New stealth destroyer turned over to U.S. Navy, Capt. James Kirk

[Kontinuum]

Capt. James Kirk just got the keys to the baddest ship in the fleet -- U.S. Navy's fleet, not Starfleet.

The ship is the future USS Zumwalt, the first of the Navy's newest class of destroyers, and contractor General Dynamics turned it over to the Navy on Friday at Bath Iron Works in Maine.
The ship will be commissioned -- and officially become the USS Zumwalt -- on October 15 in Baltimore. Until then, Capt. Kirk (U.S. Navy, not United Federation of Planets) and his crew will test the ship's array of futuristic systems.

The 610-foot, 15,700-ton warship "is a stealthy ship with a minimal radar signature and an intrinsically quiet tumblehome hull form and wave-piercing bow," General Dynamics says.
The ship can generate 78 megawatts of power making it "suitable for deployment of directed energy beam weapons and the electromagnetic railgun, both of which are under intensive development," General Dynamics said in a statement.
"This impressive ship incorporates a new design alongside the integration of sophisticated new technologies that will lead the Navy into the next generation of capabilities," said the Navy's program manager for the Zumwalt class of destroyers, Rear Adm. (select) Jim Downey.
For now, the future Zumwalt will be equipped with guns that can fire projectiles up to 63 miles and cells for 80 Tomahawk, Sea Sparrow and Standard missiles along with anti-submarine rockets.
Two more Zumwalt-class ships, the future Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B. Johnson, are under construction in Maine. Cost of the three ships is expected to total about $22.5 billion.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/20/po...alt/index.html

[Schattenlied]

At least the guy chose to embrace his name.

[Gracin]

It makes you wonder if he worked intentionally on becoming a Captain, to fulfill, what I'm sure was a lifelong running joke.

[Deleted]

You just know he could not fail but become a ships captain.

[The Stormbringer]

But is his middle name also Tiberius?

[Celista]

It makes you wonder if he worked intentionally on becoming a Captain, to fulfill, what I'm sure was a lifelong running joke.

Major Major Major Major.

Still one of my favorite novels.

[Biomega]

But is his middle name also Tiberius?

I would say that if your last name is Kirk and you have a child and name it James, you MUST be aware of the implications - and those implications call for a T. middle initial.

Sort of reminds me of a J.A.G. episode where a baby is to be named James (first name) Kirk (middle name) at the insistence of the father, while the wife is oblivious to the reference.

Can you imagine the scuttlebutt though? Like, how did that Captain get the command, I mean REALLY. Did they just stumble upon the name on the list and go "THAT'S IT, WE'RE DONE"?

[Deleted]

Major Major Major Major.

Still one of my favorite novels.

I once knew a Sergeant Sergeant, he later went onto become an Officer and said he confused more people than ever as Captain Sergeant.

[Skaiz]

What a time to be alive. This article is making me nerdgasm so hard

[Hooked]

If you google earth bath iron works you can see a few more in development.

[shadowmouse]

For all the hype, I find it hard to disagree with the assessment at the end of the article:

The program isn't impressing at least one Russian commentator, retired Col. Viktor Baranets, who told state-run Radio Sputnik: "One U.S. nuclear submarine, the newest in the fleet, costs about $2.2 billion. In other words, they used the budget for two nuclear subs to build one Zumwalt. What can be said? Americans love grandiose projects which sometimes go beyond the scope of reason."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/20/po...alt/index.html

The old joke goes that an elephant is a mouse built to government specifications. If that is generally the case, then the Zumwalt seems to have turned into a mastodon. With only three being produced (down from 32) it seems to be more of a concept vehicle than a realistic addition to the Navy.

While it may be interesting, was it a better choice than the two subs would have been?

[Gorgodeus]

For all the hype, I find it hard to disagree with the assessment at the end of the article:


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/20/po...alt/index.html

The old joke goes that an elephant is a mouse built to government specifications. If that is generally the case, then the Zumwalt seems to have turned into a mastodon. With only three being produced (down from 32) it seems to be more of a concept vehicle than a realistic addition to the Navy.

While it may be interesting, was it a better choice than the two subs would have been?

Subs don't carry laser weaponry and rail guns.

[Gwennie]

I actually knew a James Kirk while in sub school in Groton.

[shadowmouse]

Subs don't carry laser weaponry and rail guns.

Nor do the Zumwalt class destroyers at this time.

