The US Navy Is Buying Another Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer

The Navy has voiced a goal of having 75 mission-capable warships that would be able to deploy at a moment’s notice anywhere in the world in support of combat operations. 

As its global operational needs intensify, the US Navy has decided to buy an additional Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer. 

On August 1, General Dynamics announced that the Navy had exercised an option to add one additional Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer to the multi-year contract that was signed in 2023. 

“I appreciate the efforts of our team to improve the construction process and build to the plan. We are clawing back schedule so we can deliver more Bath-built ships to our Navy,” Charles Krugh, president of Bath Iron Works, said of the additional order.  

The Navy awarded the contract to two shipyards, General Dynamic’s Bath Iron Works and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Mississippi shipyard. The combined contracts likely cost the Navy under $10 billion. The goal is to deliver two new warships each fiscal year.  

“I would also like to acknowledge and thank our Congressional delegation who added this ship to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Defense Appropriations Bill,” Krugh added.

Characteristics of Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers

• Builder: General Dynamics
• Combat Systems Integrator: Lockheed Martin
• First Deployed: July 4, 1991
• Length: Flights I and II are 505 feet; Flights IIA and III are 509.5 feet
• Weight: 8,230 to 9,700 long tons
• Top Speed: Above 30 knots (34.5 mph)
• Propulsion: Four General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower
• Crew: Flight IIA has 329 (32 officers, 27 CPO, 270 enlisted); Flight III has 359 (41 officers, 27 CPO, 291 enlisted)

The Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer Is the Backbone of the Navy

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the Navy’s surface combatant fleet. The class was named after Admiral Arleigh Burke, a destroyer officer who served with distinction in World War II and later became Chief of Naval Operations, the most senior position in the Navy. 

Arleigh Burkes make up the largest part of the US Navy’s surface combatant capabilities. Out of the Navy’s 75 guided-missile destroyers in service, 73 are Arleigh Burkes and two Zumwalts. Moreover, out of a total of approximately 119 guided-missile cruisers, destroyers, and littoral combat ships, Arleigh Burke ships make up over 61 percent of the surface combatant fleet.  

The Navy has voiced a goal of having 75 mission-capable warships that would be able to deploy at a moment’s notice anywhere in the world in support of combat operations. That means that the ships must be well-maintained and have a full complement of sailors at any given time. Of course, the logistical challenges of such a goal are daunting, as the service needs to balance the need for an ongoing global presence during peacetime, contingencies around the world, and potential threats in the future.  

Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyers can conduct both offensive and defensive operations. They can also operate independently, as part of aircraft carrier strike groups, surface action groups, and expeditionary strike groups.  

Arleigh Burke warships can conduct anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare (ASuW). The destroyers rely on a combination of weapons and sensors, including Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, RM-66/156/161/162/174 air defense missiles, and MK 48 heavy torpedoes. Some versions of the warship also pack two MH-60R anti-submarine helicopters. Newer versions of the guided-missile destroyer will also pack ballistic missile defenses. 

The Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer made its debut in 1985. In the 40 years since, the Navy has procured 94 warships of the type.  

About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou   

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.  

Image: Wikimedia Commons.