Future US Navy destroyer USS Ted Stevens completes sea trials with SPY6 radar boosting detection power.

The future U.S. Navy USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128) Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer has completed its second builder’s sea trials equipped with the Navy’s latest SPY-6(V)1 radar. The milestone marks a major step toward deploying the most advanced radar ever installed on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

Raytheon confirmed on October 30, 2025, via its official LinkedIn account that the future USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128) has successfully completed its second builder’s sea trials while operating the SPY-6(V)1 radar system. The powerful sensor, built by Raytheon, is designed to provide significantly enhanced air and missile defense detection across multiple domains. This achievement brings the Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer closer to delivery and strengthens the Navy’s next-generation surface combatant capabilities.
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Future U.S. Navy USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128) Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer underway during second builder’s sea trials, showcasing the integrated SPY-6(V)1 radar arrays. (Picture source: HII)

The future U.S. Navy Ted Stevens is the second Arleigh Burke destroyer of the Flight III configuration to undergo sea trials, and its integration with the Raytheon-built SPY-6(V)1 radar underscores the U.S. Navy’s push toward a fully networked, multi-domain fleet prepared to counter evolving air and missile threats. Named in honor of the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, one of the most influential defense appropriators in U.S. congressional history, DDG 128 is expected to be formally commissioned in 2026. The destroyer was built at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, a critical shipyard for the U.S. Navy’s large surface combatant production line.

Raytheon’s SPY-6(V)1 radar represents a generational leap in naval sensor capability. Designed from inception for the DDG 51 Flight III destroyers, it consists of four active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar faces, each housing 37 Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs). This configuration delivers continuous 360-degree situational awareness, enabling simultaneous detection and tracking of ballistic missiles, hypersonic threats, cruise missiles, manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and surface targets. Importantly, SPY-6 is also engineered to withstand and respond to electronic warfare conditions, significantly strengthening the U.S. Navy's ability to operate in contested electromagnetic environments.

The radar’s increased sensitivity and range, estimated at more than 30 times that of the legacy SPY-1D(V) system, translates into expanded battlespace awareness and earlier threat engagement timelines, a crucial advantage as adversaries accelerate the deployment of maneuverable hypersonic and low-observable missiles. Integrated with Aegis Baseline 10 and the latest combat systems suite, the SPY-6(V)1 enables DDG 128 to serve as a multi-mission sensor hub for carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups, or independent operations.

Beyond its technical prowess, the successful integration of SPY-6 on Ted Stevens signals a broader shift in how the U.S. Navy fields layered defense capabilities at sea. The Flight III Arleigh Burkes are viewed as an essential bridge between today’s surface fleet and future platforms such as DDG(X). The Flight III destroyers are expected to shoulder the bulk of high-end air and missile defense missions in the coming decade, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s missile force continues to expand in range and sophistication.

While builder’s sea trials primarily validate propulsion, navigation, auxiliary systems, and radar integration, they also serve as early indicators of how well complex combat systems are performing ahead of final acceptance trials by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). The successful completion of this second round of trials suggests a high level of system maturity and integration readiness.

As the U.S. Navy accelerates deployment timelines in response to the global strategic environment, the SPY-6 radar is expected to become the fleet’s standard for both new builds and select backfits. Raytheon is currently contracted to deliver more than 30 SPY-6 variants across destroyers, amphibious ships, and carriers, and the radar has drawn interest from allied navies, including Japan and Australia.

For now, the USS Ted Stevens Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer stands as a visible marker of the U.S. Navy’s modernization path, fusing advanced sensor architecture with a proven hull design. Her upcoming commissioning will not only expand the U.S. Navy’s sensor reach but also serve as a testament to the evolving demands of 21st-century naval warfare, where radar dominance could prove decisive in the first minutes of a high-end conflict.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.