Much criticism surrounding the purpose of the Zumwalt has caused analysts to question the role it will play in the Navy. As built, the DDG-1000 resembles an expensive shore-bombardment platform with its 155 mm guns, utilizing its stealth technology to rain fire on inland targets.

Source: http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/u-s-m...alt-destroyer/

One assessment of Russian comments raises a perfectly valid concern:

One can expect disparaging remarks from Kremlin-influenced Russian media outlets about the U.S. Navy’s newest stealth warship to continue in the months ahead.

Source: http://thediplomat.com/2016/05/russi...giant-washtub/

Still, the same article has quotes from Russian sources that may be worth considering:

With regard to its stealth, this is just a fairy tale for fools. Imagine a colossus with a solid wall the height of a sixteen-story building. Given the capabilities of current weapons using space and aerial reconnaissance, in addition to those of UAVs, this giant washtub cannot remain an inconspicuous target on the sea surface.

The Americans have presented the Zumwalt as the best warship in history; this of course is an exaggerated characterization. The ship really is interesting in terms of innovation, when looking at its power plant, the types of weapons installed, and its control system. All this really is a breakthrough. But taken altogether, this does not turn the destroyer into a super-menacing weapon. This is a floating supercomputer with missiles…It doesn’t alter the balance of forces.

The truth is probably somewhere in between the media hype and derision, but in the end the Zumwalt class is a concept platform. Their actual performance is limited by the fact there will only be three of them, and at this time it seems only the third may get fitted with a railgun.

[Skroe]

For all the hype, I find it hard to disagree with the assessment at the end of the article:


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/20/po...alt/index.html

The old joke goes that an elephant is a mouse built to government specifications. If that is generally the case, then the Zumwalt seems to have turned into a mastodon. With only three being produced (down from 32) it seems to be more of a concept vehicle than a realistic addition to the Navy.

While it may be interesting, was it a better choice than the two subs would have been?

Okay so a bit of history surrounding this. First upfront, the Russian general is being intentionally disingenuous, but I'll get to why in a moment.

The DDG-1000 family was envisioned originallly to be the sucessor for the Arleign Burke class. The order got cut down from 30 to 20 to 12 to 6 to 3 over the past 15 years. Despite being named "Destroyers" they are significantly larger than both the Arleigh Burke class destroyer and the Ticonderoga class cruiser.

The Zumwalt class does not implement either the Aegis Combat System or the Aegis Ballistic Missle Defense system (a fork of Aegis Combat System). Instead it utilizes the Total Ship Computing Environment Infrastructure, which is a ground up new Combat System, more advanced but fundamentally different than the Aegis Combat System. It's the closest thing in the world operationally to the intelligent main computer that has total awarenss of ships status and sensor fusion from Star Trek. Becuae the Zumwalt doesn't implement Aegis, it cannot target share for air defense or attack with the Areligh Burke class destoyers and the Ticonderoga cruisers. It can still perform Air Defense, but it can only "talk" to other Zumwalts.

Unlike the Arleigh Burkes, which are multi-roled for surface combat, land attack,air defense and ballistic missile defense, Zumwalt class is optimized for land attack. That is why stealth is a key part of it's design. Because it will get closer to shore than Arleig burkes. Within the current context of the fleet, it is a specialty item, since no more than 3 are being produced.

Despite the fact that only 3 are being produced, the Zumwalt class pointed the way forward and technology from it is being retrofitted into the Flight IIA restart and Flight III Areligh Burkes. For example, the Zumwalkts turbo-electric drive is powered by an 80 MW generator, the most powerful in a non-nuclear warship. This power generation will allow it to use all those advanced weapons, but the technology behind both the turbo electric drive and the generator are being refitted into the Burkes. For example, the Flight III Burkes will see their energy generation increase to 12MW, from 9MW in the Flight IIA and 6MW in the Flight I and Flight II.

It was a good call for the Navy to cancel the Zumwalt in order to produce the Arleigh Burkes at 2 per year for years to come, but the Zumwalts from a technology perspective and specialized utility will pay dividends for years to come.

Insofar as the Russian's comment.... the US is currently producing 2 Virginia class subs per year (in reality about 6 are being built simultaneously due to how production works) at two different shipyards. The US is producing so many different classes of ships at the moment - Virginia's, Burkes, two different LCS, TAO(X), Carriers - there is an actual shortage of electricians and yard workers. And with the incoming Ohio sub replacement program, it's going to get work. Put another way, the US is already producing attack subs at capacity. A stealthy land-attack destroyer will be pretty useful for the South China Sea in any event.

