The lead ship of the class, USSArleigh Burke, was commissioned during Admiral Burke's lifetime on 4 July 1991. With the decommissioning of the last Spruance-class destroyer, USSCushing, on 21 September 2005, the Arleigh Burke-class ships became the U.S. Navy's only active destroyers until the Zumwalt class became active in 2016. The Arleigh Burke class has the longest production run of any U.S. Navy surface combatant. As of December2024,[update] all seventy-four built are active, with nineteen more planned to enter service.
Characteristics
Variants
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer has four variants, referred to as "Flights". Newer Flights incorporate technological advancements.[2]
Flight I ship USSFitzgerald with Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) in the center of the fantail, Harpoon missile launchers, distinctive stacks, and no helicopter hangars
Flight IIA ship USSMustin without TACTAS and no Harpoon launchers, but with helicopter hangars and new exhaust stacks design
Flight III ship USSJack H. Lucas showing the larger AN/SPY-6 arrays, stacked rigid-hull inflatable boats, and slight exhaust stack modifications
Structure
The Arleigh Burke-class ships are among the largest destroyers built in the United States;[16] only the Spruance, Kidd (563ft or 172m), and Zumwalt classes (600ft or 180m) are longer. The Arleigh Burke class was designed with a new large, water-plane area-hull form characterized by a wide flaring bow, which significantly improves seakeeping ability and permits high speed in high sea states.[2] The class's design incorporates stealth techniques, such as the angled (rather than traditional vertical) surfaces and the raked tripod mainmast, which make the ship more difficult to detect by radar.[17][18]
Its designers incorporated lessons from the Ticonderoga-class cruiser, which the Navy deemed too expensive to continue building and difficult to upgrade further.[19] For these destroyers, the U.S. Navy returned to all-steel construction, except the mast made of aluminum.[20] The Ticonderogas had combined a steel hull with a superstructure made of lighter aluminum to reduce top weight, but the lighter metal proved vulnerable to cracking. Aluminum is also less fire-resistant than steel;[21] a 1975 fire aboard USSBelknap gutted her aluminum superstructure.[22] Battle damage to Royal Navy ships exacerbated by their aluminum superstructures during the 1982 Falklands War supported the decision to use steel. Other lessons from the Falklands War led to the Navy's decision to protect the Arleigh Burke class's vital spaces with double-spaced steel layers, which create a buffer against anti-ship missiles (AShMs), and Kevlarspall liners.[23]
The destroyers have Mark 36 infrared and chaff decoy launchers, as well as Nulka decoy launchers, for spoofing incoming AShMs.[26][27] For defeating incoming torpedoes, the class has two AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed countermeasures.[28] The ships' Prairie-Maskers can reduce their radiated noise.[29]
A collective protection system makes the Arleigh Burke class the first U.S. warships designed with an air-filtration system against nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare (NBC).[30] Other NBC defenses include double air-locked hatches, pressurized compartments, and an external countermeasure washdown system.[31] The class's electronics are hardened against electromagnetic pulses.[32] Fire suppression equipment includes water sprinklers in the living quarters and combat information center (CIC).[23]
Weapon systems
The Arleigh Burke class are multi-mission ships[11] with numerous combat systems, including anti-aircraft missiles, land attack missiles, ship-to-ship missiles, and an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system.[23] Missiles are stored in and fired from Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) cells; with 90 cells on Flights I–II and 96 cells starting with Flight IIA,[33] the Arleigh Burkes are more heavily armed than many preceding guided-missile cruiser classes.[16] The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which combines information from the ship's sensors to display a coherent image of the environment and guides weapons to targets using advanced tracking and fire control.[34]
USSThe Sullivans (foreground) and other ships conducting a coordinated SM-2MR launch
The Standard MissileSM-2MR/ER and SM-6 provide area air defense, though they may also be used in a secondary anti-ship role.[38] The SM-2 uses semi-active radar homing (SARH); up to three targets may be simultaneously intercepted as the Arleigh Burkes have three AN/SPG-62 fire-control radars for terminal target illumination.[39][11] The SM-6, which provides over-the-horizon defense,[40] and the SM-2 Block IIIC feature a dual-mode seeker with active radar homing (ARH) capability; they do not have to rely on external illumination, so more targets may be intercepted simultaneously.[41][42]
Flights IIA and III—and modernized Flight I and II ships—can carry RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSMs),[43][44][45] which provide medium-range air defense and are also capable of targeting other ships. ESSM is small enough to be quad-packed into a single Mk 41 VLS cell. ESSM Block 1 uses SARH, guided similarly to older SM-2s. ESSM Block 2, which achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in 2021, features a dual-mode seeker with ARH capability.[46]
