Stern Section of Zumwalt (DDG 1000) Joins Two Other Ultra Units, USA

Under the lights on September 29, 2012, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (GDBIW) shipbuilders moved the 1,850-ton Ultra Unit comprising the stern section of Zumwalt (DDG 1000) on to the Land Level Transfer Facility.

This unit now joins with the two other Ultra Units and the bow section which were already in place on the building station to make up the ship’s full length of 600 feet.

Construction began on DDG 1000 in February 2009, and the Navy and its industry partners have worked to mature the ship’s design and ready their industrial facilities to build this advanced surface combatant. Zumwalt is currently more than 60 percent complete and scheduled to deliver in fiscal year 2014. Construction on the second ship of the class, Michael Moonsoor (DDG 1001), began March 2010.

Designed for sustained operations in the littorals and land attack, the multi-mission DDG 1000 will provide independent forward presence and deterrence, support special operations forces, and operate as an integral part of joint and combined expeditionary forces. This warship integrates numerous critical technologies, systems, and principles into a complete warfighting system. These include employment of optimal manning through human systems integration, improved quality of life, low operations and support costs, multi-spectral signature reduction, balanced warfighting design, survivability, and adaptability.

DDG 1000 is the first surface combatant to be built with an IPS, which will use electric power for propulsion and ship services. The IPS generates the total ship electric power requirements, then distributes and converts it for all ship loads, including propulsion, combat systems and ship services.

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Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, October 5, 2012; Image: gdbiw