U.S. considers Zumwalt for possible deployment near S. Korea

Yonhap News ^ | 2017/02/06

[TigerLikesRooster]

U.S. considers Zumwalt for possible deployment near S. Korea

2017/02/06

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the U.S. Pacific Command said last month that the Navy's newest Zumwalt destroyer could be deployed near South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, the defense ministry said Monday.

In a meeting with South Korean lawmakers last month in Hawaii, Adm. Harry B. Harris, Jr., commander of the U.S. Pacific Command brought forth the idea of having the country's largest missile destroyer operating near the resort island of Jeju or Jinhae, 410 kilometers south of Seoul, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed.

"We haven't received any official offer (from the U.S. military) in regard to the deployment of the Zumwalt. If the U.S. officially makes such a suggestion, we will give serious consideration," Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said in a press briefing.

Seoul has good reason to give such a proposal due consideration since it has to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the spokesman said.

In the defense chiefs' meeting Friday in Seoul, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis agreed to continue to discuss extended deterrence steps, including deployment of U.S. strategic assets in South Korea, the ministry said.

The US$4 billion multipurpose ship was named after the legendary Navy officer Zumwalt who served during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. It was unveiled by the U.S. Navy in October and carries state-of-the-art weaponry and stealth capabilities.

Washington said the Zumwalt is hard to detect by radar systems and is armed with the SM-6 ship-to-air missile and the Tomahawk long-range cruise missile as well as numerous anti-submarine weapons.

[TigerLikesRooster]

near the resort island of Jeju or Jinhae

Near? An interesting choice of word. So it won't officially operate out of these locations but it would in reality?

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[TigerLikesRooster]

Naturally China is not happy:

China opposed to action of others if they interfere

By Mo Jingxi(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2017-02-07 16:57:48

China is firmly opposed to activities of countries if they interfere with China's security interests, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday, after the United States proposed to send its newest and most technologically advanced warship to waters off the Korean Peninsula.

The Republic of Korea said on Monday that Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Command, had proposed that the destroyer USS Zumwalt be stationed at Jeju island or Jinhae, homes to ROK naval bases just off the southern tip of the peninsula, the Korean Herald newspaper reported.

The naval base on Jeju is one of the nearest large-scale foreign naval bases to China. "If the US officially makes a suggestion, we will conduct a review," ROK Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a media briefing.

According to Moon, the proposal came in response to ROK lawmakers' request for a permanent stationing of US strategic assets during a meeting last month in Hawaii.

"We've noticed related reports," Lu said at a daily press conference in Beijing, "We will pay close attention to the interaction between any other countries, if it impacts on regional peace, security and stability."

He noted that the military cooperation of related countries should help to maintain regional peace and stability, instead of stimulating tensions in the region.

"If the interaction affects China's security interests, of course, we are firmly opposed to it," he said.

[BlueLancer]

"U.S. considers Zumwalt for possible deployment near S. Korea"

Is this to counteract Russian moves into Korea?

Maxine Waters claims Putin ‘continuing to advance into Korea

[stocksthatgoup]

Yonhap News Agency is South Korea’s largest news agency. It is a publicly funded company, based in Seoul, South Korea. Yonhap provides news articles, pictures and other information to newspapers, TV networks and other media in South Korea.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Is Zumwalt done with shakedown ?

[maro]

Ha!

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think this is intended for China.

[bus man]

I sure hope the Zumwalt fights better than she looks. I don't think I've ever seen an uglier naval vessel, ever. I much prefer the looks of World War II ships.

That said, if she can serve as an effective check on North Korea's or China's ambitions, then send her over!

[Paladin2]

I thought we couldn’t afford the missles.

[Pecos]

Not for another two years. Raytheon got an extension on the delivery date for the combat system suite.

[RitchieAprile]

not built to look good, but to present a lower profile.

[Bull Snipe]

Its not the missiles, it the gun ammo we cannot afford. Each round of gun ammunition costs $800,000. At least that is what some reports are saying

[Paladin2]

Apparently the Pentagon has a potential alternative round:

"One possible benefit to Excalibur, though, is that the high-tech round is capable of hitting moving targets, something LRLAP couldn't do. A new variant of Excalibur, Excalibur S, has a semi-active laser seeker. Once fired, the shell can home in on a laser painting an enemy target. While that would require an airplane, drone, or human actually pointing a laser at the target, that would also mean the shell would be useful against enemy ships. Raytheon is also considering a millimetric-wave seeker, which would allow the Navy to simply fire the shell in the direction of an enemy vehicle or ship and the shell would guide itself toward the target.

"According to USNI News, it might cost $250 million to modify the three Zumwalt-class destroyers to use the Excalibur artillery round. While an expensive modification, it the ships need to use something, and the cheaper overall cost of the new rounds probably makes it worth it in the long run."

[Bull Snipe]

Thanks

[ByteMercenary]

... not only ugly but the new hull design is less stable than traditional designs (two articles about that in 2015). This ship will create a public relations nightmare should it roll over and not recover ... think Poseidon Adventure with guns. Not good for the sailors either.

[martin_fierro]

think Poseidon Adventure with guns

Pray God there's not a Shelly Winters onboard.

[Tallguy]

Shakedown? I hope she’s finished the “Breakdowns”.

[buckalfa]

"Shakedown? I hope she’s finished the “Breakdowns”."

Will the Z be deployed with a floating drydock?

[BlueLancer]

"Will the Z be deployed with a floating drydock?"

Most assuredly NOT! What are you, some kind of nut?

The Z will be deployed IN a floating drydock.