Restless "Zamvolt". Why the US Navy "super destroyer" has no place in the navy. The most expensive destroyer. At the price of an aircraft carrier Destroyer Zamvolt

MOSCOW, Dec 13 - RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. The ultramodern American destroyers Zamwalt seem to be pursuing a "family curse." Experts did not have time to finish discussing last year's breakdown of the lead ship DDG-1000 in the Panama Canal, as this week its "younger brother" - DDG-1001 "Michael Monsour", partially broke down. ... The ship has failed harmonic filters that protect sensitive electrical equipment from power fluctuations. As a result, Michael Monsour temporarily lost most of its high-tech electronics. The American naval sailors have an additional headache: ships, second only in price to aircraft carriers, stubbornly refuse to get rid of a multitude of "childhood diseases". About why the project of the latest destroyers is still stalled - in the material of RIA Novosti.

Too advanced

Destroyers with guided missile weapons The Zumwalt were supposed to be versatile warships, but with an emphasis on combating coastal and ground targets. The Zamvolts were planned to be assigned the tasks of fire support for amphibious assault, precision weapons strikes against troops and infrastructure, as well as attacks by enemy surface ships. The program for the construction of promising destroyers started in 2007, when the Congress allocated 2.6 billion dollars for the creation of the first two Zamvolts. In total, the US Navy expected to receive 32 ships of this type and keep within 40 billion.

However, the cost of the ships of this project, which American engineers tried to pull up to the high requirements of the military, began to grow at an astronomical rate. First, the order was reduced to 24 destroyers, then to seven. As a result, in 2008 the fleet decided to limit itself to only three ships. Each of them, according to the latest data, cost the treasury $ 4.4 billion, not counting the cost of maintaining the ship throughout its life cycle (the total cost may exceed seven billion).

© AP Photo / Robert F. Bukaty

The first Zamvolt entered the US Navy on October 16, 2016. A month later - November 21 - DDG-1000 stalled in the Panama Canal on its way to the port in San Diego. Sea water has penetrated two of the four bearings connecting the ship's induction inboard motors to its drive shafts. Both ramparts were out of order, and the Zamvolt crashed into the walls of the canal. The ultra-modern destroyer had to shamefully return to port in tow. Moreover, a leak in the lubricant cooling system was found on a ship in San Diego, but its cause could not be established at that time. As recent events have shown, serious problems with power plant is also testing the second destroyer of the series.

"We must be aware that the Americans know how to build warships," military expert Alexei Leonkov told RIA Novosti. original project... Especially its unusual propulsion system, similar to that used on strategic submarines of the Ohio class. The only difference is that Zamvolta has a diesel-gas turbine engine instead of a nuclear reactor. It is connected to electric motors that are used at low and medium travel. In theory, this approach implies fuel economy when the ship is cruising on electricity alone. In practice, however, such a system has dramatically increased the cost of the propulsion system and reduced its reliability. Hence the breakdowns. "

Alexei Leonkov recalled an old joke: "Americans always find the right solution, but only when they try all the wrong ones." The expert emphasized that the same story was with the initially "raw" M-16 assault rifle and the F-16 fighter, which were eventually brought to almost perfection. There is no doubt that Zamvolty will also be polished over time. But it is still unclear what niche these three ships will occupy in the Navy.

Hole for the budget

William Beeman: Zamwalt destroyers off the coast of China - the US fear of the PRCThe reason for the decision to place the latest weapons at the borders of China is the US concern about the growing influence of the PRC in the Asia-Pacific region. So the American political scientist commented on the recent statement of the head of the Pentagon.

Impact capabilities of "Zamvolt" are high enough, but not outstanding. Its main armament is 80 cruise missiles in vertical launch silos located along the sides. The know-how of the destroyer was to be artillery armament. It was originally planned to install two electromagnetic railguns on it. However, the project was doomed to failure, as this weapon would eat up all the power of the ship. The destroyer armed with railguns, in fact, turned into a floating gun carriage and "disconnected from the network" after each shot.

Later it was decided to stop at two 155-mm AGS artillery guns of an unconventional active-reactive scheme with a firing range of up to 148 kilometers. The LRLAP projectiles used in them, according to the statements of the developers from the concern Lockheed martin are so accurate that they are capable of "hitting targets in the canyons of coastal cities with minimal collateral damage." Everything would be fine, but the cost of one ammunition of this type has already exceeded 800 thousand dollars. For comparison: the Tomahawk cruise missile, which has been perfectly tested in dozens of armed conflicts, hits 2.5 thousand kilometers and costs only slightly more - about a million. Since 2016, the US Navy has been looking for an alternative to the "golden" projectiles for the wonder cannon, but has so far been unsuccessful.

