Posted on 11/17/2011 9:17:24 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Milestone marked on stealthy destroyer under construction at Maine's Bath Iron Works
DAVID SHARP Associated Press
BATH, Maine — Two daughters and son of the late Adm. Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt helped Bath Iron Works mark a milestone Thursday in construction of the largest ship to be built in more than two decades at the shipyard.
The ship's co-sponsors, Ann Zumwalt and Mouzetta Zumwalt-Weathers, were accompanied by their brother, retired Marine Lt. Col James G. Zumwalt, at a ceremony marking the "laying of the keel," a Navy tradition dating to the days of sail, when the ship's keel served as the foundation of the wooden hull.
In modern times, ships have no keel so the ceremony marked the completion of the first hull segment. In this case, the hull segment is 180 feet long and weighs 4,000 tons.
Jeffrey Geiger, the shipyard's chief executive officer, said the hull segments of the future USS Zumwalt are the largest to be assembled at the shipyard. In fact, the single module on display Thursday weighed more than a fully outfitted Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, a type of ship previously built at Bath Iron works.
Several speakers said the new and efficient methods used in building the massive ship as well as the new technologies fit with the efforts of Adm. Zumwalt, for whom the ship is named.
"He was determined to consider unconventional ways of doing business, pushing the Navy in new and uncomfortable directions," said Rear Adm. Ann C. Phillips, the Navy's director of surface warfare.
Bath Iron Works holds a keel laying ceremony to mark the completion of the first completed hull segment of the future USS Zumwalt, Thursday,
(Excerpt) Read more at therepublic.com ...
I'd rather see 90 of the 3,000 ton class conventional Frigate with advanced weapons and electronics.
It seems like a cold-war ship, I wonder who it is supposed to fight.
Hope its got better plumbing than the new aircraft carrier.
Two six-inch guns, I see, but these aren't your granddad's main battery. I love how they nest into the mounts. Beautiful ship.
Hope its got better plumbing than the new aircraft carrier.
Which carrier?
That ship sure doesn’t look that wide.
The number that has been approved is 3. The original number was 32, but like the SeaWolf submarine and the F-22 Raptor, cuts in numbers occurred that brought the final tally to only three ships.
I always wonder at the lack of guns on the newer designs.
More is always better. Makes you able to keep firing if you lose a couple.
In our case the theory was that the ship was (1) strictly to be used in carrier battle group air defense, and (2) always to be accompanied by something with a few more close-range teeth. That was WWII thinking, and we ended up out there pretty much on our own. My first billet aboard was Assistant Gunnery Officer, and let's just say that I was a little disappointed to learn that the best a heavy cruiser had to offer was a couple of hand-fed 5" guns. With a pointer and a trainer and little me sitting on the side of the thing as check-sight observer. We'd have competitions between the sailors on one side and the Marines on the other to see who could load these beasties the fastest.
This one, though, is different. The 155's aren't really the main battery - that would be the vertical-launched missiles. For close-in work there are the 57-mm mounts. I think they'll do all right, myself.
I bet someone suggested that it had some form of limited subsurface maneuverability, similar to some watercraft.
Imagine a wavetop missile zooming in at high speed, with a sudden burst of power the vessel uses outstretched diving planes at high speed and can momentarily travel underwater as a countermove.
A few years ago I had the chance to have a few drinks and cigars with a few career navy officers from the JFK. One thing they all agreed on was that Bath Iron Works of Maine built the best ships used in the navy.
To a Mainer, having a job at BIW is a real point of pride. To a native Mainer having a strong work ethic is the only way any man should live.
The real problem is the material they are building these ships with.
Perhaps someday soon some geek will find a self growing carbon fiber interlaced with something like titanium and diamonds and it will be basically like a giant organism, they grow it in a specific design, an organic structure.
Kinda reminds me of a submarine TV series years ago.
Cut to insignificance, all three programs.
Why bother?
I still don’t understand how in rough seas that bow design won’t tend to force the nose down under the waves.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2809158/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2808422/posts
The Oriskany, CVA-34 had the 5"-38s you described until it was decommissioned.
Thank you.
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