity.[172] The area near where the tworigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) are stored was enclosed to accommodate additional crew, so the RHIBs are stacked.[173] Other modifications include replacement of theHalon-based fire suppression system with a water mist system and strengthening of the hull to support the design's additional weight.[172]
Flight III achieved IOC in 2024.[174] As of January 2025,[update] a total of 24 Flight III ships have been ordered.[6] The U.S. Navy may procure up to 42 Flight III ships for an overall total of 117 ships of the class.[175]
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In April 2014, the U.S. Navy began the development of a new destroyer to replace theArleigh Burke class called the "Future Surface Combatant". The new class is expected to enter service in the 2030s and initially serve alongside the Flight IIIArleigh Burkes. The destroyer class will incorporate emerging technologies like lasers, onboard power-generation systems, increased automation, and next-generation weapons, sensors, and electronics. They will use technologies from other platforms, such as theZumwalt-class destroyer,littoral combat ships, and theGerald R. Ford-classaircraft carrier.[176]
The Future Surface Combatant may place importance on theZumwalt-class destroyer's electric drive system that provides propulsion while generating 58 megawatts of electrical power, levels required to operate futuredirected energy weapons. Initial requirements for the Future Surface Combatant emphasize lethality and survivability. The ships must also be modular to allow for inexpensive upgrades of weaponry, electronics, computing, and sensors over time as threats evolve.[176] The Future Surface Combatant has evolved into the Large Surface Combatant, which became theDDG(X).[177] The Navy plans to procure the first DDG(X) in FY2032.[5]
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The class saw its first combat action through Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) strikes against Iraq.[178] Over 3 and 4 September 1996,USS Laboon andUSS Russell launched thirteen and eight TLAMs, respectively, as part ofOperation Desert Strike.[179] In December 1998,Arleigh Burke-class destroyers again performed TLAM strikes as part ofOperation Desert Fox.[180] ElevenArleigh Burkes supported carrier strike groups engaged inOperation Iraqi Freedom, which included TLAM launches against ground targets during the operation's opening stages in 2003.[35][181]
In October 2011, the Navy announced that fourArleigh Burke-class destroyers would be forward-deployed in Europe to support theNATO missile defense system. The ships, to be based atNaval Station Rota, Spain, were named in February 2012 asRoss,Donald Cook,Porter, andCarney.[182] By reducing travel times to station, this forward deployment allows for six other destroyers to be shifted from the Atlantic in support of thePivot to East Asia.[183] Russia threatened to quit theNew START treaty over this deployment, calling it a threat to their nuclear deterrent.[184] In 2018, CNO AdmiralJohn Richardson criticized the policy of keeping six highly mobile BMD platforms "in a little tiny box, defending land", a role that he believed could be performed equally well at less cost by shore-based systems.[185]
In October 2016, theArleigh Burke-class destroyersMason andNitze were deployed to the coast of Yemen after aUAE auxiliary ship was struck in an attack for whichHouthi rebels claimed responsibility.[186] On 9 October, while in theRed Sea,Mason detected two anti-ship missiles headed toward herself and nearby USSPonce fired from Houthi-controlled territory.Mason launched two SM-2s, one ESSM, and a Nulka decoy. One AShM was confirmed to have struck the water on its own, and it is unknown if the second missile was intercepted or hit the water on its own.[187] On 12 October, in theBab el-Mandeb strait,Mason again detected an inbound anti-ship missile, which was intercepted at a range of 8 miles (13 km) by an SM-2.[188][189] On 13 October,Nitze conducted TLAM strikes destroying three Houthi radar sites used in the previous attacks.[190] Back in the Red Sea,Mason experienced a third attack on 15 October with five AShMs. She fired SM-2s and decoys, destroying or neutralizing four missiles.Nitze neutralized the fifth missile with a radar decoy.[189][191]
