US Navy Takes Lead in Designing Next Gen DDG(X) Destroyer and SSN(X) Submarine for 2030s Fleet.

On August 12, 2025, the U.S. Navy confirmed a decisive shift in its shipbuilding strategy, as reported by USNI, with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) reclaiming primary responsibility for designing its next generation of major warships. The move places the Navy at the forefront of developing the DDG(X) destroyer and SSN(X) attack submarine, two cornerstone programs set to define U.S. maritime power in the 2030s. This decision reflects both a strategic and industrial recalibration, aimed at avoiding costly design pitfalls seen in recent procurement programs while strengthening America’s ability to maintain naval dominance.
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The Next Gen DDG(X) destroyer will succeed Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and will be the backbone of surface strike groups, capable of hosting the Navy’s most advanced missile systems while supporting ballistic missile defense missions (Picture source: Huntington Ingalls Industries)

The DDG(X) program will succeed the long-serving Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, integrating their proven combat systems and sensors into a newly designed hull optimized for future growth in power and cooling capacity, critical for next-generation weapons such as directed-energy systems and advanced radar suites. Parallel to this, the SSN(X) is envisioned as a highly capable blue-water hunter-killer submarine, drawing inspiration from the Sea Wolf-class but adapted to counter emerging undersea threats in an increasingly contested maritime environment. Its performance requirements are being shaped by evolving global naval dynamics, including renewed great power competition and the proliferation of advanced submarine capabilities among potential adversaries.

This return to Navy-led design is a direct response to challenges faced in adapting foreign or commercial ship designs to U.S. standards. The Constellation-class frigate program, based on the Italian and French FREMM design, suffered major delays when modifications reduced commonality with the parent design to just 15 percent, pushing back the lead ship’s expected delivery. Past experiences with the Littoral Combat Ship and Zumwalt-class destroyers also highlighted the risks of reduced government oversight and immature industrial capabilities. Rear Adm. Pete Small, NAVSEA’s chief engineer, emphasized that restoring in-house naval architecture expertise is essential to producing mature designs before production, minimizing integration issues and controlling costs.

Strategically, both DDG(X) and SSN(X) are intended to maintain the U.S. Navy’s edge in power projection, sea control, and deterrence. The DDG(X) will be the backbone of surface strike groups, capable of hosting the Navy’s most advanced missile systems while supporting ballistic missile defense missions. The SSN(X) will strengthen undersea dominance by combining stealth, speed, and improved sensor systems to detect and neutralize threats in deep ocean theaters. Together, these platforms will replace fleets that have been in service for decades, ensuring that U.S. naval forces remain technologically superior and operationally flexible against near-peer rivals like China and Russia.

While budgetary figures for these programs remain undisclosed, the investment is expected to be among the largest in U.S. shipbuilding history. The Navy is already working closely with industrial partners such as HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works on DDG(X) preliminary designs, while also preparing the Maritime Industrial Base to support the influx of skilled naval architects and engineers needed for both programs. Efforts include funding university curricula in naval architecture to rebuild a talent pipeline that has atrophied over decades of reduced ship design activity.

This renewed commitment to in-house warship design signals a profound shift in U.S. naval acquisition philosophy. By regaining control over the earliest and most critical stages of development, the Navy aims to avoid repeating the costly missteps of recent years, deliver ships with greater design maturity, and ensure that its future fleet remains unmatched in capability and adaptability on the world’s oceans.