The SM-3, SM-6, and SM-2ER Block IV provide Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), the SM-3 being an exoatmospheric interceptor[47] and the latter two having terminal phase anti-ballistic capability.[48][40] So vital has the Aegis BMD role become that all ships of the class are being updated with BMD capability.[49] By January 2023, there were 51 BMD-capable Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.[50] Flight III ships have been delivered since 2023 with AN/SPY-6(V)1 radars and improved BMD capabilities; Flight IIA ships are also planned to receive these upgrades with AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar retrofits.[51]
Flights I and II carry two stand-alone Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers for a total of four or eight Harpoons,[52] providing an anti-ship capability with a range in excess of 65 nautical miles (120km; 75mi).[2] During Exercise RIMPAC 2024, DDG-62, a Flight I ship, launched a Naval Strike Missile (NSM); the launchers for the Harpoons were removed to make room for the NSM's proprietary launch boxes.[53][54]
The class can perform tactical land strikes with VLS-launched Tomahawks.[2] With the development of the Tomahawk Block V, all existing Block IV Tomahawks carried will be converted to the Block V. The Tomahawk Block Va version is called the Maritime Strike version, and it provides anti-ship capability in addition to its land attack role. The Block Vb version features the Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System for hitting a wider variety of land targets.[55][56]
Arleigh Burke-class ships have the AN/SQQ-89 ASW combat system, which is integrated with Aegis. It encompasses the AN/SQS-53C bow-mounted sonar and a towed array sonar, though several Flight IIA ships do not have a towed array.[57] The towed array is either the AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) or the newer TB-37U Multi-Function Towed Array (MFTA). The ships can carry standoffRUM-139 vertical launch anti-submarine rockets. A Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes mount on each side of the ship can fire Mark 46, Mark 50, or Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes for short-range ASW. The ships can detect anti-ship mines at a range of about 1,400 meters.[58][59]
Flights IIA and III have two hangars for stowing MH-60 helicopters. Their Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter system improves the ship's capabilities by enabling the MH-60 to monitor submarines and surface ships, launch torpedoes and missiles against them, and provide fire support during insertions/extractions with machine guns and Hellfire anti-armor guided missiles. The helicopters also serve in a utility role, able to perform vertical replenishment, search and rescue, medical evacuation, communications relay, and naval gunfire spotting and controlling.[76]
In March 2022, an Arleigh Burke destroyer was deployed with an AAI Aerosondeunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The aircraft is under demonstration for Flight I and II ships, which do not have accommodations for permanently storing helicopters. The Aerosonde has a small enough footprint to be stowed on those destroyers. It can perform missions such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at a much lower cost than manned helicopters.[77]
Development
Origins and Flight I
The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) from 1970 to 1974, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, sought to improve the U.S. Navy through modernization at minimal cost. Zumwalt's approach to the fleet was a "high-low mix"—a few high-end, high-cost warships supplemented by numerous low-end, low-cost warships. The introduction of the Aegis-equipped Ticonderoga-class cruiser in the early 1980s filled the high end. The Navy started work to develop a lower-cost Aegis-equipped vessel to fill the low end and replace the aging Charles F. Adams destroyers.[78][79][80]
In 1980, the U.S. Navy initiated design studies with seven contractors. By 1983, the number of competitors had been reduced to three: Bath Iron Works, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and Todd Shipyards.[30] On 3 April 1985, Bath Iron Works received a US$321.9million contract to build the first of the class, USS Arleigh Burke.[81]Gibbs & Cox was awarded the contract to be the lead ship design agent.[82] The Navy contracted Ingalls Shipbuilding to build the second ship.[83]
Political restraints led to design restrictions, including the absence of helicopter hangars, a displacement limit of 8,300 tons, and a 50-foot shorter hull than the Ticonderoga's. The designers were forced to make compromises, such as a wide flaring bow. To compensate for the limited length, the originally-planned 80,000 shaft horsepower (shp) LM2500 gas turbines were upgraded to 100,000 shp.[78] No main gun was included in the original design, later amended to include an OTO Melara 76mm, before finally selecting the 5-inch/54-caliber Mark 45.[15][80] Despite their constraints, the designers benefitted from insight gained from previous classes; for example, they chose an all-steel superstructure to improve survivability.[23]
The total cost of the first ship was $1.1billion, the other $778million being for the ship's weapons systems.[81] USS Arleigh Burke was laid down by the Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine, on 6 December 1988, and launched on 16 September 1989 by Mrs. Arleigh Burke. The Admiral himself was present at her commissioning ceremony on 4 July 1991, held on the waterfront in downtown Norfolk, Virginia.[78] Orders for Flight I ships continued through 1995.
