Zumwalt Destroyer Christened in Maine

On Saturday 12 April,the US Navy's Pre-Commissioning Unit Zumwalt was christened at Bath Iron Works,Maine.The ship's sponsors,Mouzetta Zumwalt Weathers and Ann Zumwalt,daughters of the the late Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt,broke a bottle of champagne over the warship's bow in the formal naming ceremony.Also attending was Lt.Colonel Jim Zumwalt,US Marine Corps retired,the admiral's son,and Senator Susan Collins(R-Maine).*
Bud Zumwalt is best known for improving the living conditions of Sailors and opening up opportunities in the Navy to women and African Americans.He promoted the first female and African American officers to the rank of admiral and allowed women to fly warplanes and serve on ships at sea.*
The PCU Zumwalt is the first of three of the new Zumwalt class of destroyer that will be built at Bath by General Dynamics.She has the most advanced features,including a composite deckhouse with hidden radars and sensors;a stealthy shape;a wave-piercing hull that reduces her wake;electric propulsion;and surplus power for weapons of the future,such as the electromagnetic railgun to be tested at sea in 2016.*
The highly automated ship will have a crew of just 148-about half the size of other destroyers.At 610 feet in length,there will be plenty of room for the Sailors.Cameras and video monitors will reduce the number standing watch.The Zumwalt will be delivered late this year and commissioned in 2016.
It could be called a battleship,given its large size and heavy armament.Besides VLS cells for launching Tomahawk and several other missiles,the ship will initially have two fully automated 155 mm Advanced Gun Systems with rocket-assisted munitions that have a range of 83 nautical miles,and two Mk 110 57 mm guns.Later,the electromagnetic railgun may be added.The ship can also carry two MH-60R helicopters,or one MH-60R plus three RQ8B Firescout unmanned aerial vehicles.*
General Dynamics(GD)

Maine Shipyards Critical To National Security

Maine's Bath Iron Works,with its massive blue cranes,is a bulwark of national security.It is a full service shipyard specialising in the design,building and support of complex US Navy surface combatants.BIW,a part of  leading defence contractor General Dynamics,is currently building the Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt classes of destroyers.
Since 1884,BIW has built tough ships at the right price,the shipyard says.Its slogan is "Bath-built is best built."It has built US Navy ships since 1893,according to Senator Susan Collins(R-Maine),a strong supporter of the facility and winner of the Navy League's Annual Congressional Sea Services Award for 2012.BIW is truly a national asset,the senator said at her award ceremony on Capitol Hill,and the workers there are truly the world's leading builders of surface combatants.
Navy Undersecretary Robert O. Work said that,during Collins' fifteen years in office,BIW has either built or is building a total of 31 ships,which is literally over 10% of the total number of ships that we expect to have in the fleet.That's quite an accomplishment.
She has also been an ardent advocate for Maine's Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and its employees,which ensures our submarine force remains strong and on station,24/7,365 days a year.The Navy-Marine Corps team,the entire national fleet,the shipbuilding industry,is stronger because you have been here for the last fifteen years.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is in Kittery,Maine and repairs and overhauls the Navy's nuclear submarine fleet.It is one of four public shipyards in the United States.
Collins stated that every day I think of those men and women who are serving our country on the front lines,and that's why I have always been so committed to making sure that the men and women who serve have all they need from us.We owe them that much.
Bath Iron Works notes that it employs a number of military reservists from all the service branches.It's a tradition at the shipyard.
General Dynamics(GD)