Navy to commission future USS Ted Stevens

The Navy will commission its newest Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), in Whittier, Alaska, on Oct. 3, marking the first U.S. warship to carry the name of the late Alaska senator and World War II veteran. The ship arrived in Whittier on Sept. 27, according to a Navy photo release credited to Senior Airman Raina Dale.

Named for Theodore “Ted” Stevens—an Army Air Corps pilot who flew hazardous transport missions over “The Hump” in the China-Burma-India theater and later served four decades representing Alaska in the U.S. Senate—the commissioning ties the ship’s debut to the state’s strategic geography and longstanding Navy-Alaska ties. The service highlighted Alaska’s role in high-latitude maritime security and Arctic operations, and said the choice of Whittier reflects its intent to maintain persistent readiness in the region.

The Navy says the destroyer integrates the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar with the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system to deliver Integrated Air and Missile Defense across simultaneous anti-air and ballistic-missile defense missions. Service officials cast the ship’s addition to the fleet as a boost to surface force lethality and global deterrence.

Catherine Ann Stevens, the senator’s widow, and his daughters, Susan Stevens Covich and Lily Stevens Becker, are the ship’s sponsors. In line with naval tradition, they will give the order: “Man our ship and bring her to life!”

Following the ceremony, USS Ted Stevens will sail to its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia, to join the operational fleet for deployments in support of national defense and maritime security priorities.

The commissioning aligns with what the Navy has described as its “Golden Fleet” effort, a push to deliver new capability at a tempo that matches around-the-clock operations.

The ceremony will stream on the Defense Video Information Distribution Service at https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/38076. The live stream begins at 11:50 a.m. EDT, and the ceremony starts at 12:00 p.m. AKDT on Oct. 3.

More information about the DDG 51 destroyer program is available at https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169871/destroyers-ddg-51/.