SAN DIEGO, — The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) has become the first destroyer to enter Phase Two of the DDG MOD 2.0 modernization program. The work is being carried out at a General Dynamics NASSCO drydock in San Diego following the ship’s eight-and-a-half-month deployment to the Middle East and Pacific.
The modernization includes Raytheon’s AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar and Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Combat System Baseline 10. The radar will replace the ship’s existing AN/SPY-1D(V) system, improving its ability to detect and track air and surface threats while supporting air and ballistic missile defense.
The work is covered by a $149.6 million contract awarded to General Dynamics NASSCO and is scheduled for completion by September 2028.
SPY-6 Radar and Cooling System Upgrades
The AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar uses four fixed array faces, each containing 24 Radar Modular Assemblies, for a total of 96 modules. Designed for Flight IIA destroyers, the configuration is intended to operate within their existing power capacity and provide 360-degree situational awareness.
Combined with Aegis Baseline 10, the radar is designed to improve the ship’s ability to respond to multiple threats, including ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles, as well as other airborne and surface threats.
The modernization also includes the Navy’s High Efficiency Super-Capacity (HESC) air conditioning plants to support the increased cooling requirements of the upgraded systems. USS Pinckney is reported to be the first U.S. Navy ship to receive both the SPY-6(V)4 radar and HESC plants.
Raytheon began manufacturing radar modules for Pinckney in early 2024. In August 2026, a test array was installed at the Navy’s Surface Combat Systems Center on Wallops Island, Virginia, for shore-based integration and testing before installation aboard the ship.
Capt. Tim Moore, program manager for DDG MOD 2.0, said the modernization would equip Pinckney with an integrated sensor suite designed to support U.S. maritime superiority for decades.
DDG MOD 2.0 Upgrade Program
The DDG MOD 2.0 program is a major mid-life modernization effort for selected Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, intended to bring Flight IIA ships closer to the capabilities of newer Flight III vessels. The broader effort covers approximately 20 ships, with an estimated total cost of $17 billion.
During Phase One, four destroyers received the SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block III electronic warfare suite. USS Pinckney completed this work first, followed by USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) and USS Halsey (DDG 97). The initial work also included modifications to accommodate the electronic warfare arrays.
These four destroyers form an initial group for evaluating the modernization process. The Navy plans to combine electronic warfare and radar upgrades into a single shipyard period for future ships to reduce the time they spend out of service. USS Sterett (DDG 104) is expected to be among the first destroyers to receive the combined upgrades.
Supporting Fleet Operations
USS Pinckney returned from its deployment on August 9, 2026, after operating in the Middle East and Pacific since late November 2025. According to the Navy, the destroyer validated several advanced warfare capabilities in operational environments during the deployment.
The upgrades come as U.S. Navy destroyers face growing demands in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East, where they help protect carrier strike groups, commercial shipping and allied assets against increasingly capable missile and drone threats.
The installation of the SPY-6 radar, Aegis Baseline 10 and upgraded cooling systems is intended to strengthen the ship’s detection and combat capabilities. The experience gained from USS Pinckney and the other initial ships will also help the Navy improve the efficiency of future modernization work across its destroyer fleet.
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