Navy prepares to commission USS Ted Stevens destroyer in Whittier

USS Ted Stevens ports in Whittier on Oct. 1, 2026. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)
The U.S. Navy will commission its latest destroyer this Saturday in Whittier. The USS Ted Stevens is named for Alaska’s longtime U.S. Senator and it brings state-of-the-art technology for missile and air defense to the world’s waters, Navy officials said.
Ted Stevens was a titan of Alaska politics, serving in the U.S. Senate from 1968 to 2009. He was a driving force behind landmark legislation for