The U.S. Navy’s USS Pinckney has entered a San Diego shipyard to begin installing the service’s first SPY-6(V)4 radar on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The modernization work began at General Dynamics NASSCO and will equip the warship with upgraded sensors and cooling systems to counter evolving missile and aerial threats.This project is the second phase of the Destroyer Modernization 2.0 program, which aims to boost the combat abilities of four guided-missile destroyers. The $149.6 million contract is set to wrap up by September 2028.A new radar for advanced threat detectionThe main part of the upgrade is Raytheon’s AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar, which will help the Navy better detect and track aerial threats. The system will be integrated with the Aegis Combat System Baseline 10, so the destroyer can handle both air and ballistic missile defense at the same time.The new radar will help Pinckney respond to more advanced weapons, such as incoming missiles and drones. This is especially important because Navy destroyers operate in areas where ships and commercial vessels face greater security threats.The upgrade also brings in new High Efficiency Super-Capacity air conditioning systems. These will help handle the extra electrical and heat demands from the new combat equipment.“The collective effort by all stakeholders has finally brought us to the point of execution,” said Capt. Tim Moore, program manager for DDG MOD 2.0. “Upon Depot Modernization Period completion, USS Pinckney will rejoin the Fleet equipped with the most comprehensive multi-spectral integrated sensor suite designed to maintain maritime superiority for decades to come.”Building on earlier electronic warfare upgradesThe USS Pinckney has a displacement of approximately 10,300 US short tons (9,300 metric tonnes). Pinckney finished its first modernization period, called DMP 1.5, in 2024. At that time, it was the first warship to get the SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block III system and structural sponson changes.The electronic warfare system helps the ship find and respond to electronic threats. The Navy used a step-by-step installation method, called Split Start, so industry partners could gain experience with the upgrades before moving on to the radar installation.After the earlier upgrades, Pinckney spent eight and a half months deployed in the Pacific and Middle East. The Navy said this deployment proved the destroyer’s advanced warfare abilities in challenging environments.Four destroyers support the modernization programThe DDG MOD 2.0 program includes four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers: USS Pinckney (DDG 91), USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), and USS Halsey (DDG 97).These ships are getting electronic warfare upgrades before their radar upgrades. This gives the Navy and its industry partners experience for future projects.The Navy plans to combine modernization work for future ships. USS Sterett (DDG 104) will likely be the first to get both upgrades done in a single shipyard visit.Shorter shipyard periods could improve fleet readinessCombining upgrades into a single shipyard period could reduce the time destroyers spend out of service. The approach would also help the Navy modernize more ships while maintaining operational availability.These upgrades come as U.S. naval forces face more demands in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. Destroyers are key to protecting carrier strike groups and other ships from missile and drone attacks.By adding advanced radar and improved electronic warfare systems, the Navy wants its destroyers to detect and defend more effectively as threats to deployed ships keep changing.