Article Posted on : - May 23, 2016

The future guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) transits the Atlantic Ocean during acceptance trials on April 21, 2016. A US Navy photo

BATH, MAINE (BNS): The US Navy has accepted the delivery of the first Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer, the future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), from General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works on May 20.

The warship, to be commissioned on October 15, 2016, has been delivered following extensive tests, trials and demonstrations of the ship's hull, mechanical, and electrical systems including its boat handling, anchor and mooring systems as well as major demonstrations of the damage control, ballasting, navigation and communications systems, the Navy said in a statement.

DDG 1000 is tailored for sustained operations in the littorals and land attack, and will provide independent forward presence and deterrence, support special operations forces, and operate as an integral part of joint and combined expeditionary forces, the statement said.

The combat suite of the destroyer will include a battery of two advanced gun systems, eighty advanced vertical launch system cells for Tomahawk missiles, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Standard Missiles, and Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rockets (ASROC) (VLA).

The ship will employ active and passive sensors and a multi-function radar (MFR) capable of conducting area air surveillance, including over-land, throughout the extremely difficult and cluttered sea-land interface.

Following its commissioning later this year, the warship will transit to her homeport in San Diego.

Two more ships of the class, Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) and Lyndon Johnson (DDG 1002), are also under construction at present at Bath.