DDG 1000 Zumwalt

The DD(X) is an advanced, state-of-the-art destroyer designed to carry out land attack, anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in support of US naval and amphibious forces. It differs from previous destroyers as it will be built to operate in the challenging littoral waters. The weapons capacity will be enlarged and enhanced to accommodate more sophisticated weapons in greater numbers than current DDG 51 class destroyers. A single DD(X) will be outfitted with 80 missile cells. The DD(X) evolved from the DD-21 Zumwalt destroyer program. It will feature a dual band radar (X and L bands), multi-spectral stealth signatures (Electro-Optical, IR and Radar), a new Peripheral Vertical Launch System PVLS capable of launch current and future munitions, two Advanced Gun Systems (AGS) with 900 projectiles, an integrated undersea warfare system, an advanced hull, a total ship computing environment, and integrated propulsion system. The Undersea warfare system will feature dual frequency sonar, multi-function towed array, and torpedo countermeasures. The DD(X) will feature a double hull enabled to provide 30 knots sustained speed, with 2 flight decks and one hangar for both helicopters and UAVs. Reduced Electro-Optical, IR and Radar signatures will mean a highly survivable ship. The crew of the DD(X) will be approximately 125-man but the US Navy seeks a crew of 95-man. As of 2005, automated systems were expected to reduce the crew size of such a ship to only 114 sailors. The US Navy pays so much attention to manning reduction because such a measure would translate into $13 million per year per ship in operating costs savings compared with DDG 51 class destroyers. The first DD(X) destroyer could be ready to enter service in 2011. All in, the US Navy has envisaged the DD(X) as its masterpiece for the 21st century sea dominance. The DD(X) destroyer is expected to yield critical capabilities such as a 50-fold radar cross section (RCS) making this class really hard to find out by enemy platforms and weapons; 10-fold improved capability against anti-ship missiles; and 10 times the operating area in shallow water regions against mines, and improved naval surface fire coverage. In July 30, 2003 the US Navy announced the selection of S-band radar technology rather than L-band for the volume search radar to be installed on DD(X) destroyers. The new radar system will be a SPY-1 radar follow-on, the Raytheon SPY-3, which are currently deployed aboard AEGIS-equipped surface ships. In October 2004, the US Navy approved United Defense 57mm Mk 110 naval gun as baseline DD(X) Close-In Gun System. The MK 110 is a new variant of proven Swedish 57mm Mk3 naval gun being developed and manufactured in the United States of America. These Mk 110 gun systems were replaced by the Mark 46 30mm close-in weapon system in the final design. On 23 May 2005, Raytheon was awarded a $3 billion contract to conduct DD(X) Ship System Integration and Detail Design associated with specific ships systems. This contract was expected to conclude by December 2009. On April 7, 2006 the US Navy announced that the DD(X) clas destroyer newest official designation was DDG 1000 with the lead ship to bear the name of Admiral Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr. DDG 1000 class ships will focus on land attack and littoral dominance with two lead ships to be built concurrently by Northrop-Grumman Ship Systems and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The USS Zumwalt is expected to be commissioned in 2012. On 8 August 2006, the US Navy awarded Bath Iron Works, a General Dynamics subsidiary, a contract worth $116 million to commence DDG 1000 detail design. The total value of this contract with all current options exercised could be as high as $300 million. The ship was finally commissioned on October 15, 2016. In November 2017 the US Navy decided to re-focus the DDG 1000 class destroyers on Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) with the ship getting new missiles in the near future to accomplish the new goals. The DDG 1000 program was aimed at delivering 32 destroyers but the high cost of each ship has forced the US Navy to get only three vessels. Nevertheless, the US Navy may procure additional ships to cope with the increasing threats posed by China and Russia. In November 2021 the US Navy released plans to replace the AGS guns by 12 IRCPS ballistic missiles and/or CPS hypersonic missiles by 2024.

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