The US Navy placed its newest Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), into active commission during a formal ceremony in Whittier, Alaska, on October 5.
The ship and its commissioning location honor the legacy of the late Senator Ted Stevens, a decorated combat aviator and lifelong champion for the state of Alaska and the nation's armed forces. During four decades in the US Senate, from 1968 to 2009, he served as President Pro Tempore and President Pro Tempore Emeritus, dedicating his career to modernizing the armed forces, bolstering national security, and ensuring warfighters were equipped to fight and win.
During the ceremony, the ship’s sponsors, Catherine Ann Stevens, wife of Senator Stevens, and his daughters gave the traditional naval order: “Man our ship and bring her to life!”
“To my crew, my shipmates, the men and women who are the heart and soul of this great ship, you have exceeded all expectations,” said US Navy Capt. Mary Katey Hayes, commanding officer of USS Ted Stevens.
“We are ready to answer our nation’s call. We are ready to defend freedom, whether the winds of war blow near the rugged coast of Alaska, or in the far reaches of the globe.”
Following post-commissioning operations, USS Ted Stevens will transit to its permanent homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, fully prepared to deploy worldwide.
The vessel is built around the AN/SPY-6(V)1 air and missile defense radar (AMDR) and Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, delivering a generational leap in simultaneous anti-air warfare (AAW) and ballistic missile defense (BMD). Featuring enhanced electrical power distribution and expanded cooling capacity, the destroyer is engineered to operate in high-threat environments and integrate seamlessly with joint and coalition forces.