Sailors and former shipmates stand in formation during the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) decommissioning ceremony, Aug. 4, 2022, in Norfolk, Va. US Navy Photo
Nearly 29 years ago, USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) sat in the waters around Norfolk, Va., waiting to be commissioned into the Navy. Read More
A medium-range ballistic missile target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii, during Flight Test Standard Missile-27 Event 2 (FTM-27 E2) on Aug. 29 (HST). MDA Photo
Two missiles launched from the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) bullseyed a complex medium-range ballistic missile target in a successful test off Hawaii, the Missile Defense Agency announced on Wednesday. Read More
A SM-6 Dual I fired from USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during a Dec. 14, 2016 MDA BMD test. MDA Photo
The Missile Defense Agency proved it could intercept a complicated medium range ballistic missile target with the Navy’s SM-6 missile, the agency announced. Read More
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG-85) transits waters near Guam on Jan. 21, 2016. US Navy Photo
Ten guided missile destroyers will be fully upgraded to Navy’s top-of-the-line Aegis combat system over the next five years — three more than last year’s plan, according to an unclassified fielding profile seen by USNI News this week. Read More
An SM-3 Block 1B interceptor is launched from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) during a Missile Defense Agency test in 2013. MDA Photo
A recent change in how the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) counts ballistic missile defense (BMD) ships lowers projected future totals from what the agency estimated in its Fiscal Year 2016 budget request to Congress, USNI News has learned. Read More
A Raytheon SM-6 launched from an Aegis guided missile destroyer. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy and the Missile Defense Agency has proved a modified Raytheon Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) missile can not only tackle cruise missiles and aircraft threats but also inbound ballistic missiles. Read More
Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA during a 2009 exercise. US Navy Photo
CRYSTAL CITY, Va. — The Navy’s acquisition chief stressed the importance of modernizing ships in the fleet – particularly the ballistic missile defense (BMD) fleet – to keep them operating for their full service life, even as tight budgets are forcing the Navy not to upgrade five Aegis guided missile destroyers with a BMD capability over the next five years. Read More
USS Chafee (DDG-90) on 2014. Chafee is one of five Arleigh Burke destroyers that won’t receive a ballistic missile defense (BMD) upgrade due to a reduction of funding as part of the Navy’s FY 2016 budget request. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated from an earlier version to include a statement from Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) — chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee.
Five Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers (DDG-51) will forgo a combat system upgrade that would allow the ships to fight ballistic missile threats as part of a reduction in modernization funding included in the Navy’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget that will save the service $500 million over the next five years, USNI News has learned. Read More
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) prepares to moor on June 24, 2014. US Navy Photo
A previous version of this post incorrectly outlined the Navy’s Two-Four-Six phased modernization plan as part of its Fiscal Year 2016 budget submission to Congress. The text has been corrected.
PENTAGON – The Navy has again submitted a controversial plan to layup some of its Ticonderoga-class cruisers as part of a modernization plan it says will preserve the air warfare capability of U.S. carrier strike groups into the 2040s as part of the service’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget submission to Congress. Read More
USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) launches a Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) during a live-fire test of the ship’s aegis weapons system on June 19, 2014. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy has approved the Raytheon Standard Missile-6 for use on guided missile destroyers and cruisers with older versions of the Aegis combat system, company officials told USNI News last week. Read More
