USN DDG(X) program

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Defense News

US Navy creates DDG(X) program office after years of delays for large combatant replacement
By: Megan Eckstein ? 17 hours ago
WASHINGTON � The U.S. Navy has created a new program office to usher the next class of destroyer into the fleet, after the service has struggled to find a replacement for its aging cruisers and destroyers over the past decade.
The Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) program office, or PMS 460, falls under the Program Executive Office for Ships at Washington Navy Yard and is led by Capt. David Hart. The Navy hosted a small ceremony there on June 4, after Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Jay Stefany formally approved the establishment of the office in a late April memo.
Though the Navy isn�t looking to buy the first DDG(X) ships until fiscal 2028, the program office would oversee the development of an acquisition strategy and later would be responsible for the ship class�s design, technical data package development, construction, testing, fleet introduction and sustainment plans, according to a Navy news release.
At one time, the Navy had a flow of new large surface combatant designs and combat systems into the fleet to ensure it would stay ahead of surface and air threats. For example, the successful Spruance-class destroyer design inspired the Ticonderoga-class cruiser design, which lent its Aegis Combat System to the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, which has seen so many evolutions that it can no longer support future growth beyond the Flight III destroyer design that�s under construction. Any future upgrades beyond the current Aegis Baseline 10 and AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar will have to go on a new hull design with greater space, weight, power and cooling margins.
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