The first DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer to be built in the Flight III configuration, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), was successfully launched at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding division, June 4.

The DDG-51 Flight III upgrade is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. The Flight III baseline begins with DDGs 125-126 and will continue with DDG-128 and follow on ships.

«Flight III ships will provide cutting edge Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability to include significantly greater detection range and tracking capacity. Launching the first Flight III ship, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125), is another important step to delivering Flight III to the U.S. Navy», said DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class Program Manager, Captain Seth Miller.

The DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG-51) is a multi-mission guided missile destroyer designed to operate offensively and defensively, independently, or as units of Carrier Strike Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, and Surface Action Groups in multi-threat environments that include air, surface and subsurface threats. These ships will respond to Low Intensity Conflict/Coastal and Littoral Offshore Warfare scenarios, as well as open ocean conflict, providing or augmenting power projection, forward presence requirements and escort operations at sea. Flight III is the fourth Flight upgrade in the 30+ year history of the class, building on the proud legacy of Flight I, II and IIA ships before it.

HII is currently constructing four other DDG-51 class ships, including the future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) and USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123) in the Flight IIA configuration, and the future USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128) and USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG-129) as Flight III ships. There are a total of 20 DDG-51 class ships under contract at both new construction shipyards.

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats, and craft.

 

Guided Missile Destroyers Lineup

 

Flight III

Ship	Yard	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDG-125 Jack H. Lucas	HIIIS	06-04-21
DDG-126 Louis H. Wilson, Jr.	GDBIW
DDG-128 Ted Stevens	HIIIS
DDG-129 Jeremiah Denton	HIIIS
DDG-130 William Charette	GDBIW
DDG-131 George M. Neal	HIIIS
DDG-132 Quentin Walsh	GDBIW
DDG-133 Sam Nunn	HIIIS
DDG-134 John E. Kilmer	GDBIW
DDG-135 Thad Cochran	HIIIS
DDG-136 Richard G. Lugar	GDBIW
DDG-137 John F. Lehman	HIIIS
DDG-138	GDBIW
DDG-139	HIIIS