USS Zumwalt begins first operational underway

The lead ship of US Navy’s Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyers, the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), got underway from San Diego on March 8 to start its first operational underway.

The underway represents a milestone for the new class of ships, of which only three will be built.

Zumwalt’s crew recently completed a post-delivery maintenance availability designed to thoroughly evaluate the ship’s systems and equipment to include radars and engineering plant.

“My crew has been looking forward to continued testing and operations at sea, leveraging the newly installed capabilities of this platform,” said Carlson. “Our primary focus is executing a safe underway, while building both competence and confidence in operating Zumwalt across the spectrum of naval warfare.”

Zumwalt’s crew will carry out combat system testing during the underway and will visit Canadian naval base Esquimalt, according to USNI News.

Zumwalt-class ships are delivered through a two-phase approach in which combat systems are installed and activated subsequent to hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E) delivery. USS Zumwalt was commissioned in October 2016 in Baltimore before starting its transit to San Diego where it began combat systems installation, testing and evaluation, and operational integration with the fleet.

The ship is expected to be ready to join the fleet by the end of the year.