The ship is known as for the late Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska. Stevens was the longest-serving Republican U.S. Senator in historical past on the time he left workplace and was the third senator to carry the title of president professional tempore emeritus. He was the president professional tempore of the US Senate within the 108th and 109th Congresses.
The modern keel laying ceremony represents the becoming a member of collectively of a ship’s modular parts on the land degree. The keel is authenticated with the ship sponsors’ initials etched right into a ceremonial keel plate as a part of the ceremony. Sponsors of DDG 128 are Catherine Stevens, spouse of the ship’s namesake, and Susan Stevens Covich and Lily Stevens Becker, daughters of the namesake.
“The Flight III improve fulfills a crucial want for the Navy. Flight III ships like the longer term USS Ted Stevens will function a deterrent to our adversaries utilizing the ship’s elevated energy projection functionality on account of the upgraded AEGIS Fight System and Air and Missile Protection Radar,” stated Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 class program supervisor, Program Govt Workplace (PEO) Ships. “We’re honored to have the Stevens household with us at present as we mark this essential milestone in constructing the Navy’s and the Nation’s subsequent nice warship.”
The DDG 51 Flight III improve is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Protection Radar and incorporates upgrades to {the electrical} energy and cooling capability plus further related adjustments to supply significantly enhanced warfighting functionality to the fleet. Flight III is the newest Flight improve within the greater than 30-year historical past of the category, constructing on the proud legacy of Flight I, II and IIA ships earlier than it.
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding can also be in manufacturing on the longer term USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), and USS George M. Neal (DDG 131).
As one of many Protection Division’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is chargeable for executing the event and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, help ships, boats and craft.
