Construction starts on first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

Huntington Ingalls Industries has begun building the first Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the Flight III configuration, the Navy announced today. 

The major change from Flight IIA to Flight III is in accommodating the SPY-6 Advanced Missile Defense Radar, which will help the ship better detect cruise missiles, aircraft and ballistic missiles.

In April, the Navy announced it had completed all of the detail design work for Flight III. Ingalls Shipbuilding began construction on May 7, the service said today.

Ingalls Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works will both build Flight III ships.