On 7 April 2017, theArleigh Burke-class destroyersRoss andPorter conducted aTLAM strike against Shayrat Airfield, Syria, in response to Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad'schemical attack on his people three days prior.[192] The ships fired a total of 59 Tomahawk missiles.[193] On 14 April 2018,Laboon andHiggins conducted anotherTLAM strike against Syria. They fired seven and twenty-three TLAMs, respectively. The strike targeted chemical weapon sites as part of a continued effort against Assad's use of chemical warfare.[194] TheArleigh Burke-class destroyersDonald Cook andWinston S. Churchill took positions in the Mediterranean prior to the 2018 strike to mislead defending forces.[195]
In October and November 2023, theArleigh Burke-class destroyers USSCarney andUSSThomas Hudner, while deployed in the Red Sea, shot down numerous drones and missiles. On 19 October,Carney shot down at least three cruise missiles and eight drones that were potentially targeting Israel.[196] On 15 and 22 November,Thomas Hudner shot down numerous drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen.[197] On 27 November,Carney detected two ballistic missile launches from Houthi-controlled territory headed towards herself and nearby M/VCentral Park; they splashed ten nautical miles away.[198] On 29 November,Carney intercepted another Houthi missile.[199] On 30 December,USSGravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory at herself and nearby container shipMaersk Hangzhou.[200] On 30 January 2024, a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile fired toward the Red Sea came within one mile ofGravely; she used her Phalanx CIWS to shoot down the missile.[201][202]
During theIranian strikes on Israel on 13 April 2024, USSArleigh Burke and USSCarney fired four to seven SM-3s, shooting down at least three Iranian ballistic missiles. This was the first time the SM-3 was employed in combat.[203][204]
On 1 October 2024, USSBulkeley and USSCole fired 12SM-3 andSM-6 missiles against Iranian ballistic missiles.[205]
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USS Cole was damaged on 12 October 2000 while docked inAden, Yemen, by an attack in which ashaped charge of 200–300 kg in a boat was placed against the hull and detonated bysuicide bombers, killing 17 crew members. The ship was repaired and returned to duty in 2001.[206]
On 12 August 2012, USSPorter collided with the oil tanker MVOtowasan near the Strait of Hormuz; there were no injuries. The U.S. Navy removedPorter's commanding officer from duty. Repairs took two months at a cost of $700,000.[207]
On 17 June 2017,USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) collided with the MVACX Crystal cargo ship near Yokosuka, Japan. Seven sailors drowned. Following an investigation, the ship's commanding officer, executive officer, and Command Master Chief Petty Officer were relieved of their duties. In addition, close to a dozen sailors were given non-judicial punishment for losing situational awareness. Repairs were originally to be completed by the summer of 2019. Initial repairs however, were made by February 2020. After the subsequent sea trials, she was brought in for additional repairs. The ship departed for her home port in June 2020.[208]
On 21 August 2017,USSJohn S. McCain collided with the container shipAlnic MC. The collision injured 48 sailors and killed 10, whose bodies were all recovered by 27 August. The cause of the collision was determined to be poor communication between the two ships and the bridge crew lacking situational awareness. In the aftermath, the ship's top leadership, including the commanding officer, executive officer, and Command Master Chief Petty Officer, were removed from command. In addition, top leadership of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, including the commander, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, were relieved of their duties due to a loss of confidence in their ability to command. Other commanders who were relieved included Rear Admiral Charles Williams, commander of Task Force 70, and Captain Jeffrey Bennett, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 15. This was the third incident involving a U.S. Navy ship in 2017, with a repair cost of over $100 million.[209]
Destroyer classes based on theArleigh Burke have been adopted by the following naval forces:[211][212]
The 2012 filmBattleship featuresUSS John Paul Jones,USS Benfold, andUSS Sampson.[216]
The 2014 television seriesThe Last Ship, loosely based on the 1988 novel ofthe same name, is set on the fictionalUSS Nathan James.[217] Its hull designation in the book is DDG-80, but it was changed to DDG-151 for the television series to avoid confusion with the real-lifeUSSRoosevelt, which did not exist when the book was written.USS Halsey (DDG-97), a Flight IIAArleigh Burke-class destroyer, stood in forNathan James during filming.[218]
