Capt. James Kirk Takes Command of New USS Zumwalt for Sea Trials

John Keefer

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Aug 12, 2013
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Capt. James Kirk Takes Command of New USS Zumwalt for Sea Trials


The first-of-its-kind stealth guided missile destroyer USS Zumwalt finally heads to sea with a familiar name in command for its test run.

The USS Zumwalt, a $4.3 billion state-of-the-art stealth destroyer, has put to sea for trials from Bath Iron Works in Maine. The futuristic ship ironically is commanded by Captain James Kirk.

Measuring 610 feet long, and weighting more than 15,000 tons, the ship looks a bit odd with its sloping hull and a deck that looks more like a star destroyer from Star Wars than a U.S. Navy vessel. The look though is designed to give the ship a more compact look, making it appear as a fishing vessel on radar.

Some notes about the Zumwalt:


The ship holds 58MW of reserve power, capable of powering 580,000 gaming consoles or the largest amusement park in the world.
The computer system has more than 6 million lines of code, or the equivalent of 108,000 printed pages.
The ship has enhanced automation, requiring only 158 sailors, or 1/10 of the men need for a World War II Cleveland-class cruiser.
The ship has an electric propulsion system, is equipped to handle an electromagnetic railgun and a drone-targeting laser system, and can also carry two MH60R helicopters.


"We are absolutely fired up to see Zumwalt get underway," Capt. Kirk said before the ship departed. "For the crew and all those involved in designing, building, and readying this fantastic ship, this is a huge milestone."

[gallery=5176]

The shakedown cruise will determine the seaworthiness of the new vessel and just how soon the ship will be able to join the fleet. The new "tumblehome" hull, as well as the abundance of new electronics and weapons systems, offers some risk, but the Navy is confident in the new ship. Two more Zumwalt class destroyers are scheduled to be built, down from the original 32 that were planned.

Sources: Raytheon [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B127s-j6to8]






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-Ezio-

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Nov 17, 2009
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that poor bastard. the constant jokes must drive him mad.
 

Seraj33

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Jun 18, 2012
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Too bad the ship looks butt-ugly imho. Not at all as handsome as OUR one.
Although that one is just a corvette. Not a destroyer.
 

Primero Holodon

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Oct 18, 2011
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a shakedown cruise to determine the effectiveness of a new stealth ship? I hope the last name of his X.O. is Shepard.
 

crimson5pheonix

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And now we get to watch all that money literally sail away. But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
 

Floppertje

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I'm all for high-tech new toys, but this one doesn't look very cool... the old WW2 ones looked way more badass.
 

Gordon_4_v1legacy

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Aug 22, 2010
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Officer Training School must have absolutely blown chunks for that man; but kudos to him - I can't imagine the U.S. Navy (or indeed any 1st World Navy) hands a brand spanking new ship to a greenhorn so his record must be good.
 

KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime

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Jan 12, 2010
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Primero Holodon said:
a shakedown cruise to determine the effectiveness of a new stealth ship? I hope the last name of his X.O. is Shepard.
That would only make sense if the USS Zumwalt were a frigate, kinda does a disservice to Captain Kirk too, as the NCC-1701 Enterprise was classed as a heavy cruiser.

Still, neat ship.
 

Thaluikhain

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KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime said:
That would only make sense if the USS Zumwalt were a frigate, kinda does a disservice to Captain Kirk too, as the NCC-1701 Enterprise was classed as a heavy cruiser.
Classifications of ships are a bit iffy, though. Sometimes they even keep the same ship, but change it's classification.

KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime said:
Still, neat ship.
Dunno, heard some bad things about it, too much new stuff all at once. The fact that they've cut it down from 32 to maybe 3 isn't great either.
 

John Keefer

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webkilla said:
It has a railgun?

...is there any footage of that being test fired?
It is capable of having one. I think it could be added in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B127s-j6to8

Start at 0:23
 

SmugFrog

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Sep 4, 2008
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webkilla said:
It has a railgun?

...is there any footage of that being test fired?
My favorite railgun video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yd96Yniyp0

Last I heard they needed a ship with more sustained power output to mount it (like nuclear) - but I guess they've overcome some of those limitations. Railguns and lasers - should be interesting in 20 years. It's funny, considering railguns, we've been launching projectiles in practically the same way since the days of cannonballs, so this is a big change.

crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
 

Albino Boo

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thaluikhain said:
KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime said:
That would only make sense if the USS Zumwalt were a frigate, kinda does a disservice to Captain Kirk too, as the NCC-1701 Enterprise was classed as a heavy cruiser.
Classifications of ships are a bit iffy, though. Sometimes they even keep the same ship, but change it's classification.

KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime said:
Still, neat ship.
Dunno, heard some bad things about it, too much new stuff all at once. The fact that they've cut it down from 32 to maybe 3 isn't great either.
Well the ship is actually cruiser size. Its dodge that many navies use is call something a smaller class of ship to get through the budget. The big reason why it's been cut to 3 is because the threat has changed and there is a need is for more less capable destroyers. The current plan is to build more of the Arleigh Burke class in the medium term and follow on class with many of the developments of Zumwalt class but not the high stealth hull.
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
 

Souplex

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crimson5pheonix said:
SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
To be fair, Russia has been saber-rattling pretty hard lately, and Canadia is always a threat.

Considering the guys age, he was probably named James as an homage to Star Trek.
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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Jun 6, 2008
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Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
To be fair, Russia has been saber-rattling pretty hard lately, and Canadia is always a threat.

Considering the guys age, he was probably named James as an homage to Star Trek.
Russia might be the only country that might mean anything. Then I look at this.

1 aircraft carrier
22 landing ship tanks
4 cruisers
15 destroyers
4 frigates
78 corvettes
56 submarines
34 Mine countermeasures vessels

10 aircraft carriers
9 amphibious assault ships
10 amphibious transport docks
12 dock landing ships
22 Guided missile cruisers
62 Guided missile destroyers
4 littoral combat ships
71 submarines

Guess who's who?
 

Souplex

Souplex Killsplosion Awesomegasm
Jul 29, 2008
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crimson5pheonix said:
Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
To be fair, Russia has been saber-rattling pretty hard lately, and Canadia is always a threat.

Considering the guys age, he was probably named James as an homage to Star Trek.
Russia might be the only country that might mean anything. Then I look at this.

1 aircraft carrier
22 landing ship tanks
4 cruisers
15 destroyers
4 frigates
78 corvettes
56 submarines
34 Mine countermeasures vessels

10 aircraft carriers
9 amphibious assault ships
10 amphibious transport docks
12 dock landing ships
22 Guided missile cruisers
62 Guided missile destroyers
4 littoral combat ships
71 submarines

Guess who's who?
*Gasp* they have many more mine countermeasure vessels than us! You're ignoring the real threat: Candian kung-fu bears! (If a bear can learn to dance, it can learn kung-fu)
You're also overlooking NATO. If Russia attacks anyone in NATO, they have to fight all of NATO.
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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Jun 6, 2008
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Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
To be fair, Russia has been saber-rattling pretty hard lately, and Canadia is always a threat.

Considering the guys age, he was probably named James as an homage to Star Trek.
Russia might be the only country that might mean anything. Then I look at this.

1 aircraft carrier
22 landing ship tanks
4 cruisers
15 destroyers
4 frigates
78 corvettes
56 submarines
34 Mine countermeasures vessels

10 aircraft carriers
9 amphibious assault ships
10 amphibious transport docks
12 dock landing ships
22 Guided missile cruisers
62 Guided missile destroyers
4 littoral combat ships
71 submarines

Guess who's who?
*Gasp* they have many more mine countermeasure vessels than us! You're ignoring the real threat: Candian kung-fu bears! (If a bear can learn to dance, it can learn kung-fu)
You're also overlooking NATO. If Russia attacks anyone in NATO, they have to fight all of NATO.
I don't believe a military gunboat is something you bring against kung-fu bears...

That's also a good point. Why do we need this destroyer again?
 

Souplex

Souplex Killsplosion Awesomegasm
Jul 29, 2008
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crimson5pheonix said:
Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
Souplex said:
crimson5pheonix said:
SmugFrog said:
crimson5pheonix said:
But now we're super ultra safe from enemy fishing boats with machine guns :\
I don't get the joke - are you implying it doesn't have much weaponry to it?
I'm implying that the only people with a navy to justify this 4+ billion dollar boat are our allies. The only nations and organization that actively hate us don't have much more than fishing boats with machine guns.
To be fair, Russia has been saber-rattling pretty hard lately, and Canadia is always a threat.

Considering the guys age, he was probably named James as an homage to Star Trek.
Russia might be the only country that might mean anything. Then I look at this.

1 aircraft carrier
22 landing ship tanks
4 cruisers
15 destroyers
4 frigates
78 corvettes
56 submarines
34 Mine countermeasures vessels

10 aircraft carriers
9 amphibious assault ships
10 amphibious transport docks
12 dock landing ships
22 Guided missile cruisers
62 Guided missile destroyers
4 littoral combat ships
71 submarines

Guess who's who?
*Gasp* they have many more mine countermeasure vessels than us! You're ignoring the real threat: Candian kung-fu bears! (If a bear can learn to dance, it can learn kung-fu)
You're also overlooking NATO. If Russia attacks anyone in NATO, they have to fight all of NATO.
I don't believe a military gunboat is something you bring against kung-fu bears...

That's also a good point. Why do we need this destroyer again?
...Something something military industrial complex?