[Epoch Times, September 22, 2022](Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu comprehensive report) The lead ship of the USS Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) arrived in Arp, Guam on September 8 La Naval Base, the largest U.S. stealth guided-missile destroyer deployed for the first time in the Navy’s Seventh Fleet.
On Monday (September 19), a U.S. Navy press release wrote that this was the first time the Zumwalt had sailed into Guam and the furthest from its home port of Naval Base San Diego since commissioning.
Following a scheduled port call, the Zumwalt departed Ishima on September 19 to continue operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The Zumwalt-class destroyer is about 186 meters long and has a displacement of nearly 16,000 tons. This ship is a multi-purpose destroyer designed for littoral combat and land strike missions, also known as land destroyers.
Zumwalt was assigned to Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON), the Navy’s largest forward-deployed destroyer squadron and the primary surface force for the U.S. 7th Fleet. Task Force 71 is based on Guam.
“This call is a testament to the hard work of the crew and the resilience of the ship,” said Colonel Amy McInnis, commander of the Zumwalt. “I am delighted to lead a team that acts with utmost professionalism. staff and I’m glad we got a chance to rest and recharge this time around.”
Port calls are part of the Navy’s day-to-day operations, giving sailors the opportunity to decompress from the high-intensity life at sea and contributing to the ship’s overall mission readiness.
“Most of the crew has never been to Guam, so I think it’s been a really cool experience for a lot of sailors,” said Elizabeth Dabney, senior chief intelligence specialist from Crossville, Tennessee. .”
The stealthy USS Zumwalt has a specially designed angular shape that makes it 50 times less likely to be detected by radar. An innovative wave-piercing hull, a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors are key features.
The Zumwalt is powered by electricity, similar to a Boeing 777. The new artillery system can fire at long distances, firing at enemy targets from nearly 100 miles away.
The Zumwalt class has been selected as the initial platform for the Navy’s conventional immediate strike capability. The ship’s advanced artillery system will be removed to make way for the large missile vertical launch system to handle hypersonic missiles, as the ship’s existing Mk57 launchers for standard and Tomahawk missiles are too small to accommodate conventional rapid strike (CPS) )missile.
Zumwalt is the lead ship of three DDG-class destroyers, two of which are in service and one still under construction. All three destroyers are assigned or will be assigned to the San Diego Surface Squadron.
The Navy plans to deploy a conventional immediate strike capability aboard the Zumwalt in 2025.
The U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of a network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific for more than seven decades, providing reliable, ready forces , to help maintain peace and prevent conflict.
Responsible editor: Ye Ziwei#