Flight II
The Flight II iteration of the class was introduced in FY1992.[2] The incorporation of the AN/SRS-1A(V) Combat Direction Finding enhanced detection of signals.[84] The TADIX-B, JTIDS Command and Control Processor, and Link 16 improved communication with other assets.[85] The SLQ-32 EW suite was upgraded to (V)3, and the SPS-67(V)3 surface search radar was upgraded to (V)5.[86] Flight II also gained the capability to launch and control the SM-2ER Block IV.[87] An expansion of fuel capacity slightly increased the displacement.[20]
Flight IIA
Profile of Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
The Flight IIA design was first procured in FY1994.[88] Among the additions are two hangars and support facilities for ASW helicopters, Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC),[87] the Kingfisher mine detection system, and five blast-resistant bulkheads.[33] To accommodate the hangars, the length was increased to 509.5ft (155.3m), and the rear-facing SPY-1D arrays are mounted one deck (eight feet) higher to prevent a blind spot.[89] Flight IIA replaced retractable missile loading cranes on the forward and aft VLS with a total of six additional cells. The propellers are of a different design to reduce cavitation.[90] New fiber optics improved bandwidth and helped reduce weight gain.[91] Systems removed from Flight IIA include the Harpoon missile launchers[N 5] and, starting with USSMcCampbell(DDG-85), the forward Phalanx CIWS.[92] Flight IIA ships were initially built without the AN/SQR-19 TACTAS,[57] though later units were subsequently installed with TACTAS.[89]
Starting with USSWinston S. Churchill(DDG-81), the longer 5-inch/62-caliber (127mm) Mark 45 Mod 4 gun was installed.[33] Later Flight IIA ships starting with USSMason(DDG-87) use the BridgeMaster E as their navigation radar instead of the AN/SPS-73(V)12.[93] Subsequent Flight IIA ships employ additional signature-reduction measures: the hangars of DDG 86 onwards are made of composite materials, and the exhaust funnels of DDG 89 onwards are shrouded by the superstructure.[33] The use of the improved SPY-1D(V) radar, starting with USSPinckney(DDG-91), enhances the ships' ability to filter out clutter and resist electronic attack.[94]
USSMomsen, 2006, with torpedo tubes mounted on aft missile deck rather than earlier amidships mounting, superstructure changes to accommodate an AN/WLD-1 holding bay, and lacking CIWS
Several Flight IIA ships were constructed without any Phalanx CIWS because of the planned Evolved SeaSparrow Missile; the Navy had initially decided that ESSM made Phalanx redundant.[33] However, the Navy later changed its mind and decided to retrofit all IIA ships to carry at least one Phalanx CIWS by 2013.[92]
Efforts to modernize the Arleigh Burke class began amid congressional concerns over the retirement of the Iowa-classbattleship. In 1996, the Navy began a program to field the Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) for the DDG 51 class.[96] The ERGM was to extend the class's 5-inch Mark 45 gun range to 63 nautical miles (117km). It necessitated a modification of the gun; the 62-caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 was created and installed on DDG 81 and onwards in anticipation of the ERGM.[97][33] However, the ERGM was canceled in 2008.[98]
The current DDG 51 modernization program is designed to provide mid-life upgrades to ensure the destroyers remain effective with service lives of at least 35 years.[99] Modernization of existing ships provides commonality with in-production ships. The program's goals are reduced manning, increased mission effectiveness, and reduced total cost.[11] Mid-life modernization of Flight I and II ships is done in two phases: the first phase updates the hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) systems, while the second phase focuses on Aegis Combat System upgrades and introduces an Open Architecture Computing Environment (OACE).[45] By 2017, modernization technologies were introduced to production ships, and the Navy started modernization of Flight IIA ships through a single process combining both phases of upgrading.[99] The capabilities of modernized destroyers include CEC, Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD),[N 6] ESSM support, improved electronic support with Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2, improved data processing with Boeing's Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System,[100] and improvements to littoral warfare.[101][45]
