In the US, work on the next-generation destroyer DDG-1000 Zumwalt is being completed.
In addition, under the guidance of instructors in full swing is training for the crew of the new destroyer, it is reported that 55 sailors have already been trained to work with the control systems of the ship. Total for this project is currently being built 3 ship, the cost of each of which already exceeds 3 billion dollars. When building the hulls of the newest Zamvolt class destroyers, “stealth” technologies are massively used, even the ship’s lines should make the 180-meter destroyer as inconspicuous as possible for enemy radar. It is assumed that these ultra-modern ships will carry on board the most advanced weapons systems: long-range guns, railguns, combat lasers for air defense and a UAV squadron.
Some experts call multipurpose Zumwalt class destroyers the real battleships of the XNUMXst century, primarily in terms of their combat potential. These destroyers are designed to attack coastal and ground targets, to provide fire support to the landing and ground forces from the sea, to combat aviation the enemy. Ships are able to launch rocket-artillery attacks on enemy targets, including those located deep in its defense. After the changes made to the project, they can also be used as missile defense ships. One of the most important tasks for these destroyers will be the provision of zonal missile defense and air defense of multipurpose aircraft carrier groups of the American fleet.
The length of the DDG-1000 class Zumwalt destroyer is 183 meters, the ship can reach a speed of 30 knots (about 55 km / h). The ship’s total displacement is 14 500 tons, the crew is 148 people. Such a low crew size was achieved due to the highest degree of automation of all processes on the ship. For comparison: the crew of the Russian guards missile cruiser "Moscow" is about 500 people (3 times more). The hull and superstructure of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyer are covered with a radio absorbing layer of materials approximately 1 inch thick, while the designers have reduced the number of protruding antennas to a minimum.
The armament of the ship is represented by 20 launchers MK 57 VLS, which are designed for the use of 80 missiles of various classes. These could be Tomahawk cruise missiles, ASROC anti-submarine missiles, or ESSM medium-range anti-aircraft missiles. Artillery armament is represented by two unique 155-mm artillery installations of a new type. The guns can use conventional ballistic projectiles, as well as guided active-jet ammunition with high accuracy LRLAP, which allow you to confidently hit targets at a distance of 100 km. In addition, the ship has two 57-mm anti-aircraft guns Mk 110.
The special distribution of vertical missile launchers of various classes along the sides of the ship will help to better protect them during the battle. At the same time, the number of launchers on the Zamvolta (less on the 4 PU) is inferior to the number of launchers on the destroyers Arly Burk, which belong to fourth-generation ships. On the deck of the destroyer, you can equip a platform for the basing of three unmanned MQ-8 "Fire Scout" helicopters, which are planned to be used for reconnaissance purposes. In addition, the ship can be based up to 2's helicopters Sikorsky SH-60 Sea Hawk. To carry out special operations near the coast of the likely enemy, several landing craft can be taken on board the ship.
While on the move, Zamvold class destroyers generate a tremendous amount of electrical energy - at a cruising speed, the ship produces 58 MW, and the maximum power of the destroyer’s power plant is 79 MW. This energy can also be used to feed the electronic systems of the ship, weapons and other equipment. The heart of the ship are two Marine trent-30 gas turbine power plants manufactured by Rolls-Royce. The propulsion system, which allows the ship to reach speeds in 30 nodes, is based on modern asynchronous electric motors. As the combat ships become more sophisticated and improved, the energy costs of the ship’s movement will decrease. More and more energy will be used to provide all ship mechanisms and systems. The unprecedented characteristics of the new radar, computing systems and other electronic systems will require the use of power plants of the appropriate power.
Currently, for the ships of the project “Zamvolt” the most “exciting” time comes. The progress achieved in the work on the three ships of this project is noticeable both in laboratories, at shipbuilding enterprises, and in test docks. Raytheon’s top manager Kevin Pepp said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that shipbuilders managed to establish excellent cooperation with the fleet and together we are moving towards one common goal - the creation of a qualitatively new class of warships. The first ship of the DDG-1000 series has already been completed on 90%, the second ship DDG 1001 has been completed on 78%, at the same time the work on the creation of the third ship of the project has just begun, at present the ship is ready on 8%.
Russian naval expert Vladimir Shcherbakov in an interview with the Russian Planet noted that only time would tell us whether Zamvol class destroyers would become a qualitatively new class of warships. “The idea is grandiose, but we'll still see whether the game is worth the candle. The ship turns out to be very expensive, and its combat potential may be slightly higher than that of existing modern destroyers belonging to the 4 generation, such as the truly successful Arly Burk class ships. A great example of irrational costs are the American submarines Sivulf. These boats are unique, but their combat capabilities after the end of the Cold War became unclaimed. The Americans carried out only their piece construction, after which they decided to launch mass production of cheaper Virginia project boats, in which many Sivulf solutions were embodied, the expert of Independent Military Review said.
The cost of building Zumwalt destroyers is a sore subject for Pentagon financiers. The price of the construction of three ships of the project DDG-1000 Zumwalt for the needs of the US Navy over the past 5 years has grown by more than 2 billion dollars, while only in 2014 year by 450 million dollars. Such information was given in the report of the Research Service of the US Congress of the CRS (Congressional Research Service). According to the budget data for 2015 fiscal year, the price of the Zumwalt program will be 12,069 billion dollars, which is 17% higher than the estimated cost of 3's ships of this class from 2011 of the fiscal year when the project cost was 9,993 billion dollars. Experts note that the rise in the cost of destroyers occurred due to a change in the schedule of work to speed up their deliveries to the fleet, as well as the sequestration of the military budget.
As the experts themselves say, initially the command of the US Navy hoped to build a series of new destroyers from 30 right away, but due to the sharp increase in the cost of the project, this program was substantially revised. As a result, in 2010, the number of ships under construction for this project was reduced to just 3 units. The launch of the first two ships of this project is expected in 2015 year.
Information sources:
http://rusplt.ru/world/korablprizrak-obretaet-plot-11689.html
http://www.modernarmy.ru/article/316/ddg-1000-zumvalt
http://www.paralay.com/zumwalt.html
http://vpk.name/news/109726_stoimost_stroitelstva_treh_novyih_esmincev_proekta_ddg1000_zumwalt_za_poslednie_5_let_uvelichilas_bolee_chem_na_2_milliardov_dollarov.html
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