New Renderings Show the DDG(X) Destroyer Missing Its Main Gun
The latest renderings depicting the U.S. Navy’s next-generation destroyer are missing some weapon systems initially incorporated onboard the ship. According to Naval News, the image revealed by Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships last week showcases the DDG(X) without a main gun. Back in 2022, the upcoming destroyer was equipped with a 5-inch Mark 45 Mod 4 main gun forward of the bow-mounted 32-cell ark 41 Vertical Launch System cells. While this original design was purely conceptual, the new DDG(X)’s missing gun is significant. Similar to the service’s other next-generation projects, its destroyer timeline has been delayed. The most recent estimates surrounding the DDG(X) indicate the destroyer will not become available until the early 2030s at the earliest.
Capable of operating independently or as part of a carrier strike group alongside an aircraft carrier, guided missile destroyers have remained the crux of the Navy’s surface fleet for years. Since the service’s existing Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt-class destroyers will be eventually phased out, securing their successors is essential, especially as the likelihood of a South China Sea conflict with Beijing increases.
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