The most powerful warship in the world ever built, the leader of the "Zumwalt" class, will begin sea trials next December 7th. Confirmation comes from the US Navy and from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
Sea tests will last seven days. Later, Zumwalt will return to Portland, Maine. A second series of sea trials will take place within the first six months of the 2016. Immediately after we will proceed with the inspection of the Navy. Should the latter end without problems, the acceptance tests at sea will begin. Once this phase is over, the largest and most powerful multi-role destroyer of the United States Navy ever built will enter service.
The last 433 million dollars, necessary for the completion of the first Zumwalt, will be included in the next budget, but the funding is practically certain.
The most powerful warship on the planet
The cost of the whole program is 23 billion dollars. The total cost of procurement for the three ships is estimated at 13,2 billion dollars, about 4,4 billion dollars per boat. The second ship, the Michael Monsoor, will be delivered in November next year, a few months late from timeline original. The decision was taken because of the complexity of the project for the class defined as the most powerful in the world. The third and final ship of the class, the Lyndon B. Johnson, will be delivered in December of the 2018.
The most powerful multi-role destroyer of the United States Navy ever built, was conceived, designed and armed for the war of the future at an exorbitant cost: 4,4 billion dollars per boat, about three times the cost of a current destroyer for a total cost of 13,2 billions of dollars for three ships (on the 32 initially planned). From the 2009 to the 2015, the cost of every single boat has increased by 34,4%. It should be noted that everything about Zumwalt It is unique in its kind. His profile stealth for example, it should make it invisible to enemy radars. Despite being the 40% larger than a class destroyer Arleigh Burke, would have an Rcs (Radar Cross-Section) of a fishing vessel.
The Zumwalt destroyer reintroduces the camber: the maximum width of the vessel is on the waterline, while proceeding upwards the hull begins to shrink. Its unusual hull then, has been designed with wave penetration technology or wave-piercing for a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km / h). It was designed to pour a devastating fire capacity even if severely hit. The class Zumwalt is armed with eighty cruise missiles Tomahawk (displaced on various Vls Mk 57 advanced pods, along the entire ship so as not to lose missile capability even if hit), two Ags cannons from 155 mm, two from 57 mm and batteries of Sea Sparrow evolved.
The system Gun Advanced o Ags deserves a separate discussion. He fires eleven-pound rocket-projectiles, with a margin of error (Cep) of 50 meters, at a maximum distance of 154 km. Each unit will have a capacity of 750 bullets. The Ags barrel is water-cooled to prevent overheating, while the rate of fire is ten shots per minute per weapon. The combined firepower of a pair of turrets would give each Zumwalt class destroyer a firepower of twelve M198 field guns.
The Zumwalt will be equipped with laser defensive systems designed to shoot down drones and enemy planes and electromagnetic guns capable of firing projectiles at hypersonic speed. According to the US Navy, laser technology has been designed to eliminate asymmetric threats such as drones, small planes and speedboats: all potential threats to warships in the Persian Gulf.
Electromagnetic guns have already been tested. The US Navy data speaks of three-kilogram bullets (3,2 kg to be exact) fired at the speed of 2,4 km per second. The tungsten projectiles reach the target with a speed equal to seven times that of the sound, for a superior power (at a cost clearly inferior) to a missile Tomahawk. This weaponry will give the Zumwalt the role of "true warfighter game changer".
Two Sh-60 / helicopters will be on board Seahawk (Lamps Mk III) for anti-submarine warfare and three Mq-8 Fire Scouts, unmanned helicopters developed for armed reconnaissance. The size of the ship and the power plant capable of producing 78 megawatts of electricity - enough to power 78 thousand homes - make it an ideal platform for the weapons of the future such as the electromagnetic gun. Fifteen thousand ton ships have a growth margin of 10%, equivalent to more 1500 tons of future technology to be implemented in the system without altering the boat's performance.
Finally, the degree of automation achieved would be so high that a crew of 158 members will be enough to drive the ship, half of those required for the current generation of destroyers (an operating life of 35 years could save 280 tax payers millions of dollars for ship).
Le Zumwalt they represent the breaking point between the past and the new war scenarios of the future. As for the F-22, the only fighter in the world for which the term "Domain" was coined, even the Zumwalt they bear this title. Its future electromagnetic armament should enable it to impose "dominion" on any sea and against any enemy.
The battle name of the Zumwalt is Silver Bullet, "silver bullet".
(photo: Bath Iron Works / US Navy)
