Tag Archives: DDG Flight III

Future Large Surface Combatant Pushed to Late 2020s, Navy Takes 'Measured' Development Approach

Future Large Surface Combatant Pushed to Late 2020s, Navy Takes ‘Measured’ Development Approach

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The guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) sails in the Arabian Sea. Bainbridge is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region. US Navy photo

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Navy is now taking a “measured” approach to developing its next large combatant, with the director of surface warfare saying he expects to buy the first ones in the late 2020s after certain technologies mature, following previous plans to begin the ship program as early as 2023. Read More →

Navy Sees No Easy Answer to Balance Future Surface Fleet

Navy Sees No Easy Answer to Balance Future Surface Fleet

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USS Spruance (DDG-111) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) line up in a formation prior to a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO-199) on March 12, 2019. US Navy Photo

THE PENTAGON – Based on the Navy’s current vision of its future fleet, the service will be too top-heavy in the coming years, having more large combatants than it says it needs and not enough small combatants. But many attractive options exist today to add lethal capabilities to these large combatants and to extend their lives, and fewer options exist to speed the growth of the small combatant fleet, leaving the Navy pondering how best to invest in its surface force, the service’s top requirements officer told USNI News. Read More →

Arleigh Burke Program Manager: Flight III Production 'On Track'

Arleigh Burke Program Manager: Flight III Production ‘On Track’

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Artists rendering of the first planned Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer, Jack H. Lucas. HII Photo

Artists rendering of the first planned Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer, Jack H. Lucas. HII Photo

This post has been updated to clarify that a new program office for the large surface combatant has not yet been created. Capt. Casey Moton said the current Arleigh Burke program office has a major role in the development effort until a program office for LSC was stood up.

Arleigh Burke DDG-51 Flight III program is on track, with the first ship under construction and two more under contract. But making the transition from the earlier Arleigh Burke-class destroyers has required a significant number of design changes and challenges, driven mainly by the requirement to install the powerful new Raytheon AN/SPY-6 air and missile defense radar, the program manager said on Thursday. Read More →

Navy Names Destroyer After Irish Marine Patrick Gallagher

Navy Names Destroyer After Irish Marine Patrick Gallagher

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Illustration of the future Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Gallagher (DDG-127). US Navy Photo

The last Flight IIA Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer will be named for an Irish-born Marine who earned the Navy Cross during the Vietnam War, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer announced in a Washington, D.C. ceremony on Monday. Read More →

DDG-51 Flight III Design Efforts Nearly Complete; Radar, Power Systems Testing in 2018

DDG-51 Flight III Design Efforts Nearly Complete; Radar, Power Systems Testing in 2018

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A crane lifts the Air and Missile Defense Radar into place for its upcoming tests at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility, in June 2016. Raytheon photo.

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program office has completed 3D modeling of its Flight III design upgrade and will spend 2018 testing major components of the new configuration, the program manager told USNI News. Read More →

Top Stories 2016: U.S. Navy Acquisition

Top Stories 2016: U.S. Navy Acquisition

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USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2016.

Though much effort in 2016 was devoted to planning the future Navy – through a new Force Structure Assessment, three simultaneous Future Fleet Architecture studies, an alternative carrier study, ongoing future surface combatant planning efforts and more – the year was also full of major news in research, development and acquisition. At the end of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’ eight-year shipbuilding spree, where he put at least 86 ships on contract, the year was full of commissionings, testing, fielding and planning for ships, aircraft and weapon systems. Read More →

Long-Range Ship Plan: Navy to Pursue Block Buys for DDGs in 2018, SSNs in 2019

Long-Range Ship Plan: Navy to Pursue Block Buys for DDGs in 2018, SSNs in 2019

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Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo

Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN-783) under construction in 2012. US Navy Photo

The Navy told Congress it would pursue a 10-ship multiyear procurement contract for its Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in Fiscal Year 2018 as part of its newest long-range shipbuilding plan, which also announced a nine-ship attack submarine block buy and delays in several auxiliary ship programs. Read More →