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Destroyers (DDG 51)

Last updated: 04 Mar 2025

Description

The DDG 51-class guided missile destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of Carrier Strike Groups, Surface Action Groups, and Expeditionary Strike Groups.

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VIDEO | 01:26 | Destroyers - Role In The Fleet
 

Features

Guided-missile destroyers are multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW). The destroyer's armament has greatly expanded the role of the ship in strike warfare utilizing the MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), and, beginning with ships equipped with Aegis Baseline 9, Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD).

Background

The Arleigh Burke class (DDG 51) destroyers replaced the Charles F. Adams class (DDG 2). The Arleigh Burke class was designed with an all-new hull form, incorporating much of the Spruance class (DD 963) destroyer propulsion and machinery plant, and the integrated Aegis Weapon System (AWS) proven on the Kidd class (DD 993) destroyers and installed on the larger Ticonderoga class cruisers. The AWS is composed of a multi-function phased array radar, advanced AAW and ASW systems, VLS, and the Tomahawk Weapon System. DDG 51 was commissioned on July 4, 1991, and the class is still in production. The class has been continuously upgraded with advanced sensors and weapons and improved support systems.

The Arleigh Burke class employs all-steel construction and comprises four separate variants or "Flights." DDGs 51-71 represent the original design and are designated as Flight I; DDGs 72-78 are Flight II ships; and DDGs 79-124 and DDG 127 are Flight IIA ships. The Flight III baseline begins with DDGs 125-126 and continues with DDG 128 and follow.

The DDG 51 Flight III upgrade is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) system that provides vastly increased capability over Flight IIA ships. The AMDR enables Flight III ships to simultaneously perform AAW and BMD, which satisfies the Navy’s critical need for an enhanced surface combatant Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability. Seventy-four DDG 51 class ships have been delivered to the fleet (DDGs 51 -123, 125), with 25 more on contract and 12 ships in various stages of construction.

A second phase of the DDG modernization program is underway to provide a comprehensive mid-life upgrade for the Flight IIA DDGs that will ensure the DDG 51 class will maintain mission relevance. The modernization changes are also being introduced to new construction ships to increase the baseline capabilities of the newest ships in the class, and to provide commonality between new construction ships and modernized in-service ships. The goal of the DDG modernization effort is to reduce workload requirements and increase warfighting capabilities while decreasing total ownership cost to the Navy. To date, 45 modernizations have been completed or are in progress under the first phase of the modernization program and 15 modernizations are planned through the Future Years Defense Program.

General Characteristics, Arleigh Burke class
Builder: General Dynamics -- Bath Iron Works, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding  
Combat System Integrator: Lockheed-Martin  
Date Deployed: July 4, 1991 USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)
Propulsion: Four General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower
Length: Flights I and II (DDG 51-78): 505 feet (153.92 meters); Flight IIA and III (DDG 79 AF): 509 1/2 feet (155.29 meters)
Beam: 59 feet (18 meters)
Displacement: 8,230 - 9,700 Ltons
Speed: In excess of 30 knots
Crew: Flight IIA: 329 Total (32 Officer, 27 CPO, 270 Enlisted)
           Flight III: 359 Total (41 Officer, 27 CPO, 291 Enlisted)
Armament: Standard Missile Family; Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) missiles; Tomahawk; six MK-46 torpedoes (from two triple tube mounts); Close In Weapon System (CIWS); 5-in. MK 45 Gun; Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
Aircraft: (Flight IIA and III (DDG 79 AF)): Two LAMPS MK III MH-60 R helicopters 
Ships:

USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), Rota, Spain

USS Barry (DDG 52), Everett, WA

USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), Everett, WA

USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), San Diego, CA

USS Stout (DDG 55), Norfolk, VA

USS John S McCain (DDG 56), Everett, WA

USS Mitscher (DDG 57), Norfolk, VA

USS Laboon (DDG 58), Norfolk, VA

USS Russell (DDG 59), San Diego, CA

USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), San Diego, CA

USS Ramage (DDG 61), Norfolk, VA

USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), San Diego, CA

USS Stethem (DDG 63), San Diego, CA

USS Carney (DDG 64), Mayport, FL

USS Benfold (DDG 65), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), Norfolk, VA

USS Cole (DDG 67), Norfolk, VA

USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), Mayport, FL

USS Milius (DDG 69), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Hopper (DDG 70), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Ross (DDG 71), Norfolk, VA

USS Mahan (DDG 72), Norfolk, VA

USS Decatur (DDG 73), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS McFaul (DDG 74), Norfolk, VA

USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), Mayport, FL

USS Higgins (DDG 76), Yokosuka, Japan

USS O'Kane (DDG 77), San Diego, CA

USS Porter (DDG 78), Norfolk, VA

USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), Norfolk, VA

USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), Rota, Spain

USS Winston S Churchill (DDG 81), Mayport, FL

USS Lassen (DDG 82), Mayport, FL

USS Howard (DDG 83), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), Norfolk, VA

USS McCampbell (DDG 85), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Shoup (DDG 86), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Mason (DDG 87), Mayport, FL

USS Preble (DDG 88), San Diego, CA

USS Mustin (DDG 89), San Diego, CA

USS Chafee (DDG 90), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Pinckney (DDG 91), San Diego, CA

USS Momsen (DDG 92), San Diego, CA

USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Nitze (DDG 94), Norfolk, VA

USS James E Williams (DDG 95), Norfolk, VA

USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), Norfolk, VA

USS Halsey (DDG 97), San Diego, CA

USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), Norfolk, VA

USS Farragut (DDG 99), Mayport, FL

USS Kidd (DDG 100), Everett, WA

USS Gridley (DDG 101), Everett, WA

USS Sampson (DDG 102), Everett, WA

USS Truxtun (DDG 103), Norfolk, VA

USS Sterett (DDG 104), San Diego, CA

USS Dewey (DDG 105), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Stockdale (DDG 106), San Diego, CA

USS Gravely (DDG 107), Norfolk, VA

USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), Mayport, FL

USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Spruance (DDG 111), San Diego, CA

USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS John Finn (DDG 113), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), Yokosuka, Japan

USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), Mayport, FL

USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Rota, Spain

USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Mayport, FL

USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. (DDG 121), Pearl Harbor, HI

USS Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), San Diego, CA

USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), San Diego, CA

  
John Basilone (DDG 122), under construction

Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG 124), under construction

Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), under construction

Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), under construction

Ted Stevens (DDG 128), under construction

Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), under construction

William Charette (DDG 130), under construction

George M. Neal (DDG 131), under construction

Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), under construction

Sam Nunn (DDG 133), under construction

John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), under contract

Thad Cochran (DDG 135), under contract

Richard G Lugar (DDG 136), under contract

John F. Lehman  (DDG 137), under contract

J. William Middendorf (DDG 138), under contract

Telesforo Trinidad (DDG 139), under contract

Thomas G. Kelley (DDG 140), under contract

Ernest E. Evans (DDG 141), under contract

Charles J. French (DDG 142), under contract

Richard J. Danzig (DDG 143), under contract

Michael G. Mullen (DDG 144), under contract

Intrepid (DDG 145), under contract

Robert Kerrey (DDG 146), under contract

Ray Mabus (DDG 147), under contract

Kyle Carpenter (DDG 148), under contract

Robert R. Ingram (DDG 149), under contract
 
 
 
 

 

Point of Contact
Naval Sea Systems Command
Office of Corporate Communication (SEA 00D)

Washington, D.C. 20376
(SEA 00D)

(202) 781-4123

 

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