The Navy is requesting $133.5 million to research and develop the new destroyer in fiscal 2026, with the goal of procuring the first in the early 2030s.
Officials said Wednesday that rapid experimentation is now "institutionalized" after cutting a program created to find and quickly demo high-need tech.
The U.S. Army in Europe, along with NATO allies, wants to pursue optionally manned common launchers and munitions to deter Russia on the Eastern flank.
Berlin is awaiting a final call by the Trump administration to honor a Biden-era agreement under which U.S. missiles are to bolster Germany’s deterrence.