© AP Photo / Robert F. BukatyLatest US Zumwalt-class destroyer

© AP Photo / Robert F. Bukaty

"Thus, the Zamvolts have only 80 Tomahawks per ship," said Alexei Leonkov. 122 Tomahawks) costs US taxpayers about a billion The Arlie Burke-class destroyer (up to 56 Tomahawks plus anti-ship missiles and Aegis missile defense system), according to the latest data, costs about 1.8 billion. Both of these ships are excellently tested in combat conditions and long ago brought to mind. Yes, "Zamvolt" is made using stealth technology. But any radar specialist will tell you that all these games with invisibility are just games. You can only partially reduce the visibility and in a certain range. So Isn't it easier for the same money to build two Ohio-class nuclear submarines, each of which, in a non-strategic version, can carry 154 Tomahawks? it rises twice. "

According to the expert, "Zamvolt" will never go into large-scale production, remaining an expensive and useless "toy". As Leonkov emphasized, the implementation of at least three ships of this type "in metal" is a direct consequence of the efforts of the lobbyists of the project in the ruling circles of the United States. The American industry has long been able to build cheaper and more efficient ships. Even if not so high-tech and original in appearance.

English. Zumwalt class guide missile destroyers

A new type of missile-armed US Navy destroyer (also formerly known as DD (X)), with an emphasis on attacking coastal and ground targets. This type is a smaller version of the ships of the DD-21 program, funding for which has been discontinued. The first Zumwalt-class destroyer, DDG-1000, was launched on October 29, 2013. The destroyers of this series are multipurpose and are intended for attacking the enemy on the coast, fighting enemy aircraft and providing fire support to troops from the sea.

The program is named after Admiral, Head of Naval Operations Elmo R. Zumwalt.

History

Among the US warships under development, the DDG-1000 should precede the Littoral Combat Ship and possibly follow the CG (X) cruiser, competing with the CVN-21 anti-aircraft. The DDG-1000 program is the result of a significant reorganization of the DD21 program, whose budget was cut by Congress by more than 50% (under the SC21 program of the 1990s).

Initially, the naval forces hoped to build 32 such destroyers. Later, this number was reduced to 24, and then to seven due to the high cost of new experimental technologies that should be included in the destroyer. The US House of Representatives remains skeptical of this program (for financial reasons) and therefore initially allocated money to the Navy only for the construction of one DDG-1000 for a "technology demonstration." Initial funding for the destroyer was included in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act.

However, in 2007, $ 2.6 billion was allocated to finance and build two Zumwalt-class destroyers.

On February 14, 2008, Bath Iron Works was selected to build USS Zumwalt DDG-1000, and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding was selected to build DDG-1001 at a cost of $ 1.4 billion each. According to Defense Industry Daily, the cost could rise to $ 3.2 billion per ship, plus $ 4.0 billion in the life cycle of each ship.

On July 22, 2008, it was decided to build only two such destroyers. A few weeks later, it was decided to build a third destroyer of this type.

Name	Number	Shipyard	Bookmark	Launching	Commissioning
Zamvolt USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000)	1000	Bath iron works	November 17, 2011	29.10.2013	2016 (plan)
Michael Monsour USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001)	1001	Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding	23 May 2013	2016 (plan)	2016 (plan)
Lyndon B. Johnson USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002)	1002	Bath iron works	April 4, 2014	2017 (plan)	2018 (plan)

After being commissioned, the Zamvolt-class destroyers will be used in conjunction with the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

On December 7, 2015, the first of three destroyers, Zamvolt, estimated by this time at $ 4.4 billion, went to sea for sea trials.

Design

These ships must receive power plant a new generation, which is a combined diesel-gas turbine engine with full electric propulsion (the principle of "all-electric ship", within which a common primary source is used to generate electricity in order to ensure propulsion and power supply of all ship systems, without exception).

The hull and superstructure of the ship are surrounded by radio-absorbing materials approximately one inch thick, the number of protruding antennas has been reduced to a minimum. The composite materials of the superstructure contain wood (balsa).

Thanks to the highest degree of automation, the ship's crew is only 140 people.

The ship's armament consists of 20 Mk-57 universal launchers with a total capacity of 80 Tomahawk missiles, two 155-mm long-range artillery mounts and 30-mm anti-aircraft guns. The destroyer provides for the basing of a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The ship's displacement is approaching 15 thousand tons, which makes the Zamvolta the largest modern non-aircraft-carrying warships in the world after the Soviet / Russian nuclear-powered missile cruisers of Project 1144, which displacement reaches 26 thousand tons.

