US Navy’s new Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer enters service

April 13, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The US Navy has welcomed a new Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer to the fleet, USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), during a commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk.

Photo by Seaman Oliver McCain Vieira/US Navy

Secretary of the navy John C. Phelan served as the ceremony’s principal speaker, joining Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James W. Kilby and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith in celebrating the ship’s entry into service.

Phelan noted that this is the first vessel to bear the name of a Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient.

“The ship and her crew join the President’s Golden Fleet, the Fleet of the future— rebuilding American maritime dominance by putting more capable ships in the water, strengthening our industrial base, and ensuring we can fight tonight and win tomorrow. To be a superpower, one must be a seapower, and USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. represents exactly what that future looks like,” he stated.

Adm. James W. Kilby emphasized the role of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in delivering combat power and sustaining the Navy’s global warfighting advantage.

“The need to build great warships like Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is as clear today as it ever has been. Sailors on ships like Harvey C. Barnum Jr. are standing the watch, defending the homeland, and deterring aggression.”

Martha Hill, the ship’s sponsor and wife of Harvey C. Barnum Jr., reflected on the crew’s role in bringing the warship to life.

“This moment marks the transformation of this ship from steel into something living — a reflection of the spirit, dedication, and strength of the Sailors who will carry her forward,” said Hill.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers are the backbone of the US Navy’s surface fleet. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a wide range of operations, from peacetime presence to national security missions, delivering warfighting capability across multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments.

Equipped with the Aegis combat system and a range of advanced weapons systems, USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is expected to strengthen the navy’s ability to project power, deter aggression, and defend US interests worldwide.

To remind, the destroyer was delivered in November last year. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works built the vessel.