Ingalls Shipbuilding Launches USS Jeremiah Denton latest generation of Arleigh Burke-class destroyer for US Navy.

On March 25, 2025, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Mississippi marked a major milestone in U.S. naval shipbuilding with the successful launch of the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) for U.S. Navy. As the third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer constructed at this shipyard, DDG 129 embodies the most advanced combat technologies and systems in the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet, offering a quantum leap in multi-domain warfare capabilities.
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The future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is launched at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi on March 25, 2025, marking a major step in enhancing the U.S. Navy’s next-generation fleet defense capabilities. (Picture source: Ingalls Shipbuilding)

The launch of the future USS Jeremiah Denton followed a precise and coordinated operation where the vessel was moved via translation railcars from land to a dry dock. Once in the dry dock, it was floated and towed to a nearby pier, where it will undergo final outfitting, testing, and eventual sea trials prior to commissioning.

The Flight III variant is the most technologically advanced iteration in the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer lineage. At its core is the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), which provides vastly improved sensitivity, range, and discrimination compared to previous radar systems. This solid-state, scalable radar enhances the ship's ability to detect and track multiple simultaneous threats—including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and fifth-generation aircraft—under complex electronic warfare conditions.

Paired with the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System, the Flight III ships enable faster decision-making and more effective target engagement. The combat system incorporates improved fire control, software upgrades, and integration with additional sensors across the fleet. This allows the destroyer to serve as an air defense node capable of coordinating layered defense for carrier strike groups and joint forces.

Beyond its improved radar and combat systems, the Jeremiah Denton benefits from a suite of weapon systems and platform enhancements that expand its lethality and survivability. The ship is equipped with 96 Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells capable of deploying a broad spectrum of munitions including SM-2, SM-6, Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), giving it formidable strike and area air defense capabilities. Its integrated electronic warfare suite provides advanced situational awareness and robust protection against electronic threats.

A major design improvement in the Flight III class is the enhanced power generation and cooling systems, built to support high-power systems such as the SPY-6 radar and future technologies like directed energy weapons. The destroyer also supports Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air (NIFC-CA), enabling seamless connectivity with sensors and shooters across distributed platforms. Additionally, it features improved undersea warfare systems, including upgraded sonar and towed arrays to bolster anti-submarine warfare capabilities in blue water and littoral environments.

The Jeremiah Denton is one of five Flight III destroyers currently under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding, alongside the Ted Stevens (DDG 128), George M. Neal (DDG 131), Sam Nunn (DDG 133), and Thad Cochran (DDG 135). These vessels are being added to a formidable fleet of 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers already in service with the U.S. Navy, a force that continues to serve as the backbone of America’s surface combatant fleet.

As older Ticonderoga-class cruisers are gradually retired, the Flight III destroyers are expected to take on expanded roles in air defense command and integrated fleet operations. Their advanced sensors, weaponry, and networked systems will allow them to serve as high-value assets in future naval operations across the Indo-Pacific, Atlantic, and other contested maritime theaters.

The launch of the future USS Jeremiah Denton underscores the U.S. Navy’s ongoing transformation toward a more lethal, networked, and resilient maritime force. With state-of-the-art sensors, robust weapons systems, and expanded computing power, the Flight III destroyers are built to confront and deter peer-level threats in contested environments across the globe. Their introduction ensures the Navy’s continued edge in sea control, power projection, and integrated joint operations well into the mid-21st century.