The US Navy has commissioned the guided-missile destroyer USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124) at Naval Station Norfolk on 11 April 2026.
The vessel, classified as an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, officially joined President’s Golden Fleet following a ceremony attended by approximately 1,800 guests, including senior military officials, sailors, marines, veterans, and family members.
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Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan was the principal speaker at the event, delivering remarks alongside Naval Operations vice chief admiral James W. Kilby and commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith.
John C. Phelan said: “This ship is not symbolic, it is combat power, and today she joins something bigger. 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.”
USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. is the first US Navy ship named for Colonel Harvey C. Barnum Jr., a Medal of Honour recipient.
The ship recognises Barnum’s actions during the Vietnam War, where he acted “at the risk of his life beyond the call of duty.”
The destroyer arrived at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on 20 March 2026 following delivery from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine in November of the previous year.
The ship measures 513 feet (ft) in length, has a beam of 66ft, and a displacement of about 9,200 tonnes. It uses a gas-turbine propulsion plant integrated with a power system capable of speeds exceeding 30 knots.
The design accommodates a crew of more than 300 sailors.
As a Flight IIA variant within the Arleigh Burke-class, DDG 124 is outfitted with Aegis Baseline 9 technology for integrated air and missile defence.
The vessel incorporates updated radar and enhanced computing systems to support roles in anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare. This class of warship is a key component of the US Navy’s surface fleet.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are designed to carry out a range of assignments, including peacetime operations and national security missions.
The class operates in multi-threat environments, employing the Aegis Combat System alongside a suite of weapons and technological systems to support operations across air, surface, and subsurface domains.
