DDG(X)

The DDG(X) or Next-Generation Guided-Missile Destroyer program of the United States Navy aims to develop a class of surface combatants to succeed 22 Flight II Ticonderoga-class cruisers and 28 Flight I/II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The program is the culmination of the Large Surface Combatant (LSC) initiative that followed the cancellation of CG(X) and curtailing of the procurement of the Zumwalt-class destroyers. The ships will become the principal large surface combatants of the U.S. Navy. Compared to their predecessors, they will incorporate more powerful sensors and have more room and weight margin for growth. On 22 December 2025, the Department of Defense under the second Trump administration announced a Trump-class battleship, stating that "the new Trump-class battleships will replace the Navy's previous plans to develop a new class of destroyer, the DDG(X)." As of January 2026, the Trump class remains a proposal and has not received any funding or congressional approval, with the DDG(X) program still funded and ongoing. In the FY2026 budget justification books, the Navy's documents said that "A formal acquisition strategy for DDG(X) is still being developed", indicating the intent to proceed with the program despite their prior statements.