Article Posted on : - Nov 21, 2011

The mid-forebody section of Zumwalt, the lead ship of the DDG-1000 class of guided missile destroyers. Photo: General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.

BATH, MAINE (BNS): General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has celebrated the keel laying of Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the first ship in the planned three-ship Zumwalt class of guided-missile destroyers of the US Navy.

The keel unit is the 4,000-ton, heavily outfitted mid-forebody section of the ship, which was moved from the shipyard's Ultra Hall construction facility onto the building ways in late October.

The DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer is the US Navy's next-generation, guided-missile naval destroyer. The ship is named after ADM Elmo Zumwalt (1920-2000), regarded as the father of the modern Navy.

The ships will feature a low radar profile, an integrated power system and a total ship computing environment infrastructure. Armed with an array of weapons, the Zumwalt-class destroyers will provide offensive, distributed and precision fires in support of forces ashore.

Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, is the lead designer and builder for the programme.