Lasers, global strike weapons, hypervelocity projectiles, maneuvering
tomahawk missiles and precision guided
deck mounted guns are all part of the
navy's design for its new stealthy
warship the USS Zumwalt. The first of its
kind ship on the fast track to
operational status by just next year was
designed for the specific purpose of
integrating these kinds of future
maritime attack weapons.
With this in mind the navy has been
working on combat activation with the
ship, live fire exercises and technical
preparations for new weapons. These weapons according to zumwalt
program manager Captain Kevin Smith
include the maritime stripe tomahawk SM-6 missile, a tactical common data link
to network helicopters with surface
ships and the possible integration of
new long-range precision rounds for its
5-inch guns.
Laser weapons which are already
operational on navy surface ships are
also part of the plan for the Zumwalt as
it was engineered with an integrated
power system electric drive. This not only brings quieter, stealthier, more efficient propulsion to the ship
with 78 megawatt generators but also
enables a level of onboard power
necessary for lasers. Right now there is a lot of development
going on with lasers including work on a
road map that goes out into the future. We have space weight and power on this
ship class to incorporate that kind of
capability in the future.
The tomahawk missile has been an
effective attack weapon for decades
providing the technical basis for the
navy's current effort to fast-track the
maritime strike tomahawk. This new weapon takes the existing block
4 Tomahawk to a new level by adding new
seeker and guidance technology enabling
the weapon to hit moving targets at sea. this is a substantial step forward in
attack capability, as it will give sea
commanders the option to hit enemy ships
on the move from hundreds of miles away.
The existing tomahawk while armed with
gps guidance, a 900-mile range drone-like
loitering ability and two-way targeting
data link is used as a way to attack
fixed targets such as enemy buildings, command and control or other facilities. The USS Zumwalt is built with a
high-tech, long-range, bay built advanced
gun system designed to find and hit
targets with precision from much farther
ranges than existing deck mounted ship
guns.
Most deck mounted five-inch guns
currently on navy ships are limited to
firing roughly eight to ten miles at
targets within the horizon or what's
called line of sight. The advanced gun system however is being
developed to fire rounds beyond the
horizon at targets more than three times
that distance. The navy had been planning to have the
gunfire a long-range land attack
projectile but is now exploring
different ammunition options.
Smith added that the uss zumwalt has now
configured to fire the SM-6 missile. The SM-6 has been a fast evolving weapon
for the navy as it has expanded its
mission envelope to include air defense, ballistic missile defense and even
offensive use as an anti-ship surface
attack weapon. Utilizing its active seeker the SM-6 is
a key part of Naval Integrated Fire Control Counter Air (NIFCCA). NIFCCA uses fire control technology to
link aegis radar with an airborne relay
sensor to detect and destroy approaching
enemy threats from beyond the horizon.
With an active dual mode seeker able to
send an electromagnetic ping forward
from the missile itself. The SM-6 is able
to better adjust to moving targets, giving commanders more decision making
time to effectively utilize layered ship
defenses when under attack is an
integral part of the rationale for NIFCCA. The ship also fires vertical launch and
to submarine rockets or ASROC's. ASROCs are 16 feet long with a 14 inch
diameter, a rocket delivers the torpedo at very
high speeds to a specific point in the
water at which point it turns on its
sensors and searches for an enemy
submarine. The ship is also built with MK-57 of
vertical launch tubes which are
engineered into the hull near the
perimeter of the ship. Called peripheral vertical launch system
the tubes are integrated with the hull
around the ship's periphery in order to
ensure that weapons can keep firing in
the event of damage.
Instead of having all of the launch
tubes in succession or near one another
the DDG-1000 has spread them out in
order to mitigate risk in the event of
attack. Developers said in total there
are 80 launch tubes built into the hull
of the DDG-1000, the peripheral vertical launch system
involves a collaborative effort between
raytheon and bay systems. Also the launchers are especially
designed with software such that it can
accommodate a wide range of weapons. The
launchers can house one SM-2, SM-3 or SM-6, asrocs and up to four essms due to the
missile's smaller diameter.
The concept with the conventional prompt
strike weapon is to enable fast attack
against enemy targets from safe standoff
distances quickly. Potentially at the
beginning of a conflict, this would enable rapid attack without
forcing having to wait for deployment
options or place vital war assets in
closer range of enemy attack. In essence should a conflict quickly
break out, CPS will give command
authority a rapid hit option to possibly
deter further war or destroy crucial
enemy targets with tactical surprise.
