Posted on 04/12/2012 9:12:12 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
The $7 billion dollar warship being built to maintain American naval supremacy over China in the 21st Century
One of the largest, most expensive and advanced warships ever commissioned for the U.S Navy is taking shape at Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine.
Named the U.S.S Zumwalt, the $7 billion guided-missile destroyer is at the cutting edge of technology and now deemed vital for defence following President Obama's Asia-Pacific pivot.
Featuring a radical wave-piercing hull known as a 'tumblehome', the odd looking ship incorporates stealth technology that makes the 600-foot, 14,500 ton warship seem like a fishing vessel to enemy radar.
An artist rendering of the USS Zumwalt class destroyer which will be one of the more heavily armed and expensive ships in the U.S Navy
Fitted with diagonally launching missile tubes as opposed to traditional vertical tubes and carrying deck-guns that fire rocket propelled warheads 100 miles, the Zumwalt will be a formidable beast.
Even though it is the largest destroyer the U.S Navy has built in years it will have half the crew because of the extensive automation of systems on the ship.
With 32 ships originally envisioned for the class, that was lowered after a government review to 24, then to seven and eventually shot down to just three.
One of the reasons for this is the prohibitive cost of the Zumwalt class.
On paper each of the powerful vessels costs $3.8 billion a piece, but with research and development costs thrown in the full bill is nearer to $7 billion.
The 600-foot-long ships are so large and complicated to build that General Dynamics, who
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yep.
And properly inflated tires.
We go to Maine every summer and as we’re driving over the bridge you get a great view of some of the warships at BIW. Unfortunately, I’m always driving but I point it out to the kids for sure.
Thought this thing was supposed to have the railgun?
Or going straight back there.
[”Named the U.S.S Zumwalt, the $7 billion guided-missile destroyer is at the cutting edge of technology and now deemed vital for defence following President Obama’s Asia-Pacific pivot.”]
Oh my, Obama pivots, and immediatly they start building the worlds most expensive warship?
This ship has been in the works for years, Obammy had naught to do with it.
Stand off, they both retired from the fray.
“The $7 billion dollar warship being built to maintain American naval supremacy over China”
Bread & circuses; we can’t pretend Red China is our enemy while our trade builds up their nation and we educate their next commissars. Just as it has become clear the the Repubs & Dems are taking us in the same direction (just dressed up differently), so it is also obvious that the US and Red China are very good friends.
Heh. It dates back to the first Clinton Administration.
The Chinese will have a knock-off made before we ever get ours off the drawing board.
Of course if you build more of them, then you amortize the R&D costs over more ships and the per-ship cost goes back down.
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And, if the ships were being built with NON-union workers the cost per ship would be significantly less!
32 reduced down to three?
The tumblehome hull design is brave choice given how many times it’s been tried in history and then given up on due to instability when hit.
..you better send this ship out with a bunch of fishing boats otherwise all you have to do is look for a radar signature the size of a fishing boat.
Tumblehome hulls were popular on pre WW-I French battleships.
i dont know... I may not be an aerospace engineer, but I cannot see that bow would take kindly to seas over 20 feet at 20+ knots... they better have some decent support structure for that superstructure...
Get on base in Norfolk and check out the warships all lined up as far as one can see. First time visiting was at night and the view was awe-inspiring.
btw, my son is onboard the very first Arleigh-Burke destroyer.
It would really be cool if it was able to submerge!
I like your attitude, sailor!
I went through Bath with the G.W. CARVER back in the early 70’s. Great place. They had topless dancers at the EM club. Shortly after we pulled out, the CO’s wife had it shut down.
It can, but only once.
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