The Navy's Zumwalt-Class Stealth Destroyer Is No 'Battleship'

[rangerrebew]

December 24, 2019

The Navy's Zumwalt-Class Stealth Destroyer Is No 'Battleship'

It's too expensive.
by Sebastien Roblin
 

Key Point: The cost of the current upgrades is reportedly $90 million—a sum which may prove worthwhile if it helps recoup some value after the $22 billion sunk into the ambitious but failed ship concept.

In January 2019, the Navy will commission its second hi-tech Zumwalt-class stealth destroyer, the USS Michael Monsoor. The third and last, USS Lyndon B. Johnson was launched this December 2018 and will be commissioned in 2022.

Traditionally, warships are tailored to perform specific missions. But the cutting-edge Zumwalt has been a ship in search of a mission, especially since procurement of hyper-expensive ammunition for its primary weapon system was canceled. Years and billions of dollars later, the Navy may finally hav

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/navys-zumwalt-class-stealth-destroyer-no-battleship-108186

[jpsb]

Heads need to roll at the US Navy.

[PeteS in CA]

The new warships would be stealthier to avoid enemy attacks and pack rapid-firing 6-inch guns with a range of 115 miles for the sustained bombardment of land targets.

That 4X-5X the range of the Iowa class main guns and a much faster rate of fire. OTOH, the Iowas' 16"/50s probably had more powerful HE shells and more penetrative AP shells.