Course Correction for DDG 1000, Navy Will Replace Main Battery for Guided Missile Destroyer
The U.S. Navy’s controversial USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) class of guided missile destroyers raises the legitimate question of whether a ship is too transformational, or not transformational enough.While the Navy Fact File states that DDG 1000 is the “largest and most technologically advanced surface combatant in the world,” it’s a program that has been in existence for many years. It began as the SC-21 (Surface Combatant for the 21st century) research and development program in 1994, which included the “arsenal ship” concept.
DDG 1000: The Transformation Begins
“It isn’t everyday we get to sign a contract to begin construction of a lead ship, but on Feb. 14, we met in my office and did exactly that, twice! Not one but two lead DDG 1000 ships will now begin construction,” said Rear Adm. Vic Guillory, the director for Surface Warfare. Two identical lead ships will be built by Bath Iron Works (General Dynamics) and Ingalls (Northrop Grumman). Bath Iron Works will build DDG 1000 and Ingalls will build DDG 1001. Other prime contractors include BAE Systems and Raytheon. Delivery of the lead ship is expected in the late 2012 to early 2013 time frame.
Family of Ships Employs Spiral Design
The U.S. Navy's Surface Combatant Family of Ships (SCFOS) will employ a transformational acquisition approach and focuses on developing a ship that can accommodate modular combat systems. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) combat systems modules will be developed separately from ship construction and will be integrated in an open systems architecture model. Additionally, early LCS development will heavily leverage pre-existing technologies. By leveraging the existing R&D efforts performed by the Navy and industry and accelerating the timeline for requirement development and acquisition, LCS will keep delivery times significantly shorter than those of traditional ship programs.
The Littoral Combat Ship: Force Multiplier for the 21st Century
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a new ship design concept being considered to combat emerging threats in the littoral. It will be a relatively small, focused-mission combat ship that will revolutionize the way the U.S. Navy builds and fights ships. LCS, with its high speed, shallow draft, and maneuverability, will be optimized to serve as a force-multiplier for other larger, multi-mission ships. The U.S. Navy in the first years of the 21st century faces a similar problem that confronted naval powers at the turn of the last century. The capital ship then was the Dreadnought. Its mere presence could have an impact on events at sea and ashore.
