The Zumwalt seen from one the shipyard’s cranes. Astern of the ship is the midbody of the Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001, for which a keel laying ceremony was held in May.

The ship is resplendent in new paint, put on for the christening ceremony that had been scheduled for Oct. 19, and now postponed due to the government shutdown.

The ship’s tumblehome hull is plainly visible in this sharp bow view. Unlike more conventional hull forms, the tumblehome hull is fuller and wider at the waterline and below than above. The ship’s maximum beam is 80.7 feet on a length of 600 feet.

Mount 61 is open and displaying its 155 mm weapon. Mount 62 behind it is closed up. The Advanced Gun System is one ten major newly-developed technologies in the DDG 1000 design. Flanking the guns are the launch cells of the Peripheral Launch System, another new technology that moves the ship’s missiles from the centerline to the edge of the hull, where they also form part of the ship’s protective system.

The superstructure is virtually devoid of masts and projections. All sensors are embedded in the superstructure and hull.

A closeup of the forward superstructure. The bridge is on the lower levels; while there is only one set of windows, the interior is actually a unique two-level arrangement.

The exceptionally narrow forward hull body is intended to slice through waves, damping down pitch action to enhance low-level signature qualities.

Although there will be only three ships in the class, the DDG 1000s represent a major leap in multiple technology arenas.