In July 2010, BAE Systems announced it had been awarded a contract to modernize 11 ships.[102] In May 2014, USNI News reported that 21 of the 28 Flight I and II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers would not receive the full mid-life upgrade that included electronics and Aegis Baseline 9 software for SM-6 compatibility; instead, they would retain the basic BMD 3.6.1 software in a $170million upgrade concentrating on HM&E systems, and on some ships, their anti-submarine suite.[103][104] Seven Flight I ships—DDGs 51–53, 57, 61, 65, 69—received the full $270million Baseline 9 upgrade.[103] Deputy of surface warfare Dave McFarland said that this change was due to the budget cuts in the Budget Control Act of 2011.[105]
In 2016, the Navy announced it would begin outfitting 34 Flight IIA Arleigh Burkes with a hybrid-electric drive (HED) to lower fuel costs. The four LM2500 gas turbines of the class are most efficient at high speeds; an electric motor was to be attached to the main reduction gear to turn the drive shaft and propel the ship at speeds under 13 knots (24km/h), such as during BMD or maritime security operations. Use of the HED for half the time could extend time on station by 2.5 days before refueling.[106] In March 2018, the Navy announced the HED would be installed on USSTruxtun(DDG-103) to test the technology, but upgrades of further destroyers would be halted due to changed budget priorities.[107]
Also in 2016, four destroyers of the U.S. 6th Fleet based in Naval Station Rota, Spain (USS Carney, USS Ross, USS Donald Cook, and USS Porter) received self-protection upgrades, replacing one of their two Phalanx CIWS with a SeaRAM CIWS, which combines the Phalanx sensor dome with an 11-cell RIM-116 launcher. This was the first time the system was paired with an Aegis ship.[108] Another four ships (USS Arleigh Burke, USS Roosevelt, USS Bulkeley, and USS Paul Ignatius) have since been forward-deployed to Rota and also received a SeaRAM.[61][62][63][64]
In February 2018, Lockheed Martin received a contract to deliver its High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system for installation onto an Arleigh Burke destroyer. HELIOS is a "60+kW"-class laser, scalable to 120kW, that can "dazzle" or destroy small boats and UAVs up to 8.0km (5mi) away.[109][110] It would be the first laser weapon put on a warship.[111][112] In November 2019, USSDewey(DDG-105) had the Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN) system installed. ODIN differs from the XN-1 LaWS previously mounted on USSPonce in that ODIN functions as a dazzler, which blinds or destroys optical sensors on drones rather than shooting down the aircraft.[113][114] HELIOS was delivered to the Navy in August 2022 and installed on USSPreble(DDG-88). Preble was expected to begin at-sea testing of the HELIOS in FY2023.[75]
Also by 2018, all Arleigh Burke-class ships homeported in the Western Pacific were scheduled to have upgraded ASW systems, including the TB-37U MFTA replacing the AN/SQR-19 TACTAS.[115][116]
In FY2019, the Navy started a program to procure the Mod 4 variant of the Mark 38 machine gun system[117] to address "unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and high speed maneuverable unmanned surface vehicle (USV) threats."[118] Mod 4 will incorporate the 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II instead of the 25mm M242 Bushmaster of previous variants.[119] The Mk 38 Mod 4 is planned to be fielded on Flight IIA and III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.[120]
In October 2020, National Security AdvisorRobert C. O'Brien said that all three Flights of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer would field the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) missile developed under the Conventional Prompt Strike program. However, the C-HGB is expected to be around 3ft (0.91m) wide, making it too large to fit in Mk 41 VLS tubes or on deck launchers. Installing them on Arleigh Burke destroyers would require removing some Mk 41 cells to accommodate the larger weapon, an expensive and time-consuming process.[121][122] There is criticism of this idea: the oldest Flight I ships would need a service life extension to justify refit costs that would only prolong their service lives a short time when they are already more expensive to operate, and the newest Flight III ships that are optimized for BMD would be given a new, complex mission requiring a major refit shortly after introduction.[123]
About 20 Flight IIA destroyers will undergo further modernization under the DDG MOD 2.0 program.[124] DDG MOD 2.0 will backfit SPY-6(V)4 and Aegis Baseline 10 to provide similar capabilities to Flight III ships,[N 7] as well as upgrade cooling systems to support the new radar. DDG MOD 2.0 will also deliver the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 EW suite, which adds the SEWIP Block 3 electronic attack subsystem.[25][126] In May 2021, the Navy approved a "Smart Start Plan" for four ships—DDGs 91, 93, 95, 97—to make a gradual transition to DDG MOD 2.0. These ships will undergo a DDG MOD 1.5 phase that provides the SLQ-32(V)7; in 2023, DDG 91 became the first destroyer to receive SLQ-32(V)7.[127] They will then receive the SPY-6(V)4, Aegis Baseline 10, and cooling system upgrades during a later depot modernization period.[126]
