It’s more massive and technologically advanced than anything the world has ever seen.
Meet the new Zumwalt class destroyer. It’s goal is to extend America’s unchallenged naval dominance around the globe. And it has enough firepower to send a clear message to the enemies of freedom: Watch out.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
The largest destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy headed out to sea for the first time Monday, departing from shipbuilder Bath Iron Works and carefully navigating the winding Kennebec River before reaching the open ocean where the ship will undergo sea trials.
More than 200 shipbuilders, sailors and residents gathered to watch as the futuristic 600-foot, 15,000-ton USS Zumwalt glided past Fort Popham, accompanied by tugboats.
Kelley Campana, a Bath Iron Works employee, said she had goose bumps and tears in her eyes.
“This is pretty exciting. It’s a great day to be a shipbuilder and to be an American,” she said. “It’s the first in its class. There’s never been anything like it. It looks like the future.”
Larry Harris, a retired Raytheon employee who worked on the ship, watched it depart from Bath.
“It’s as cool as can be. It’s nice to see it underway,” he said. “Hopefully, it will perform as advertised.”
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Bath Iron Works will be testing the ship’s performance and making tweaks this winter. The goal is to deliver it to the Navy sometime next year.
“We are absolutely fired up to see Zumwalt get underway. For the crew and all those involved in designing, building, and readying this fantastic ship, this is a huge milestone,” the ship’s skipper, Navy Capt. James Kirk, said before the ship departed.
The ship has electric propulsion, new radar and sonar, powerful missiles and guns, and a stealthy design to reduce its radar signature. Analysts say the ship is so stealthy, it appears on radar no bigger than a small fishing boat.
Advanced automation will allow the warship to operate with a much smaller crew size than current destroyers. It is equipped with both anti-naval and anti-aircraft capabilities, but it’s primary mission is to reach out and destroy enemy ground forces.
All of that innovation has led to construction delays and a growing price tag. The Zumwalt, the first of three ships in the class, will cost at least $4.4 billion.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
The ship looks like nothing ever built at Bath Iron Works.
The inverse bow juts forward to slice through the waves. Sharp angles deflect enemy radar signals. Radar and antennas are hidden in a composite deckhouse.
The builder sea trials will answer any questions of seaworthiness for a ship that utilizes a type of hull associated with pre-dreadnought battleships from a century ago.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
This makes me feel so excited!
This is exciting!!! I am just a bit sad that I cannot be a part of It, although I secretive think I could still handle it. It is far advanced from the 2,250 ton Destroyer 717 I was standing on when it was commissioned in March 1946. However; I do have a Great-Grandson, Stetson, just enlisting in the Navy. I hope he gets on one of these new Destroyers and becomes an electrician as I was.
I don’t really see that this thing will come into play as long as Obama is at the helm. Obama commands all of the ships, crew and everyone to only doing what he says. He is one real bad Commander N Chief that could turn on America in an instant. If our Senate and House doesn’t do something real soon we all are going to be in deep peril.
Thank God he is on his last year. It will be a miracle if he does not so damage the country we will need hundreds of these.
Unfortunately, you´re wrong. He´s got about fourteen months to go…unless he dies or stages a coup.
Yessssssssss!!!! Wow!!! Why have we not seen this on major News Media or the white house????
This new ship , is seriously Piloted by Capt James Kirk ??? If his middle initial is “T”,,,,,, i may wet my pants..
what an AWE inspiring site… nice to see we still can build the best the world has ever seen..
I noticed that too. Capt. James Kirk. Do you suppose his name has anything to do with his selection for this assignment? It certainly is an advance over current systems. To paraphrase: to go where no Navy has gone before.
JUST ANOTHER TARGET FOR SUBMARINES…..HANK
First trial shot should be taken at obama’s pens,so
that he would not able to sign damaging directives against
America.Go Zumwalt go!
Our best hope for peace is to make war too expensive for our enemies. Hopefully this destroyer will be a great deterrent for peace.
Bath in Maine makes the best ships. It’s great to have all this military power. However, securing our borders is also needed. Are these ships ornaments? Time to put them to use in combatting the evil haters in the middle east.
Where in the heck did they find a Capt. James Kirk
Our president is a Mohammedan who teaches that Islam is peaceful? How can anyone think that America is safe? It sounds to me as though we have a fox in the henhouse!
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like to see comparisons from WW2 DD, Cold War DD to Zumalt class type.
Awesome.
Radical & fwd thinking.
Possible names for DD:
Bedford ( from movie The Bedford Incident).
Spruance?
Maj Foss ( USMC pilot).
John Russell ( Intel officer, Guadalcanal, WW2) played Lawman in 50s on TV.
Concord
Maj Gen Carlson ( Carlsons Raiders WW2)
Makin Island
Ulithi
etc.