US Navy Commissions 9,700 Ton Destroyer In Alaska With Advanced Missile Defence Radar

The newest Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer, USS Ted Stevens, was recently commissioned into the U.S. Navy in a ceremony held in Whittier, Alaska, on October 3, 2026.

It was delivered on December 29, 2025, and left the shipyard in May for its journey to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, which it covered in a week.

The ship was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries at the Mississippi Shipyard. The sea trials were completed last year, and the destroyer was then sent for acceptance trials overseen by the Inspection and Survey Board of the Navy.

The 9700-ton USS Ted Stevens will enter the fleet as the second Flight III destroyer and strengthen its ability to perform anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare, along with ballistic missile defenses at once.

Equipped with AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, the destroyer is a vital addition to the U.S. Navy. It has an Mk 41 vertical launching system, which makes it a lethal vessel, capable of offense and defense as the situation demands.

It also features an upgraded cooling system and electrical power distribution network so that ships can operate in challenging environments while working with the United States and its allies.

Christened after Ted Stevens, who was part of the U.S. Senate as a representative from Alaska from 1968 to 2009, the ship also showcased Alaska’s importance to U.S. naval operations in the Arctic and the North Pacific.

The destroyer went to Florida and then Alaska via the Panama Canal before the commissioning ceremony, which also honoured the service of Ted Stevens, who served as a pilot in the Air Force during the Second World War, handling dangerous missions over the Himalayan mountains during the China-Myanmar-India conflict. He was awarded several medals and crosses for his service.

The Navy officials also said that the destroyer’s addition to the fleet shows the role played by Alaska in maritime defense of the north.