USS Quentin Walsh (DDG-132)

History

USS Quentin Walsh (DDG-132) is a future United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class Flight III Aegis guided-missile destroyer. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine is building the ship as part of the continuing DDG-51 program.

The destroyer is named for U.S. Coast Guard Captain Quentin R. Walsh, who received the Navy Cross for his leadership during the Battle of Cherbourg in 1944. His 53-man reconnaissance unit captured 750 German personnel and liberated 52 American prisoners of war during operations associated with the Normandy campaign.

DDG-132 incorporates the principal Flight III changes to the Arleigh Burke design, including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and increased electrical-power and cooling capacity. As of September 2026, the ship remained under construction at Bath Iron Works and had reached the Land Level erection stage.

Contract and naming

The construction contract for DDG-132 was awarded on 21 December 2018. The ship was named USS Quentin Walsh on 6 June 2019 in honor of Captain Quentin R. Walsh.

Fabrication and keel laying

Fabrication began at a Bath Iron Works facility in Brunswick, Maine, on 16 November 2021. The keel was laid on 20 May 2025 at Bath Iron Works. During the ceremony, ship sponsor Madison Ann Zolper, the great-granddaughter of Quentin Walsh, authenticated the keel by welding her initials into the keel plate with assistance from a shipyard welder.

By September 2026, construction had advanced to the Land Level erection stage. At this stage, large prefabricated hull units built elsewhere in the shipyard are brought together and joined before the vessel is launched.

Namesake

Quentin R. Walsh served in the U.S. Coast Guard and participated in planning for Operation Overlord. He helped develop plans connected with the capture and assessment of the port of Cherbourg and volunteered to lead a specially trained naval reconnaissance unit. The unit arrived off Utah Beach on 9 June 1944.

During fighting at Cherbourg, Walsh led operations in the port area and participated in the capture of German positions. His 53-man unit ultimately captured 750 German personnel and liberated 52 American prisoners of war. Walsh then worked to restore port operations. He received the Navy Cross for his actions during the battle and later served during the Korean War.

Design

USS Quentin Walsh belongs to Flight III of the Arleigh Burke class. Flight III ships retain the basic guided-missile destroyer role of the DDG-51 design while incorporating major changes required for the newer radar and associated combat systems.

Radar and combat systems

The principal Flight III sensor identified for DDG-132 is the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar. The ship is an Aegis guided-missile destroyer and is intended to support integrated air and missile defense as well as other offensive and defensive maritime missions.

The Flight III configuration includes vertical-launch capability for guided weapons. The available information does not establish the final DDG-132 weapon load, which can vary according to mission requirements.

Electrical power and cooling

Flight III destroyers incorporate increased electrical-power generation and cooling capacity compared with earlier configurations. These changes support the AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar and the associated combat-system equipment that places greater demands on shipboard electrical and thermal-management systems.

Program status

As of September 2026, USS Quentin Walsh was under construction at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine. The ship had reached the Land Level erection stage, during which major prefabricated hull sections are joined into the developing ship structure. Launch, sea trials, delivery, and entry into active service remained future program milestones.

Specifications (USS Quentin Walsh, DDG-132)

General characteristics

• Type: Guided-missile destroyer
• Class: Arleigh Burke class
• Flight: Flight III
• Builder: General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Maine
• Hull number: DDG-132
• Service: United States Navy

Sensors and combat systems

• Primary radar: AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar
• Combat-system family: Aegis
• Missile-launch capability: Vertical launch system

Flight III engineering changes

• Electrical system: Increased power capacity to support Flight III equipment
• Cooling system: Increased cooling capacity for the radar and associated combat systems