US Navy inaugurates new DDG(X) Land Based Test Site.

According to information published by the US DoD on March 24, 2023, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) marked a major milestone with the new DDG(X) Land Based Test Site (LBTS) during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
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Artist rendering of the future DDG(X). (Picture source: PEO Ships)

The test site program will be used to support and improve reliability and capability, and will also assist with risk reduction efforts and technical oversight for DDG(X) critical systems.

Along with increased capability and capacity, DDG(X) will provide significant increases in range, efficiency, and time-on-station, providing Fleet Commanders with increased operational flexibility while also decreasing the demand on Fleet logistics.

NSWCPD is also home to the DDG 51 Class Land Based Engineering Site (LBES), which is a full scale propulsion system testing experience. LBES testing has been a specialty of NSWCPD since 1943.

DDG(X) is currently in concept refinement, prior to entering the preliminary design phase.

About DDG(X)

The ship will have a tonnage of 13,290 long tons (13,500 t) and is powered by an Integrated Power System. The vessel is equipped with various sensors and processing systems, including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 AESA 3D radar, AN/SPQ-9B surface search and fire-control radar, and AN/SPG-62 fire-control radar.

In terms of armament, the destroyer has a 5-inch (127-mm)/62 cal Mk 45 Mod 4 gun, 4 Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) 128 cells (which can be swapped with larger VLS systems), 2 21-cell (42 cells total) RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, and 2 Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes. Additionally, the vessel has the possibility of being upgraded with 150/600kW lasers.