Starting in 2025, the Navy will replace Phalanx CIWS on the destroyers with RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers to improve their point defense capability. Arleigh Burkes with the latest Aegis baselines will receive the 21-cell Mk 49 RAM launcher; Arleigh Burkes with older Aegis software will receive the 11-cell SeaRAM.[128][129] It is unclear if ships with two Phalanx CIWS or ships already in a Phalanx-SeaRAM configuration will retain one Phalanx.[130]
Production restarted
A destroyer of the Zumwalt class, the next after the Arleigh Burke class. Only 3 out of 32 planned Zumwalts were built.
USSMichael Murphy(DDG-112) was originally intended to be the last of the Arleigh Burke class. The Navy planned to shift production to the Zumwalt-class destroyer focusing on NGFS and littoral operations.[131] However, at a July 2008 hearing, Navy officials announced intentions to restart Arleigh Burke production in place of additional Zumwalts, testifying to the latter's inability to counter emerging ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles, and blue-water submarines.[132]Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have been in production for longer than any other surface combatant class in the U.S. Navy's history.[133]
In April 2009, the Navy announced a plan limiting the Zumwalt class to three units while ordering another three Arleigh Burke-class ships from both Bath Iron Works and Ingalls Shipbuilding.[134] In December 2009, Northrop Grumman received a $170.7million letter contract for USSJohn Finn(DDG-113) long lead-time materials.[135] Shipbuilding contracts for DDG 113 to DDG 115 were awarded in mid-2011 for $679.6million–$783.6million;[136] these do not include government-furnished equipment such as weapons and sensors, which took the average cost of the FY2011/12 ships to about $1.843billion per vessel.[137]
DDG 113-115 are "restart" ships, similar to previous Flight IIA ships, but including modernization features such as OACE and the TB-37U MFTA, which are being backfit onto previous ships.[138]
The U.S. Navy was considering extending the acquisition of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers into the 2040s, according to revised procurement tables sent to Congress, with the procurement of Flight IV ships from 2032 through 2041.[139] This was canceled to cover the cost of the Columbia-classsubmarines, with the air defense commander role retained on one cruiser per carrier strike group.[140]
In April 2022, the Navy proposed a procurement plan for nine ships, with an option for a tenth, to build two ships a year from 2023 to 2027. Some lawmakers pushed to add a third ship to be built in 2023, bringing the total of the proposed deal to eleven ships. This would follow the Navy's two-ship per year procurement from 2018 to 2022.[141]
USS Jack H. Lucas, the first Flight III destroyer, after her launch on 4 June 2021
In place of the canceled CG(X) program, the U.S. Navy began detailed design work on a DDG 51 Flight III design in FY2013.[147] The Navy planned to procure 24 Flight III ships from FY2016 to FY2031.[148] In June 2013, it awarded $6.2billion in destroyer contracts.[149] Costs for the Flight III ships increased as requirements for the program grew, particularly related to the planned Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) needed for the IAMD role.[150] An AMDR with a mid-diameter of 22 feet (6.7m) had been proposed for CG(X), while the DDG 51 Flight III design could carry an AMDR with a mid-diameter of only 14 feet (4.3m).[151] The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the design would be "at best marginally effective" because of the "now-shrunken radar". The U.S. Navy disagreed with the GAO findings, stating that the DDG 51 hull was "absolutely" capable of fitting a large enough radar to meet requirements.[152]
The Flight III's AN/SPY-6 AMDR with a mid-diameter of 14 feet (4.3m) uses an active electronically scanned array with digital beamforming, compared to the previous passive electronically scanned array AN/SPY-1D with a mid-diameter of 12 feet (3.7m).[151][153][154] According to the SPY-6's contractor Raytheon, the 37-RMA SPY-6(V)1 is 30 times more sensitive and capable of detecting objects "half the size at twice the distance" compared to the SPY-1D.[155] The Flight III's SPY-6 is integrated with Aegis Baseline 10.[156] The new radar also requires more power; the three-megawatt, 450V AG9140 generators were upgraded to four-megawatt, 4,160V AG9160 generators.[7][8] Additionally, the air conditioning plants were upgraded to increase the ships' cooling capacity.[157] The area near where the two rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) are stored was enclosed to accommodate additional crew, so the RHIBs are stacked.[158] Other modifications include replacement of the Halon-based fire suppression system with a water mist system and strengthening of the hull to support the design's additional weight.[157]
