BATH, Me — The biggest destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy headed out to sea for preliminary tests on Monday.
The Zumwalt — which will receive the U.S.S. designation when it is officially christened — cost $4.4 billion to build. The ship boasts advanced technology, including new radar and sonar systems. The ship also has a stealthy design that makes it harder to detect on radar.
The ship is one of three in its class. It is named after Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, who was chief of naval operations during the Vietnam War. One of the other ships is named Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in Iraq. The other ship is named after Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th U.S. president.
Once it passes its test, the Zumwalt will be crewed by 158 sailors and support special operation forces, among other missions. The Navy says it will be able to deploy the ship anywhere in the world.
Interestingly, the commander of the Navy’s new ship is Captain James Kirk — who has the same name as the fictional Star Trek character.
The ship was built by General Dynamics, which is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. It was built at Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine.