- - - Updated - - -

Nor do the Zumwalt class destroyers at this time.


The truth is probably somewhere in between the media hype and derision, but in the end the Zumwalt class is a concept platform. Their actual performance is limited by the fact there will only be three of them, and at this time it seems only the third may get fitted with a railgun.

The ships will have a 35 year life time, and each produce 80MW of power specifically for electrically powered weaponry. That was done on purpose.

Rail Guns and Lasers will be retrofitted onto these just as their predecessors saw weapon system significant upgrades over their life times. Especially a rail gun, which goes nicely with the DDG-1000's land attack specialty. Going with my previous post, while DDG-51s VLS tubes carry a mix of Tomahawks, SM-6s, ESSMs, Harpoons and some other stuff (and SM-3s on the Aegis BMD ships), the VLS tubes on the DDG-51s will carry a much larger amount of Tomahawks than Normal, due to their role.

In the Carrier Strike Group of the Future that is being formed, 2-3 Flight III Arleigh Burkes will form the Air Defense core, the Ticonderoga cruiser will be the Air Defense Leader, and one attached Zumwalt will be specialized in land attack, along with 2x Virginia attack subs with the Virginia Payload module (an addon to upcoming Virginia class subs with more Tomahawk cruise missiles) .

They should have called the Zumwalts Battlecruisers or something. But it was envisioned as a stepping stone to an even larger CG(X) variant, a Cruiser Replacement, a decade ago.

[Hooked]

Why aren't ships driven with jet pumps instead of propellers?

[Gorgodeus]

Why aren't ships driven with jet pumps instead of propellers?

Pumps are not efficient. It takes more horsepower to drive a jet pump powered boat the same speed as one fitted with props.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I hope he never lets them promote him.

[shadowmouse]

Insofar as the Russian's comment.... the US is currently producing 2 Virginia class subs per year (in reality about 6 are being built simultaneously due to how production works) at two different shipyards. The US is producing so many different classes of ships at the moment - Virginia's, Burkes, two different LCS, TAO(X), Carriers - there is an actual shortage of electricians and yard workers. And with the incoming Ohio sub replacement program, it's going to get work. Put another way, the US is already producing attack subs at capacity. A stealthy land-attack destroyer will be pretty useful for the South China Sea in any event.

Yes, as I noted in a later post the truth about the Zumwalt is quite possibly somewhere between the extremes. We can and should expect Russian sources to downplay the Zumwalt, just as we should expect news from the US side to be cherry picked to highlight the most positive aspects of the project. The problems with labor at the shipyards are known, and are cited as a significant reason the cost of production for the Zumwalts has increased substantially.

Concept vehicles have their uses, they just get expensive on the Zumwalts' scale. Even within your own post, you touch on some of the problems this presents. The Zumwalts were a 90s wet dream that may not be up to the challenges of 2020.

It can still perform Air Defense, but it can only "talk" to other Zumwalts.

Despite being named "Destroyers" they are significantly larger than both the Arleigh Burke class destroyer and the Ticonderoga class cruiser.

As far as the Zumwalt being able to get closer to shore, that's probably great for bombarding Somali pirates. I'm not sure it is an effective trade in terms of the South China Sea. The tumblehome hull design is controversial, and one of the issues is that there are questions about how it will hold up to damage. The railgun may go a long way towards offsetting the problem the Zumwalts would have in the South China Sea, but as things stand now they would be operating in a comparatively confined space that plays well towards things like visual observation by UAVs tied into missile attacks. As you said, the damned things are huge, and the third one (the one that may get the railgun) is going with a steel deckhouse that will probably offer less stealth.

What we can know right now is that, given the Zumwalts' design, deploying them in the South China Sea is likely to be seen as increasing an already tense situation. The Arleigh Burkes are multi purpose, the Zumwalts aren't really. Wherever they go, they're the naval equivalent of waving a loaded gun.

[Berengil]

They should totally transfer him to command of the Ford class USS Enterprise when its commissioned, assuming of course that he's qualified. And if he needs additional training beforehand , get the f on it right now.

Can you imagine being a harbormaster somewhere and getting this over the radio:

" This is Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise, requesting permission to dock."