I Just Toured the U.S. Navy's Most Advanced Stealth Warship Ever

Dave Majumdar

Security,

The USS Zumwalt "is a mandatory stopping point for the future." So says Captain Kirk (Yes, Captain Kirk). 

The United States Navy is set to formally commission its first DDG-1000 stealth destroyer into service this Saturday as USS Zumwalt in Baltimore, Md. The National Interest was among a select group of publications that was afforded an opportunity to tour the futuristic new vessel and talk to its crew. Though the Navy is only building three of the 15,500-ton warships—the new vessels are pioneering technologies that represent the future of the surface fleet.

“This is a mandatory stopping point to the future,” Capt. James Kirk, Zumwalt’s commander said on Oct. 13 before a small group of reporters. “You must come through here.”

While Zumwalt is being commissioned on Saturday, the ship will not be ready for war for some time yet. The next steps for Zumwalt and her crew will be to conduct testing and additional trials before heading to San Diego where workers will complete building her combat systems. Until the yard in San Diego completes work on Zumwalt, the vessel will not be combat ready.

Navy officials serving onboard are uncertain if Zumwalt will be able support the SM-3 and SM-6 variants of the Standard missile—though her Mk57 advanced vertical launch system tubes can physically hold the weapons. One of the reasons the Navy dropped plans to build additional DDG-1000 destroyers was because the ships SPY-3 X-band multifunction radar is not capable of performing the anti-ballistic missile defense role. However, the ship will be able to launch Tomahawk cruise missile, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Standard SM-2s and anti-submarine rockets from its 80 missile tubes.

However, Zumwalt’s main armament is a pair of 155mm naval artillery pieces which can lob GPS-guided shells at ranges of 63 nautical miles. The ship carries over 600 rounds of 155mm ammo. Zumwalt and her sisters—though they are multirole ships—were originally designed primarily as land-attack vessels and to support Marine landings during amphibious operations. In addition to her two massive artillery pieces—which are usually concealed to maintain stealth—Zumwalt is armed with a pair of Mk46 30mm cannons for short-range self-defense.

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