February 18, 2008: The U.S. Navy has ordered the first two DDG
1000 destroyers. This is the "Zumwalt" class, and each of the first two will
cost $3.3 billion. At this point, the navy is only planning to buy seven Zumwalts.
Compared to the previous class of American destroyers (the DDG 51s), the
Zumwalts are very different. The DDG 51s
displaced 9,200 tons and had a crew of 360 sailors. The DDG 1000s displace
14,000 tons and have a crew of 142. The DDG 1000s are stealthy and carry a
larger gun (two automated, long range 155mm weapons). It also has 80 vertical
cells for anti-aircraft, land attack and
anti-ship missiles. It can carry one or two helicopters, plus three RQ-8A
helicopter UAVs. The DDG 1000s are highly automated and are crammed with the
latest electronics. After the first two are built, the next five are expected
to cost about $2 billion each. The first DDG 1000 will enter service in five
years.
