Exclusive Report: Inside U.S. Navy Flight III Arleigh Burke Destroyer and Its Unmatched Capabilities.

In this article, the Army Recognition editorial team explains what is the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, with a special focus on the latest Flight III variant, which is now emerging as the most advanced surface combatant in the U.S. Navy fleet. As the backbone of American naval power projection and maritime dominance, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer has evolved through multiple configurations since its introduction in the early 1990s. The Flight III version marks a significant leap forward in capabilities, engineered to meet evolving threats in multi-domain operations and to counter advanced ballistic and cruise missile systems.
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The U.S. Navy Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is the latest evolution of the Navy’s most successful surface combatant, featuring advanced radar, enhanced missile defense systems, and multi-mission capabilities for modern naval warfare. (Picture source: U.S. Navy with editing by the Army Recognition Group)

The U.S. Navy Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer introduces transformative upgrades centered around the new AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar, a scalable, modular radar that vastly outperforms the legacy SPY-1D(V) in range, target discrimination, and resistance to electronic attack. This radar serves as the foundation for the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System, integrating air and missile defense in a way that allows the ship to simultaneously track and engage a high number of targets, including ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft, and next-generation anti-ship cruise missiles. The enhanced sensor suite is fully integrated with the ship's weapon systems, including the Standard Missile family (SM-2, SM-6, and SM-3), Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), and Tomahawk cruise missiles, giving the Flight III a true multi-layered defense and strike capability.

Beyond radar and combat system advancements, the Flight III design includes modifications to hull and electrical systems to accommodate the increased power demands of the AN/SPY-6 radar. This includes upgraded power generation and cooling systems to ensure operational endurance and reliability in high-intensity maritime operations. These changes make the Flight III one of the most resilient and mission-adaptable surface combatants in the world.

The roles and missions of the Flight III destroyer in the U.S. Navy span air and missile defense, sea control, anti-submarine warfare, and power projection through long-range precision strike. It is intended to escort carrier strike groups, support amphibious ready groups, and conduct independent operations in contested regions. With its expanded radar coverage and improved lethality, Flight III is especially suited to defend against regional ballistic missile threats and saturation missile attacks from near-peer adversaries. It also plays a central role in joint integrated air and missile defense architectures alongside U.S. and allied forces.

The Flight III is the latest generation in the Arleigh Burke-class family and represents the most significant modernization of the class since its inception. Development of the Flight III configuration officially began in 2013 as part of the U.S. Navy’s long-term strategy to maintain destroyer superiority while deferring the more costly and complex next-generation cruiser replacement. It was born from a capability gap left by the cancellation of the CG(X) program and the truncation of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class to just three ships. As a result, the Navy chose to evolve the proven Arleigh Burke hull by embedding the most advanced radar and combat systems available into a familiar and reliable platform.

The lead ship of this version, USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), was delivered by Huntington Ingalls Industries and commissioned into active service on October 7, 2023. The introduction of Flight III into the U.S. Navy is part of a phased acquisition plan that will gradually replace aging Flight I and IIA destroyers while significantly boosting the Navy’s air and missile defense capacity. More than 15 additional Flight III units are currently under construction or under contract, with several more planned as part of the Navy’s future force structure through at least 2032.

Compared to earlier versions such as Flight IIA, the Flight III offers a dramatically improved radar system, greater power and cooling capacity, increased automation, and the integration of Aegis Baseline 10. While earlier Burkes were already versatile platforms with robust combat systems, Flight III's AN/SPY-6(V)1 enables engagement of more simultaneous targets with higher fidelity and over greater distances. It also introduces improved cyber defenses and software architecture built to support future upgrades, including the integration of emerging hypersonic interceptors or directed energy weapons.

From a survivability standpoint, Flight III destroyers have enhanced damage control features and compartmentalization, as well as improved electromagnetic shielding and hardened electronic systems to resist jamming and cyber intrusion. These upgrades ensure they remain operational in the most contested maritime domains, including areas with sophisticated anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) threats such as the Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean.

As threats continue to evolve, the Flight III variant provides a critical bridge between today’s surface fleet and future high-end warfighting concepts. It strengthens the Navy’s distributed maritime operations strategy and reinforces fleet-level air and missile defense capabilities while offering a scalable path for future technologies. With its multi-mission configuration, superior radar performance, and combat readiness, the Flight III destroyer stands at the forefront of U.S. naval deterrence and sea control for the next several decades.