Zumwalt-class destroyer

The Zumwalt class is a class of three United States Navy guided-missile destroyers designed as multi-mission stealth ships with a focus on land attack. The lead ship, Zumwalt, carries the hull number DDG-1000. The class grew out of the DD-21 land attack destroyer programme and was built around two Advanced Gun Systems firing a special long-range projectile; when that ammunition was cancelled the Navy repurposed the ships for surface warfare, and in 2023 began replacing the guns with hypersonic missiles. Although classed as destroyers they are the largest surface combatants in the Navy. A wave-piercing tumblehome hull gives a low radar cross-section, and an integrated electric propulsion system supports a smaller crew. Bath Iron Works in Maine began building the lead ship in 2008.