Tour the Zumwalt-Class Destroyer

The Zumwalt-class DDG 1000 next-generation destroyer is larger, more efficient, quieter and harder to detect than the current generation of destroyers deployed by the US Navy. Read the entire article and check out the gallery of photos courtesy of CNET News here.

The DDG 1000 is currently being built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be deployed in 2015. And while it is much larger than the current-generation destroyer, it is also expected to be able to be operated and staffed by a much smaller force, allowing the Navy to conduct high function missions with an efficient headcount.

As a result, a ship that can get U.S. missiles close to potential adversaries is high on the Navy's list of priorities, and the Zumwalt class is designed for just such missions: its stealth capabilities make it ideal for sneaking close to an enemy, at least those that aren't landlocked.

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Clearly, the Zumwalt-class destroyers are going to be big. The DDG 1000 will be 610 feet long, compared with 509 feet for the current-generation destroyer. Yet, the Zumwalts will carry a crew of just 148, compared with 382 currently. And that's largely because of the advanced electronic systems the new boat will feature, allowing the much-smaller crew to get much more out of their ride.

The DDG will have an arsenal featuring Tomahawk missiles, Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles for self-defense against attack from the air, ASROC torpedoes, and an advanced gun system that can fire 155mm rounds up to 75 miles.

By: Shelldrake