Futuristic USS Zumwalt, the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s newest class of guided-missile destroyers, arrived in Pearl Harbor Tuesday on its first operational cruise.
The Zumwalt left San Diego on March 8 and has since visited British Columbia and Alaska.
The stealthy ship’s mission is reportedly to hunt and kill other surface ships. It is 100 feet longer and 13 feet wider than an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, providing space for more weapons.
The Zumwalt is armed with 80 missiles of various types in vertical launch tubes around the hull, and two 155-caliber cannons, although those have been plagued by technical problems and may be replaced by new laser technology.
“USS Zumwalt possesses stealth, size, power and computing capacity that provide the Navy a multiple-mission ship capable of meeting today’s maritime missions as well as the ability to incorporate new technologies to counter emerging threats tomorrow,” said Capt. Andrew Carlson, Zumwalt’s commanding
officer.
The ship is named for Elmo Zumwalt, a legendary chief of naval operations during the 1970s.
The second ship in the class, the recently commissioned USS Michael Monsoor, is also based in San Diego.