The US Navy has expanded its fleet of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with a new contract awarded to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for the construction of DDG 148. This brings the total number of vessels ordered in the class to over 90, with 74 already commissioned and deployed globally.
At present, the Maine-based shipyard is assembling two Flight IIA and five Flight III variants of the destroyer. The recently delivered USS John Basilone (DDG 122) was commissioned in July 2024, and the keel for the 82nd ship was laid earlier this year, demonstrating steady progress in the program.
Each Arleigh Burke-class vessel features a robust propulsion system with General Electric gas turbines and Rolls-Royce generators, enabling speeds of up to 30 knots and operational ranges of more than 8,000 kilometers. Length varies by configuration, reaching up to 155 meters.
Known for their versatility, the destroyers support multi-domain operations with a wide range of armaments, including air-defense missiles, torpedoes, guns, and decoy systems. With a crew capacity of up to 300, they can also operate maritime helicopters and small boats, making them essential assets in modern naval warfare.
