Advanced Destroyer Leaves Drydock

The first of a new class of US Navy destroyer,the pre-commissioning unit Zumwalt,floated out of drydock at Bath Iron Works,Maine on Tuesday.It will be tied up pierside until its construction is completed.At 610 feet long,it is the largest destroyer in history.It's been decscribed as being absolutely huge and massive.*
The christening of a ship traditionally occurs when it leaves drydock,but the Zumwalt's had to be postponed till Spring 2014 because of the government shutdown.The late Admiral Elmo Zumwalt's two daughters will christen the ship at that time.Zumwalt was a decorated veteran of World War II,and became the youngest Chief of Naval Operations at age 49.He instituted the practice of women serving on US Navy warships.*
The weird-looking Zumwalt,which uses electric drive propulsion,is highly automated,so its complement of 158 personnel is only about half that of Arleigh Burke class destroyers.Unlike previous warhsips,its antennae are hidden within the superstructure,and its stealthy,low in the water hull has a wave-piercing bow for stability.The Zumwalt's advanced 155mm gun can lob rocket-propelled warheads almost 100 miles.*
Only three of the Zumwalt class of destroyer will be built,at a price of 3.5 billion dollars each.The Zumwalt is within budget and on time,in contrast to other high profile programs.Sea trials will occur in Fall 2014,and the ship is to be delivered by builder General Dynamics in 2015.*
General Dynamics(GD)

US Navy Ship Status Report

On December 1,2012,the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise(CVN 65) was inactivated at a ceremony in Norfolk,Virginia.The name of a new ship,which is to be a Gerald Ford class carrier,was announced the same day:Enterprise(CVN 80).
January 20,2012,the submarine USS Memphis(SSN 691) was decommissioned and stricken.The USS Chicago(SSN 721) shifted its homeport from Pear Harbor,Hawaii to Guam on April 19,2012.The USS Mississippi(SSN 782) was delivered from General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton,Connecticut on May 2,2012 and commissioned on June 2 in Pascagoula,Mississippi.It is homeported at Groton.
The USS Minnesota(SSN 783) was christened October 27 at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding  in Newport News,Virginia,and launched on November 9.
The following names of submarines were announced April 13,2012:Illinois(SSN 786);Washington(SSN 787);Colorado(SSN 788);Indiana(SSN 789);and South Dakota(SSN 790).Delaware(SSN 791) was announced November 19.
The USS Maine(SSN 691) was damaged in an arson fire on May 23 while in drydock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery,Maine.She is being repaired for around 450 million dollars.
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Michael Murphy(DDG 112) was commissioned October 6 in New York and is homeported at Pearl Harbor.The name of  destroyer John Finn(DDG 113) was announced February 15.Fabrication started September 3 at Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula,Mississippi.
Two other destroyer names were announced February 15,2012:Ralph Johnson(DDG 114) and Rafael Peralta(DDG 115).A construction contract for Thomas Hudner(DDG 116) was awarded February 28,2012 to Bath Iron Works,Maine.The name of Lyndon Johnson(DDG 1002) was announced April 16 and construction was started April 4,also at Bath Iron Works.
The sequestration budget crisis is not expected to halt construction of ships already under contract,according to Mike Petters,President and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries.The real question is new contracts such as that for carrier Enterprise(CVN 80).
General Dynamics(GD),Huntington Ingalls Industries(HII)

Target Practice

The following Navy ships were sunk as targets during the RIMPAC 2008 exercises:David R. Ray(DD971) ON 12 July;Home(CG30) on 14 July;Cushing(DD985),also on 14 July;and Fletcher(DD992) on 16 July.On a brighter note,Dolphin(AGSS555) was transferred to the Maritime Museum of San Diego on 18 September,2008.