The US Navy is advancing its goal of maintaining 75 mission-capable warships ready for deployment worldwide at a moment’s notice.

Achieving this requires unmatched logistical coordination and underscores American maritime power as operational demands continue to grow.

To support this readiness, the Navy is expanding its shipbuilding plan, adding an extra Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer to the 2023 production schedule.

With backing from Congress and the Department of War, the service aims to add two new destroyers annually, reinforcing long-term modernization objectives.

First deployed in 1991, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDG-51) represent a cornerstone of modern surface warfare.

The Navy has commissioned 73 ships, with designs evolving across multiple variants from Flight I to the latest Flight III.

Over time, hull length has increased from 154 to over 155 meters, reflecting capability improvements and the addition of two hangars.

Displacement has grown from 8,230 to 9,700 long tons, with a top speed of 30 knots powered by four gas turbines producing 100,000 shaft horsepower.

The Flight III configuration carries a crew of 329, including 41 officers, 27 chief petty officers, and 291 enlisted sailors.

Versatile and multi-mission capabilities

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer serves as a versatile workhorse capable of multiple missions.

They conduct anti-air warfare, including recent deployments in the Red Sea supporting allied defense against Houthi attacks in Yemen.

The destroyers also execute anti-submarine warfare, protecting critical maritime chokepoints such as the Bab al-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz.

Equipped with AN/SQS-53C hull-mounted sonar, towed array sonar, and six MK-46 torpedoes, the ships can detect, localize, classify, and target underwater threats while defending themselves and nearby assets.

Each destroyer carries up to two MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters, combining anti-submarine, anti-surface, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) capabilities in one rotorcraft.

The ships are armed with Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, notably used in the June 21, 2025 strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles for over-the-horizon surface strikes in all weather conditions.

With sustained investment and strategic growth, the US Navy’s 75-warship plan ensures a globally ready fleet capable of deterring aggression and projecting power across the world’s oceans.

The combination of advanced technology, multi-mission flexibility, and rapid deployment capability solidifies the Navy’s position as the world’s preeminent maritime force.