Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers are the backbone of the US Navy and a crucial modernization is now underway for several vessels of this class.
San Diego-based USS Pinckney (DDG 91) has begun the second phase of its DDG MOD 2.0 modernization at a General Dynamics NASSCO drydock, following an eight-and-a-half-month deployment to the Middle East and Pacific. The destroyer is the first in a series of ships scheduled to receive Raytheon’s AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar system and its associated equipment.
DDG MOD 2.0 is a major U.S. Navy modernization initiative. Under the program’s initial phase, four ships are being equipped with Lockheed Martin’s AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block III, recognizable by its distinctive external configuration. The ships will subsequently undergo a second phase of upgrades involving the installation of the new radar system.
The modernization effort also includes the integration of Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Baseline 10 combat system
These four ships are effectively serving as a test case for future DDG MOD 2.0 installations. The Navy ultimately intends to consolidate both modernization packages into a single shipyard availability, reducing the need for separate refit periods.
Let’s examine the 3 critical upgrades that the Burkes will receive as part of DDG MOD 2.0
Source: Defense Updates
