Two US Navy Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers have completed major modernization efforts: the USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).

The Chung-Hoon and Williams began receiving major mid-life capability enhancements in 2024 — along with the Pinckney (DDG 91) and the Halsey (DDG-97) — under the DDG Modernization 2.0 program, which involves a two-step process. 

The first step centers on the installation of Northrop Grumman’s AN/SLQ-32(V)7 SEWIP Block 3 electronic warfare suite, equipping the destroyers with advanced soft-kill capabilities to disrupt and jam anti-ship missiles.

It is followed by a series of cooling and combat system upgrades, including Raytheon’s SPY-6(V)4 radar, in the second stage, as per Naval News. 

The collaboration involved General Dynamics NASSCO, the navy’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center and Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, and other government and industry partners.

“This destroyer modernization effort is the cornerstone of increasing service life and delivering decisive combat power to the US Navy via our Flight IIA destroyers,” said Capt. Tim Moore, DDG Modernization 2.0 program manager.

SEWIP Suite

The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) modernizes the US Navy’s legacy AN/SLQ-32 system, as it protects surface ships from threats such as anti-ship missiles and radar jamming through its early detection, analysis, and threat warning features.

General Dynamics was contracted for Block 1 upgrades, followed by Lockheed Martin for Block 2, and Northrop Grumman for Block 3, with a future Block 4 planned to provide advanced electro-optic and infrared capabilities.