14 Flight III ships have been ordered,[159] and Flight III IOC is planned for 2024.[160] The U.S. Navy may procure up to 42 Flight III ships for an overall total of 117 ships of the class.[161]
In April 2014, the U.S. Navy began the development of a new destroyer to replace the Arleigh Burke class called the "Future Surface Combatant". The new class is expected to enter service in the 2030s and initially serve alongside the Flight III Arleigh Burkes. The destroyer class will incorporate emerging technologies like lasers, onboard power-generation systems, increased automation, and next-generation weapons, sensors, and electronics. They will use technologies from other platforms, such as the Zumwalt-class destroyer, littoral combat ships, and the Gerald R. Ford-classaircraft carrier.[162]
The Future Surface Combatant may place importance on the Zumwalt-class destroyer's electric drive system that provides propulsion while generating 58 megawatts of electrical power, levels required to operate future directed energy weapons. Initial requirements for the Future Surface Combatant emphasize lethality and survivability. The ships must also be modular to allow for inexpensive upgrades of weaponry, electronics, computing, and sensors over time as threats evolve.[162] The Future Surface Combatant has evolved into the Large Surface Combatant, which became the DDG(X).[163] The Navy plans to procure the first DDG(X) in FY2032.[5]
Operational history
USSMilius launches a TLAM toward Iraq, first days of the Iraq War in 2003
The class saw its first combat action through Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) strikes against Iraq.[164] Over 3 and 4 September 1996, USSLaboon and USSRussell launched thirteen and eight TLAMs, respectively, as part of Operation Desert Strike.[165] In December 1998, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers again performed TLAM strikes as part of Operation Desert Fox.[166] Eleven Arleigh Burkes supported carrier strike groups engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom, which included TLAM launches against ground targets during the operation's opening stages in 2003.[32][167]
In October 2011, the Navy announced that four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers would be forward-deployed in Europe to support the NATO missile defense system. The ships, to be based at Naval Station Rota, Spain, were named in February 2012 as Ross, Donald Cook, Porter, and Carney.[168] By reducing travel times to station, this forward deployment allows for six other destroyers to be shifted from the Atlantic in support of the Pivot to East Asia.[169] Russia threatened to quit the New START treaty over this deployment, calling it a threat to their nuclear deterrent.[170] In 2018, CNO Admiral John Richardson criticized the policy of keeping six highly mobile BMD platforms "in a little tiny box, defending land", a role that he believed could be performed equally well at less cost by shore-based systems.[171]
In October 2016, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Mason and Nitze were deployed to the coast of Yemen after a UAE auxiliary ship was struck in an attack for which Houthi rebels claimed responsibility.[172] On 9 October, while in the Red Sea, Mason detected two anti-ship missiles headed toward herself and nearby USS Ponce fired from Houthi-controlled territory. Mason launched two SM-2s, one ESSM, and a Nulka decoy. One AShM was confirmed to have struck the water on its own, and it is unknown if the second missile was intercepted or hit the water on its own.[173] On 12 October, in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Mason again detected an inbound anti-ship missile, which was intercepted at a range of 8 miles (13km) by an SM-2.[174][175] On 13 October, Nitze conducted TLAM strikes destroying three Houthi radar sites used in the previous attacks.[176] Back in the Red Sea, Mason experienced a third attack on 15 October with five AShMs. She fired SM-2s and decoys, destroying or neutralizing four missiles. Nitze neutralized the fifth missile with a radar decoy.[175][177]
