The USS Zumwalt DDG 1000 is the newest wonder in the U.S. Navy-the largest and most technologically advanced surface combatant in the world. Complementing current needs, the Zumwalt-class destroyers will use advanced technology and survivability systems to tackle emerging threats and afford the country a range of missions from maritime intercept to strike operations.
The Zumwalt-class destroyers are designed to contribute to naval sea power, featuring a first-of-its-kind electric propulsion system, a wave-piercing tumblehome hull for improved survivability, and a stealth design. The multi-mission ships will be designed for deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions. Those features, size, power, and advanced computing capacity allow the Navy to meet maritime missions today while adapting to emerging security environments.
The DDG 1000 class is a host of the latest technologies. The Integrated Power System (IPS) forms the heart of this class. The IPS routes power to propulsion, ship’s service, and combat system loads from the same gas turbine prime movers. The flexibility in power apportioning enables very substantial energy savings and is quite ideal for the high-energy weapons and sensors of the future.
This wave-piercing tumblehome shape reduces the cross-section of the ship and its acoustic output, making it harder to detect. The MFR on each ship employs active and passive sensors that can perform area air surveillance, including overland, across the difficult sea-land interface. The AGSs on each ship will fire LRLAP out to 63 nm, providing a three-fold range improvement in naval surface fire coverage.
For the first time, the U.S. military is integrating a hypersonic weapon system onto a naval platform. Lockheed Martin works in concert with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and industry partners to integrate the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system onboard USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000). This marks the first conventional sea-based hypersonic strike capability for the United States.
Wherehypersonic missiles can reach speeds over Mach five times higher than the speed of sound, sharply reducing time-to-target and increasing survivability against enemy defenses. “With CPS aboard the mobile and advanced ZUMWALT-class destroyer, Lockheed Martin and its industry partners will give U.S. sailors more options than ever to deter, defend, and where necessary, defeat threats,” said Sarah Hiza, vice president and general manager for Strategic and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin.
Afloat forward basing of the CPS aboard Zumwalt-class destroyers marks a key milestone toward future integration onto the main event for the CPS VIRGINIA-Class attack submarine. The work aboard the Zumwalt-class destroyer is essential, says Steve Layne, vice president of Hypersonic Strike Weapon Systems at Lockheed Martin, because the integration lessons learned will carry forward to future endeavors.
Lockheed Martin continues to pledge support for both the U.S. Navy platforms for the CPS Weapon System. Building on the years of experience in hypersonic strike technology, the company is delivering those capabilities in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy.
The USS Zumwalt and its integration with hypersonic weapon systems represent a quantum jump in capability for naval warfare. As the Navy continues to evolve against emerging threats, the Zumwalt-class destroyers will be integral to the continued maritime superiority and national security of the nation.