DDG-1000 and DDG-1001

Official Navy release.

The Navy has exercised contract modifications for the construction of the dual lead ships of the Zumwalt class (DDG 1000) to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. DDG 1000 and DDG 1001 are the lead ships of a class of next-generation multi-mission surface combatants tailored for land-attack and littoral dominance.

BIW was awarded a $1.4 billion cost-plus contract for the construction of DDG 1000, and NGSB was awarded a $1.4 billion cost-plus contract for construction of DDG 1001. The Navy and industry are using a thorough design-for-producibility process to pursue every opportunity to reduce cost on the DDG 1000 class without reducing key performance parameters. The Navy's dual lead-ship strategy has reduced cost and encouraged collaboration. This approach will give the Navy information and modifications for future acquisition strategy decisions, and also addresses congressional concerns regarding maintaining the industrial base.

I agree with Roughead, the technology these ship bring to the fleet is quite impressive. We are very happy to see the Navy build two DDG-1000s at two different yards. Unlike the Navy, we are not delusional on the price, and know these ships will cost more than what the Navy has budgeted. We are OK with that for the first two, they need to be built anyway.

I got two emails from people claiming Roughead called these ships technology demonstrators at the press conference, but I can't find any stories where he is quoted saying that. I hope he did, and I hope that is how the Navy looks at DDG-1000 and DDG-1001. The Navy doesn't need 7 or more new big destroyers, but building two large destroyers of two different designs to test all this new technology that will likely define CGN(X), CG(X), and probably DDG(X) as well is a smart move.

Does this belong in the Navy official release?

DDG 1000 will triple naval surface fires coverage as well as tripling capability against anti-ship cruise missiles. DDG 1000 has a 50-fold radar cross section reduction compared to current destroyers, improves strike group defense 10-fold and has 10 times the operating area in shallow water regions against mines. For today's warfighter, DDG 1000 fills an immediate and critical naval-warfare gap, meeting validated Marine Corps fire support requirements.

Maybe, it is a sad state of affairs that the Navy feels obligated to sell their concepts, but the truth is so few people both in and out of the Navy buy into the strategy for the fleet, Roughead all but said as much in his press conference the other day when he kept using the word balance over and over again when he was asked about the future fleet. Clearly he is talking to someone, and we wonder if Winter is getting the message.

We certainly did.