USS Jack H. Lucas Becomes U.S. Navy's First Flight III Arleigh Burke Warship

The USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) has been commissioned as the U.S. Navy's first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer on October 7, 2023.

It features the advanced AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar and Aegis Baseline 10 to enhance air, missile, and ballistic missile defense capabilities. Designated as the initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) campaign ship, Jack H.

Lucas will test and validate new technologies for the Navy's future surface fleet. The Flight III upgrade includes a significantly improved radar system capable of detecting advanced threats at greater ranges.

Operationally, the destroyer retains the Aegis Combat System, now integrated with faster response capabilities against complex threats. The ship is named after Capt. Jacklyn Harold Lucas, the youngest Medal of Honor recipient in WWII, and is under the command of the Naval Surface Force, Pacific Fleet.