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Updated January 13, 2022
Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
DDG(X) Program
The Navy’s DDG(X) program envisages procuring a class
of next-generation guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) to
Program Designation
replace the Navy’s Ticonderoga (CG-47) class Aegis
In the program designation DDG(X), the X means the
cruisers and its older Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class Aegis
precise design for the ship has not yet been determined.
destroyers. The Navy wants to procure the first DDG(X) in
FY2028. The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests
Procurement Date for Lead Ship
$121.8 million in research and development funding for the
As mentioned earlier, the Navy wants to procure the first
program.
DDG(X) in FY2028, though the date for procuring the first
ship has changed before and could change again.
Terminology
Procurement of DDG-51s—the type of LSC currently being
Since the 1980s, there has been substantial overlap in the
procured by the Navy—would end sometime after
size and capability of Navy cruisers and destroyers. In part
procurement of DDG(X)s begins.
for this reason, the Navy now refers to its cruisers and
destroyers collectively as large surface combatants (LSCs).
Figure 1. Navy Rendering of Notional DDG(X) Design
Surface Combatant Industrial Base
All LSCs procured for the Navy since FY1985 have been
built at General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works (GD/BIW) of
Bath, ME, and Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls
Shipbuilding (HII/Ingalls) of Pascagoula, MS. Lockheed
Martin and Raytheon are major contractors for Navy
surface ship combat system equipment. The surface
combatant base also includes hundreds of additional
component and material supplier firms.
Existing Aegis Cruisers and Destroyers
The Navy’s CG-47s and DDG-51s are commonly called
Aegis cruisers and destroyers because they are equipped
with the Aegis combat system, an integrated collection of
Source: Il ustration accompanying Sam LaGrone, “Navy Unveils
sensors and weapons named for the mythical shield that
Next-Generation DDG(X) Warship Concept with Hypersonic
defended Zeus. The Navy procured 27 CG-47s between
Missiles, Lasers,” USNI News, January 12, 2022. The article credits the
FY1978 and FY1988. The ships entered service between
il ustration to the U.S. Navy.
1983 and 1994. The first five, which were built to an earlier
technical standard, were judged by the Navy to be too
Navy’s General Concept for the Ship
expensive to modernize and were removed from service in
Figure 1 shows a Navy rendering of a notional DDG(X)
2004-2005. The Navy’s FY2020 30-year shipbuilding plan
design concept. The Navy approved the DDG(X)’s top-
projected that the remaining 22 CG-47s would be retired
level requirements (i.e., its major required features) in
between FY2021 and FY2038.
December 2020. The Navy envisages the DDG(X) as
having
The first DDG-51 was procured in FY1985 and entered
service in 1991. The Navy’s older DDG-51s, known as the
an integrated propulsion system (IPS) that incorporates
Flight I/II DDG-51s, have an expected service life of 35
lessons from the DDG-1000 IPS and the Navy’s new
years. The version of the DDG-51 that the Navy is currently
Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine;
procuring is called the Flight III version. The Navy also has
three Zumwalt (DDG-1000) class destroyers that were
initially, combat system equipment similar to that
procured in FY2007-FY2009 and are equipped with a
installed on the Flight III DDG-51; and
combat system that is different than the Aegis system. (For
more on the DDG-51 and DDG-1000 programs, see CRS
more weapon capacity than the Flight III DDG-51.
Report RL32109, Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer
Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
Navy officials envision the DDG(X) as being larger than
O'Rourke.)
the 9,700-ton Flight III DDG-51 design, but smaller than
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Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program: Background and Issues for Congress
the 15,700-ton DDG-1000 design. A DDG(X) design
the number of shipbuilders to be used in building
midway in displacement between the DDG-51 and DDG-
DDG(X)s;
1000 designs would displace about 12,700 tons, but the
DDG(X)’s displacement could turn out to be less than or
the Navy’s plan for maturing new technologies for the
more than 12,700 tons. The Navy states that the DDG(X)
DDG(X);
would
the Navy’s plans for maintaining and modernizing the
integrate non-developmental systems into a new
22 CG-47s over the remainder of their service lives; and
hull design that incorporates platform flexibility
and the space, weight, power and cooling (SWAP-
the Navy’s plan for transitioning from DDG-51
C) to meet future combatant force capability/system
procurement to DDG(X) procurement, and the potential
requirements that are not achievable without the
impact of that transition on shipbuilders and supplier
new hull design. The DDG(X) platform will have
firms.