The cost of the program will be $ 22 billion for the US Navy (the figure will be adjusted, but it is expected that the increase in costs will not exceed 15%).

TTX

Main characteristics

Displacement: 14,564 long tons (gross)
-Length: 183 m
-Width: 24.6 m
- Draft: 8.4 m
-Reservation: Kevlar protection of individual nodes is possible
-Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Marine Trent-30 GTU
-Power: 78 MW
-Progress speed: 30 knots (55.56 km / h)
-Crew: 148 people

Armament

Radar weapons: AN / SPY-3
-Tactical strike weapons: 20 x UVP Mk.57 for 80 Tomahawk, ASROC or ESSM missiles

Artillery: 2 x 155 mm AGS gun (920 rounds, 600 of them in automatic loaders)

Anti-aircraft artillery: 2 х 30 mm AU Mk.46
-Missile armament: RIM-162 ESSM

Anti-submarine weapons: RUM-139 VL-Asroc

Aviation group: 1 х SH-60 LAMPS helicopter

3 х UAV MQ-8 Fire Scout

English. Zumwalt class guide missile destroyers

A new type of missile-armed US Navy destroyer (also formerly known as DD (X)), with an emphasis on attacking coastal and ground targets. This type is a smaller version of the ships of the DD-21 program, funding for which has been discontinued. The first Zumwalt-class destroyer, DDG-1000, was launched on October 29, 2013. The destroyers of this series are multipurpose and are intended for attacking the enemy on the coast, fighting enemy aircraft and providing fire support to troops from the sea.

The program is named after Admiral, Head of Naval Operations Elmo R. Zumwalt.

History

Among the US warships under development, the DDG-1000 should precede the Littoral Combat Ship and possibly follow the CG (X) cruiser, competing with the CVN-21 anti-aircraft. The DDG-1000 program is the result of a significant reorganization of the DD21 program, whose budget was cut by Congress by more than 50% (under the SC21 program of the 1990s).

Initially, the naval forces hoped to build 32 such destroyers. Later, this number was reduced to 24, and then to seven due to the high cost of new experimental technologies that should be included in the destroyer. The US House of Representatives remains skeptical of this program (for financial reasons) and therefore initially allocated money to the Navy only for the construction of one DDG-1000 for a "technology demonstration." Initial funding for the destroyer was included in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act.

However, in 2007, $ 2.6 billion was allocated to finance and build two Zumwalt-class destroyers.

On February 14, 2008, Bath Iron Works was selected to build USS Zumwalt DDG-1000, and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding was selected to build DDG-1001 at a cost of $ 1.4 billion each. According to Defense Industry Daily, the cost could rise to $ 3.2 billion per ship, plus $ 4.0 billion in the life cycle of each ship.

On July 22, 2008, it was decided to build only two such destroyers. A few weeks later, it was decided to build a third destroyer of this type.

Name	Number	Shipyard	Bookmark	Launching	Commissioning
Zamvolt USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000)	1000	Bath iron works	November 17, 2011	29.10.2013	2016 (plan)
Michael Monsour USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001)	1001	Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding	23 May 2013	2016 (plan)	2016 (plan)
Lyndon B. Johnson USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002)	1002	Bath iron works	April 4, 2014	2017 (plan)	2018 (plan)

After being commissioned, the Zamvolt-class destroyers will be used in conjunction with the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

On December 7, 2015, the first of three destroyers, Zamvolt, estimated by this time at $ 4.4 billion, went to sea for sea trials.

Design

These ships should receive a new generation power plant, which is a combined diesel-gas turbine engine with full electric propulsion (the principle of "all-electric ship", within which a common primary source is used to generate electricity in order to ensure propulsion and power supply of all ship systems, without exception).

The hull and superstructure of the ship are surrounded by radio-absorbing materials approximately one inch thick, the number of protruding antennas has been reduced to a minimum. The composite materials of the superstructure contain wood (balsa).

Thanks to the highest degree of automation, the ship's crew is only 140 people.

The ship's armament consists of 20 Mk-57 universal launchers with a total capacity of 80 Tomahawk missiles, two 155-mm long-range artillery mounts and 30-mm anti-aircraft guns. The destroyer provides for the basing of a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The ship's displacement is approaching 15 thousand tons, which makes the Zamvolta the largest modern non-aircraft-carrying warships in the world after the Soviet / Russian nuclear-powered missile cruisers of Project 1144, which displacement reaches 26 thousand tons.

