The first Flight III Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer was underway for the first-time for builder’s trials in the Gulf of Mexico.
Jack H. Lucas (DDG-25) left Ingalls Shipbuilding on Dec. 12 for three days of sea trials before returning to the Mississippi shipyard.
The 10,000-ton destroyer is the first to field the active electronically scanned array AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar.
As the first Flight III ship, DDG-125 is the culmination of years of dedication and perseverance.
The Flight III will replace the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers in the air defense role in the carrier strike group.
Lucas’ keel was laid in Oct. 7, 2019, and the ship launched on June 4, 2021, according to the Naval Vessel Register.
The ship is expected to commission next year.