The US Navy has formally taken delivery of the guided-missile destroyer USS Ted Stevens (DDG-128), the 78th ship of the Arleigh Burke class, from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding. The transfer follows a series of dockside and sea trials validating the ship’s performance prior to entry into operational service. Ted Stevens is the third destroyer built to the Flight III configuration, centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, which significantly enhance air and missile defense against modern threats. Named after the longest-serving Republican senator in US history, the vessel joins a fleet undergoing major modernization. Ingalls is currently constructing seven additional Arleigh Burke destroyers, having delivered 36 ships to date. Measuring approximately 505 feet in length, the destroyer is powered by Allison generators enabling speeds above 30 knots and long-range operations. Its weapons suite includes missiles, torpedoes, naval guns, electronic warfare systems, and decoys, while accommodating a crew of roughly 300 personnel, a helicopter, and small boats.
