How Stealthy Zumwalt Destroyers Will Change Ocean Warfare

By Kris Osborn – Warrior Maven

As the USS Zumwalt progresses with combat activation, weapons integration and further preparations for operational combat, the Navy continues to more broadly scope its operational envelope and envision operations previously less emphasized mission areas for the ship.

Could the new destroyer actually wind up changing surface warfare?

While initially conceived, in large measure, as a littoral land attack platform, Navy program managers now say fast-progressing technology and the ship’s performance thus far, will increasingly enable it to succeed in open or “blue water” combat should it engage is major power, force-on-force ocean warfare.

Given its stealthy configuration, it seems plausible that a Zumwalt class ship could lead an assault or help launch a broader attack by virtue of an ability to strike while avoiding detection. The three-ship Zumwalt fleet is likely to be in great demand in coming years as new threats emerge which present a need for its emerging technologies.

Also, in a manner quite similar to the current fleet of DDG 51 destroyers, a Zumwalt will almost certainly help protect a carrier strike group. Drawing upon its stealthy configuration, a Zumwalt destroyer might be well positioned to test or penetrate blue-water enemy defenses without necessarily surrendering the location of a carrier group.

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NAVSEA Photo: Capt. Kevin Smith, Program Manager, DDG 1000 (PMS 500), PEO Ships, 2018 Sea-Air-Space Exposition