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San Diego Likely to Get First Futuristic Zumwalt-Class Destroyer
The 610-foot vessel, the largest destroyer ever built by the Navy, was launched Oct. 28 and will now be outfitted before joining the fleet.
San Diego is likely to be home port for the Navy's first stealthy Zumwalt-class destroyer, which was launched in Bath, ME, late last month.
The future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) will be the lead ship of the Navy's newest destroyer class, designed for littoral operations and land attack.
Capt. James A. Kirk, a 1990 graduate of the Naval Academy, will be commanding officer during the ship's outfitting, which could take several years.
KPBS and Defense Media Network have reported that the new destroyer will ultimately be based in San Diego.
Christening of the ship was originally scheduled for Oct. 19, but the ceremony was postponed due to the federal government shutdown. The ship was launched on Oct. 28.
The Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built. It is 610 feet long with a displacement of approximately 15,000 tons. The shape of its superstructure and arrangement of antennas make it less visible on radar. It features a new type of gun designed to fire rocket-powered, precision projectiles 63 nautical miles.
The lead ship and class are named in honor of former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt Jr., who served as chief of naval operations from 1970-1974.
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