The future USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), a flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, arrived at its Naval Station Norfolk homeport for the first time on May 15, 2026.
The arrival marks a key milestone for the crew, who sailed the ship from the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Shipbuilding division in Mississippi. This event begins the ship’s transition from construction to the operational phase of testing and integration with the U.S. Navy fleet. The ship’s commissioning ceremony will be held in Whittier, Alaska, later.
The destroyer is named for U.S. Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, a decorated World War II Army Air Corps veteran. Senator Stevens was a noted advocate for national security and military readiness during his 40 years in the Senate. This is the first U.S. Navy warship to bear his name.
As a Flight III destroyer, the ship represents the next generation of surface combatants, featuring the Flight III AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar system and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system designed to counter evolving threats well into the 21st century.
COMNAVSURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of United States national interests. The SURFLANT force is composed of 70 ships and 31 shore commands.