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Next generation of Navy destroyer looks unlike any ship ever seen

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Zumwalt destroyer features inverted hull, advanced capabilities.

The United States Navy is spending billions on new destroyers for its fleet. Four new Arleigh Burke class destroyers are on order along with three of the super-advanced Zumwalt class destroyers, which represent the next generation in naval warfare.

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Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
6/7/2013 (1 decade ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: Zumwalt, arleigh burke, destroyer, ships, cost, navy, combat, stealth

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Navy has announced the construction of four new Arleigh Burke class destroyers, which currently provide multi-role service for the Navy. The destroyers are capable of bombarding targets from hundreds of miles away with cruise missiles, providing protection for surface fleets, and can hunt and kill submarines. They also carry two helicopters which can operate from a mini flight deck on the destroyer's fantail.

More recently, it has been revealed these destroyers are also capable of intercepting ballistic missiles outside of the Earth's atmosphere.

The new ships will be finished and delivered in 2016 and 2017.

Meanwhile, the navy has also started construction on the replacement for the Arleigh Burke, the Zumwalt class destroyer.

Named for former Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt, the navy plans to build three of the futuristic-looking ships.

The Zumwalt class ships feature a new design, known as a "wave-piercing" hull. The hull is actually widest at the waterline, and becomes narrower near the top, the inverse of what most ships feature today. The destroyers are dedicated for use in shallow waters and are specialized to support land-based operations.

The new hull design makes the ships faster and more maneuverable.

In addition to the new shape, the hull can also withstand speedboat, terrorists, and mine attacks, and provides limited stealth capability.

Finally, the ships have an all-electric propulsion system that will keep them quiet.

Despite the recent spate of budget cuts, construction on the new ships continues apace, as the Navy needs to be able to confront new and evolving threats on the sea. The new ships will ensure U.S. naval supremacy.

As Oliver Cromwell once said, "A man-o'-war makes the best ambassador."

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