Posted on 12/22/2015 11:28:09 AM PST by Mariner
It is 600 feet long, weighs 15,000 tons and its captain is named James Kirk. You read that right. The USS Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built, and, with its inverse bow and radar-deflecting angles, the stealthiest. The Zumwalt weighed anchor this morning and steamed from Bath Iron Works, in Bath, Maine, down the Kennebeck River and out to sea, where it will conduct its first sea trials.
First announced in 2001, the Zumwalt-class destroyers are a $4.4 billion test crucible for a slew of new naval doodads, including all-electric propulsion, new radar and sonar systems, powerful missiles and guns. Advanced AI and automation will allow the warship to operate with a much smaller crew size than current destroyers.
The propulsion system is the first on a Navy “surface combatant†to be electric. The Zumwalt combines that novel drive with an “integrated power system†consisting of two Rolls-Royce gas turbine generators, another two auxiliary generators, and two 34.6-megawatt induction motors.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...
A destroyer with two automatic rapid firing guns in partially disappearing turrets. See those two bumps on deck in front of the superstructure?
USS Lexington and USS Seratoga had electric drives.
Having rail guns might be the future, and leaves a question or two.
Has anyone REALLY looked into how much ‘power from the plug’ is needed for a functioning rail gun on a sea-going vessel?
Has anyone really looked into the ‘residual’ amount of electro-magnetic radiation coming from that thing? I’d hate to be the poor tech getting near that, if and when it malfunctions (no kids for you).
Say what you want about sea-worthiness, but do not discredit the firepower of this ship. it’s a monster.
It will also carry 3 of the MQ-8 Firescout UAVs with a bunch of these little darts for close in targets:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Precision_Kill_Weapon_System
“With electric drive, it may be quiet. It’s what I don’t know about it that may be more impressive. For example, if it runs on batteries, I’m a fan.”
Gas turbine-electric, it has 2 Rolls-Royce MT30s that are derived from the engines that power the Boeing 777.
They spin up quick and produce AMPLE electricity for anything anyone can think up for probably decades.
Batteries sold separately.
“two 34.6-megawatt induction motors”
Those are some hefty motors. That is over 46,000 hp each.
Yeah, probably 16 on, 8 off, 7x24x365.
But that's the Navy way. You put in more hours than you believe yourself capable of, every cruise.
Where do you go to buy a pair of 46,000 hp motors off the shelf?
Enough to push 15k tons through the ocean at 35-40kts. Probably 45kts for short duration.
Radars and antennas are flush mounted for the most part.
The rail gun has a lot of potential.
5.56mm
Yeah, there's no such thing off the shelf.
Even locomotives are limited to about 2,000hp.
Not this ship. That was one of the LCS.
Yup. A 21st century Merrimack, with a pair of rail guns.
They’re planning on testing the rail gun on the DD 1000’s
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