The cost of the program will be $ 22 billion for the US Navy (the figure will be adjusted, but it is expected that the increase in costs will not exceed 15%).

TTX

Main characteristics

Displacement: 14,564 long tons (gross)
-Length: 183 m
-Width: 24.6 m
- Draft: 8.4 m
-Reservation: Kevlar protection of individual nodes is possible
-Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Marine Trent-30 GTU
-Power: 78 MW
-Progress speed: 30 knots (55.56 km / h)
-Crew: 148 people

Floating pyramid of Cheops, as if arrived from another dimension. Which era does this ship belong to? Who and why created this outlandish design? It might be much simpler. The appearance reflects the essence - a grandiose financial pyramid, which absorbed more than 7 billion dollars at a time.

Certainly, "Zamvolt" has something to be proud of: the largest and most expensive destroyer in the history of this class of ships. And this record will remain at least until the early 2030s. Its sinister silhouette leaves no one indifferent. But what secrets are hidden inside this "starship"?

Stealth? Railgun? Linux?

Rocket and artillery stealth ship is built using the latest technologies, many of which were first introduced to the navy. The key direction was chosen to reduce the visibility in the radio wave range of the EM spectrum, in which most detectors operate. In the architecture and appearance of "Zamvolt", the features of "stealth" technology appear aggressively.

Pyramidal superstructure. A powerful blockage of the sides - due to which the radio waves are reflected towards the sky, which excludes their repeated reflection from the water surface. Stealth shrouds for artillery pieces. Complete absence masts, radio contrast mechanisms and equipment on the upper deck. A breakwater nose that allows you not to "ride the wave", as ordinary ships do, but, on the contrary, to hide from enemy radars among the crests of waves. Finally, the entire body of "Zamvolt" is finished with ferromagnetic paints and radio-absorbing coatings.

These techniques are well known among shipbuilders around the world. Russian corvettes and frigates of a new generation (for example - "Guarding"), French ships "Lafayette", Swedish stealth corvettes of the "Visby" type ... "Were implemented in such a grandiose, all-encompassing volume on such a large ship.

14.5 thousand tons - the size of the destroyer "Zamvolt" will be the envy of another cruiser(as a comparison: the total displacement of the Black Sea Fleet's flagship, the missile cruiser "Moscow" is "only" 11 thousand tons)

There is no doubt about the effectiveness of techniques for reducing the visibility of enemy radars: stealth technology is widely used in the creation of naval and aviation equipment around the world.

The concept of Zamvolt itself is of much greater interest. A missile and artillery destroyer with the dimensions of a cruiser is not a 600-ton Swedish corvette. How to hide such an "elephant" in the middle of an open area?

The creators of "Zamvolt" explain that this is not about complete invisibility, but only about a decrease in visibility - as a result, "Zamvolt" will be able to detect the enemy before he notices the stealth destroyer. Official press releases indicate that the effective dispersion area (RCA) of a 180-meter destroyer is the same as the RCS of a small fishing felucca.

Artillery

For the first time in 50 years, an artillery gunship was built. Zamvolt is the first and so far the only modern cruiser and destroyer to be armed with cannons over 5 inches. The destroyer has a pair of 155 mm (6.1 in) automated Advanced Gun System (AGS) installations at the bow of the destroyer, firing high-precision ammunition at a distance of 160 km. The total ammunition load of the installations is 920 shells.

The revival of naval artillery is a direct consequence of the discussion about providing fire support to amphibious assault forces and delivering strikes along the enemy's coast (more relevant than ever in the era of counter-terrorist operations and local wars).

An artillery shell has a number of important advantages over an air bomb or cruise missile.:
- all-weather application;
- quick response to calls - in a couple of minutes the specified place will be razed to the ground;
- invulnerability to enemy air defense systems;
- no need for a super-expensive carrier (multipurpose fighter of 4/5 generations and a trained pilot) - as well as no risk of losing the carrier on the way to the target;
- a much lower cost of shells compared to the Tomahawk cruise missile - with the same opportunities in providing fire support to the marines.

Moreover, the accuracy of modern artillery shells with a GPS or laser beam guidance system is in no way inferior to similar aviation and rocket ammunition.

It is noteworthy that as an auxiliary artillery system for self-defense of the destroyer, a system with an unusually large caliber was again chosen - the automatic 57 mm Bofors SAK-57 Mk.3 installation (a pair of such guns are installed in the rear of the Zamvolta superstructure).

