Zumwalt: Navy Begins Weapons&Tech Activation

by Kris Osborn

Armed with the most lethal weapons ever engineered onto a surface ship, is now beginning what’s called “ship activation” – a process of integrating the major systems and technologies on the ship leading up to an eventual live-fire exercise of its guns and missiles.

As part of this process, the Navy will eventually fire long-range precision guns and missiles from its lethal, stealthy new destroyer — in anticipation of its ultimate deployment on the open seas, service and industry officials explained.

The new destroyer, called the USS Zumwalt, is a 610-foot land and surface warfare attack ship designed with a stealthy, wave-piercing “tumblehome” hull.

Raytheon has been chosen to begin mission systems testing, engineering services and ship activation duties in support of the Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyer program.

The deal, which could reach $500 million, will include production, integration and testing on the ship, a Pentagon announcement said.

This work corresponds to the ongoing work of the Navy and Raytheon on the Zumwalt next-generation computer systems and blade servers being tested aboard the ship.

The new system, called Total Ship Computing Environment, as had a number of software releases, with the eighth upgrade being integrated this year, Capt. Kevin Smith, DDG 1000 program manager, explained at the Navy League’s Annual Sea Air Space exhibition at National Harbor, Md.