the flexibility to rapidly and affordably upgrade to
future warfighting systems when they become
FY2022 Funding Request and
available as well as have improved range and fuel
Congressional Action
efficiency for increased operational flexibility and
The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $121.8
decreased demand on the logistics force. DDG(X)
million in research and development funding for the
will provide an Integrated Power System with
program, including $79.7 million in Project 0411 (DDG[X]
flexibility to enable fielding of high demand electric
Concept Development) within Program Element (PE)
weapons, sensor systems and computing resources.
0603564N (Ship Preliminary Design & Feasibility Studies),
which is line 47 in the Navy’s FY2022 research and
(Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)
development account, and $42.1 million for “DDG(X)
2022 Budget Estimates, Navy, Justification Book,
Power & Propulsion Risk Mitigation & Demonstration,”
Volume 2 of 5, Research, Development, Test &
which forms part of Project 2471 (Integrated Power
Evaluation, Navy, May 2021, p. 479.)
Systems [IPS]) within PE 0603573N (Advanced Surface
Machinery Systems), which is line 49 in the Navy’s
Potential Procurement Quantities
FY2022 research and development account.
The Navy has not specified how many DDG(X)s it wants to
procure. Procuring 11 would provide one for each of the
The joint explanatory statement for the HASC-SASC-
Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers. Procuring 22 would provide
negotiated proposal for the FY2022 National Defense
one-for-one replacements for the 22 CG-47s. Procuring
Authorization Act (S. 1605) that was released on December
additional DDG(X)s to replace older DDG-51s would result
7, 2021, recommends approving the Navy’s research and
in a larger total procurement quantity.
development funding requests for the DDG(X) program.
Section 221 of S. 1605 directs the Navy to commence a
Potential Unit Procurement Cost
land-based test program for the DDG(X) engineering plant
The first DDG(X) would be considerably more expensive to
during the program’s detailed design period and prior to the
procure than follow-on DDG(X)s because its procurement
construction start date of the lead ship.
cost would incorporate most or all of the detailed design
and nonrecurring engineering (DD/NRE) costs for the class.
The House Appropriations Committee’s report (H.Rept.
(It is a traditional Navy budgeting practice for the
117-88 of July 15, 2021) on the FY2022 DOD
procurement cost of the lead ship in a class to incorporate
Appropriations Act (H.R. 4432), recommended reducing
most or all of the DD/NRE costs for the class.)
line 47 by $55.488 million for “DDG(X) design and
analysis excess to need,” and reducing line 49 by $19.050
In constant FY2019 dollars, the Navy wants the first
million for “DDG(X) power and propulsion risk mitigation
DDG(X) to have a procurement cost of $3.5 billion to $4.0
and demonstration excess to need.” (Page 266) The Senate
billion, and for the 10th ship in the class to have a
Appropriations Committee, in the explanatory statement it
procurement cost of $2.1 billion to $2.5 billion. An April
released on October 18, 2021, for the FY2022 DOD
2021 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates
Appropriations Act (S. XXXX), recommended reducing
the average procurement cost of the DDG(X) at $2.9 billion
line 47 by $71.17 million for “Project 0411 Design and
in constant FY2021 dollars. By way of comparison, the
analysis and program management growth early to need.”
Flight III DDG-51’s current procurement is about $2.0
(PDF page 175 of 254) Discussing this recommended
billion.
reduction, the explanatory statement states that “the Navy
has not clearly explained the rationale for transitioning to a
Issues for Congress
new class of” LSCs, and that “the Committee does not have
Issues for Congress regarding the DDG(X) program include
confidence in the Navy’s ability to manage the acquisition
the following:
and contracting for a new class of LSC at this time.” (PDF
pages 178-179 of 253).
whether the Navy has accurately identified the
DDG(X)’s required operational capabilities and
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
estimated procurement cost;
IF11679
the DDG(X) program’s potential total procurement
quantity and annual procurement rate;
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Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program: Background and Issues for Congress
Disclaimer
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