Unlike traditional rapid-fire, SAK-57 fires only 3-4 shots per second, but at the same time shoots special "intelligent" ammunition, whose fuses are triggered when flying near the target. And the power of its shells is sufficient not only for self-defense in the near zone, but also for use in naval combat against boats and other enemy weapons at a distance of up to 18 km.

Radars

Initially, a sophisticated DBR radar complex with six AFARs operating in the centimeter and decimeter ranges was created for Zamvolt. This provided unprecedented range and accuracy when detecting any type of air, sea or transatmospheric targets in Earth orbit - within the coverage area of ​​the DBR radar.

By 2010, when it became clear that the Zamwolts were too expensive and could not replace existing destroyers, the DBR radar concept underwent a drastic reduction. As part of the Zamvolt's detection equipment, only the AN / SPY-3 multifunctional centimeter-range radar with three flat active PARs, located on the walls of the destroyer's superstructure, remained.

- the first journalist to visit the revolutionary US Navy destroyer Zumwalt (DDG 1000), called by experts "battleship of the XXI century." The report contains a lot of new information about the ship and a number of exclusive photos. We make an exclusive review of this material, supplementing it with information that gives the most complete information about the vessel.

Christopher Cavas took part in sea trials of the 16,000-ton destroyer on 23 March. As before, they passed in the area of ​​Portland, Maine, from where the ship departed. Upon completion of testing, the vessel entered the Kennebeck River and headed to the Bat shipyard, the place of its "birth".

Like many other US military vessels, the Zumwalt must go through a series of tests and modifications before it can be fully operational. Acceptance tests will take place in April. If successful, the ship will be officially handed over to the crew on May 20, at the disposal of the US Navy. In September, after several months of training for the crew, the ship will leave the shipyard. An official ceremony is scheduled for October 15 to enter the Navy (Baltimore, Maryland), and in December the destroyer will arrive at the naval base in San Diego, California, its permanent home base.

In accordance with the 2007 plan, for six months, starting in January, the ship will be under maintenance in San Diego: revision will be carried out taking into account the experience and information received by specialists in previous months. In California, the main thing will be done: in 2017, the Zumwalt will complete the installation of weapons systems, sensors and software updates. Maine built the ship's hull, mechanical and electrical systems, but almost all of the weapons on it will be placed in San Diego. Combat systems will be tested only at the beginning of 2018, and only after that the largest destroyer in the history of the United States Navy will be ready for use. Two-stage production was expected from the moment of signing the contract.

The ship has a length of 185 m, a width of 24.6 m and a displacement of 13,200 tons. Destroyers Zumwalt are the largest modern non-aircraft-carrying warships in the world after the Soviet nuclear-powered missile cruisers of Project 1144, built at the Baltic Shipyard from 1973 to 1989 (their displacement is 26,000 tons)

Zumwalt is currently owned by Bath Iron Works (BIW), a General Dynamics shipyard in Bath, where the ship has been built since 2008. Work on his concept began even earlier. During the trials, the Zumwalt was managed by a team of BIW civil engineers and shipbuilders led by Captain Earl Walker, who has over 30 years of experience. Also present were specialists from the defense company Raytheon (the main supplier of Zumwalt's combat systems) and other manufacturers of weapons.

Bath Iron Works specialists. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

The journalist spoke about the chronology, course, specifics of the tests, as well as some of the unique features and capabilities of the ship, the bulk of the information about which is strictly classified.

The tests of the first stage, called "Alpha", took place in early December and lasted about a week - a full test voyage took place for the first time on December 7th. Without the critical first step, it didn't make sense to move on to the second, called Bravo. Then, during the "alpha" tests, a demonstration of about 20 basic functions and tasks of the ship took place, according to Captain James Downey, to lead the PMS 500 program dedicated to DDG 1000 of the US Naval Systems Command (NAVSEA). Zumwalt returned to Portland several times to change engineers aboard.

The December trials were reviewed by the Navy's Quality Assurance Service (INSURV) and were deemed successful. The non-standard division of the process into two stages was due to the unprecedented amount of high-tech equipment: about 10 large "hi-tech groups" and dozens of smaller elements.

Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

Kavas visited the ship's third night out at sea, during the second series of sea trials, which took place on March 21-24. They were successful. More than 100 missions have been completed during the Bravo Phase testing, said Captain James Kirk, who will become Zumwalt's first commanding officer (CO).

