USS Laboon, pictured here operating earlier in 2024 in the Red Sea, was one of the Flight I destroyers evaluated for a life extension. (Janes/Michael Fabey)
The US Navy (USN) intends to operate 12 Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) Flight I destroyers beyond their 35-year expected service lives, the USN confirmed on 31 October.
USN Secretary Carlos Del Toro detailed plans for the life extensions in a release.
The extensions will result in an additional 48 ship-years of cumulative service life in the 2028–35 timeframe, the USN estimated.
Individual ship extension decisions will be “based upon a hull-by-hull evaluation of ship material condition, combat capability, technical feasibility and life-cycle maintenance requirements”, the USN said.
The navy has proposed DDG service life-extension funding in the fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request, and will update the shipbuilding plan accordingly, the USN said.
The navy had conducted a thorough evaluation of each DDG 51 Flight I ship (DDG 51–71) over the past 10 months at the secretary's request and determined the 12 destroyers “could and should remain operational beyond their expected service life”, the USN said.
The final determination of each ship's service life is based on “maximising the service life of each ship before it required another extensive and costly docking availability”, the USN reported.
The life extensions “will further bolster our numbers as new construction warships join the fleet”, Del Toro said in a statement.
The secretary also noted the success of USN DDGs in the Red Sea to “defend themselves, as well as our allies, partners, and friends from missile and drone attacks”.
One of the Flight I ships that operated in the Red Sea, USS Laboon
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