On 7 April 2017, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Ross and Porter conducted a TLAM strike against Shayrat Airfield, Syria, in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's chemical attack on his people three days prior.[178] The ships fired a total of 59 Tomahawk missiles.[179] On 14 April 2018, Laboon and Higgins conducted another TLAM strike against Syria. They fired seven and twenty-three TLAMs, respectively. The strike targeted chemical weapon sites as part of a continued effort against Assad's use of chemical warfare.[180] The Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Donald Cook and Winston S. Churchill took positions in the Mediterranean prior to the 2018 strike to mislead defending forces.[181]
In October and November 2023, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Carney and Thomas Hudner, while deployed in the Red Sea, shot down numerous drones and missiles. On 19 October, Carney shot down at least three cruise missiles and eight drones that were potentially targeting Israel.[182] On 15 and 22 November, Thomas Hudner shot down numerous drones launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen.[183] On 27 November, Carney detected two ballistic missile launches from Houthi-controlled territory headed towards herself and nearby M/V Central Park; they splashed ten 10 nautical miles away.[184] On 29 November, Carney intercepted another Houthi missile.[185] On 30 December, Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory at herself and nearby container ship Maersk Hangzhou.[186] On 30 January 2024, a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile fired toward the Red Sea came within one mile of Gravely; she used her Phalanx CIWS to shoot down the missile.[187][188]
During the Iranian strikes on Israel on 13 April 2024, USS Arleigh Burke and USS Carney fired four to seven SM-3s, shooting down at least three Iranian ballistic missiles. This was the first time the SM-3 was employed in combat.[189][190]
On 1 October 2024, USS Bulkeley and USS Cole fired 12 SM-3 and SM-6 missiles against Iranian ballistic missiles.[191]
USS Cole being towed from the port city of Aden after the bombing. Blast damage to the hull is visible mid-ship.
USSCole was damaged on 12 October 2000 in Aden, Yemen, while docked by an attack in which a shaped charge of 200–300kg in a boat was placed against the hull and detonated by suicide bombers, killing 17 crew members. The ship was repaired and returned to duty in 2001.[192]
On 12 August 2012, USS Porter collided with the oil tanker MV Otowasan near the Strait of Hormuz; there were no injuries. The U.S. Navy removed Porter's commanding officer from duty. Repairs took two months at a cost of $700,000.[193]
On 17 June 2017, USSFitzgerald(DDG-62) collided with the MV ACX Crystal cargo ship near Yokosuka, Japan. Seven sailors drowned. Following an investigation, the ship's commanding officer, executive officer, and Command Master Chief Petty Officer were relieved of their duties. In addition, close to a dozen sailors were given non-judicial punishment for losing situational awareness. Repairs were originally to be completed by the summer of 2019. However, initial repairs were made by February 2020. After the subsequent sea trials, she was brought in for additional repairs. The ship departed for her home port in June 2020.[194]
On 21 August 2017, USS John S. McCain collided with the container ship Alnic MC. The collision injured 48 sailors and killed 10, whose bodies were all recovered by 27 August. The cause of the collision was determined to be poor communication between the two ships and the bridge crew lacking situational awareness. In the aftermath, the ship's top leadership, including the commanding officer, executive officer, and Command Master Chief Petty Officer, were removed from command. In addition, top leadership of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, including the commander, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, were relieved of their duties due to a loss of confidence in their ability to command. Other commanders who were relieved included Rear Admiral Charles Williams, commander of Task Force 70, and Captain Jeffrey Bennett, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 15. This was the third incident involving a U.S. Navy ship in 2017, with a repair cost of over $100million.[195]
The 2013 film Captain Phillips features USS Truxtun, which stood in for the ship from the true event, USS Bainbridge.[202]
The 2014 television series The Last Ship, loosely based on the 1988 novel of the same name, is set on the fictional USSNathan James.[203] Its hull designation in the book is DDG 80, but it was changed to DDG 151 for the television series to avoid confusion with the real-life USS Roosevelt, which did not exist when the book was written. USSHalsey(DDG-97), a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, stood in for Nathan James during filming.[204]
The 2015 film San Andreas features an unidentified Arleigh Burke-class destroyer during a scene following a tsunami. A second and third unidentified destroyer also appear near the end of the film in the San Francisco Bay.