The destroyer left Casco Bay into the Atlantic Ocean. The Zumwalt was escorted by the Moray, a small cutter from the United States Coast Guard. This is usually done for security reasons, but this time it was carrying a team from NAVSEA to test the stealth qualities. This is just as important as the correct operation of the motors.

As Kawas writes, the white navigation light is on the bow of the ship, and not on the mast, as is customary - the stealth design of the destroyer allows it to be placed only there, since one of the features of the ship is just the most smooth surface of the hull without unnecessary protrudings on it elements. The only thing that towered over the flat, flat front deck were the huge bow turrets, which "hide" two 155mm Advanced Gun System (AGS) cannons - the largest (in recent decades) naval guns installed as standard equipment on a ship.

Along the edges of the ship and along the aft flight deck are several rows of 80 missile slots. They are arranged in a new order to protect the ship with blast shields from missile cells (they protect missiles during combat), leaving the middle line free for the artillery system.

There are no fences and lifelines when moving on board, although while staying in port, you can manually install racks with handrails. Those who dare to go on deck at sea must grasp firmly on the insurance guy line.

The destroyer emerged from the harbor with a navigation radar, an AN / SPY-73 centimeter-range radar, revolving on top of the forward deck mast. However, at sea, the mast was retracted into the hull like a periscope - for reasons of stealth.

During the departure to sea, described by Defense News, about 130 members of the future crew of the destroyer were on board, which is very unusual for the tests carried out by shipyards. In the coming months, the Zumwalt will become a second home for the crew, but already now BIW has allowed the military to get the first experience of managing the ship. The future crew was very excited about this opportunity, and they managed to cope with even more tasks than had been planned. This unique experience gave him special advantages - it allowed him to better study the most complex, revolutionary structure of a ship equipped with the latest technology - and, most importantly, this happened with the direct participation of the people who developed, built and tested the destroyer.

“We've been waiting 33 months for this,” said Command Master Chief (CMDCM) Dionne Beauchamp.

The crew visited the Zumwalt for the second time. For the first time, he was allowed to visit the ship during the first, December stage of testing. Then the military was present on the destroyer for a shorter time. Now they have been involved in running the Zumwalt for over 22 hours. The ship, as then, left Portland, and upon completion of testing arrived at the shipyard. But this time the ship returned to Bath only the next day, and its tests lasted almost a day.

In her experiment, BIW went even further: in addition to the crew of the tested destroyer, the ship was attended by several engineers from the future crew of the second ship of the Zumwalt class under construction - USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001). They got acquainted with the power plant.

As a reminder, it is planned to build two more ships of the Zumwalt series. The third in the series will be Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), on which a "sci-fi" rail gun can be installed in two years. In the early stages, the US Navy announced the possible construction of 32 destroyers of this type, but due to the complexity of the latest technologies used on the Zumwalt, their number was reduced to 3.

The DDG-1000 crew members participated in a number of operations and tests, operated the vessel, and studied the operation of the engines. They examined and checked the operation of the anchor: it and the mechanisms associated with it are completely inside the vessel. The anchor extends down through the bottom of the ship.

Crew members check the operation of the anchor. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

According to Beauchamp, the various systems of the destroyer are so deeply integrated that the crew learned not only to control individual pieces of equipment, but to operate a huge "system of systems." The total length of the program code is about 6,000,000 lines.

Beauchamp is very experienced: he previously served on an aircraft carrier, a cruiser and two frigates, but according to the master petty officers, even he had to learn and master 19 new technologies for future work on the Zumwalt.

The requirements for the crew, according to Beauchamp, are very high: only sailors who have shown the best results are accepted there. Moreover, only one crew member is under 21 years old.

Chief Fire Control Officer Dave Aitken was also on the ship, however he had stepped back from his usual duties as combat systems The Zumwalts have not yet been installed and will only be operational in two years. During these tests, the main focus was on the destroyer hull, mechanics, engineering aspects, so other tasks were found for Aitken and his team, which included working with BIW engineers.

“The sailors learned from the guys at Raytheon,” Aitken said. "During the trials, the man from Raytheon stood behind them and watched them work with the consoles."

Electromagnetic railgun for Zumwalt class destroyers. Photo: MC2 Kristopher Kirsop / Navy.

Aitken's people took part in the work of the IT department with the destroyer's "computer" infrastructure, operated with integrated systems, including communication systems. In the future, once the weapons are installed, the fire control department will have a better understanding of how they will fit into the Zumwalt "system of systems".

