DDG (X): The US Navy’s new destroyer China won’t want to fight

What you need to know: The US Navy’s DDG(X) program aims to develop a next-generation guided-missile destroyer, intended to succeed the aging Arleigh Burke-class and Ticonderoga-class warships. Although initially scheduled for procurement in 2028, delays have pushed the expected availability to 2032.

-The DDG(X) will feature advanced missile capabilities, long-range strike capabilities, increased electrical power for energy weapons, and improved survivability. However, rising costs and competing priorities, including the Navy’s F/A-XX fighter and SSN(X) submarine, are challenging the project’s schedule.

-Despite financial constraints, the DDG(X) is considered critical to maintaining naval superiority, especially amid growing tensions with China.

DDG(X) Update: The Navy’s future destroyer faces delays and budget challenges

The US Navy is working around the clock to introduce a large number of next-generation projects in the near future. From its F/A-XX fighter aircraft and DDG(X) destroyer to the SSN(X) submarine, the service aims to lead the way in incorporating new technologies into its weapons systems. While each next-gen program is essential, they all seem to be lagging. The Navy initially planned to acquire the first DDG(X) warship in 2028.

Recent estimates suggest that the destroyer will not be available until 2032 at the earliest.

Due to expected cost spiraling and the Navy’s near-term priorities, DDG(X) has taken a back seat to further development. However, given that guided-missile destroyers remain the pinnacle of the service’s surface fleet, the DDG(X) is unlikely to be phased out entirely.

An overview of DDG(X)

The Navy currently has Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. While these warships are formidable, the service is interested in securing a next-generation platform to succeed them. The Navy initially created the CG(X) program to fulfill this effort, but as this platform was found to have limited potential, service continued in 2010.

The service then transitioned to its series of Zumwalt-class destroyers. However, exorbitant costs led the Navy to reduce the size of the class to just three guided-missile destroyers. In 2021, the DDG(X) program was born with the limitations of the Zumwalt ships in mind.

In order to qualify as a next-generation warship, the DDG(X) will incorporate a number of advanced capabilities. From increased missile capability and longer-range strike and anti-surface capabilities to increased survivability and efficiency, the destroyer will be truly unmatched at sea. The new destroyer will also feature greater electrical power and cooling capacity than previous designs, which would allow the use of more powerful equipment and direct energy weapons.

What about the cost?

As detailed in a Congressional Research Service report last December, “The Navy states that the basic DDG(X) design, like the Flight III DDG-51 design, must include ninety-six cel· the Vertical Launch System (VLS) standard, with a capability to incorporate twelve large missile launch cells instead of thirty-two of the standard ninety-six VLS cells.It also includes two missile launchers from twenty-one cell rolling turret (RAM) and the ability to be built with an additional half-body hull section, called the Destroyer Payload Module, which would provide additional payload capacity.”

In February, the Department of Defense (DoD) awarded DDG(X) manufacturer Gibbs & Cox the latest contract modification for the destroyer worth more than $36 million. The Navy’s proposed fiscal year 2024 budget calls for $187.4 million for the next-generation warship. The Congressional Services report questioned whether or not the Navy would have the funds to meet its DDG(X) goals as the service simultaneously works on developing other next-generation systems such as the F/A-XX and the SSN(X).

The overall cost to develop the DDG(X) may seem high, but the Navy’s ability to field a class of cutting-edge destroyers will be essential if an all-out war with China develops.

About the author: Maya Carlin, defense expert

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer at The National Interest, is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. He has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, the Jerusalem Post, and the Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

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