MW: Zumwalt-class destroyers have become the most useless ships of the US Navy
To date, the US Navy has three of the world's largest Zumwalt-class destroyers (displacement 16 tons). They were supposed to become multi-purpose "stealth ships" with guided missile weapons, demonstrating technological perfection and military power off the coast of the enemy. However, over the past six years since the commissioning of the first in the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) series, these “destroyers of the XNUMXst century” have become the most useless ships of the American fleet, Military Watch writes.
In addition to the specified ship, the US Navy also has USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002). These destroyers were commissioned into the US Navy in January 2019 and December 2018, respectively. The first USS Zumwalt cost US taxpayers an astronomical $4,4 billion, more than twice as much as the most advanced version of the Arleigh Burke destroyer.
Externally, the Zumwalt-class destroyers look futuristic. The bow makes them more stable in heavy seas than other ships. Speed also commands respect - 30 knots (55 km/h). According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, USS Zumwalt generates about 78 megawatts of energy, which is similar to nuclear aircraft carriers. The ship has a good radar and 80 cells for vertical launch of missiles. This is where the positive side ends.
The publication notes that the Zumwalt-class destroyers constantly break power units. And it is chronic. The ships also have big problems with weapons. In addition, it turned out that their secrecy is much lower than calculated.
They almost completely failed to fulfill their originally intended role as multi-role destroyer warships, while the scale of the cost overruns itself calls into question the viability of the program, even if the destroyers could function as intended.
– said the publication.
It also turned out that these ships with URO simply do not have anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes and anti-aircraft missiles. This is not to mention the non-functioning artillery installation. The admirals categorically refused to buy shells at $800 apiece, which are comparable in cost to cruise missiles.
Disappointed naval commanders have been thinking for several years where to attach these "suitcases without a handle" that float well on the water. At first they wanted to make them "ship hunters" and carriers of nuclear weapons. Now they plan to arm with hypersonic missiles, which should appear only in 2025, the media summed up.
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