During the exercises, the destroyer functioned properly, all the planned goals and indicators were achieved. There was no problem, Downey noted. The BIW team will now review the information received and prepare for acceptance testing. In fact, as the head of the PMS 500 noted, the March testing was their "rehearsal". In April, INSURV will evaluate the ship's performance and, in all likelihood, will recommend it for official admission to the Navy.

The weather conditions during the tests were difficult, but the ship demonstrated a high level of stability. It was accelerated to speeds above 30 knots (more than 55 km / h) - at a maximum speed of 33.5 knots (62 km / h). With a sharp turn, the roll angle was 7-8 degrees. This greatly impressed Kirk, who expected a much larger tilt. The ship's hull with its unusual obstruction (it tapers above the waterline by 8 °) is incredibly stable - this shape is due to the need to reduce the ESR (effective scattering area) - the main indicator that determines the level of visibility of the vessel.

Downey noted that he had no doubts about the stealth qualities of the destroyer and its EPR. Everything looks "too good", he said. It is very difficult for radars to "spot" Zumwalt. It is noteworthy that during the tests, reflectors were installed on the ship for reasons of safety of navigation. Thus, civilian ships could see the stealth destroyer on their radars.

The decks are not intended for the permanent stay of people, therefore, all those devices and structures that are usually found on the decks of warships have been moved inside or minimized as much as possible. Everything you need for the crew's daily activities is inside the destroyer. This, as you might guess, is also due to the stealth of the Zumwalt.

About an inch of radio-absorbing materials that surround the hull and superstructure have minimized the number of protruding antennas. This innovation, together with other stealth components, makes the destroyer as stealthy as possible.

The ship had 388 people, although in the future its crew will be 147. Over the planned 40 years of USS Zumwalt operation, such a number of people on board will be transported very, very rarely.

It should be noted that thanks to the high-tech hardware and software stuffing, the work of the destroyer is maximally automated. Thanks to this, the size of the crew was reduced. 147 people are very few. For comparison: the crew of the Russian guards missile cruiser Moskva, similar in size to the Zumwalt, is about 500 people.

Laser weapons.

An extensive bridge is located on the second level (O2) of the superstructure. The standard watch on the bridge is three officers. There are places for two junior watch officers (Junior Officer of the Watch, JOOW, and Junior Officer of the Deck, JOOD). For the officer of the watch, OOD, no seating is provided: he must stand and walk on the bridge.

A manual control system is located between the watch seats. All places are equipped with computer panels. The ship's course can be set by autopilot or by using the mouse and keyboard, or by rotating the "little black knob" used as the ship's steering wheel.

The bridge seats are surrounded by consoles. The junior watch officers in their places monitor the screens that record the operation of internal systems and navigation displays. A fairly wide passage separates the windows and consoles.

Above in a circle are eight large flat panel displays. This is one of the most detailed and impressive information systems located on the bridges of today's warships. There you can connect to any data: a variety of sensors, secret intelligence, cameras showing different parts of the destroyer.

On either side of the junior watch officers' consoles are separate seats for the commander and his chief officer (to the right) or the commodore (to the left). Directly above them are three large flat panel displays.

At the back, there are places for people in charge of intelligence and mission planning.

At the rear of the wheelhouse, on either side, there are two "alcoves" designed for the captain or officer of the watch to steer the ship while entering the dock, resupplying the ship and exiting the dock.

There are two wide opening windows through which two people can look far down to the ship's waterline.

USS Michael Monsoor

The Zumwalt Multi-Tasking Control Center (SMC, Ship Mission Center) is huge and has two decks in height. It extends from the steel-enclosed O2 level to the base of the multi-piece superstructure that crowns the ship (O3 level). Three flat panel displays at the front of the room are immediately eye-catching. In the same place, 19 watchkeepers operate four rows of console stations.

The general arrangement of the consoles is somewhat reminiscent of the latest Aegis Baseline 9 missile defense (similar CDS displays and workstations are used), but they take up much more space. The first and second rows are responsible for missile and artillery systems, cyber operations, anti-submarine warfare. The control and command positions occupy the third row: there are places for the commander, tactical officer and watch mechanical engineer. The fourth row of consoles is operated by personnel responsible for motors, mechanics and IT support.

Above, at the rear of the SMC, is a glazed second deck designed for command personnel or personnel in charge of classified information or mission planning. There they can work without attracting the attention of the watchkeepers below, but keeping an eye on the same CDS displays.

On the left and right sides of the SMC, additional enclosed spaces are located, where consoles and panels are also equipped, allowing for detailed planning of the ship's mission or individual operations.

Kawas also describes the rooms below deck. Particularly noteworthy is Broadway, located in the depths of the hull - a spacious passage on the right side of the ship, which allows you to easily move ammunition and ammunition to storage areas.

