Rickpadwick1801 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 I have just read on www.navy.mil that the US Navy has launched PCU Zumwalt, DDG-1000, the first of 3 Zumwalt class destroyers, without any fanfare (champagne over the bow etc). They cancelled the ships christening ceremony due to the recent partial government shutdown. The christening ceremony will be rescheduled for the spring. Bath Iron Works will continue working on the ship throughout winter with sea trials due to commence next winter. A year tied up to a dock is a very long time for something worth what these ships cost. Look at the size of this bad boy, compare it to the tugboat next to the bow in the photo below for an idea of scale. The ship is 610 feet long and weighing in at 15,610 tons. In comparison the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer is 498 feet long and weights 8,000 tons. The Zumwalts are going to be 100 feet plus larger than the largest destroyer built previously. The design of the Zumwalt reminds me of the USS Cunningham DDG-79 from the Amanda Garrett novels by James Cobb. I wonder if there is a plaque saying Designed by James Cobb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Forget bigger than a big destroyer, these things are longer than HMS Dreadnought and heavier than a World War II cruiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 God that's ugly! Love the name ( yeah I've googled it as I thought eh??? ) USS Zumwalt...has a certain ring don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 (edited) I would love to see the Type 45 destroyer alongside one of these especially as its 110 feet and nearly 8000 tons smaller than Zumwalt. Can anyone say dinky toy :-) Edited October 29, 2013 by Rickpadwick1801 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 God that's ugly! Love the name ( yeah I've googled it as I thought eh??? ) USS Zumwalt...has a certain ring don't you think? The US Navy has a long and glorious tradition of crap names for ships that will never be equaled. Perhaps only also in a third world nation might someone like Carl Vinson have 90,000 tons of warship named for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 It looks like a real dogs dinner and actually makes the Type 45 look menacing and purposeful. Ugly has found itself a new definition. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Prolly very efficient but... Ugly as sin and awful name. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar2 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Man that is ugly. It. Looks they took the artists impression of the Littoral Combat Ship and made it real. I guess the length is overall not between perpendiculars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingyer Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I always think it it an upturned hull with an iron dumped on top......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davepb Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 But I thought that under Zumwalt dictat, the only casualty in the next naval engagement would be a naval Ensign firing a Colt 45 from a kayak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Has it toppled over? Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Vor!!! Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 And heres me thinking nothing could be uglier then the Darings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I like it. It's about time the tumblehome made a comeback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Are we sure its not capsized and that the bridge is actually the keel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The US Navy has a long and glorious tradition of crap names for ships that will never be equaled. Perhaps only also in a third world nation might someone like Carl Vinson have 90,000 tons of warship named for them. you ain't wrong there mate ! No disrespect to the man but what a name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbeach84 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Z-Gram! Personally, I think it looks just dandy. Reminds me of an advancing knife blade - probably has the radar cross section same as the tugboat, or much, much better! Regards, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich2010 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 From the photo above it doesn't look like there's a 'windowed' bridge or are they covered for the launch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 It's "Nautilus" from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? No? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrvr6 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 which way is it facing and has it capsized? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 The commanding officer will be Captain Kirk. Seriously.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul178 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 More Pics for you(give me a couple of weeks and I will think of something nice to say about her/it) http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2013/10/latest-pics-of-zumwalt-ddg-1000/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paganpete Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I don't think it's ugly at all; I think it is a nod to the pre dreadnought monitors - reinvented! Different and built for speed by the looks of that profile. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 I am also confused about where the ships bridge is as I cannot see any evidence of windows on the superstructure. I would imagine that the bridge will be fully inside but would have a wing on each side of the ship, but you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewa Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 The bridge windows are there, just under the 'eyebrow' around the front of the superstructure - they are most likely just covered for protection during build and launch - if you look at the Daring or QE build photos they are doing the same. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobski Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 The commanding officer will be Captain Kirk. Seriously.... Not just Captain Kirk, but Captain James Kirk. Someone get that man a job on the next USS Enterprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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