↑ The Navy requests the procurement of two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in its FY2024 budget proposal. The estimated total procurement cost for these two ships is US$4.4328billion (about US$4.4billion).[1]
↑ As of 2023[update], ODIN is deployed on six ships of the class.
↑ As of 2023[update], SeaRAM is deployed on eight ships of the class.
↑ The 5-inch/62-caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 can fire a munition called the Cargo Round, which gives the Mod 4 a range of over 20 nautical miles (37km).[67][68]
↑ According to Polmar, the Harpoon launchers were removed to save weight.[28] According to Wertheim, the Harpoon launchers were removed to save costs.[33]
↑ Integrated Air and Missile Defense refers to the ability to simultaneously perform anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense.
↑ The AN/SPY-6 is a scalable system made up of radar module assemblies (RMAs), self-contained 2'x2'x2' radar boxes. Different numbers of RMAs can be combined to create different-sized variants of the SPY-6.[125] Due to the smaller superstructure of Flight IIA ships compared to Flight III ships, the radar implementation will be scaled down from the Flight III's version (24-RMA SPY-6(V)4 vs. 37-RMA SPY-6(V)1).[51]
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The DDG(X) or Next-Generation Guided-Missile Destroyer program of the United States Navy aims to develop a class of surface combatants to succeed 22 Flight II Ticonderoga-class cruisers and 28 Flight I/II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The program is the culmination of the Large Surface Combatant (LSC) initiative that followed the cancellation of CG(X) and curtailing of the procurement of the Zumwalt-class destroyers. The ships will become the principal large surface combatants of the U.S. Navy. Compared to their predecessors, they will incorporate more powerful sensors and have more room and weight margin for growth.
↑ "Contracts for Wednesday, December 02, 2009". Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), U.S. Department of Defense. 2 December 2009. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2011. Contract N00024-10-C-2308.
↑ O'Rourke, Ronald (19 April 2011). "Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress". Congressional Research Service. RL32109. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2011. Since 1 and 2 ships are procured in alternate years and the "1 in a year" ships cost more, the fairest estimate of unit price comes from averaging three ships across two years. Funds are spent on long lead-time items in the year before the main procurement of each ship. DDG-114 and DDG-115 together cost $577.2million (FY2010) + $2.922billion (FY2011) = $3.499billion (p. 20), and DDG-116 cost $48million (FY2011) + $1.981billion (FY2012) = $2.029billion (p. 7), making an average for the three ships of about $1.843billion.
1 2 Miller, Seth (12 January 2022). "DDG 51 Program Update"(PDF). Naval Sea Systems Command. p.5. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
↑ Truver, Scott; Holzer, Robert (1 May 2013). "U.S. Navy in Review". U.S. Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
1 2 Wertheim, Eric (1 December 2020). "Japan's New Aegis DDG". U.S. Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
↑ Ishī, Kōyū (December 2019). "Overview of World's Aegis ships: Kongo-class". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (913). Kaijin-sha: 88–89. NAID40022058771.
Baker, A. D. (1998). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 1998–1999: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-111-4.
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