Broadway. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

Broadway is wide enough for forklifts to drive through. It is similar to the passages used in the last generation of US combat battleships, where they were called by the exact same word.

Broadway continues all the way to the artillery depots serving the AGS cannons. On the opposite side there is a spacious room where you can place exercise equipment next to the relaxation room.

In the middle of the ship on the second deck are the wardroom for officers and crew and quarters for the chief petty officers (goat locker). They are served by one galley (100% electric).

The two engine rooms include two power plants, consisting of Advanced Induction Motors (AIM) and a Rolls-Royce MT-30 gas turbine, which together produce 39 MW - a total of 78 MW (more than any American destroyer). The ship has implemented the so-called. the principle of "all-electric ship", "electric ship", "Full Electric Propulsion": a common primary source of electricity generation is used, which ensures both the movement of the ship and the power supply of all systems of the ship without exception. The aforementioned powerful British gas turbines Rolls-Royce's modern asynchronous motors drive electric generators, after which the electricity is converted back into mechanical energy using propulsion motors. "Electric ships" are a rarity for the naval forces. Prior to that, the only precedent for an "all-electric ship" was the British Daring.

Each Advanced Induction Motor is directly connected to one of the ship's two propeller shafts, eliminating the need for a gearbox (which in turn reduces noise and vibration). The engine rooms are remotely controlled. High power generation will be needed to operate the rail guns.

Cables to fit one of the Advanced Induction Motors. In the center it is connected to one of the propeller shafts. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

On the left side of the stern is the Secondary Ship's Mission Center (SSMC). It is capable of performing similar functions to SMC and bridging, but on a smaller scale, and will be used as a damage control center (DCC).

At the stern there is a boat compartment with enough volume to accommodate two 11-meter RHIBs. A complex mechanism made of a titanium "cradle" and a ramp is used to lower or receive them through the aft gate.

Boat compartment. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

Nearby there are bunks for 14 people from the special operations group. There is also a place where they can store weapons and personal belongings.

The flight deck is not framed by safety nets. Instead, it uses a technical innovation called Personnel Safety Barriers (PSB). They minimize signals from the ship. PSBs are automated, unlike those nets on ships and cruisers that sailors must raise and lower. The "safety barriers" of the new destroyer are raised when the landing helicopter is "caught" by the helicopter landing assistance system ASIST (The Aircraft Ship Integrated Secure and Traverse helicopter recovery and handling system). ASIST securely "grabs" the helicopter and moves it into a hangar equipped with a powerful double door, which may be used as a basis for new doors on other ships.

“She's very reliable. It's very difficult to break something in it, says Downey. "This door is very easy to use."

Newest double hangar door. Photo: Christopher Kawas, Defense News.

In the future, Zumwalt will house many weapons systems, including 20 modules of the new type of universal vertical launchers (UVP) Mk-57, which will replace the widespread UVP Mk-41: the total capacity is 80 missiles of various classes: "Tomahawk", or anti-submarine ASROC-VLS missiles, or ESSM medium-range anti-aircraft missiles.

In addition to the aforementioned long-range 155-mm artillery mounts, 30-mm anti-aircraft guns will appear on the deck for conventional ballistic projectiles or guided ultra-long-range active-reactive ammunition of increased accuracy LRLAP, capable of striking objects at a distance of up to 100 km.

As mentioned above, Zumwalt-class ships are likely to be equipped with laser weapons and railguns (rail guns).

Electromagnetic railgun, an electrode mass accelerator, uses electricity instead of explosives and accelerates the projectile to a speed of 6-7 times the speed of sound (up to 8.5 thousand km / h) with a launch distance of up to 200 km, creating a sufficient amount of kinetic energy to destroy targets ... It is believed that this is a technology doomed to great success: it will be possible to create an effective and efficient weapon, spending much less money on it than on guided bombs and missiles.

At least one helicopter and three UAVs can be based on the ship. The cost of USS Zumwalt was, according to various estimates, from $ 3.5 billion to $ 4.4 billion.

 

It might be helpful to read:

• Massage, massage products Nem Yandex Direct massage parlor Sorry;
• How to start a bakery from scratch - a guide and a business plan Bakery pleasure for all customers;
• Auto shelf - wholesale supplies;
• Ideas for a profitable business;
• What is second hand and stock clothes?;
• Making ritual wreaths;
• How to keep records in an online store: accounting, tax and product accounting;
• Business plan: how to start a business selling meat;