Zumwalt Destroyers to Join the Fleet a Year Later

The US Navy’s two new Zumwalt-class destroyers will arrive to the fleet a year later due to complications with new technology.

Reuters writes that the issues arose because of the challenges with the integration, installation and testing of unique high-tech components on the new class of warships.

US Navy and General Dynamics are working on controlling the cost increase caused by the delay. The company will also look into the impact of the delay on the vessels currently being built at the Bath Iron Works shipyard, DDG 51 Aegis destroyers among them.

USS Zumwalt’s delivery was pushed from September 2014 to November 2015. The second ship, DDG 1001, is expected to be delivered in November 2016, instead of the original plan in December 2015, while the third vessel of the class is still scheduled for delivery in November 2018.

USS Zumwalt will be declared ready for initial combat in September 2018, about two years later than planned, Bloomberg reports.

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Naval Today Staff, Image: US Navy