HII launches Flight III Arleigh Burke class destroyer Ted Stevens.

According to a PR published by HII on August 15, 2023, Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of HII, has successfully launched the Navy's latest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, named Ted Stevens (DDG 128).
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Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ted Stevens. (Picture source: HII)

So far, Ingalls has provided 35 of these destroyers to the U.S. Navy, with the first Flight III, Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), delivered this June. Currently, four more Flight IIIs are in the works, with an additional six commissioned recently. The Ted Stevens destroyer will be officially named on Aug. 19, with three other ships also being constructed.

These Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers come with advanced design changes, offering enhanced capabilities. Notably, DDG 125 features state-of-the-art radar and combat systems.

These destroyers are versatile, capable of handling various missions, from crisis management to power projection. They play a crucial role in the U.S. Navy, equipped to tackle air, surface, and subsurface threats simultaneously.

Technical data

The USS Ted Stevens is a naval vessel with a displacement of 9,217 tons (full load), measuring 510 feet in length and 66 feet in beam. It is propelled by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines generating 100,000 shp (75,000 kW), allowing a top speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph).

The ship has a complement of 380 officers and enlisted personnel. Its armament includes a 5-inch (127 mm)/62 Mk 45 Mod 4 lightweight gun, a 20 mm Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS), two 25 mm Mk 38 Machine Gun Systems, and four .50 caliber (12.7 mm) guns.

The missile systems consist of a 32-cell and a 64-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) housing various missiles, including Surface-to-Air Missiles, Anti-Ballistic Missiles, Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, and Vertical Launch ASROCs. The ship also features two Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes capable of launching Mark 46, Mark 50, and Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedoes.

The USS Ted Stevens incorporates Kevlar-type armor with a steel hull and passive survivability measures. It can carry two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters in its double hangar and helipad, enhancing its aviation capabilities.