With Captain James Kirk at the helm, a futuristic vessel set off on its maiden journey Monday, but this vehicle was not boldly going where no man has gone before. Instead, it navigated down the winding path of the Kennebec River in Maine en route to the Atlantic Ocean.
As you’ve probably guessed, this isn’t the USS Enterprise that we’re talking about here! We’re talking about the USS Zumwalt, and while it isn’t a starship with warp drive and photon torpedoes, it is a 600-foot long, 15,000-ton destroyer that is the largest ship of its kind ever built for the US Navy.
The USS Zumwalt does have a futuristic look to it, however, and as Popular Science pointed out, it really does have a guy named James Kirk as its captain (sadly, there isn’t a first mate who goes by the name of Spock, though). The ship has been in development for several years and departed on Monday to undergo trials to prove its seaworthiness, the Associated Press said.
“We are absolutely fired up to see Zumwalt get underway. For the crew and all those involved in designing, building, and readying this fantastic ship, this is a huge milestone,” Kirk told a crowd of more than 200 on hand to witness the ship’s departure, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Testing out the effectiveness of the ‘tumblehome’ design
While the Zumwalt is classified as a destroyer, it was primarily build to serve as an escort for larger ships, according to Popular Science. It is the first of a three-ship trial program to see if a new class of destroyers can improve upon its predecessors, and is automated enough to cut the size of a crew nearly in half—from more than 250 sailors and officers to just 154.
Furthermore, the ship reportedly will generate enough on-board power that it can easily fire the laser weapons and rail guns currently being developed by the Navy. If the test proves successful, it will provide the military with a new class of ship that has a potent arsenal but is maneuverable enough to avoid counter attacks and will reduce labor costs thanks to its reduced crew.
The sea trials will be crucial to addressing concerns of the so-called “tumblehome” design of the ship’s hull, the AP explained. The ship, which was built at Bath Iron Works, has a sloping shape that enhances the stealth qualities of the vessel but makes it less stable—which could be a concern on the high seas. Despite some skepticism, the Navy said that it is confident in the design.
The tumblehome design was said to be inspired by the pre-dreadnought battleships of more than a century ago, and features an inverse bow which juts forward to slice through waves and sharper angles which deflect the radar signals of the enemy. The $4.4 billion Zumwalt also has radar and antennas hidden in a deckhouse, electronic propulsion, and improved sonar equipment.
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Feature Image: US Navy
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